Check out the revamped New York park now open after a four-year closure, featuring fresh barbecue spots, basketball courts, and sky-high green spaces.
Following years of extensive reconstruction, several main sections of East River Park have officially reopened, revealing more than just revitalized tennis courts and picnic spots. The park now stands 2-3 meters higher, serving as a hiding place for a massive flood protection system designed to safeguard the Lower East Side from climate change-induced storms.
This transformation is part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project, a $1.45 billion initiative aimed at guarding over 110,000 New Yorkers from the threats of sea level rise and coastal flooding. The initiative’s focus goes beyond building a simple wall, with the city opting for a visually appealing design that harmonizes with the park’s surroundings.
The reopened park now boasts six regulation tennis courts, two basketball courts, grilling and picnic areas, open lawns, and a new nature exploration zone, making it an ideal summer destination. In addition, the project incorporates over 600 newly planted trees and 21,000 shrubs and grasses for aesthetic and environmental benefits, with more vegetation planned in the future.
Mayor Eric Adams touted the project as "another important step forward in protecting and revitalizing our city's coastline," emphasizing that it serves not just as infrastructure but also as an investment in community, safety, and joy. The ESCR project's design, created by the Bjarke Ingels Group, envisions East River Park as a "Parkipelago"—a connected chain of green spaces that invites people in rather than keeping water out.
With key access points like Delancey Street already open, the city aims to make the park more welcoming while simultaneously offering much-needed protection. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the park provides dual functionality: a secure environment during storms and a beautiful, recreational space for residents to enjoy year-round.
The ESCR project encompasses modernizing a 2.4-mile stretch of Montgomery Street to East 25th Street, complete with flood walls, berms, gates, and sewer improvements. Future milestones include the reopening of the Corlears Hook Bridge and additional park space by the end of this year, followed by continued construction until 2027. The city has also revitalized Stuyvesant Cove Park, Pier 42, and other nearby open spaces as part of a broader climate adaptation strategy.
As Elijah Hutchinson, Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Climate Policy and Sustainability, put it, "This is what the future of New York looks like: Greener, stronger, and ready for what's next."
- The new East River Park, following years of reconstruction, now serves as a refuge from climate change-induced storms, with its heightened elevation housing a flood protection system.
- The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project's design not only focuses on preventing flooding but also on creating aesthetically pleasing environments, as showcased by the park's recreational facilities and nature exploration zone.
- In line with the ESCR project's vision, the revitalized East River Park now provides dual functionality, acting as a secure environment during storms and a beautiful, recreational space for residents throughout the year.
