The United Nations sits on a platform above the FDR. For security and other reasons, the United Nations has been reluctant to allow any sort of public path to be built on or along the property. The UN is planning a major renovation of its headquarters, however, and as part of this construction will build a new office building on the adjacent Robert Moses Park.

In order to compensate for loss of parkland the United Nations has agreed to construct a cantilevered esplanade from East 41st Street to East 51st Street. Final designs have not yet been approved, but completion is tentatively scheduled for 2008.