Checking out the newly reopened area of East River Park

On Memorial Day, the city opened parts of the refurbished East River Park a little north and south of the Williamsburg Bridge. 

This marked the first time these areas have been open to the public since demolition work began as part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) in late 2021. 

New amenities in this area include six regulation tennis courts, two basketball courts, picnic and BBQ facilities, water sprinklers, a passive lawn, and a flexible-use space.

The city will officially mark this reopening at 11 a.m. today. Several city leaders and local elected officials are expected to attend, including NYC Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeffrey Roth, DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and local City Council Member Carlina Rivera. 

We visited the newly opened section on Monday and found plenty of others doing the same. The BBQ area and tennis courts were mostly full, while the lawn was about half occupied with sunbathers and others enjoying the day's low-70s temperatures. 

Here's a look at this section of East River Park, which is currently accessible only via the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge...

People we talked with liked the well-tended plantings, BBQ area and brand-new amenities. 

Still, it feels pretty sterile at the moment — especially without much shade (thanks to the hundreds of mature trees that were cut down as workers raised the park eight to 10 feet to help protect against future coastal storms and tidal flooding). 

According to DDC officials, 600 new trees have been planted in areas reopening, along with more than 21,000 new shrubs, grasses, and perennials. (In total, officials say they will eventually plant upwards of 2,000 trees in the new East River Park.) 

You can find some shade in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge and the (metal!?) umbrellas in the BBQ area. There are also new drinking fountains...

Here's the area around the former Fireboat House, which remains in place for now...

We were happy to be able to walk under the Williamsburg Bridge again and take in the water views. Still, you can't help but feel a little trapped, as park access is limited in either direction until the whole project reaches its expected completion date in late 2026.

This new space promises to get more crowded soon. The 10th Street pedestrian bridge closed along with those adjacent amenities on Tuesday. By the end of the summer, the complete north end of East River Park will be shuttered for the duration of the project. 

This is the second new area of East River Park to reopen. The adjacent ballfields 1 and 2 debuted last September. 

The folks at East River Park Action, who have advocated for a more resilient flood control plan for East River Park, share their thoughts on the new section in this post.

A look inside the former Fireboat House in East River Park as it faces an uncertain future

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Sitting barren along a tree-less stretch of under-renovation East River Park below the Williamsburg Bridge, the former Fireboat House — most recently home to the Lower East Side Ecology Center — now stands silent and abandoned. 

Built in 1941 for Marine Company 66, the two-story Moderne-style building replaced an earlier fireboat station that had operated off Grand Street since the 19th century.

Inside, it sits in quiet disarray — scattered papers, peeling paint and the faint echo of a place once full of purpose.

It will be the last National Register-eligible structure left in East River Park following the demolition of the Track House and Tennis Center as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project. 

According to an ESCR spokesperson, the Fireboat House is still undergoing a federal review known as the Section 106 process, which is required to ensure that historic buildings or sites are not negatively impacted by construction projects. 

Currently, city agencies — including the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Design and Construction, and the Parks Department — are reviewing feedback received from groups involved in the process. Once those responses are finalized, they'll be shared with everyone involved, the spokesperson said via email. (The LES Ecology Center will be housed further south in East River Park.)

Although its future use remains uncertain, there is hope that this resilient structure might be spared.

The new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge reopens today

Photo last week by William Klayer 

The new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge is back in service starting today. [Updated: We walked across it. Photos here.]

The city also announced that East River Park Ballfields 1 and 2 are now available for "permitted and open play." 

Also, notably: "The bridge will provide access to Ballfields 1 & 2 only, with no outlet to other areas of the park. Please note there is no water service on-site, so plan accordingly to bring your own supply."

The bridge is also only open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., so there are no night games on those fields, which are surrounded by an active construction zone, as the map on the Community advisory below shows...

Crews installed the new bridge, one of the new access points for East River Park, overnight on June 8. (The previous bridge was removed in early 2022.) According to the City Department of Design and Construction, the 215-foot-long bridge weighs 125 tons (much larger than the previous one) and is fully ADA-accessible. 

