Manhattan's about to get its first public beach

The Hudson River Park Trust has begun construction on James Corner Field Operations’ design for Gansevoort Peninsula, which will include Manhattan’s first public beach and one of the largest public art projects in the United States.

The 5.5-acres along the Hudson River, directly across from the Whitney Museum of American Art, is part of Hudson River Park, one of the longest riverfront parks in the US. It’s a vital outdoor recreational space for New Yorkers, and plays a critical role in protecting the river’s ecosystem.

The beach and park is due for completion in 2023. Image credit - James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust.

Gansevoort Peninsula is being built on solid ground as opposed to a pier. The site was previously a depot for New York City’s department of sanitation, and is being constructed over the remnants of a historic landfill site left over from a land reclamation project in the 1830s. Clean sand and gravel were placed on the existing terrain to enable it to settle and strengthen, and after several months it will be reused on-site as part of the landscape.

The peninsula is a $70 million project offering a range of passive and active uses, including salt marsh, a multi-use sports field, an upland beach with kayak access, the historic 13th Avenue Promenade, boardwalks, parks, gardens and lawns.

The park will include one of the biggest public arts projects in the US. Image credit - James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust.

Madelyn Wils, President and CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust, says that, “Gansevoort Peninsula will be a spectacular public space for all New Yorkers, whether they’re enjoying Manhattan’s first public beach, playing on the ballfields or looking out in the salt marsh.”

A beach with a rocky shoreline is being built on the peninsula’s southern side, and north of the beach will be turned into a salt marsh habitat. This marsh includes native grasses and plantings, and will educate visitors about the environmental benefits of intertidal ecosystems. The west side will be lined with a dog run, picnic tables and lounge chairs.

Construction began on the project this year. Image credit - James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust.

The Whitney Museum is donating a permanent installation by David Hammons for the southern end of the peninsula. Day’s End is a 52-foot-high sculpture extending 325-feet towards New Jersey, jutting into the waters off Gansevoort Street.

Its south side hovers over the river on cement pilings while the north is anchored to the peninsula soon to be a park, and the New York harbour can be viewed through its frame.

The park is a vital outdoor recreational space for New Yorkers, and will play a critical role in protecting the river’s ecosystem. Image credit - James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust.

James Corner Field Operations worked with the community on the design through a series of meetings and workshops. Gansevoort Peninsula will become the single largest green space in Hudson River Park.

It has provided an, “incredible opportunity to incorporate both ecological restoration as well as access to the water that wouldn’t be possible at a typical Hudson River Park pier”, with habitat enhancements making the shoreline more resilient and giving direct access to the public.

Construction began spring 2021 and the park is due to open in 2023.

The site was previously a depot for New York City’s department of sanitation, and is being constructed over the remnants of a historic landfill site. Image credit - James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust.