With sunshine abounding and a slight fall chill in the air, Hudson River Park Trust representatives, elected officials, and community members celebrated the transformation of a former gritty pier in Hell’s Kitchen into a spectacular park and recreational space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 15.
Pier 97, located opposite West 57th Street and accessible via W 55 or W 59 streets, is the latest pier Hudson River Park Trust converted into a place of zen along the Hudson River, where New Yorkers can take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city for some much needed R&R.
Designed by !Melk, the 2.5 acres of public open park, is a unique mix of recreational and lounging space. It features a walking promenade along the southern edge of the pier, a state-of-the-art playground, including a 26-foot-high rope climbing structure and ship’s hull, a colorful 120-foot-long synthetic athletic turf field, and a 7,600-square-foot sloping sun lawn. A sunset deck with bistro tables, chaise lounges, and two-tiered walls with seating is the perfect place to wind down and for gatherings with friends and family while taking in the spectacular sights of the Hudson River and the skyline. An overlook on the northern edge of the pier gives visitors an elevated view of the Hudson, and after sliding down an all-age-appropriate granite slide -stairs are optional- city dwellers can enjoy 16,00 square feet of flowers and plants while going for a stroll. The northern part of Pier 97 will be home to a new park building close to completion, which will house public restrooms, a concession, and a small park maintenance area.
The revival of the formerly dilapidated pier into a magnificent new public park has been years in the making. For decades, the northernmost pier of Hudson River Park served as a dock for the Swedish America Line before becoming a parking lot for Department of Sanitation trucks -fun fact: the façade of the old Pier 97 terminal building is in the opening sequence of the 1976 Scorcese movie classic “Taxi Driver,” featuring Robert de Niro.
The 47.5 million project was largely funded by the New York State’s Capital Budget with 40.8 million and another $6.7 million of supplemental funds, which came from proceeds from a Transferable Development Right sale completed by the Trust in 2018. Hudson River Park Trust also listened to the vision Manhattan Community Board 4 had for the space and incorporated feedback from the community.
A visibly proud Noreen Doyle, president and CEO of Hudson River Park Trust, explained to amNewYork Metro that the first step was to remove the sanitation trucks over a decade ago. In 2013, the Trust rebuilt the pier’s structural deck with $16 million in City funding secured through Friends of Hudson River Park.
“But we didn’t have all of the funding for all the pretty things that are on top of it, and we started the community design process for that in 2018 and listened to the community about what they wanted here, and started construction in about 2020,” Doyle said.
Doyle said that the new park will bring joy to New Yorkers, adding, “I think it’ll bring beauty. I think it’ll bring the open space that all New Yorkers know they want and crave.”
Council Member Erik Bottcher (D-Manhattan) described the transformation of the former industrial space into a beautiful park as “extraordinary” and shared with amNewYork Metro that he was looking forward to spending time with his family at “this world classic public space.”
“This [park] is an example of what can happen when New Yorkers come together to invest in public space [and] transform commercial, industrial uses into spaces that all New Yorkers can enjoy,” Bottcher said.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan), whose district includes Hudson River Park, told amNewYork Metro he could see him visiting the park with his two kids every week.
“[The park] is stunning and truly an example of how government can work to make the lives of New Yorkers better,” Hoylman-Siegel told amNewYork Metro. “This is an amenity that’s going to be irreplaceable to families throughout Manhattan.”
Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan), Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan), Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and Council Member Gale Brewer also attended the ribbon cutting.
Nadler called the opening of Pier 97 a significant milestone in expanding Manhattan’s green space.
“With new open public spaces for New Yorkers and visitors alike to gather and play on the river, complete with concessions, playgrounds, and restrooms, Pier 97 will be a premier destination here in New York,” Nadler said in his remarks addressing the crowd.
Joshi called the park design a mix of creativity and architectural genius, which matches the skyscrapers with the park’s architecture.
“It is an opportunity for children whose memories growing up this will be the backdrop,” Joshi said. “It is new for us, but it will be old for them, and that’s a beautiful thing.”
Levine remarked that Pier 97 was the missing piece connecting the lower and upper parts of Manhattan’s waterfront.
“The Greenway here is going to be entirely open, and this is going to be a waypoint with a place to use the restroom, get a drink, or stop and enjoy the view,” Levine said.
Rosenthal looked forward to “joining the throngs of New Yorkers” enjoying Hudson River Park’s new addition, a sentiment echoed by Brewer, who said the park was “a welcome” addition to the recreational options available to downtown residents and all New Yorkers.”
The opening of Pier 97 nearly completes the full build-out of Hudson River Park, which began 30 years ago. Another project in the making is the improvement of the existing bicycle and pedestrian paths between W 57th and W 59th streets through a Transportation Alternatives Program grant. Once complete, these improvements will create a seamless link to the Empire State Trail between Hudson River Park and Riverside Park South.
