Ring around the waterfront, a section of the East River Park at Pier 42 will open to the public on May 4, and will eventually form a continuous “green ribbon” around Lower Manhattan.
“Very soon families will be able to enjoy a picnic on the pier or a walk along the waterfront.,” State Sen. Daniel Squadron said in a statement. “This interim recreational use on Pier 42 is a big step forward as we build the real, world-class waterfront park for which we’ve long fought and complete a Harbor Park — a central park for the center of our city.”
The redevelopment has been a long time coming since Squadron and Senator Charles Schumer applied for funding with the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in November of 2010. They secured the funds a year later and began planning with the city Parks Dept. and landscape architects Mathews Nielsen.
Where a hulking shell of a warehouse sat amid an empty parking lot at the end of Montgomery St., the pier will be repaved and reopened as a community green space with picnic tables. There will also be a connection to the East River Park at the north end of the space, and the opening day will feature “Paths to Pier 42,” a series of art, design and educational installations along the pier and up into the East River Park.
Visitors are invited to attend the pier’s re-opening day, with a kickoff at 11:30 am and festivities beginning at noon.
