Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance  11-4-09
 WATERWIRE
     

LOW TIDE 2:33am   �   HIGH TIDE 8:21am   �   LOW TIDE 3:26pm   �   HIGH TIDE 9:01pm
These are tide statistics for the Battery on November 4, 2009. Click on www.saltwatertides.com for your local tide information. For real-time ocean, weather, environmental and vessel traffic conditions throughout New York Harbor and the NY/NJ coastal regions, check the Urban Ocean Observatory at the Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology. To see test results of the quality of a body of water near you, check Riverkeeper.
IN THIS ISSUE

Eco Docks are Coming to Town

Waterfront Permitting is Scrutinized

Adaptive Paddling


Maiden Voyage of the USS New York

Harbor Heroes are Feted at the MWA Gala


Do you have waterfront news that everyone should know about? Email WaterWire, your platform for getting the word out, whether it's a public, nonprofit, government or citizen waterfront issue. WaterWire welcomes all comments, points of view, and your letters to the Waterwire editor, Alison Simko. You can also reach Alison at asimko
@waterfrontalliance.org


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EVENTS
This is just a sampling of the events taking place at and on the water in New York and New Jersey. Please check the MWA website, at www.waterfrontalliance.org, for more information.


Thurs., Nov. 5
The Hudson - A Natural and Cultural History
Talk by Fran Dunwell at the Tivoli Bays Visitor Center, Watts dePeyster Fireman's Hall, 1 Tivoli Commons, Village of Tivoli.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/33037.html#hrep


Thurs., Nov. 5
Visit the USS New York
The amphibious transport ship was named New York after the city and state and incorporates in its construction steel salvaged from the World Trade Center site.  Visit today through Nov. 11. Various times. Check schedule.
www.waterfrontalliance.org


Thurs., Nov. 5
Remembering Fulton Fish Market
Fourth annual art exhibition by Naima Rauam commemorating the anniversary of the Market's move from South Street to the Bronx. Reception this evening, 5pm-8pm. Exhibition through Nov. 22, noon-7pm daily.
www.artpm.com


Sun., Nov. 7
Jackson Heights Environmental Day
Participate in a community planning process to create a green agenda for Jackson Heights. See the MWA short film "City of Water." 10am-12pm, Renaissance School
35-59 81st St.
www.waterfrontalliance.org


Sun., Nov. 7
Fall Foliage Cruise
Join Friends of Hudson River Park aboard a historic river boat replica, as they cruise the Hudson River while viewing the annual changing of the seasons. With the extraordinary Manhattan skyline as a backdrop, they will make our way up the Hudson River toward the Palisades for scenic views of New York and New Jersey's fall foliage. Boarding begins at 12pm.
www.fohrp.org


Tues., Nov. 10
Gas Drilling in NY State
Public information meeting sponsored by the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. 6pm, Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers Street.


Sat., Nov. 14
Working Harbor Tour
Explore the Kill van Kull, Newark Bay and Shooters Island. See the working port up close! See also the ghosts of past harbor life in the form of long-abandoned vessels, dry docks and piers that line much of the shoreline. We will be aboard a comfortable New York Water Taxi, which allows for outdoor viewing and photography. There is indoor seating should the day be chilly. 11am-2pm. $50. www.workingharbor.com


Mon., Nov. 16
In the Wake of the Half Moon: Environmental Transformation of the New York Metropolitan Region
One-day conference in recognition of Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage up the Hudson River that will examine NYC as a landmark case history in environmental sustainability. The conference will trace the arc of the region's profound environmental changes, from its pristine beginnings to its nadir around 1900 to today's surprising (but still incomplete) recovery and into the future and the 500th anniversary of Hudson's voyage.
Hunter College, CUNY, 695 Park Ave. For more information contact Carina Molnar at
[email protected] or 212-650-3456


Tues., Nov. 17
North River Sail & Power Squadron: Founders Day
Founder's Day is to commemorate the history and celebrate the future of the Squadron. Founded in 1936, North River has served as a valuable source of boating education to its members as well as to the public. They are proud of their legacy as safe boating educators. 6:30pm.
www.waterfrontalliance.org