It's nice to see a little progress, as nearly three years in, much of the 57.5-acre park looks like a barren wasteland — especially below the Williamsburg Bridge.

 

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A post shared by East River Park ACTION (@eastriverparkaction)

The "phased work operations" in East River Park began in November 2021 in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th Street. Workers have been burying the park under fill and cutting down many trees as part of the billion-dollar-plus East Side Coastal Resiliency project. They are elevating the land 8 to 10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. 

The city has said it will maintain public access to at least 42% of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. 

You can find more updates and construction notices at this link.

Building the ramp to the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge

EVG regular William Klater shared this photo from yesterday morning, which shows the ramp to the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge under construction.

Crews installed the new bridge, one of the new access points for East River Park, overnight on June 8. (The previous bridge was removed in early 2022.) 

According to a City Department of Design and Construction spokesperson, the 215-foot-long bridge weighs 125 tons (much larger than the previous one) and is fully ADA-accessible. 

There's a partial-lane closure this week on the FDR from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. while work continues. It is expected to be ready for pedestrians early next month. 

Here's a video from June showing workers assembling the new bridge...

  

The "phased work operations" in East River Park began in November 2021 in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th Street. As part of the billion-dollar-plus East Side Coastal Resiliency project, workers have been burying the 57.5-acre park under fill and cutting down many trees. They are elevating the land 8 to 10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. 

The city has said it will maintain public access to at least 42% of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. 

You can find the latest updates and notifications at this link.

Take a look at the all-new Delancey Street Pedestrian Bridge

From a distance, the only thing seemingly happening with East River Park's ongoing demolition and reconstruction is just more scorched earth and downed trees.

However, in a noticeable sign of progress, crews installed the new Delancey Street Pedestrian Bridge, one of the new access points for East River Park. (The previous bridge was removed in early 2022.) 

Work took place late this past Saturday night. (Both sides of the FDR were closed overnight from Exit 2, the Brooklyn Bridge, to Exit 5, Houston Street and the Williamsburg Bridge.)

According to a City Department of Design and Construction spokesperson, the $32-million bridge weighs 125 tons (much larger than the previous one) and is fully ADA-accessible. 

The 215-foot-long bridge was manufactured in Italy, assembled at the project site, and then installed by crane. It is expected to open for use by Sept. 1. 

Here's a look at the bridge installation action from late Saturday (pics courtesy of the DDC)...

A second bridge will be installed at Corlears Hook later this summer. 

The "phased work operations" began in November 2021 in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th Street. As part of the billion-dollar-plus East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, workers have been burying the 57.5-acre park under fill and cutting down trees. They are elevating the land 8 to 10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. 

The city has said it will maintain public access to a minimum of 42% of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The DOT wants your feedback on the future of East River Park waterfront access

The following invite is via the Department of Transportation about a public meeting this coming Monday evening...

We are writing to invite you to join us at East Village/Lower East Side Waterfront Access Study's upcoming Community Workshop #3. The study is evaluating opportunities for improvements in the FDR Drive corridor from Montgomery to 14th Street considering mobility, circulation, safety, accessibility, open space, environment, resilience, and stormwater management. 

The workshop will be held at the Lower Eastside Girls Club, Baker Hall, 402 E. Eighth St. near Avenue D, on Monday, Oct. 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. 

At the meeting, you'll have the opportunity to share your feedback on improvement concepts for Montgomery St., Jackson St., Delancey St., Houston St., and E. Sixth St. along the FDR Drive corridor.

You can register for the workshop here. 

East River Park is currently being gutted as part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, estimated to be completed by the end of 2026.

Despite hazardous air quality, ESCR work continued this past Wednesday afternoon

Photos and video by Marcella Durand

This past Wednesday afternoon, as smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada settled over NYC and the rest of the Northeast, the Air Quality Index here reached 484 — the worst in city history and the world on that day.

Despite the level that officials labeled as "hazardous," work continued on the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project in East River Park... with the machinery's black smoke mixing into the yellow-orange haze...

