East River Park Rises, and Lower Manhattan Wonders What It Lost

"The city has rebuilt large stretches of East River Park and raised portions of the shoreline to blunt storm surges and future sea-level rise. The elevated terrain now does double duty as public playground and flood barrier, with new courts, lawns and pathways taking over much of the old footprint."

"The project, known as the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) plan, is a two-section system the city says will form a continuous 2.4-mile flood barrier from Montgomery Street to the Asser Levy Playground at East 25th Street. According to the City of New York, the $1.45 billion program layers elevated parkland, berms, floodwalls and 18 sliding or swinging floodgates to shield homes, schools and critical infrastructure from storm surge."

"Neighbors concede the redesign offers real protection in big storms, yet say the price was steep: decades of mature tree canopy vanished, and some residents are still questioning whether the tradeoff pencils out."

Lower Manhattan's East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) plan represents a $1.45 billion waterfront transformation designed to protect the city from flooding and sea-level rise. The project rebuilt large stretches of East River Park by raising portions of the shoreline and installing a 2.4-mile continuous flood barrier system featuring elevated parkland, berms, floodwalls, and 18 floodgates. The redesigned space now functions as both public recreation area and storm surge protection, with new courts, lawns, and pathways replacing the original footprint. Large portions reopened in May 2025 with ballfields, tennis and basketball courts, and picnic areas. However, the project generated significant community division due to the removal of hundreds of mature trees and displacement of long-standing recreational spaces, raising questions about whether the environmental and recreational costs justify the flood protection benefits.

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