Fri., Nov. 20
New Amsterdam & Native American Perspective
How did the Lenape react to New Amsterdam's settlement? What was the "real deal" behind Manhattan's sale? Hear a brief lecture and listen to Native American stories.
On the third Friday of every month, visit the South Street Seaport Museum with free admission during extended hours from 5-9pm. Enjoy free special programs from 5-8pm.
www.southstreet
seaportmuseum.org


Sun., Nov. 22
New Amsterdam: The Island at the Center of the World Exhibition Tour
The centerpiece of this exhibition is the letter mentioning the 1626 purchase of Manhattan for 60 guilders. Rare maps, plans and views of the early Dutch settlement shed new light on the origins of our city. 1pm
South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton Street.
www.waterfrontalliance.org


Sun., Nov. 22
Fulton Fish Market Day
Join Jack Putnam, Terry Walton and Sal Polisi in bidding farewell to the spirit of the Fulton Fish Market on the last day of the 4th annual Remembering Fulton Fish Market Art Exhibit. 1pm. 210 Front Street. www.artpm.com


Sun., Nov. 22
Fund Raiser: Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse
Come enjoy a scenic evening next to the Hudson River. Friends and family are welcome to enjoy light food, drinks, and entertainment for all ages. Proceeds from this event will be used to purchase new kayaks and equipment for the Hoboken Boathouse. 4pm-7pm, Lua Restaurant, 1300 Sinatra Drive North, $35 in advance, $45 at the door.
www.hoboken
coveboathouse.org
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Eco Dock announcement October 2009
October 20, 2009. City Council member Vincent Gentile announces a new Eco Dock for Bay Ridge, flanked by NYC Parks representative Marty Maher, Quadricentennial Commission chair Joan K. Davidson, Sunset-Ridge Waterfront Alliance founder Heather McCown, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance president Roland Lewis and others involved in the effort. At Mr. Gentile's left is a rendering of the Clearwater pulling up to an Eco Dock.

bayBay Ridge to get the First of the Eco Docks

A Quadricentennial Commission Legacy project spearheaded by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, Eco Docks are town docks of the future

The drive to improve waterfront access and promote waterborne transportation gained momentum on October 20 when City Council member Vincent Gentile gathered waterfront VIPs around him on Brooklyn's 69th Street Pier and announced that he had secured funding for the Bay Ridge "Eco Dock."

The first of several planned for the region, the Eco Dock will be a flexible, lightweight 20" by 40" barge that will rise and fall with the tide. The NYC component of the State program is being spearheaded by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance working in close partnership with the NYC Parks & Recreation Dept.

"The Bay Ridge Eco Dock will be an educational and recreational addition to our community," Council member Gentile said. "Commuters from Bay Ridge have been shortchanged by public transportation options for too long. As a possible hub for ferry service, it may even speed up commuters' trips to and from work in Manhattan."

Cost-effective to build and easy to maintain, the prototype of the Eco Docks was designed by waterfront advocate Huntley Gill, principal of Guardia Architects.

Eco Docks are a legacy project of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission which celebrates the landing of Henry Hudson in 1609. Joan K. Davidson, chair of the Commission, reflected on the origins of the program. "After months of working with folks in the Hudson Valley and New York City to create Quadricentennial events and to think about the future, it became clear to us what was urgently needed: more places for boats of all sizes to pull up, and more places for people to get to the water," she said. "That meant docks--and we learned that there is a glaring shortage of them!"


Ms. Davidson and her colleagues at the Quadricentennial Commission knew what they had to do: "find out from our colleagues in the City and Valley (foremost among them the MWA) where there were workable docks now, where there were inadequate docks that could be upgraded, and where new docks were needed. Then we designed a kind of universal prototype dock that met all environmental requirements, could be adjusted to fit different circumstances, and would be affordable. This design, and the entire effort, has met with general approval, and substantial financial support in State and federal budgets.  The first dock in the water will be at beautiful Bay Ridge--and we can't wait to see it!  Excelsior!"

Eco DockHeather McCown, founder of the local Sunset-Ridge Waterfront Alliance, is pleased that the first Eco Dock will be towed to her watery backyard. "This is a positive and encouraging development for Bay Ridge," she said. "After being without waterborne access to the pier since the late 1980s, this is a huge step towards making Bay Ridge a desirable location for tourism and recreation, as well as giving the local economy a boost.  We are hopeful that this will also mean an alternative for commuting, by providing ferry service to Manhattan and beyond."

