 News and stories about the waterways of
New York and New Jersey, from the
Metropolitan Waterfront AllianceMAY 23, 2013 |
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CONTENTS
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Ferry, Ferry Good News - New, free service to Red Hook; bigger East River ferries; trial run to Coney Island Creek
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FERRY GOOD NEWS!
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As the mercury climbs, New York's ferry operators are offering more opportunities for New Yorkers and visitors alike to take in the pleasures of water transportation and explore dynamic neighborhoods along the City's coast.
* FREE WEEKEND FERRY SERVICE TO RED HOOK Launching the summer season, free weekend ferry service between Red Hook, Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan begins Saturday, May 25.
Enjoying the dining, nightlife, arts, and culture scene in Red Hook -- not to mention basking in the neighborhood's postcard-perfect views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor -- will get a whole lot easier thanks to this new service from the NYC Economic Development Corporation. The Red Hook Summer Ferry will run on weekends between 10am and 9pm, departing every 25 minutes from Pier 11/Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and making two stops, one at a presently unused landing at the foot of Van Brunt Street and one at IKEA. The Van Brunt Street stop in particular is expected to draw visitors to the neighborhood's small businesses, many of which are still struggling to recover from the damage wrought by Superstorm Sandy.
Along with government officials and waterfront advocates, Red Hook business owners are cheering the new service. "We learned that the East River can bring heartache, devastation and loss of business, but if the ferry lands at Van Brunt street this summer, the East River will also be responsible for bringing profits back to businesses and the assurance of survival and progress within this community," said Triciann Botta, owner of Botta di Vino in Red Hook.
"As a real estate development company that has been in the area for over three decades, The O'Connell Organization is elated at the potential of additional ferry service to and from Red Hook," said Gregory O'Connell Jr.
The City is paying for the Summer Red Hook Ferry, with a partner sponsorship from Fairway Market, and assistance by IKEA through the expansion of its existing service.
To further strengthen the City's water transportation network, Red Hook Summer Ferry passengers can score a free transfer to northbound East River Ferry boats at Pier 11.
* TRIAL RUN FOR CONEY ISLAND CREEK FERRY
No New York summer is complete without a visit to the storied boardwalk, beach, and attractions at Coney Island. And thanks to urban planner/architect/Pratt professor/waterfront enthusiast Stuart Pertz, the neighborhood and its unique brand of old-school amusement may soon be accessible by ferry. On June 10, Mr. Pertz has arranged a trial run of a proposed recreational ferry route from Pier 11/Wall Street to a future landing at the northern terminus of West 21st Street in Coney Island Creek. A short walk from Luna Park, Nathan's Famous, the New York Aquarium, and other traditional Coney Island attractions, the new landing at Coney Island Creek will introduce visitors to the less-traveled northern section of the peninsula, including the lovely Kaiser Park and the serene beauty of the Creek itself. Space aboard the trial run is extremely limited, though tickets may be reserved on the event's website. The ride is free of charge, though donations in support of the ride and the creation of a Coney Island Creek ferry landing and new park will help to secure regularly scheduled service in the future.
* EAST RIVER FERRY RIDERSHIP HITS TWO MILLION
The popular East River Ferry, which recently welcomed aboard its two millionth rider, will make waterborne travel this summer easier and more appealing than ever. Anticipating a summer weekend tourism crush, not to mention throngs of New Yorkers loathe to cram on a crowded subway in sweltering summer heat, NY Waterway has recently begun operating 399-passenger East River Ferry boats, a significant increase from the weekday boats that max out at a capacity of 149. And while the best views from the ferry can be found outdoors off the top deck, the East River Ferry is now giving people a reason to stay inside the boat. This spring and summer, select weekday boats are featuring "Drawn to Water: A Floating Photographic Exhibition," which displays evocative, water-themed photographs by renowned artists.
Happy sailing!
- Harrison Peck, MWA Ferry Transit Program Manager
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DEPT. OF INTERIOR COMMITS $475M FOR SANDY RECOVERY
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On May 7, 2013, Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced that $475 million was being committed to 234 Sandy-recovery projects along the East Coast, including dozens of sites around the NY-NJ Harbor. More than $313 million will be used for work at Gateway National Recreation Area, Liberty Island and Ellis Island, and other sites around the NY-NJ Harbor. Included in the spending plan are funds to repair and rebuild parking lots at Sandy Hook, docks at Great Kills Marina in Staten Island, the campground at Floyd Bennett Field, the Jamaica Bay Riding Academy, seawalls in the Rockaways, and nature trails at the ecology center near Broad Channel, among work at other sites. The strategic plan and list of the approved projects can be found here. The Department of Interior received a total of $829.2 million through a supplemental funding bill that was approved in January as part of a $60 billion package to help communities rebuild and recover from Superstorm Sandy. In this region, strong advocacy for intelligent disbursement of the Sandy recovery funds comes from the NY-NJ Harbor Coalition, a campaign comprised of 50 local and national organizations, who joined forces to galvanize public support, engage elected leaders and secure funding to transform the metropolitan region's waterways into a world-class harbor and estuary. The Coalition has been working with members of Congress to ensure that the funding is invested in projects that provide multiple benefits for the urban coastline while also improving storm resiliency and reducing the risk and costs associated with future weather events. Find out more about the Coalition's recommendations here. _________________________________________________________
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GOVERNORS ISLAND OPENS
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Governors Island opens for the season on Saturday, May 25 with the annual one-day Governors Island Alliance Family Festival, and will be open every Saturday, Sunday and holiday Monday through September 29.
