BY ALINE REYNOLDS | Pier 15’s maritime pavilion along the East River will soon be bustling with dockside and harbor activity, according to Nicole Dooskin, assistant vice president of development at the City Economic Development Corporation, the pier’s owner.
On Tues., June 14, the E.D.C. released a Request for Proposals for a lessee that will program, manage and oversee the 550 linear feet of temporary boat docking space on the north, east and south sides of Pier 15.
The future occupant of the docking space will be able to offer noncommuter pier visitors with commercial, educational, and recreational activities on the vessels. The pier will also have interior space for various types of programming.
Funds provided by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to build the 2,250-square-foot maritime pavilion, which is currently under construction, will not finance the upkeep of the park space, Dooskin told the Community Board 1 Waterfront Committee at its June 20 meeting. In issuing the R.F.P., Dooskin said, “We’re not trying to recoup our capital costs, we’re trying to earn our maintenance costs [for the entire East River Esplanade South].”
The lessee, she noted, will be responsible for preparing the space for visitor access. “In terms of boats operating, we have to find out how much capital investment a user would have to put in,” said Dooskin.
In addition to the Pier 15 maritime pavilion, the E.D.C. is searching for tenants for the 3,500-square-foot pavilion at the intersection of South Street and Maiden Lane, directly beneath the F.D.R. drive, as well as for the 1,000-square-foot pavilion. The endeavor is part of the Waterfront Vision and Enhancement Strategy, an E.D.C.-run project intended to enhance the city’s more than 500 miles of waterfront space.
Construction of the Pier 15 maritime pavilion will be completed by the fall. Responses to the R.F.P., meanwhile, are due on Tues., August 9.
New East River ferry service
A new ferry service along the East River began last week, offering year-round boat transportation between Pier 11 and E. 34th St., as well as several destinations in Queens and Brooklyn. The new ferry line will also make a stop at Governor’s Island, complementing the existing ferry service that brings passengers to the island from the Battery Maritime Building (at the Southern tip of Manhattan). The service will be operated by BillyBey Ferry Company, the largest private ferry operator in the country that transports nearly 30,000 riders daily in New York Harbor.
The first 12 days of service, which began Mon., July 13, were free, and proved to be popular: the fleet carried more than 5,000 people on the first day, 6,000 people the second day and 8,000 people the third day.
“We’re really excited — it’s the first time we’ve tested transit-like frequencies,” said E.D.C. Vice President of Maritime Operations David Hopkins, who presented the new service to the waterfront committee. The E.D.C. hopes to eventually partner with the Metropolitan Transit Authority to provide package deals to ferry passengers, he said.
The city is contributing $9.3 million over the next three years to the service. “It’s a great concept for improving New York’s mass transit and transportation systems,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who helped secure $3.6 million in government funds for the initiative. “Harnessing New York’s rivers and embracing a proud local maritime tradition will usher New Yorkers into a more urbane, interconnected and environmentally clean 21st century.”
Individual, one-stop ferry trips starting Sat., June 25 will cost $4, while unlimited day passes will cost $12, and monthly, unlimited passes will be priced at $140. The operator will receive a large chink of the fare revenues. The operator will receive a large chink of fare revenues. The ferries will operate every 20-to-30 minutes this summer from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekends. Free shuttle bus service will be provided to passengers arriving at E. 34th St.
