Just in Time for Summer, City Opens Large New Sections of the New East River Park

New picnic and BBQ areas, basketball and tennis courts, large passive lawn are part of the $1.45 Billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project that will protect 110,000 New Yorkers from future coastal storms and tidal flooding

Nation’s largest urban climate adaptation project to open more space in August in East River and Corlears Hook parks

DDC: Ian Michaels, 646-939-6514, michaelia@ddc.nyc.gov

(New York, NY – May 29, 2025) Deputy Mayor Jeffrey Roth, NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue joined local officials and schoolchildren this morning to mark the opening of large sections of the new East River Park, which is being rebuilt at an 8- to 10-foot-higher elevation as part of the flood protection provided by East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR). The areas opened to the public on Memorial Day.

“Today marks another important step forward in protecting and revitalizing our city’s waterfront," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "The newly opened section of East River Park — featuring basketball and tennis courts, picnic areas, and hundreds of new trees — shows what’s possible when we invest in both resilience and recreation. As part of the historic East Side Coastal Resiliency project, we’re not just building infrastructure, we’re creating a greener, safer, and more accessible future for the East Side. These new spaces reflect our commitment to climate readiness, while giving families, kids, and residents of all ages more ways to enjoy their neighborhood."

“Long gone are the days when a park was just a park; now everything must do double duty to protect against stronger and more frequent storms,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth. “My deep thanks to Commissioners Foley and Donoghue and their teams at DDC and the Parks Department for efficiently and cost-effectively delivering a beautiful coastal park that will protect 110,000 New Yorkers from flooding.”

“ESCR and its companion project to the south, BMCR, are unique engineering achievements representing a $2 billion commitment to the long-term safety and prosperity of the Lower East Side community,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley. “Together they are enhancing 3.2-miles of coastline with not just flood protection but also new recreational opportunities and thousands of new trees, shrubs and other plantings in parks as well as surrounding streets.”

“Summer is the perfect time to reconnect with our parks, and these newly reopened areas of East River Park offer something for everyone-- from tennis courts and BBQ areas to peaceful green lawns,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “This milestone marks another important step forward in the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, which not only strengthens our city against future storms but also enhances everyday park access and enjoyment for thousands of New Yorkers.”

"PlaNYC, our long-term climate plan, is all about making New York City better, not just now, but for generations to come,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson. “And we can’t do that without projects like this, where residents can spend time outdoors knowing the park they are in will protect them against sea level rise and the trees that provide them with shade are also cooling the air. Building the New York of the future is all about giving our residents a more resilient place to live, work and play, while knowing they’re safe from increasingly high temperatures and coastal flooding.”

“Opening large sections of the new East River Park represents a major milestone in the generational work to create a more resilient New York City,” said DEP Deputy Commissioner for Coastal Resiliency Laurian Farrell. “This critical project will not only protect the vulnerable lower East Side of Manhattan from future coastal storms, it is also doing double duty as beautiful recreational space that is sorely needed for the neighborhood.”

“With every new section of East River Park that reopens, we are seeing the promise of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project come to life, not just as a critical defense against climate change, but as a revitalized public space for our communities. These new courts, picnic areas, and green spaces are a welcome return for so many families and neighbors who rely on this park for connection and recreation. I remain committed to ensuring that every part of this project delivers both protection and joy to the Lower East Side,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera (D-02).

“With the opening of the first phase of East River Park, we see the first physical manifestation of a decade-long vision: an archipelago of parks forming an elevated, undulating new landscape – a ‘Park-ipelago’ if you will,” said Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), which developed the original concept for coastal protection around lower Manhattan and was part of the ESCR design team. “Each island of green is devoted to a use and character decided by the community. Rather than separating the city from the waterfront, we’ve designed a public realm that invites people in with new connections across the FDR, transforming flood protection into a tapestry of everyday experiences. The result is infrastructure that not only strengthens but also enhances the city’s coastline. It protects, connects, and inspires – proof that the future of our cities can be both safe from flood and full of life."

