Updated: Timeline for reopening northern section of East River Park pushed to end of 2027

View of East River Park from just below Houston Street

The post has been updated with comments from the DDC 

The timeline for completing the northern section of East River Park has been pushed back by a year.

Officials from the city's Department of Design and Construction (DDC) told Community Board 3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee this past Thursday that work is now expected to wrap up at the end of 2027, instead of the previously projected end of 2026, as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project.

The latest in the Phase 2 construction, which began in September, required the closure of the northern section of East River Park — basically everything above Houston Street to 15th Street, including the three East Village access points over the FDR, track and field area, and the esplanade. (The 10th Street pedestrian bridge closed on May 27 and was later demolished overnight in July.) 

According to DDC officials, the delay is due to unforeseen underground conditions, including large amounts of historic construction and demolition debris, as well as extensive utility conflicts that have required mitigation and alternate engineering approaches. 

The ESCR team said its top priority remains implementing functional flood protection as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the whole project to be completed. 

Ian Michaels, the DDC's executive director of public information, told us via email that they remain hopeful of finishing before the end of 2027 and that the flood protection might be completed before the end of the project. 

He said that "interference with existing underground utilities that are sometimes unknown or poorly mapped is the largest driver of DDC infrastructure project delays."

"East Side Coastal Resiliency is the largest urban climate adaptation project in the country and is unlike anything that's ever been attempted before in a setting like New York. The city made a commitment to implement this project with transparency and respect for the community, and we have conducted the work in phases to maximize access to the Park," Michaels said via email. "Due to the discovery of unforeseen obstacles underground and interference from poorly mapped utility lines, the completion of ESCR will take a year longer than expected. We will aim to complete the project's flood protection elements before that, and we will continue to keep the public updated on progress."

Michaels also pointed out that other parts of East River Park were completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

Find the DDC's Dec. 11 presentation here (PDF).

The update follows a series of recent changes and reopenings in the park: 

• The rebuilt Delancey Street pedestrian bridge reopened in September 2024, along with Ballfields 1 and 2. 

• Additional amenities near the Williamsburg Bridge returned on Memorial Day. 

• And in early September, the new Corlears Hook Pedestrian Bridge was unveiled, bringing with it several features, including six new tennis courts, an amphitheater-style space, an esplanade with seating, the flagpole area at Corlears Hook Park, and direct access to Pier 42 and the Corlears Hook ferry. 

The southern half of East River Park closed in late 2021 and has been reopening in stages. 

The city says it is maintaining access to at least 42% of East River Park. 

The "phased work operations" in East River Park started in November 2021 as part of a billion-plus-dollar project to elevate large sections of the park by 8 to 10 feet above sea level, aiming to protect the neighborhood from future storm surges.

Anchors away

On Sunday, Cecil Scheib shared this photo of the anchor in East River Park, noting that the 10th Street pedestrian bridge would be closing today as the demolition and rebuilding of the park expanded alongside the East Village. 

We know very little about the anchor's history. One Flickr user stated: "Pulled from the East River, the origins of this anchor are unclear. When it was placed on the site in 1970, the plaque stated that the piece was donated by the F&M Schaefer Brewing Co. in memory of the William H. Brown shipyard." 

We also don't know what its future status is. 

Some precedent. Further south, workers removed the East River Park seals, housed near the former Fireboat House, in 2022 when construction began in that area. 

According to Sculpture House Casting, the spray fountain designed by Gerry Augustine is temporarily residing in their factory. The seals "will be cast in bronze and returned to the East River Park," the site states. 

We'll see if we can get a line on the anchor. 

Starting earlier today, the 10th Street pedestrian bridge is now shuttered, along with the adjacent playground, BBQ area, and basketball courts — marking the next phase of park shutdowns tied to the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project. 

In addition, the northern esplanade with access to Stuyvesant Cove Park (through 18th Street) is closed.

Despite the closure of the "Con Ed lemon squeezer section," Edmund John Dunn noted that even with the signs and traffic cones, "bike riders and runners were still entering and leaving ..."

By the end of the summer, the track located off of the Sixth Street pedestrian bridge will shut down, at which point the complete north end of East River Park will be shuttered. 

When this takes place, East Village-based park-goers must head south to access any East River Park amenities. (BTW, a new track is in the works for the same space.) 

This PDF provides more background on the timing. 

As we previously mentioned, several refurbished East River Park areas around the Williamsburg Bridge reopened yesterday on Memorial Day, including the south tennis courts. 

We'll have photos of that area on Thursday. (If you follow EVG on Instagram, you can find some pics there.) 

 Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Park access shifts again: What's open and closed in East River Park starting Memorial Day as construction moves to the north

[Updated] The first sections of East River Park set to close today as resiliency work begins; activists arrested

Photo from yesterday's march to East River Park by Jeremiah Moss

As we reported last Monday, "phased work operations" begin today in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th St., including East River Park as part of the $1.45-billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project.

So starting today, the Brian Watkins Tennis Center will start to shut down. According to the construction notice, four tennis courts on the north side and the tennis center will remain open through the end of the 2021 permit season on Nov. 21. All tennis courts and the tennis center including restrooms will be closed until 2024 — subject to change, per the city.  

According to the latest timeline from the city, leagues will be able to use the ballfields through Nov. 30. Permits for the BBQ areas and amphitheater will no longer be available after Nov. 30.

Starting last week, the former compost area was to be converted into "a passive lawn space." Per the city: "The new passive lawn area will provide public recreation space during ESCR construction. Construction will take place from mid-October through mid-November."

Our previous post has more details on what has been happening to date here ... as well as the opposition to this current plan.

Work continues in Project Area 2 between East 15 Street and 25th Street, including Asser Levy Playground, Stuyvesant Cove Park and Murphy Brothers Playground.

Construction on the East Side is expected to wrap up by the end of 2026.

Updated 10 a.m.

East River Park Action reports that a group of residents are currently at the tennis courts protesting the start of the construction here...

Updated 11:56 a.m.

We're told that the group is blocking construction workers from accessing the site ... and that the NYPD is on hand "threatening arrest."

Updated 2 p.m.

Allie Ryan, an East Village resident who's running for District 2 City Council against Carline Rivera, was among those arrested today...  (photo by @EmilyJCatalyst) 

According to one estimate, 50 officers from the NYPD and Parks Enforcement Patrol are on the scene... (photo by @EmilyJCatalyst) ... two activists were said to be arrested in the end...