Start of $1.45B East River Park Resiliency Project Delayed

Photo: Amy Berkov
The planned demolition of East River Park for the new coastal resiliency project is delayed, the city recently revealed.
The initial scope of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project pegged a start date of September 2020, when areas of the coastline would be roped off ahead of construction. That was the plan through at least this past August, and what was messaged to the community.
However, at the Parks subcommittee meeting of Community Board 3 last month, the city reversed course, providing a revised timeline. The new target is for project procurement to last through the fall, with site preparation beginning springtime and construction following in summer 2021.

Photo: Parks Department
Meaning, the entirety of the coastal park will remain open to the public through the end of 2020.
This delay also buys time for the Lower East Side Ecology Center compost yard, which won’t survive the project and seeks a new location.