Battery Park City 40 Years Ago: An Amazing Transformation

[londonlawyer]

This photo was posted on www.greaternewyorkrealestate.com under the caption "Battery Park City 40 Years Ago."

It's amazing!

http://www.greaternewyorkrealestate.com/WindowsLiveWriter/ThisiswhatBatteryparklookedlike40yearsag_B104/battery060918_560%5B3%5D.jpg

[LeCom]

Sure beats the dirty piers that were there before. All they need now is a similar project on the east side, perhaps north of Downtown - around the LES area.

[posterboy]

Sure beats the dirty piers that were there before. All they need now is a similar project on the east side, perhaps north of Downtown - around the LES area.

I'm still hoping for the northward extension of BPC - especially now that there is actually renewed talk about it. I don't think you could really do anything like that of substantial size in the East River anyway. Unless you were going to fill in the river between Roosevelt Island and Queens, and I doubt that idea would go over well with anyone.

[lofter1]

All of the waterfront in the LES area is part of (underfunded) East River Park (http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=67812&postcount=49) which is undergoing a (slow) renovation -- with the exception of Pier 36 (http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=85616&postcount=74) most of the waterfront will not be used for development ...

[ZippyTheChimp]

I'm still hoping for the northward extension of BPC - especially now that there is actually renewed talk about it.The chance of this happening are almost nil.

With only 3 lots still unbuilt , the BPCA is running out of things to do. It's just James Gill throwing stuff out there, finding out if anything sticks. A proposal was also made for BPCA to take over development of the area around the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. That is actually a good idea, but I think the city is resistant to it.

[londonlawyer]

...A proposal was also made for BPCA to take over development of the area around the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. That is actually a good idea, but I think the city is resistant to it.

Do you think that the city is resistant to the development around the tunnel, in general, or just to the BPC Authority taking the lead with respect to its development?

The area near the tunnel is so forlorn and is such a waste of space. I have always thought that a platform with a park would be ideal, as is the possibility of razing that horrible garage on West Street.

[ZippyTheChimp]

^
I think the city is resistant to the control of BPCA, not the development. The city has wavered in the past about taking control of BPC, but in the end, it's better for the city to allow BPCA to run it, and just take the PILOTs.

The BBT development should really be put on a fast track, if for no other reason, to build the planned bus garage. Downtown Manhattan is one of the few major central business districts without a bus terminal/garage.

Even without the added bus traffic of the WTC memorial, the need for bus storage is critical. With West St built and planned East River development, places to park buses are disappearing fast.

[kliq6]

BPC, while creating much good has overall missed the point on what it was designed to do

[TREPYE]

Aside from the World Finacial Center Towers, BPC has one of the worst collection of buildings in NYC. A lot of missed opportunites to produce great waterfront towers. The best part about this area is the waterfront promenade. I think its is the best waterfront walk in the whole city.

[NewYorkDoc]

"Green" School To Be Built In Battery Park City
November 13, 2007

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Eliot Spitzer broke ground on a new environmentally-friendly school in Lower Manhattan this morning.

The 950-seat school will be built on the last available plot of land in Battery Park City, which was once slated to be turned into a women's history museum. Bloomberg says the new school is another sign of the resurgence of downtown Manhattan.

“Over the past six years, this community's population has grown by some 20,000 people and more than 10,000 new units of housing have been opened or are under construction down here. And not surprisingly, the school-age population in this area is also booming,” said the mayor.

“It is great that an idea that the Community Board had has now become a reality,” said Community Board 1’s Julie Menin. “It's for everyone's children Downtown. It is going to reshape the whole educational landscape of Lower Manhattan."

The green school, the first of its kind in the city, will be built in part with recycled materials, use less water and cut down on energy costs by at least 25 percent. It is expected to be completed by September 2010.