East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers
Pruned’s three-part “Under Spaces” survey (Parts 1, 2 and 3) explores the problems cities face when planning under and around elevated infrastructure like rail lines and highways. Recent projects have converted these typically neglected landscapes into urban public centers, mountain biking and skating parks and waterfront green spaces.
Noted in Part 3 is New York City’s East River Waterfront Esplanade and Piers Project, a proposal to revitalize the two-mile stretch of waterfront between the Battery Maritime Building and East River Park. A master plan by SHoP Architects and Ken Smith Landscape Architects re-establishes the space between South Street and the East River as a public-friendly mix of amenities while reactivating a major broken link in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.
