To create a vibrant waterfront that incorporates real public access, is ecologically sustainable and addresses local community needs, the Agenda proposes that new development and planning for the East River adhere to the following principles:
Access
Although New York City has 532 miles of shoreline, too many New Yorkers are strangers to their waterfront. Highways, industry and infrastructure have historically blocked access to the East River. Even today, only a limited amount of shoreline on the river is accessible to the public, and this access is often inadequate, unreliable or privatized. Access to and from the water itself is even more restricted. We must create more and better access to the East River by developing waterfront parks and greenways, making ferries affordable, and connecting existing public transit to the shoreline.
Too much of the waterfront is blocked off to public access, like this pier in Hallet’s Cove, Queens
Place-Making
Too much waterfront development in New York has created sterile places that don’t draw people to the water’s edge. We must change this by creating diverse, vibrant destinations along the East River, with amenities that bring people to the waterfront—such as fishing piers, historic ships, restaurants and parks. We must also ensure that we create places with access to the water itself, by developing beaches and boat launches that allow people to actually touch and use the water. Finally, new development along the East River must reflect and enhance neighborhood character by preserving historic buildings and working waterfront activities.
The Domino Sugar Factory is an East River icon that reminds us of its industrial history
Environmental Stewardship
Despite significant progress in recent decades, much of the East River is still polluted. Brownfields and contaminated waterways remain and combined sewer overflows pour waste into the river during heavy rainfall. New development along the East River provides an opportunity to correct these problems by restoring wetlands, preventing stormwater runoff, and encouraging greater biodiversity along the shoreline. Cleaner water will result in more opportunities for safe recreational waterfront use such as swimming, boating and fishing.
A CSO at Stuyvesant Cove Park
Community-Based Planning
Despite the huge impact that waterfront redevelopment will have on East River communities, local residents are too often excluded from the planning process that determines their neighborhoods’ future. Striking a balance between community visions and citywide objectives should be a central principle in planning for the East River. Communities must have a meaningful role in the planning process to ensure that we create livable neighborhoods and a vibrant waterfront.
A planning workshop for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative