East River State Park in Williamsburg
Remember back in the spring when I wrote about the Total Destruction of the Williamsburg Waterfront? I talked about the lux condos and the water taxi and the possiblity of a new L stop on Kent and the pearching of more lux on top of what should have been named a historical landmark. I also mentioned a waterfront park.
We still have plenty of construction filled days and nights while we wait for all that lux, but the day of the East River Park is nearly here. And it looks like a desert.
Well, maybe "desert" is a little harsh. It's just, shall we say, sparse. The kind of place where you could get sunburned really easily.
Well, I guess without further ado...
The East River State Park:
Is it just me, or are those trees dead? Well, it's not just me. Katie, my landscape architect roommate, informed me, that, yes, more or less, they are dead, or at least, dying. Good start guys. Dead Trees. Maybe it's a metaphor for the dying industrial waterfront. Their dying souls?
I guess I should be excited or something, but, meh. I'm not. Originally it was supposed to be 7 acres, but you know how it is, you sell a little here, a little there, and soon it's only 2 blocks long! The barren look apparently can't be helped as the "budget was spent"...maybe they should use all the freaking money they made selling off most of the land to future condos! Jerks. This park seems more like a consolation prize for losing the rest of the waterfront.
2 blocks of dead trees and 12 inches of grass and soil resting atop the old cobblestone, and the rest of the waterfront? "The Edge" (mid rise and high rise waterfront towers):
Yeah, thanks for the fucking park. I feel so much better. When my lease is up, I'm moving.
Check out the PDF of the original plans for the park. Easy come, easy go. <
You are like a real journalist, with your muckraking and your undercover photos.
Is it confirmed that this is how the park will look for the forseeable future? Where did you get the quote that the budget has already been spent for the park?
From Curbed.com (NYC Blog)
"The budget is tapped and officials want to “preserve a decent amount of the site’s historical character.†(Post-industrial emptiness?)"
Link: http://www.curbed.com/archives/2006/07/11/rain_delay_for_williamsburgs_east_river_park.php
Me and my brother had a very interesting conversation about
green roof the other day. He said it is a very good way to reduce heating in the city. It is like having a city, but with a forest on top of it:)