 

The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) eventually shut down the site later in the day.

"Health and safety is the number one priority to the DDC. Due to the Canadian wildfire smoke effects in the area, DDC has halted late work shifts for [June 7] and suspended work for [June 8]. The City will monitor the conditions as the week progresses," the community construction liaison told a concerned nearby resident after 5 p.m.

An ESCR fact sheet on air quality monitoring (PDF here) states there is an Action Level for air pollution and that "[i]f it is determined that the construction is not meeting the standards set by oversight agencies, work will be halted and further assessed to assure protection to residents and park users."

ESCR watchers said that this "could be interpreted as only taking action if the construction itself causes the air pollution" and not necessarily from, say, wildfires. 

Meanwhile, ICYMI: The DDC has pushed back the timetable for completing vital elements of the project. Officials revealed the new schedule during an East Side Coastal Resiliency Community Advisory Group meeting on May 25. (A video of the meeting is here.) 

According to the presentation (deck here), officials moved the work's completion date south of Grand Street from this summer to June 2024... while work between Grand and Stanton changed from 2024 to early 2025.

As Hellgate reported in its coverage of the meeting: 

DDC staffers explained that the delay on these sections, which are currently closed off to the public, is due to a reallocation of construction efforts to the large section south of Houston Street, where massive floodwater conveyance systems are now being buried underground. Soon, they say, they'll begin to infill the land in that section, and raise the park between eight and ten feet, before reconstructing it entirely.

Despite the delays, officials said they'll still hit their end-of-2026 completion date.

The "phased work operations" began in November 2021 in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th Street.

Workers have been burying the 57.5-acre park under fill, cutting down trees and elevating the land by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. The city has said they will maintain public access to at least 42% of the park throughout construction. 

Residents still have access to the park via the FDR overpasses on 10th Street and Sixth Street and the north ramp at Houston.  

Workers demolish the south ramp to East River Park at Houston Street

Photos by William Klayer

The demolition/reconstruction of East River Park continues its northern march. Most recently workers have demolished the south ramp at the Houston Street overpass...

The north ramp remains open for park access. 

And here's a look at the work to date... with what looks like nearly half of the park closed down and gutted...

This is part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project. Workers have been burying the 57.5-acre park under fill, cutting down trees and will eventually elevate the land by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. The city has said they will maintain public access to a minimum of 42 percent of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026. 

The "phased work operations" began in November 2021 in Project Area 1 between Montgomery Street and 15th Street.

Last week, CB3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee received an update on the project. You can find a PDF of the presentation here. 

East River Greenway now closed along the Con Ed power plant

Multiple EVG readers shared the news that, as of Monday, the East River Greenway is closed for "construction activities" between 20th Street and 14th Street, including the narrow passage along the FDR and Con Edison power plant. (Thanks to Laurie Schulwolf for the photo!)

The notice states the work would begin starting the week of Feb. 6, though it turned out to be Feb. 13.

Per the notice:

Current access to the Ferry will not be impacted. All cyclists should follow the Greenway detour below and posted signage. The Greenway north of E 20th Street will remain open to the community. Access East River Park at the E 10th Street pedestrian bridge or the Houston Street overpass.

A worker at the scene said this passage would be closed for two months. 

This is part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project in East River Park. Workers are burying the 57.5-acre park under fill, cutting down 1,000 trees and elevating the land by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. The city has said they will maintain public access to a minimum of 42 percent of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026. 

In June 2021, then-Mayor de Blasio announced new city funding to add more amenities to the ESCR project, including a $129 million flyover bridge to elevate the Greenway over this notorious pinch point along the East River.

Per the city's press release at the time:

 • $129 million, in a separate capital project, to the Department of Transportation to fully fund a future flyover bridge that will improve bike and pedestrian access through this critical part of the Greenway. The bridge will span the pinch point area of the Manhattan Greenway as it passes 14th Street along the East River, where the Greenway narrows to just a few feet wide to fit between the river, the FDR Drive and adjacent Con Edison facilities. The bridge construction will be coordinated with ESCR.

