Environment DEC
From the January 2007 issue
Ribbon Cut for Hudson River Park's Chelsea North Section
State and local officials and members of the community celebrated the opening last month of the northern Chelsea section of Hudson River Park. The area, including Pier 66, the historic B&O RR float bridge and three blocks of habitat-enhancing landscape designed to attract birds and butterflies, is located on the Hudson River between West 26th and West 29th streets. The Chelsea North section offers an array of attractions, including boating, history and art. This event brought the 550-acre Hudson River Park one step closer to reopening New York City's waterfront for everyone's enjoyment.
The 550-acre Hudson River Park offers golf, skate parks, sports fields and beautiful gardens, among a multitude of other activities - photo by Jay Beck
Pier 66 and Float Bridge
The Hudson River Park's Pier 66a actually is a restored Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Float Bridge. The bridge was used for transporting goods by rail car via cross-Hudson barges from New Jersey for delivery to the B&O Freight Terminal in Manhattan. It frequently was used to transport cars containing cattle and sheep to stockyards that existed just north of its current location.
The Float Bridge fell into a state of disrepair after its final use in 1973 and became partially submerged until 2001 when the New York State Department of Transportation and the Hudson River Park Trust teamed up to lift it from the water and transfer it to Staten Island for restoration. The restored Float Bridge returned to Chelsea two years later and began its new life as a viewing platform, a small boat launch, a fishing spot and an historic educational element.
Amazing Art
Just north of the Float Bridge is Pier 66, which stretches 500 feet into the Hudson River and has many extraordinary features, including a new boathouse for kayaks and canoes. It also will include slips for sailboats and other small craft. But the pier's most unique feature is a dynamic and kinetic public artwork-Long Time, by local artist Paul Ramirez Jonas. Long Time, a 26-foot diameter water wheel constructed of stainless steel, harkens to the river's milling history and turns unpredictably with the tide.
Completed Park Projects
Hudson River Park, designed to be self-sustaining, currently encompasses Greenwich Village (from Clarkson Street to Horatio Street), Clinton Cove (from 54th to 57th Streets), Pier 84 (from 43rd to 45th Streets), 3.5 acres of athletic fields at Pier 40 (Houston Street) and a continuous 5-mile, two-way bike, skate and jogging path that runs the length of the park.
