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Construction On Manhattan's First Public Beach To Begin This Spring
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 11, 2021
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Feb 11, 2021
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An aeriel rendering of Gansevoort Peninsula.
James Corner Field Operations
New Yorkers are one step closer to having their very own Manhattan beach.
On Wednesday, the Hudson River Park Trust announced that they would start construction on Gansevoort Peninsula this spring. The 5.5 acre park at Little West 12th Street will come with a sports field, a salt marsh, a dog run, and yes, "a sandy beach area with kayak access on the south side," according to a press release.
A view of a portion of the beach.
James Corner Field Operations
Wading or swimming will not be permitted, as the Hudson River's water quality is not quite there yet (lots of sewage still flows from the city into the river).
A beach without swimming: hopefully real New York City children will take it in stride, just like these rendered children.
The beach.
James Corner Field Operations
The park is being designed by James Corner Field Operations, the creators of the High Line, and the bulk of the $70 million project is being paid for by the City and the trust, with a 2023 completion date. (The idea of putting a beach in Manhattan stretches back to the Pataki administration in 1998.)
"The creative and unique design will add to New York City’s diverse and ever-growing selection of world class parks and community spaces," Deputy Mayor Vicki Been said in a statement.
One illustration of the difficulty of designing Gansevoort Park: there is a natural gas pipeline that runs right through the site. A spokesperson for the trust said that the park was taking all the precautions necessary to build around the pipeline. "Among them is retaining sufficient soil above the pipeline to ensure it is not disturbed," the spokesperson wrote in an email. "Pipeline experts will also be on site during portions of the construction and review all plans before any work starts."
The salt marsh on the north side of Gansevoort Peninsula.
James Corner Field Operations
On the south side of Gansevoort Peninsula abutting the beach, the Whitney Museum is installing "Day's End," by artist David Hammons, slated to be finished this spring.
The work traces the outlines of Pier 52, a huge shed used by artist Gordon Matta-Clark for his own public art installation in 1975 and later demolished.
An overhead view of Gansevoort Peninsula on the West Side in Hudson River Park, with "Days End" on the south side.
James Corner Field Operations
Gansevoort Peninsula is part of an explosion of parkland and development on the West Side. Back in September, Hudson River Park unveiled Pier 26, a $37 million park in Tribeca with a "tide deck." Barry Diller's "Little Island," a 2.4 acre, $250 million park and event space at Pier 52, is also supposed to open this spring. A few blocks up at Pier 57, Google is building their own pier with three acres of public space. Earlier this year, Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced a High Line expansion from 34th Street and the West Side Highway up to 38th Street, and Pier 76, a former NYPD tow pound, will also become parkland.
Tagged
west side
Hudson River Park
Diller Island
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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