The first phase of the East Midtown Waterfront Esplanade and East River Greenway Project has been completed along FDR Drive. Upon full completion of the larger Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, a continuous 32.5-mile loop will connect more than 1,000 acres of green spaces around Manhattan.
Led by construction and development firm, Skanksa, the first phase included a new in-water structure, additional public park space, engineered soil, advanced timelapse cameras, underwater drone inspection and more.
“[The] Midtown East Greenway and Andrew Haswell Park will welcome more New Yorkers than ever to bike, run and walk with the sun in their faces—and further develop our city’s work-play waterfront,” said Deputy Mayor of Operations Meera Joshi.
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) selected Skanksa to helm the project back in 2019. In total, the project took 49-months to complete.
This waterfront transformation “demonstrated [Skanksa’s] ability to utilize new and emerging technologies…as well as [its] commitment to maximizing opportunities for small and diverse suppliers in the communities where our projects take shape,” said Sean Szatkowski, Executive Vice President – General Manager, Skanska USA Building.
Tons of New Yorkers took to the nearly three acres of new space on opening day to enjoy all of the hard work that went into the waterfront transformation. Overall, the project was a $197.6 million investment from the City of New York.
“[The East Midtown Greenway and Andrew Haswell Green Park] will not only improve quality of life for New Yorkers but expand opportunities to commute by bike or foot while enjoying spectacular views on the East River,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “NYCEDC is thrilled to be a part of this project with our colleagues at the Parks Department, which furthers our commitment of making New York City a great place to live, work, and play.”