Because much of the southern half of the island is under construction, as the Trust for Governors Island builds 30 new acres of park and public spaces, programming will take place in the Island's Historic District -- with the exception of occasional Hard Hat Tours into the construction area with members of The Trust for Governors Island and the West 8 Design Team.
Construction work on the island includes the demolition of non-historic buildings, the restoration of potable water (a new pipe to Brooklyn is being drilled and distribution lines are being installed around the island), and reconstruction of the 2.2 mile seawall (a new rip-rap revetment will replace the seawall at the Island's southwestern corner). A new viewing platform at Liggett Arch will allow visitors to preview the new park under construction.
Popular programs returning this year include MWA's extraordinary City of Water Day on July 20, the Jazz Age Lawn Party, FIGMENT's mini golf, Tree House and City of Dreams Pavilion, and the Unicycle Festival. The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council will host a series of exhibits and open artist studios throughout the season, and the National Park Service will again offer tours of Castle Williams and Fort Jay and special youth programs.
Visitors can get to Governors Island via free ferries from the Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan (ferries leave at 10am, 11am and then every half hour) and from Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue (ferries leave at 11am and every 20 minutes thereafter). Visitors to the Island can also take the East River Ferry for $4. For up-to-date ferry schedules, program descriptions and downloadable maps, visit www.govisland.com.
Photo by Robert Simko
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BY & LARGEShort items on
waterfront events and issuesTAKE ACTION
Share Your Ferry Story
Now's your chance to have your pro-ferry voice be heard! At 1pm on Tuesday, May 28, on the 14th floor of 250 Broadway, the New York City Council will hold a hearing on the value of ferries to New York's transportation network. This is your opportunity to talk face-to-face with key City Hall decision makers and express your support for an expansion to fast, efficient, and affordable ferry transit throughout the five boroughs. Join your fellow ferry transit enthusiasts at the hearing and share your ferry story. Tell the policy-makers why YOU think ferry transit is a critical component of New York's transportation system. Any questions? Email Harrison Peck, MWA's Ferry Transit Program Manager _____________________________ Sign a Petition to Continue Rockaway Ferry Service Just days after Superstorm Sandy devastated the Rockaway Peninsula, the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Seastreak partnered to bring stranded Rockaway residents to Manhattan with fast, affordable ferry service. With A train service scheduled to be restored on May 30, the fate of the popular ferry service is up in the air. State Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder has launched an online petition to keep the ferry service running permanently. Show your support for rapid transit in Rockaway by signing the petition! _________________________
Relive the MWA Conference
The voices and ideas of hundreds of people at the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance 2013 Conference on April 9 were integral to its resounding success. Click here to see videos of the panel discussions and be reminded of how MWA partners are collaborating to reshape the City's waterfront. ___________________________
Mary Whalen Turns 75 Amid Honors for PortSide NY
 The signal flags were flying, the party cake was ready, and the guests were milling about on the deck of the Mary Whalen. It was May 21, and the venerable oil tanker had received a temporary visa from authorities to dock at Pier 11 in Red Hook so that VIPs of all stripes could get past security and celebrate. Carolina Salguero, caretaker of the Mary Whalen and founder of PortSide NewYork, recently had been honored with not one but two awards -- the White House Champions of Change (as noted in a previous WaterWire) and the National Maritime Historical Society's New York Harbor Historic Ship Steward Award of Excellence.  Carolina Salguero & MWA's Roland Lewis"Seventy-five years ago today, the Mary Whalen was launched as the S.T. Kiddoo," John Weaver, a PortSide board member, told the guests. Mr. Weaver's father-in-law, Alf Dyrland, became captain of the tanker when she was renamed the Mary Whalen. The tanker made oil deliveries along the New York and New England cost until 1993. In 2006, "on the day she was supposed to go to the scrap heap," Mr. Weaver said, "Carolina Salguero saved her."
