East Side Coastal Resiliency

The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project is a coastal protection initiative, jointly funded by the City of New York and the federal government, aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise on Manhattan's East Side from East 25th Street to Montgomery Street. The boundaries of this project correspond with the natural "pinch-points" in the 100-year floodplain: areas where the land is higher along the coastline, making it easier to close the system off from water entering from the north and south. The project design integrates flood protection into the community fabric, improving waterfront open spaces and access, rather than walling off the neighborhood. Construction on the East Side Coastal Resiliency project began in Fall 2020 and will continue through 2026.

In August 2022, the ESCR Project was selected to receive an "Envision Gold Award" for sustainability from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). The Envision sustainable infrastructure framework assesses project sustainability across five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World and Climate and Resilience. To earn an Envision Gold award, a project must achieve a heightened range of sustainability and resilience outcomes. East Side Coastal Resiliency was cited by ISI for creating a cohesive and comprehensive response to climate resiliency goals, protecting the community while enhancing public space and amenities, and developing a robust community engagement program that considers the diversity of stakeholders.

In November 2022, was selected to receive "Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines" (WEDG®) Verification from the Waterfront Alliance. The Waterfront Alliance created the WEDG® rating system that recognizes developers and landowners for resilient, sustainable, and accessible waterfront projects. WEDG® provides guidance and establishes design standards across six categories tailored to the complexities of waterfront development including site assessment and planning, responsible siting and costal risk reduction, community access and connections, edge resilience, natural resources, and innovation. ESCR was cited by the Waterfront Alliance for many features including the project's ability to reduce risk from coastal hazards, emergency preparedness plan, community engagement, quality of public access areas, waterfront greenway connectivity, and inventive design.