We have yet to see a timeline for this bridge work. 

Asbestos abatement to begin at the former East River Park amphitheater — 9 months after it was demolished

Nine months after workers demolished the East River Park amphitheater, asbestos abatement is starting this week at the site near Corlears Hook, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced.

The work is expected to take place for the next four to six weeks during daytime hours, according to the weekly construction bulletin.

The abatement raised concern among some local residents and activists. From an Instagram post last week by 1000 People 1000 Trees: 

A little late, the amp was demolished by ESCR last year in December 2021 when, after we raised concerns, the DDC told us there was no asbestos at the amphitheater. 

For months the earth & foundation have been exposed. Video from March 2022 show no signs of protection against asbestos. @NYCDDC previously claimed there was no asbestos at the amp, yet now they announce asbestos abatement? 

For months the path used to access the Corlears Hook Ferry went through this area and is adjacent to the small patch of land, "passive lawn," that was set up as a replacement park which is currently open to the public. 

We asked Ian Michaels, a spokesperson for the DDC, about the abatement. 

"We had studied that structure and believed it to be asbestos-free. The Parks Department had also worked there in 2001 and said the same," Michaels said. "Then after the demolition of the above-ground structure, a new underground area was found. Work stopped, testing was done and asbestos was found on some pipe insulation in the new area. As a result, the job was stopped and a licensed asbestos abatement contractor has been hired to clean the site." 

Michaels shared a diagram showing where the new underground area was found, in a spot behind the amphitheater.

Here's more from the weekly construction bulletin about the asbestos work: 

[T]he public's safety is a priority and our team will ensure abatement work will be done in accordance with all local, state, and federal guidelines, and safely contain and dispose of material. In addition to the continued use of air monitors in the work area. 

The removal of materials containing asbestos will be completed by a subcontractor certified in asbestos removal, with environmental oversight performed by an independent consultant. The public may see workers in Tyvek suits as it is necessary for these individuals to wear protective gear because they will be in close proximity with the asbestos-containing materials on a daily basis. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also mandatory for their work. All asbestos materials will be isolated and contained in a fully enclosed Containment Zone, and within this zone, materials will be placed in sealed containers and trucked offsite. 

Meanwhile, this past Thursday, activists gathered outside local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera's East Village office calling for her resignation — and for her to drop out of the race for New York's open 10th Congressional District seat. 

To date, work on the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project in East River Park has focused on cutting down trees and demolishing the amenities, mostly below Stanton Street. Workers will bury the 57.5-acre land under fill and elevate it by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. 

The city has said they will maintain public access to a minimum of 42 percent of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.  

The 6th Street pedestrian bridge over the FDR will be closed for the next 2 days

The Sixth Street pedestrian bridge, which connects residents from the East Village to the East River Park track and field, is expected to be closed tomorrow through Friday, according to the city's latest Weekly Construction Bulletin.

Per the notice: 

Ongoing Con Edison utility work in East River Park at the Greenway will necessitate a temporary closure of the E. 6th Street Bridge. All park amenities will remain. Access the park from E. Houston St. and the E. 10th St. Pedestrian Bridge. Pedestrian detour in effect. Please follow all posted signs.

As of 6:30 this evening, there weren't any posted signs letting the dozens of people who were heading to the Park know that they'd need to use a different route in the days ahead. The notice also doesn't specify the hours... does the bridge reopen on Friday? If so, when?

To date, work on the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project has focused on cutting down trees and demolishing all the amenities, mostly below Stanton Street. Workers will bury the 57.5-acre land under fill and elevate it by 8-to-10 feet above sea level to protect the area from future storm surges. 

The city has said they will maintain public access to a minimum of 42 percent of the park throughout construction, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.

Detour alert: The FDR will be closed overnight

In case a drive along the FDR was in your plans overnight and into tomorrow morning... both the northbound and southbound lanes of the FDR will be closed from midnight to 10 a.m. between Houston and Fulton so workers can remove the Corlears Hook Bridge as part of the ongoing East Side Coastal Resiliency Project.