NYC announces a multibillion-dollar Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan
03/01/2022.
[NYC] USA
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency (MOCR) have announced the release of the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, a framework that aims to shield a nearly one-mile swath of the Lower Manhattan waterfront from The Battery to the Brooklyn Bridge in response to the rising sea levels and future coastal storms by climate change.
The plan, projected to cost $5 to $7 billion, and take 15 to 20 years to fully complete, reimagines the shoreline of Lower Manhattan and creates a resilient waterfront to withstand severe coastal storms and rising sea levels.
The plan, projected to cost $5 to $7 billion, and take 15 to 20 years to fully complete, reimagines the shoreline of Lower Manhattan and creates a resilient waterfront to withstand severe coastal storms and rising sea levels.
View of Maiden Cove during a storm. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
A bird’s-eye view of Maiden Cove as envisioned under the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
View looking south along the Lower Manhattan waterfront from Pier 17. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
Master Plan Conceptual Design. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
Looking north along the Lower Manhattan waterfront near the Vietnam Memorial Plaza. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan.
View of the Seaport’s Peck Slip and FDR Drive. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
Fulton Street Waterfront Entrance. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
View Looking North toward Old Slip. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
View of Pine Street Cove looking north. Image courtesy of NYCEDC, MOCR
Nearly one million people work in, live in, and commute through the low-lying Financial District and South Street Seaport neighborhoods. Both adjacent waterfront neighborhoods were battered by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. When completed, the city anticipates the design will safeguard 140 acres of Manhattan that is home to one of one of the world’s largest central business districts, thousands of residents, and multiple crucial transportation hubs while preventing $1 billion in climate-related damages beginning in the 2050s.
To protect the area the master plan features a multilevel waterfront that extends the shoreline of the East River by up to 200 feet from its existing location. The upper level will be elevated by about 15 to 18 feet to protect against severe storms like Sandy, while doubling as public open spaces with sweeping views of the city and harbor. The lower level will be a continuous waterfront esplanade, raised three to five feet to protect against sea level rise. From now through 2100, if no action is taken, repetitive flooding is projected to cause up to $20 billion in estimated losses to the region.
The master plan encompasses almost one mile of waterfront from The Battery to the Brooklyn Bridge. Notable features of the proposed plan include:
- Floodwalls buried in the landscape that create a line of ridges along this waterfront, permanently protecting Lower Manhattan from coastal storms and creating new open spaces with expansive views of the harbor.
- Resilient stormwater infrastructure, including a new pump station along with green infrastructure.
- Resilient ferry terminals for Staten Island, Governors Island, and NYC Ferries, among other operators.
- Universally accessible entrances and pathways, designed to ensure people of all ages and abilities can get to and move around the waterfront.
- New public open spaces with playgrounds, plazas, lawns, seating, and cafes.
- Coves that promote habitat restoration and provide opportunities to learn about the ecology of the East River.
- Resilient piers for docking historic ships, bolstering the historic character of South Street Seaport.
This effort has been led by NYCEDC and MOCR in partnership with a host of city agencies. Technical and design support was provided by an interdisciplinary consulting team led by Dutch engineering firm Arcadis.
New York City worked closely with the community to shape this plan, incorporating feedback at every step of the process. The city also formed the Climate Coalition for Lower Manhattan, a group of local and citywide stakeholders.
Next year, New York will move forward with the next phase of design and engineering needed to apply for federal funding and obtain the required permits from state and federal regulatory agencies. Before the master plan is implemented, a project to protect South Street Seaport, the lowest-lying and most vulnerable part of the master plan site, from flooding will be undertaken. In October, Mayor de Blasio announced $110 million in funding towards the Seaport Coastal Resilience project.
The Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan is part of the larger Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) strategy, which is backed by over $900 million in city investments to protect the region from flooding. This includes active projects in Battery Park City, The Battery, and the Two Bridges neighborhood north of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Based on the New York City Panel on Climate Change 90th percentile projections, noted in NYCEDC’s announcement, rising tides are projected to flood the Financial District and Seaport on a monthly basis by the 2050s, then daily by the 2080s. In addition, some level of frequent tidal flooding is likely to be seen as early as the 2040s.
To protect the area the master plan features a multilevel waterfront that extends the shoreline of the East River by up to 200 feet from its existing location. The upper level will be elevated by about 15 to 18 feet to protect against severe storms like Sandy, while doubling as public open spaces with sweeping views of the city and harbor. The lower level will be a continuous waterfront esplanade, raised three to five feet to protect against sea level rise. From now through 2100, if no action is taken, repetitive flooding is projected to cause up to $20 billion in estimated losses to the region.
The master plan encompasses almost one mile of waterfront from The Battery to the Brooklyn Bridge. Notable features of the proposed plan include:
- Floodwalls buried in the landscape that create a line of ridges along this waterfront, permanently protecting Lower Manhattan from coastal storms and creating new open spaces with expansive views of the harbor.
- Resilient stormwater infrastructure, including a new pump station along with green infrastructure.
- Resilient ferry terminals for Staten Island, Governors Island, and NYC Ferries, among other operators.
- Universally accessible entrances and pathways, designed to ensure people of all ages and abilities can get to and move around the waterfront.
- New public open spaces with playgrounds, plazas, lawns, seating, and cafes.
- Coves that promote habitat restoration and provide opportunities to learn about the ecology of the East River.
- Resilient piers for docking historic ships, bolstering the historic character of South Street Seaport.
“NYCEDC and MOCR have envisioned a 21st-Century resilient waterfront that stands to be a model for other major cities,. We’ve done years of work, and we have the innovation. There’s no doubt climate change is here. Sea levels are rising, and stronger, more devastating storms will only continue, which is why we must protect our coastline and safeguard our vulnerable historic Seaport area and Financial District. If we do not take action now, residents, businesses, and critical infrastructure are put in jeopardy. We must rely on strong partnerships at all levels of government to help implement this plan.”
NYCEDC President and CEO Rachel Loeb.
This effort has been led by NYCEDC and MOCR in partnership with a host of city agencies. Technical and design support was provided by an interdisciplinary consulting team led by Dutch engineering firm Arcadis.
New York City worked closely with the community to shape this plan, incorporating feedback at every step of the process. The city also formed the Climate Coalition for Lower Manhattan, a group of local and citywide stakeholders.
Next year, New York will move forward with the next phase of design and engineering needed to apply for federal funding and obtain the required permits from state and federal regulatory agencies. Before the master plan is implemented, a project to protect South Street Seaport, the lowest-lying and most vulnerable part of the master plan site, from flooding will be undertaken. In October, Mayor de Blasio announced $110 million in funding towards the Seaport Coastal Resilience project.
The Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan is part of the larger Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) strategy, which is backed by over $900 million in city investments to protect the region from flooding. This includes active projects in Battery Park City, The Battery, and the Two Bridges neighborhood north of the Brooklyn Bridge.
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