Eco DockThe Bay Ridge Eco Dock is expected to be in place by next summer. "Our vision is a necklace of Eco Docks around New York City, connecting neighborhoods by water," said Roland Lewis, president of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance.

As envisioned by the Quadricentenniual Commission, the program will extend all the way up the Hudson River to Albany, with numerous Eco Docks ready for visitor drop-off and pick-up, community programs, and possibly, ferry service. "In an ideal world, every single village on the river should have one," Ms. Davidson said.


Renderings courtesy of Guardia Architects
     
Harbor Hero Gala Harbor Heroes
heroesare Honored on
a Beautiful Night
in New York City


"The crowd was large -- our Alliance was out in force," noted MWA President Roland Lewis about the 2009 Heroes of the Harbor Gala that took place on October 21 at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. "The weather was perfect. The Boat Parade was a fun spectacle. The presenters were eloquent. The awardees were deserving and inspirational."
Peggy Ayers and Al Butzel
And the audience was lively and appreciative, bestowing prolonged applause on the three awardees. The first Hero to the podium was Al Butzel (right, with Peggy Ayers), a well-known advocate for the city's premier waterfront spaces, including Hudson River Park, Governors Island, Brooklyn Bridge Park and, upstate, Storm King Mountain. His award was presented by Peggy Ayers, executive director of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.

Frank McDonough and Dennis SuszowskiFrank McDonough (left, with Dennis Suszkowski), environmental attorney and newly retired president of the New York Shipping Association, accepted his award from Dennis Suszkowski, science director of the Hudson River Foundation, and then modestly tipped his hat to Mr. Suszowski and others in the room in his acceptance speech.

Wendy Gordon Rockefeller, Roland Lewis and Ann Buttenwieser
Ann Buttenwieser, waterfront advocate also known as the Floating Pool Lady and author of a newly published book about Governors Island, took the microphone to speak about the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and its crucial early support of waterfront activisim. Wendy Gordon Rockefeller -- at right with Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance president Roland Lewis and Ann Buttenwieser -- accepted the award on behalf of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

The MWA is grateful to the many people who gave generously to honor this year's Heroes of the Harbor, and in particular to event benefactors Liz Atwood, John Neu, Paul Balser and John Solomon whose support made the MWA 2009 Gala possible.

Photos by Elisa Deljanin
     
waterfrontRegulatory Process for
permitsWaterfront Development Undergoes Scrutiny

Preliminary conclusion: multi-layered, unpredictable and confusing, waterfront permitting needs an overhaul

"It's frustrating to try to get anything done in this town!" commented City Council member Michael Nelson, chair of the Council's Waterfront Committee, after hearing testimony on October 22 about the complexities of waterfront permitting from Cortney Worrall, Director of Programs for the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, and from representatives of other agencies and organizations, including Hardy Adasko of the Economic Development Corporation, Christopher Mallery of the Army Corps of Engineers and Ed Kelly of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Overlapping governmental jurisdictions, less-than-transparent processes and dated regulations contribute to the frustrations experienced by many would-be waterfront developers and designers. Ms. Worrall told the Waterfront Committee that a series of Task Force meetings sponsored by the MWA throughout 2008 "brought this complicated system into relief" and spurred the MWA to undertake a lengthy research project to analyze the situation.

Over the past six months, MWA conducted scores of interviews with stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors; analyzed laws, policies and studies that impact waterfront development; and carried out a comparative analysis of permitting policies and programs from other states. The result is a comprehensive report on the permitting process, a User's Guide to Waterfront Permitting, and a new waterfront permitting web site (at http://nynjwaterfrontpermitting.squarespace.com/ ). The report, with more than two dozen detailed recommendations, will be released in the coming weeks, after MWA works with regulatory agencies and stakeholders to finalize the recommendations.

"How does New Jersey handle waterfront permitting?" Council member Nelson inquired. No doubt glad to be asked, Ms. Worrall described the recent and very successful streamlining of New Jersey's waterfront permitting process, and suggested this could be used as a model for New York State.

