| Issue #30, October 20, 2006 |
When In Manhattan...
by Oliver Peterson
Hudson River Renewal, Part I of IV
One of the big themes I seem to keep hitting upon with this column is the changing face of New York City. Mostly it saddens and angers me. I still can’t get over the Quizno’s on Saint Marks, or whatever the next, equally horrific thing will be to appear. CBGBs just had their last show and another chapter in the city’s history is closed. We can now be satisfied with the Nokia Theater and the Halliburton Corporate Oil Baron Rebellious and Dirty Punk Rock Club. Okay, I made the second one up. But that’s how it feels sometimes. So, I ask you for a moment of silence for CBs. Now.
Thank you, and on with the show. One urban renewal project that I back 100 percent is the new Hudson River Park. You may have seen some of the finished section in the West Village, but when it’s completed, the park will cover Manhattan’s West Side waterfront from 59th Street to Chambers. 550 acres, including 400 acres of open water will make up an all-new public center for a wide assortment of activities. Boating, touring, fishing, miniature golf, and swimming are just some of the things the city has planned. The most exciting feature of Hudson River Park will be the 13 piers that are undergoing reconstruction to become public park space rich with lawns, gardens and foliage. Playgrounds, ball fields, overlooks, docks, and a host of other sports and recreation facilities will dot the shoreline. What has already been finished is looking beautiful, and the entire project should absolutely enrich the city. The Greenwich Village section was completed in May 2003. Clinton (Hell’s Kitchen) Cove Park at 54th Street opened in May 2005, and most of this section should be open by the spring of 2007. Tribeca and Chelsea began construction earlier this year.
As the first installment of my four-part series on the Hudson River Park, I will walk you through the Greenwich Village section. At only about three-quarters of a mile long, this part of the park runs from Houston Street up to Horatio and connects the Tribeca and Chelsea sections. If you want to get an idea of what the completed park project will look like, this is the place to go. The waterfront view is sensational. There are three new park piers, an esplanade along the entire three quarters of a mile shoreline, wide lawn areas perfect for relaxation and picnics, gardens, a dog run, a playground, a snack bar, sitting areas and a water taxi stop. Pier 45 at Christopher Street extends out 800 feet and is home to lovely flowers, grass and trees. The wooden deck at the tip is perfect for taking in the view of the Hudson and the Empire State Building. Any guy who hangs out on Christopher Street will find this to be a great and romantic spot to take their boyfriend. The first State prison – Newgate – was built here in 1797. Men have been falling in love here for over 300 years.
Pier 46 at Perry Street is a shorter, 400 feet. It also features lush greenery, but is a bit more casual. The central lawn is more like Central Park’s Sheeps meadow, providing a grassy spot for visitors to do whatever they please without the distraction of specific or planned activities, while Pier 51 at Horatio Street is geared for kids. Here you’ll find a water playground with fountain sprays, jungle gyms, a sandbox and a telescope to look out onto the river. If you’re like me and prefer dogs to children, take your pooch to the dog run just north of Pier 40 at Clarkson Street.
It’s been over 100 years since New Yorkers have had a chance to enjoy the Hudson close up. The Greenwich Village section of the Hudson River Park Project is open right now and is a wonderful place to visit as well as a vision of the Manhattan of the future. Despite my frustration with the “Disneyfication” of our city, this is one improvement we can be happy about. Keep your eyes open for the next three installments in my series on this fantastic new addition to Manhattan.
 |
