New York City’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) has installed the first massive gate that will help protect the Lower East Side from future coastal flooding.
As part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, the 42-feet long, 10-feet high, 32,000-pound gate is the first of 18 movable flood gates that will eventually be installed along the 2.4-mile project.
“Swinging and rolling gates are a critical design element of East Side Coastal Resiliency and allow for waterfront access while giving the City the flexibility to seal off areas before a future coastal storm or flood event,” said DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley. “We look forward to completing flood protection for 110,000 residents and to the open space and recreation improvements that are included in ESCR.”
"East Side Coastal Resiliency will provide integrated flood protection for the surrounding community, and this movable gate is a significant step in making that happen,” said NYC Parks Acting Commissioner Liam Kavanagh. “We continue to provide recreational resources and plant trees in the neighborhood while resilient park improvements are underway."
ESCR will create an integrated 2.4-mile system of raised parkland, floodwalls, berms and movable flood gates to create a continuous line of protection against sea level rise and the growing threat of stronger, more severe coastal storms worsened by climate change. The project has been designed to improve waterfront access through reconstructed bridges and entry points and will also upgrade existing sewer systems to capture and manage precipitation during storms.
Construction of ESCR began in November 2020 at Asser Levy Playground, with major construction beginning in April 2021. In June 2021, the City announced almost $140 million of additional funding to add more community amenities as part of ESCR, including new public restrooms, improvements to a park amphitheater and, in a separate capital project, $129 million for the new flyover bridge for the Manhattan Greenway. About 650-feet of the project’s flood wall has been completed.
The level of flood protection provided by ESCR is equal to the region’s “worst-case” anticipated 100-year storm in 2050, based on future climate change projections produced by the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), an independent body composed of climate scientists that advises City policymakers on local resiliency and adaptation strategies. The project uses an adaptive design that can accommodate the addition of two more feet of elevation throughout the project area should sea levels in the coming decades rise faster than current projections anticipate.
The City is sponsoring a “Call for Student and Community Art” for students and local artists to submit artwork for display on banners on the fencing surrounding ESCR construction. Students whose works are selected for display will receive a $300 award while local artists will receive $1,000. All students who submitted artwork will receive a Certificate of Participation.
East River Park Improvements
ESCR is designed to upgrade the community’s open spaces and recreation areas as well. The 45.88-acre East River Park will be elevated approximately eight feet with new amenities, including upgrades to the amphitheater, ballfields, tennis courts, soccer and multi-use turf fields, track and field, basketball courts, playground, comfort stations and picnic and barbeque areas. Reflecting community input, new passive-use areas will create enhanced spaces with grass and greenery, allowing expanded opportunities for relaxation and reflection along the East River waterfront.
Increasing resiliency to climate impacts is a key objective of the project’s landscape design. Approximately 2,000 new trees of 50 different tree species will be planted in the reconstructed, resilient park. This diverse palette of species was selected for its ability to withstand salt spray, increased precipitation, strong winds and extreme weather.
Other Open Space Improvements
Following construction, the 1.9-acre waterfront Stuyvesant Cove Park will be rebuilt with a combination of floodwalls and floodgates along its western edge. The park's planting beds will be raised where possible to keep tree roots out of the range of future sea level rise. New irrigation systems will be installed and the waterfront esplanade will receive enlarged paving and planting areas as well as new furnishings and energy-efficient LED lights.
The 2.44-acre Asser Levy Playground will be rebuilt with extensive landscaping and new playground and basketball areas using resilient materials. Murphy Brothers Playground and Corlears Hook Park will also see improvements such as new landscaping, plantings, lighting and playground equipment.
Phased construction schedules are also being employed in recreation areas outside East River Park to maximize public access to open space and recreational amenities throughout the entire project's footprint.
The gate installed today was manufactured by Linita Design & Mfg. Corp. in Lackawanna, N.Y. The $1.45 billion ESCR project is projected to be completed in 2026.