West Harlem Piers ParkThe hearing was the first of what Mr. Nelson said would be many. "The Council's Waterfront Committee has received substantial public comment concerning obstacles to development of waterfront structures in New York City," he noted.

West Harlem Piers Park, courtesy of the EDC
     
Adaptive kayak 3 Adaptive Paddling:
adaptiveAvailable to
New Yorkers by
Next Summer?


Years ago, a disabled young man used to help out at Tribeca's Pier 25. Erik Baard always wanted to find a way for him to kayak. "That tickled the back of my mind for years," Mr. Baard said.

Fast forward to October 2009. Mr. Baard is urging elected officials at all levels to work with waterfront leaders to provide handicapped access for public kayaking programs by the summer of 2010, saying it is "a moral imperative for us to realize that goal, and perhaps arguably a legal imperative under ADA."

NJ MeadowlandsAs he works to bring what is known as "adaptive paddling" to the NYC area, Mr. Baard refers constantly to a successful program in California called Disabled Adventurers. Run by Mark Theobald, Disabled Adventurers trains paddlers on special equipment, including modified seats and paddles suspended by boom rigs. UCLA's aquatics program has adopted Mr. Theobald's methods and builds gear based his designs, which are posted online.

Mr. Baard's dream is that the NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation would build these modified seats and paddle rigs in its woodshop. Modifications can be made from off-the-shelf components for under $30 per boat, in about an hour, and with typical garage tools.

Adaptive kayak 2

Mr. Baard is also proposing that boathouses invest in beach wheelchairs, though this is a far more expensive part of his plan. Still, the wheelchairs would be less expensive than ramps and other infrastructure. "My intuition is that ramps and heavy infrastructure are more costly, less productive, more limiting, and less inviting than beach wheelchairs with light frames and large tires," he wrote in an email, and by way of example offered this link to a California web site that lists beaches with wheelchairs for borrowing.

Mr. Baard has received a good response to his proposals (though nothing yet from the Parks Dept.). Adaptive paddling will be a focus of the Jersey Paddlers' 2010 Paddlesport, the East Coast's largest kayak, canoe, and outdoors show taking place March 26 through 28, 2010 at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, New Jersey. Staff from Achilles International, a leading adaptive sports organization, are consulting with him. The Red Hook Boaters have evinced interest in adaptive paddling for the public kayaking program at Valentino Pier Park next year. And his old friend from Pier 25, an athletic double amputee immigrant from Bosnia, has offered to test and demonstrate the kayak modifications.

"It can be argued that this is a solution to a problem that hasn't presented itself," Mr. Baard said. "But I strongly believe that we haven't fielded many requests from disabled paddlers because most aren't even aware that this experience could be available to them."

"Our rallying cry of access to waterways," he added, "must now become more inclusive to not ring hollow."

     
USS New York Photo by Ian Douglas/MWA
A New Ship Comes Home to be USSNY
Commissioned the USS New York

Forged from steel salvaged at the World Trade Center site

On Monday morning, November 2, a new naval vessel built with steel salvaged from the World Trade Center site steamed into New York Harbor and up the Hudson River, escorted by a flotilla of welcoming vessels. She paused near North Cove, opposite the WTC site, dipped her colors, and delivered a 21-gun salute to the people of her namesake city and state.

Hundreds had gathered at the Battery Park City esplanade, many in uniform, to observe the event. Members of the Fire Department of New York, the New York Police Department, Port Authority Police, members of the families of 9/11 victims and veterans returned the salute.

The new amphibious transport dock ship continued to Pier 88. Upon her commissioning on November 7, she will be inducted into the Fleet and become the USS New York, the sixth in a line of U.S. Navy vessels named so. Interestingly, the keel of the previous holder of the name -- a ship that saw action in World Wars I and II -- was laid on September 11, 1911.

The USS New York will be open to the public today through November 11. Pier 88 is at 12th Avenue and West 48th Street. Check here for more information.

     
Recent Waterfront News 


East River Commuter Ferry Service Could Be Halted, Again
The New York Times, November 4, 2009

House Votes Funds for Gowanus 'Sponge Park'
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 4, 2009

Let's Get Reel
New York Post, October 30, 2009

Bridge to Willets Pt. pushed
Yournabe.com, October 28, 2009

Clean Water: Still Elusive
The New York Times, October 21, 2009