Harlem Piers' Future at Last Begins to Take Shape

NEW YORK CITY-Back in 1998 the city issued RFPs for the redevelopment of the Harlem Piers area. Janel Patterson of the city’s Economic Development Corp. tells GlobeSt.com the EDC and community were not happy with the results, so now they are “taking a step back” and working to create a master plan. Ten W Architects and Ernst & Young LLP have been retained as consultants on the project.

“We should have the master Plan in six months,” Patterson says. Of the plan, she says its purpose is to define the specifics of the vision for the area. In general, the city is looking for “something that fits into the community, maybe restaurants and we may be rebuilding the pier so something water-related like tour boats could be part of the plan,” she notes.

“Whatever businesses or ‘revenue-generating components’ mentioned in our announcement will be planned, what we want is for them to generate enough income to sustain the parks,” she adds. While the plan’s role is to define the specifics, the EDC is certain it wants to create “esplanades or bikeways” connecting Riverside Park to the south and River Bank State Park to the north.