Battery Park is at the heart of one of the city’s most innovative and ambitious climate adaptation efforts. The Battery Park City resiliency project proves that infrastructure can be both functional and thoughtful. On June 18th, RPA staff got a first hand experience of this initiative that is designed to protect lower Manhattan from rising sea levels and severe coastal storms, such as Hurricane Sandy and the effects it had on lower Manhattan.
Construction for the North/West Battery Park City Resiliency project (NWBPCR) is set to begin in November of this year and is anticipated to conclude in 2030 or 2031. Along the five to six year timeline, the project is broken down into seven phases. These phases are intended to minimize disruptions to everyday life while maintaining progress on the project. The NWBPCR covers about a mile’s worth of the coastline, starting from Tribeca and ending near Greenwich Street, and aims to:
Provide a reliable coastal flood barrier system to reduce risks to property, residents and assets within the vicinity of Battery Park City (BPC);
Minimize urban heat island effect and enhance outdoor occupant thermal safety;
Avoid or minimize disruption to existing below and above-ground infrastructure from both construction impacts and flood event;
Preserve and enhance the character, accessibility (including universal access), and design aesthetic of the community and its interface with the BPC waterfront; and
Increase access to coastal view sheds, particularly views of the Hudson River, the New York Harbor, and the Statue of Liberty
The formation of these “U-shaped” nodes, made by street ends, will establish shaded spaces designed for communal congregation. This is a part of the broader strategy to increase accessibility. The project will add 30% more greenspace which will also serve as a water drainage system through the expansion of native vegetation.
This progressive design effort will do more than just safeguard homes and infrastructure – it will also enhance the public realm. With aims going beyond that of resilience, such as, expanding accessibility and minimizing environmental impact, this bold project shows what resilient climate infrastructure can be: protective, inspiring, and community-centered.
Learn more about the NWBPCR here. To see the RPA’s historic role in the development of Battery Park City, check out our article on how we saved BPC from Robert Moses here!