Description

"The Parks Council of New York City commissioned Carr, Lynch Associates, led by Steve Carr, working with Jim Sandell, to envision the 4-1/2 mile waterside park made possible by the West Side Task Force study, with its boulevard replacing the West Side Highway. CLA saw the wide swath of open waterfront at Greenwich Village as the centerpiece of the Hudson River Esplanade Park. This area, together with the existing open piers, is large enough to accommodate a broad spectrum of activity while maintaining the continuity of a lush green park. The CLA design envisioned a soft, naturalistic landscape of glades, meadows, and gardens, between the esplanade and bikeway, with dense planting to screen out the boulevard traffic. In community-desired locations, there would be playgrounds, food concessions, restrooms, special gardens, dog runs, and basketball and tennis courts. Pedestrian crossings from major streets were to be marked by gateway plazas. The piers of the Greenwich Village waterfront could accommodate both passive and active recreation and provide for protected water-related activities such as community sailing or kayaking. This vision has been fully realized, with many creative enhancements, in today's (2023) Hudson River Park."

The Docks: "The underutilized dock area between 30th and 34th Streets offered an opportunity to propose a floating recreation and entertainment complex that would be reminiscent of New York City's late 19th and early 20th-century waterfront traditions. "The Docks" could be a managed concession of floating oyster houses, restaurants, small theaters, and dance halls, protected from wave action by a floating breakwater. The complex could be centered on a reconstructed Pier 72 and connected by a pedestrian bridge to the proposed new Madison Square Garden and the nearby Convention Center. The attractions could draw convention and event-goers, West Side residents, and office workers, as well as residents from Midtown and tourists. Though not yet realized in this location today (2023), Hudson River Park offers some of these attractions on other piers."

Chelsea Waterfront: "The Chelsea Waterfront presented an opportunity for a large park complex. Our placemaking envisioned an elevated park, bridging the boulevard and terracing down to a great circle of lawn at the water's edge. The on-grade approach and view corridor at 23rd street would be maintained with a welcoming plaza and fountain. This concept was developed with reference to the work of the Chelsea Waterside Park Association with the landscape architect Thomas Balsley. Active recreation would be accommodated in nearby parcels. This is an example of the collaborative design effort called for by all the communities along the way."

42nd Street Area: "This section of the Esplanade Park offered two major design and planning opportunities. The first involved the incorporation of 42nd Street as an upland promenade linking midtown Manhattan to the waterfront. The tree-lined promenade would culminate in a waterfront plaza that would allow a wide view of the water and the New Jersey Palisades. Secondly, this part of the Esplanade would tie together the waterfront tourist attractions that already existed in the area, including the Circle and Day Line Piers and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Pier 84, which currently docks a ship and accommodates temporary bleachers, could be upgraded to a more sophisticated performance area. A pavilion on the pier would house food concessions, a cafe, and a dock master to supervise the docking of boats. The Hudson River Park Trust has developed Pier 84 with a plaza and green space and a kayaking boathouse."