In 1998, the New York State Legislature and then-governor George Pataki signed the Hudson River Park Act, formally designating the five-mile area along Manhattan’s Hudson River from Battery Place to West 59th Street a park. When complete, the park will encompass 550 acres, including 13 old maritime piers that are being converted into public parks. As of April 2009, half of the park was completed and open to the public, with construction taking place in on another thirty percent of the park Eighty percent of the park is expected to be complete by the end of 2009. The Greenwich Village section of the park was the first to open in May of 2003, followed by the Clinton Cove Park at 55th Street in May 2005. In July of 2008 the Tribeca section opened to the public. Work on the Chelsea segment of the Hudson River Park began in 2006.

The Hudson River Park Act also established the Hudson River Park Trust (“the Trust”) to continue the planning, construction, management, and operation of the park. The Trust is a partnership between New York State and City, and has been charged with Hudson River Park’s design, construction and operation.

While Hudson River Park’s development has been paid for with a combination of City, State and other funds, the park’s operations and maintenance comes entirely from revenue generated from commercial development within the park itself, including rental payments, sponsorships, fees and a parking garage on Pier 40. After a budget shortfall in 2007 caused delays in the park’s development, in 2008 New York State allocated $21 million and the City promised to match at least $20 million to get projects back on track. As of March 2009, the State and City had committed a combined total of $11 million for the park’s development in the coming year.

The development of the park has been marked with some controversy, especially from within the environmental community, some of whom joined pro-Hudson River Park groups such as the Hudson River Park Alliance to support park planning. Those who remained critical of park development have been particularly outspoken against the plan to support the maintenance of the park with funds from commercial developments within the park itself, arguing that a simpler park could be maintained entirely through public funds. Critics have also decried the adverse environmental effects of the park, especially on the native fish habitat. The park’s supporters maintain that allowing certain piers to decay naturally will protect those fish, and that utilizing funds earned in the park is the only way in which to maintain a park of this magnitude.

Several Hudson River Park projects are moving forward, including the development of Pier 64, which opened to the public in the Spring of 2009 and Pier 25 and Chelsea Cove, which are scheduled to open in 2010. In April 2008, the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) released plans for Vornado to redevelop Pier 94, which has been used mostly for small trade shows. The pier is expected to be completed in 2013, and the plans call for doubling its overall size, the creation of a winter garden, a public access connection between the pier and Clinton Cove Park. The pier will also be home to a large logistics center to handle increased truck traffic. The EDC anticipates the project to cost $100 million; Vornado will assume the construction costs in exchange for a 49-year lease with two 25-year extensions available. Additionally, in early 2009 a number of contracts were approved for small park buildings in Tribeca, and design continues on currently unfunded areas such as Piers 97 and 54.

Pier 40
Plans for Pier 40, located just off Houston Street, have also been a point of contention in the park’s development. Pier 40 is one of the City's largest recreational facilities, heavily used by the local community and youth sports leagues. The Trust issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for its redevelopment in August 2006. As required by the Hudson River Park Act, Pier 40 must combine commercial uses with at least seven acres of open public park space, including sports fields. Initially there were two proposals being considered: Camp Group's "The People's Pier", including educational space, a part-time day camp, and boutique retail space and Related's "Pier 40 Performing Arts Center," involving Cirque du Soleil, a multiplex cinema, and rooftop recreation. Neither proposal received full support from the community or local officials even after modifications were made.

In January a late entry proposal was made by the Pier 40 Partnership, a community-based parent’s group, for the pier to be revitalized with new artist space, a public high school and continued use of protected sports fields, the bike path, and other recreational space. This plan was endorsed by the Pier 40 Working Group and Community Board 2’s Waterfront Committee, and it appeared this proposal would be a valid contender for the redevelopment of the Pier. However, the Trust delayed its January 31, 2008 vote on the three plans because it could not reach a consensus, and in March of 2008 the Related’s plan was taken off the table because the developer requested a 49-year lease instead of the 30-year lease that was being offered.

In April of that year, the Trust gave the Partnership for Pier 40 and the Camp Group/Urban Dove group 90 days to work together to develop an economically sound plan for Pier 40. However, the plan submitted did not win the Trust’s support as it was deemed inadequate on economic and other grounds. There is currently support to put a public school at Pier 40, and the Trust is in talks with the School Construction Authority to determine whether there is an affordable way for the schools to be built on a portion of the space.

After two failed attempts for proposals to redevelop Pier 40, in June 2009, the Hudson River Trust voted to seek a lease extension of 50 years for the Pier in an effort to secure a developer. With the ability to offer a longer lease, the Trust hopes that developing the Pier will become more financially viable. The State Legislature is required to approve any lease extension as it would be amending the Hudson River Park Act. Some in the community are concerned with the lease extension, raising concern that a proposal by the Related Company or one similar to the one submitted previously will be back on the table.

Pier 40’s deterioration is a major concern, and in March 2009 the Trust sought $57 million in federal stimulus funds for repairs. Several parking spaces have been eliminated because of the structural concerns on the Pier.

Pier 57
Plans for Pier 57 (located at W. 15th Street) originally consisted of developer Steven Witkoff’s $400 million proposal, which would have included a landscaped public space with a bridge to the High Line, a marina, a museum, and a gourmet banquet. The proposal fell through in January 2008. In July 2008 a new RFP was issued for Pier 57, and in November 2008 the Related Companies, Young Woo and Associates (YWA) and the Durst Organization (in partnership with C&K Properties) submitted proposals for the rights to develop Pier 57. After Related and Durst backed out due to the confluence of stringent development limitations and unfavorable credit conditions, YWA was selected to develop the 375,000 square-foot space. YWA's $210 million plan includes permanent outdoor space for the Tribeca Film Festival and various cultural/arts events, seasonal and holiday markets (in a 170,000 square-foot covered space), recreational docks, a 90,000 square-foot Contemporary Culture Center for the arts, a rooftop park, and restaurants.

Last updated: August 12, 2009

This development is closely interlinked with:
Gansevoort Marine Transfer Station