The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project sought to improve access to the waterfront and enhance public spaces in the community. The ESCR Project was an integrated coastal protection initiative aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise in Lower Manhattan. It protects 110,000 New Yorkers from the impacts of climate change by reducing flood risk to communities, properties, businesses, critical infrastructure, and public open spaces.
As a subconsultant, SI Engineering P.C. (SIE) provided construction management and resident engineering inspection services for the ESCR project. The project involved installing a reliable flood protection system and improving waterfront open spaces and access to the East River Park. The flood protection system consisted of floodwalls, deployable gates, levee and interior drainage upgrades.
The principal objectives of the project were to provide a reliable coastal flood protection system against storm events for the protected area; improve access to and enhance open space resources along the waterfront, including East River Park and Stuyvesant Cove Park; and respond quickly to the urgent need for increased flood protection and resiliency, particularly for communities that have a large concentration of residents in affordable and public housing units along the project area. In addition to flood protection, the project strengthened and enhanced waterfront spaces by improving accessibility, increasing ecological diversity, and delivering improved recreational amenities to a vibrant and highly diverse community.
The project area began at Montgomery Street to the south and extended north along the waterfront to East 25th Street and was composed of two (2) sub-areas and the construction of the “parallel conveyance” with two (2) interceptor gates and two gate houses.
The sub-areas were Project Area One and Project Area Two. Project Area One extended from Montgomery Street on the south to the north end of East River Park at East 14th Street. Project Area One consisted primarily of the FDR Drive right-of-way, a portion of Pier 42, part of Corlears Hook Park, and East River Park, inclusive of structures such as the Delancey Street and East 10th Street bridges, Corlears Hook Bridge, East Houston Street Overpass, and local streets. Project Area Two extended north and east from Project Area One, from East 15th Street to East 25th Street. Project Area Two included Asser Levy and Murphy Brothers playgrounds, Stuyvesant Cove Park, a Con Edison Facility, and local streets.
Within Project Area One, the project intended to transform the park space to be suitable for public use while the construction phasing plan closed other sections of East River Park. The scope of work included raising the park up to nine (9) feet, installation of floodwall and gates, esplanade reconstruction, CSO and utility work, and coordination with Con Edison. The recreation space will be in place for at least five (5) years, and the transplanted trees were not moved back to their original locations. The areas transformed under this contract were raised to match the new grade of the park as part of the overall project.