Project Details

Most of the southern end of East River Park was closed in late-2021 when DDC began work on ESCR, a $1.45 billion project which is creating a flexible 2.4-mile-long flood barrier on the Lower East Side from Montgomery Street up to Asser Levy Playground at East 25th Street. In September 2024, Mayor Adams opened the new ballfields 1 and 2 in the park along with the new ADA-compliant Delancey Street Bridge spanning the FDR Drive.

Today additional sections in the south end of the park, including six regulation tennis courts, two regulation basketball courts, picnic and BBQ areas, a nature exploration area, a passive lawn and a multiuse area, were opened to the public. Approximately 600 new trees have been planted in the areas that are opening along with more than 21,000 new shrubs, grasses and perennials.

ESCR is rebuilding five parks and adding recreation opportunities along the East River. In July 2022, Mayor Adams reopened Asser Levy Playground with 320 feet of new floodwall and a 45-ton sliding flood gate as well as new resilient play equipment. In May 2023, a rebuilt Stuyvesant Cove Park opened with 1,340 feet of new floodwall plus several flood gates and new seating areas. In October 2024, Mayor Adams marked the completion of the northern parts of ESCR above East 15th Street as well as renovations to Murphy Brothers Playground.

The city expects to open additional areas in both East River Park and nearby Corlears Hook Park in August, including a new Corlears Hook Park Bridge that will provide even greater access across the FDR Drive. Overall, ESCR is replacing four bridges that access East River Park over the FDR Drive to make the park more accessible.

The openings this week will be followed soon by new closures in the northern area of the park so that work on ESCR can continue. East Side Coastal Resiliency is projected to be completed and the full East River Park opened in early-2027. Under an agreement with the community, in order to maintain access to parts of the park during construction, DDC has pledged to keep at least 42 percent of the park open at all times.

ESCR is employing raised parkland, floodwalls, berms and 18 swinging or sliding flood gates to create a continuous line of protection against sea level rise and the growing threat of stronger, more severe coastal storms worsened by climate change. The project has been designed to improve waterfront access through reconstructed bridges and entry points and will also upgrade existing sewer systems to capture and manage precipitation during storms. The first floodgate, which is 42 feet long, 10 feet high and 32,000 pounds, was installed in February 2022.

Images of the new park areas are here.

Neighborhood Improvements

NYC Parks has made numerous improvements to nearby parks and open spaces to support the community with supplemental recreational spaces during ESCR construction, and has planted over 1,300 trees throughout the community. ESCR itself will include more than 1,800 new trees in East River Park, including 50 different species chosen for their diversity and resiliency.

In addition, NYC Parks and NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) have transformed Pier 42 near the southern tip of ESCR into a new waterfront open space. The pier amenities include a recreation deck with a soccer field, tennis courts, half basketball courts, adult fitness equipment and picnic tables, a new upland park with a playground, public restroom building, picnic area, lawns and designated bike path.

East River Park Improvements

The 45.88-acre East River Park is being elevated with new amenities, including upgrades to the amphitheater, ballfields, tennis courts, soccer and multi-use turf fields, track and field, basketball courts, playgrounds, comfort stations and picnic and barbeque areas. New passive-use areas will create enhanced spaces with grass and greenery, allowing expanded opportunities for relaxation and reflection along the East River waterfront.

In addition to the new Delancey Street Bridge, the Corlears Hook and East 10th Street bridges will also be replaced with gently sloping entryways that will provide access for all New Yorkers, including those with disabilities. The Houston Street entrance will also be rebuilt as an at-grade entry from the park to the street.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Adams’ long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $34 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.

About the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
NYC Parks is the steward of more than 30,000 acres of land — 14 percent of New York City — including more than 5,000 individual properties ranging from Coney Island Beach and Central Park to community gardens and Greenstreets. Parks maintains 1000 acres of freshwater wetlands, 1500 acres of salt marsh, and about 60 miles of streams. We operate more than 800 athletic fields and nearly 1,000 playgrounds, 1,800 basketball courts, 550 tennis courts, 65 public pools, 51 recreational facilities, 15 nature centers, 14 golf courses, and 14 miles of beaches. We care for 1,200 monuments and 23 historic house museums. We look after 666,000 street trees, and five million more in parks. We are New York City's principal providers of recreational and athletic facilities and programs. We are home to free concerts, world-class sports events, and cultural festivals.