The first phase of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project has officially opened at East River Park on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The project features a series of interconnected, elevated parks spanning 2.25 miles along the East River waterfront that function as both public recreation areas and flood protection infrastructure. Led by the NYC Department of Design and Construction, the $1.45 billion initiative was designed by BIG–Bjarke Ingels Group in collaboration with Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, ONE Architecture & Urbanism, AKRF, and local residents.

Conceived in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy as part of the broader “BIG U” coastal protection plan, ESCR stretches from Montgomery Street to East 25th Street. The design incorporates a range of flood mitigation strategies, including floodwalls, sliding gates, berms, and raised parkland, intended to protect more than 110,000 residents and critical infrastructure in the FEMA 100-year floodplain. Newly opened areas around the Williamsburg Bridge feature upgraded amenities such as basketball and tennis courts, barbecue and picnic zones, a turf field, lawns, an amphitheater, and zones for nature exploration and water play.

“Rather than separating the city from the waterfront, we’ve designed a public realm that invites people in with new connections across the FDR, transforming flood protection into a tapestry of everyday experiences,” said Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director at BIG. “The result is infrastructure that not only strengthens, but also enhances the city’s coastline.” You can read more here.

The East Sides river front just keeps getting better and better!