It’s been a notorious tow pound, a US Open pop-up court and even the premiere screening site of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights movie — but what does the future hold for Hell’s Kitchen’s Pier 76?
Before any of the wide array of possibilities for the pier can come to life, $150 million in repairs must be completed to ensure that the West Side space remains above water.
The current discussions are “not a specific plan,” but rather, a summary of the task force’s findings surrounding the current structural status and opportunity for the space, emphasized Hudson River Park Trust (HRPK) CEO Noreen Doyle at last week’s Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) Waterfront, Parks & Environment Committee meeting.
The pier — which was initially converted in 2021 from a tow pound to a public space in just 81 days — can be developed into a concept that is 50% open public space and 50% commercial use, according to the trust’s charter. The opportunity to build a new entity at Pier 76 is significant, Doyle added, as the 5.6-acre pier clocks in as the park’s second largest and is nearly five times the size of nearby green spaces like Midtown’s Bryant Park.
But before any action can be taken to build a new public space, there are “significant structural considerations” to rectify, said Doyle. The pier’s 6,500 wooden timber piles have deteriorated over time through consumption by the river’s wildlife, and “right now neither a building for commercial use nor green space can be structurally added to the pier in its current condition,” she added, With an estimated cost of $150 million in repairs, the trust’s surplus “is not enough to take care of the park as we continue to operate,” and the commercial aspect of the future pier will need to “fill the gap,” Doyle told MCB4. “A pizza shop is not going to do it.”
She argued that “the basic equation” to revitalize Pier 76 lies in a financial collaboration between Hudson River Park, the community and a willing developer. “We all are solving for that $150 million dollars separately, but we need all three buckets to come together,” she added.
Potential commercial uses floated by the task force have included office space, a hotel or spa complex, a restaurant or concessions brand, a “blue highway” transit hub, concert or event venue, a Chelsea Piers-esque sports complex or a new tourist attraction — HRPK’s charter explicitly prohibits casinos, private parking garages, or any structure that severely compromises pedestrian safety.
Although the pier was potentially floated as a new housing structure, “the extra cost to build over water just doesn’t make residential work,” said Doyle, adding that any structure built over the pier will likely top out at 11-12 stories.
In addition to asking questions about the structural needs of the pier, MCB4 committee members reacted enthusiastically to the wide array of possibilities for the space. “We have an opportunity to really do something amazing and I think there should be a worldwide RFP” for the pier’s future, said committee member Brad Pascarella, who added that the committee shouldn’t “think small” when it comes to suggesting a commercial concept for the pier.
Fellow committee member David Holowka asked about the potential of working with a commercial concept that could “generate revenue before development,” while additionally referencing concepts like the nearby Javits Center’s in-house urban farm, a sentiment that community member John Mudd echoed in his hopes for the pier. Mudd, who has helped operate an urban farm at the Midtown Community Court, stressed the need for combating food insecurity in Hell’s Kitchen and noted “if you really want to talk about something bold and big, I think we should be thinking about how we can change that as a group” via a Javits-like urban farm. He added: “I think we have to really think bigger than maybe some monument to put out there or selling off our properties to developers…I think we really think about the people.”
Ideas of public space connected to the Javits Center echo the 2021 sentiments of Tom Fox, a current member of the park’s advisory council and the author of the forthcoming book, Creating the Hudson River Park: Environmental and Community Activism, Politics and Greed, who argued that connecting the High Line, Javits Center, and public green space at Pier 76 would create a safer, more pedestrian-friendly far West Side. A connection from the High Line to Pier 76 was proposed by former Governor Cuomo in 2021, with the legislator framing it as “the most ambitious redevelopment that New York City has seen in decades.”
Other groups, such as the SS United States Conservancy previously proposed installing the historic SS United States ocean liner to Pier 76 as a 1,000-room floating hotel, but HRPK representatives are skeptical: “At least three Hudson River Park Trust presidents have seen proposals to bring the SS United States to the park over the last 15-20 years. There are multiple reasons why it’s not already here. First, bringing any vessel to a pier requires that the pier be able to accommodate it. In its current physical condition, Pier 76 cannot support even a small recreational vessel, let alone one the size of the SS United States, which is 990 feet long with a draft of 31 feet. Beyond rebuilding the pier, dredging – governed by a lengthy regulatory approvals process not controlled by the Trust – would also be required.”
Regardless of the end result, a new Pier 76 will take time — as other rehab projects like Pier 97, which is likely to finally open this Spring, and the recently-completed Pier 57, prove that the process is a lengthy one.
Looking ahead, former MCB4 chair and current member Jeffrey LeFrancois commented that “Albany is where the change needs to take place” to secure both funding and approval for the pier’s next chapter, adding that both the committee and members of the community should make their interests known to elected officials while sessions are ongoing. “It took 28 years to evict the tow pound,” added LeFrancois, but the ability to create something new at Pier 76 “is really exciting,” he said.
W42ST spoke to current MCB4 Chair Jessica Chait, who agreed that the project was “our collective opportunity to revitalize this area.” She added, “In terms of timeline, there are a number of things that have to happen before an RFP can be released and a big part of that is getting more support,” echoing the need for the committee and community to work together towards advocating for legislative support.
Chait encouraged interested community members to attend the Waterfront, Parks & Environment as well as Land Use committee meetings as discussions evolve, noting that the pier “doesn’t have to be just one use — there is the capacity for a lot of uses. The pier has the potential to drastically increase the high-quality open space across the city that we haven’t had in a long time and that is very exciting.”
What do you think Pier 76 should become? Let us know in the comments!
The S.S. United States plan would be a perfect use of this space.