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NYC Beach Updates The NYC Parks Department offers excellent updates of beach repair and restoration all around the city. Sign up to receive them here.
________________________ Improving the
Queensbridge Seawall
City, state and federal officials gathered on May 21 for the groundbreaking of the repair and restore of the Queensbridge Park seawall. Upon completion in about a year, the chain link fence will give way to welcoming waterfront space, and the seawall itself will provide better protection for Long Island City during storm surges.
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EVENTS
May 25Annual Governors Island Opening Day Family Festival. 12pm-4pm.
The War of 1812. 12pm-6pm. Pier 25 aboard Lilac. Tribeca
Volunteer; help restore Jamaica Bay. 11am-3pm. Also May 26 & June 2.
May 26
Funky arts and crafts marketplace aboard Lilac. 12pm-7pm. Pier 25.
May 28
Pier 16, South Street Seaport.
Free lecture aboard Lilac. 6pm. Pier 25.
May 29 Learn about oyster restoration in the Hudson-Raritan Estuary. 7:45pm. Monmouth Beach Cultural Center, Ocean Ave, Monmouth Beach.
June 2 Beach cleanup, kayak demonstration and oyster gardening at Denyse Wharf, near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Brooklyn shore. 9am-12pm. June 4
Another Hidden Harbor boat tour exploring the issues and plans arising post-Sandy. $39. 6:15pm,
Pier 16, South Street Seaport.
Click here for more water-related events on the MWA web site!
______________________ CLASSIFIED ADSPlace your water-related classified ad free in WaterWire! Contact asimko@waterfrontalliance.orgLOWEST QUOTES ON FIREWORKS BOATS
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MWA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Expanding every week, the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance is more than a coalition; it's a force. We are ferry captains, shipping executives, park directors, scientists, sailors, paddlers, swimmers, teachers, urban planners, architects and more. Together, we advocate for the best possible waterfront in the best possible city, a waterfront that is clean and accessible to all, with a robust maritime workforce and efficient, affordable waterborne transportation. Join us! Contact Louis Kleinman at lkleinman@waterfrontalliance.org.
Meet some Partners of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance:
AKRF - Multi-disciplinary provider of environmental, planning and engineering services. Alley Pond Environmental Center - Nonprofit environmental education organization dedicated to educating children and adults in the New York metropolitan area, protecting and preserving Alley Pond park, open-spaces and waterbodies, and advocating for sustainable environmental policies and practices. American Institute of Architects, NY Chapter - Members include over 4,400 practicing architects, allied professionals, students, and public members interested in architecture and design. American Sail Training Association - Encouraging character building through sail training, promoting sail training to the North American public,and supporting education under sail. |
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WATERFRONT NEWSLINKS
City's beaches to reopen after repairs from Hurricane Sandy
"Almost 8,000 volunteers worked feverishly over seven months to make sure New Yorkers could enjoy a favorite summer pastime..."
NY Daily News, May 22, 2013
Raising Bayonne Bridge will add jobs, billions in revenue, says Sen. Robert Menendez
"Once the roadway of the Bayonne Bridge is raised, an estimated 250,000 jobs and $36 billion in revenue will flow into the region, Sen. Robert Menendez said yesterday morning..."
NJ.com, May 21, 2013
Racing the Clock in the Rockaways
"...A small army of electricians, stone masons, carpenters, designers, landscape architects and engineers has worked seven days a week, often in double and triple shifts, to deliver the Rockaways on time..."
The New York Times, May 18, 2013
A Survey of the Region's Battered Beaches
"With the unofficial start of summer looming, The New York Times looked at the state of the region's battered public beaches, in a survey covering three states and hundreds of miles of coastline, from Margate, N.J., to Stonington, Conn., and to the tip of Montauk, on Long Island..."
The New York Times, May 18, 2013
Red Hook ferry looks for permanent anchor
"...City Hall and maritime advocates are hoping Sandy has buoyed waterborne transit, and the ferries might be able to drop anchor for good given their rising popularity, but the experience of recent post-Sandy ferry lines shows that ridership can be finicky, especially if service is not frequent enough and transportation to and from docks is insufficient. Much depends on the generosity of subsidies that advocates say are needed-but unlike subways not as readily available-to attract enough riders to make the service work..."
Crain's New York, May 17, 2013
Upgrades on Schedule for Gowanus Canal Pumping Station Despite Hurricane
"...Among the changes is an upgrade to an underground tunnel used to pump clean water from the Buttermilk Channel into the Gowanus Canal, so that more water can flow through the tunnel. The city is also raising the elevation of mechanical equipment used for the pumping station and will build a wall and floodgates to protect buildings and generators from water damage..."
The New York Times, May 13, 2013
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