Something that is built FOR city residents and NOT another tourist attraction! (Or an enclave for the wealthy) The highline was touted to be a gift for the people of NYC…what began is a beautiful walk from midtown to the village is now a traffic jam of tourists…just like Times Square, it is a place to avoid instead of enjoy for the people who live here. Please NOT another tourist attraction! As it is, it has been a great place for events and when not in use fun for skaters and skateboarders. Build it for the residents ….if you want us to remain living here!
Amen!
HKR: What they should have done with the High Line was restore it to its original use in the form of a light rail connection from the West Village to the Javits Center, providing a quick non-polluting uptown/downtown transit option. “The High Line” as it is, was always a bad joke, with better views from Hudson River Park. It was never a “Riverwalk” like in San Antonio, just one bullshit tourist attraction that ended up being an excuse for luxury apartment development, so that the the rich developers could get richer. My concept even makes more sense now since they extended the #7 train down to 33rd Street. You could have had the light rail from the High Line tie into the #7 train, and thus the entire subway system. Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.
I would like to see a large dog run where dogs can actually RUN! Many of the neighborhood dog runs are small and don’t allow for real exercise, especially for larger dogs. And Hudson Yards snubbed dog lovers by omitting a dog run from the entirety of the newly built Bella Abzug Park. Plus, Astro’s dog run is on the chopping block to make room for the Port Authority expansion.
A dog run would be used by neighborhood residents, which should be a priority for the space.
Thank you, Greg. I realize mistakes are always made, but Hudson Yard is so poorly designed, it hurts. At least they didn’t put a sports stadium there.
Much what was stated about the Urban Farm was right on. The city must directly confront its food, energy, and housing challenges… in lieu of creating revenue streams that buy needed goods and services. In other words food should be produced at this space, as well as energy. Open riven environments are unimpeded natural aquifers. There are possibilities for wind, solar, and tidal energy, as well as vertical farming and hydroponics.
Pier 76 should be used as a shelter for asylum seekers. Amongst the asylum seekers are construction workers, architects and civil engineers that can bundle their expertise and immense supply of available asylum seeking labor to rebuild the pier at a lower cost than the projected $150 million. Year round marketplace asylum seeking vendors can setup and sell products and services on the pier to cover ongoing costs to maintain the pier and provide additional revenue to NYC.
Whatever gets placed there should have the necessary means to function during all seasons.
This would be the perfect place for the ocean liner SS United States. Not only is NYC it’s home port, but it would be a great way to show our pride in our nation. The nation and the people who built the ship. It’s a one of a kind unique chance to redevelop one of the last Ocean Liners of that era and our flag ship that still retains the credentials of being the fastest liner to cross the Atlantic. Although looking a bit tired, she is a blank slate that can be redeveloped into a hotel, conference space, museum, dining and recreational space. The plans are all there and complete to do just that ! What a legacy and wonderful gift to generations to come!
Why not work with RXR, they have the capital to replace the pier and bring in the United States, they are partnered with MCR hotels, look at the job they did at TWA/JFK, it’s a masterpiece. The ship would be a huge success. I hope they don’t miss the boat, literally. I saw the proposal and it’s nothing short of spectacular.
Just more luxury recreation for young upscale residents of nearby luxury housing -and which will just be one more piece of snowballing hyper-gentrification.
Not to mention that the City insists there is too much congestion – but then creates more congestion.
Gosh
Commercial uses could be moved off the pier onto vessels if the pier is re-built to take the forces of ships moored to it and open up more space for park uses while generating revenue. The SS United States is not the only option. The Staten Island ferry John F. Kennedy, for instance, is considerably smaller with a draft of 19 feet and is looking for a home to put a comedy club on board. The Baylander is an even smaller ship with a food and beverage operation doing a brisk business in Manhattanville. If thinking creatively, think about using the water too.
There are interesting possibilities. This is a similar comparison for Pier 97 and Staten Island Ferry. https://w42st.com/post/could-the-snl-staten-island-ferry-become-a-west-side-story-swipe-right-pier-97-hudson-river-park/
I would love to see the SS United States come home, she belongs here and she represents the maritime history of New York City in a unique way. She is a husk of her former self, so much has been stripped out of her, that, in a way, she is a blank canvas. I would REALLY LOVE to see some of our many universities come together and combine efforts at studying and developing a feasibility plan: urban planning, maritime planning, architecture, materials, all blended. With sea level rise and climate change uncontestable today, Manhattan, in particular, is only going to become more of an island. Why not lead the country in developing solutions. A floating hotel that rides out climate change with the city it is attached to could be one helluva symbol. I also believe there are ways the SS United States could be anchored and not necessarily moored and fully and completely reliant on Pier 76. While she is a third shorter in overall length and about a quarter her displacement the HMS Belfast anchored/moored in the River Thames, London, is a case in point.
Having the park area surrounding the pier connected to the High Line (and I suppose Javits) makes sense as well. As a New Yorker and Hells Kitchen resident that walks thousands of steps daily and has done so for years, I often find myself preferring to walk on the High Line to the street to escape dealing with traffic lights and cars. In fact, a favorite loop is often south on the riverfront trail and the back north along the High Line (depending on how crowded it is—sadly, I love the winter time for this).
While I belong to Clinton Community Garden and am a big believer in gardening and growing vegetables, I’m also a volunteer with The Billion Oyster Project and I’d find a far better usage for some of the space on the pier to support the latter over a community garden. And who knows? Perhaps if we finally get rid of our CSOs we could one day grow things like edible seaweed, muscles and even oysters but that would be a consideration for the grandkids of today’s generations (if all goes well).
The SS UNITED STATES belongs in New York! It is Americas flag ship! She needs a home and is a symbol of America!! She needs to come home!