ESCR exemplifies the best in coastal resiliency, setting a new standard for combatting the effects of future storms and sea-level rise. That’s why it’s being honored as one of this year’s Heroes of the Harbor honorees.

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy wreaked devastation upon New York, resulting in the deaths of 44 people and billions of dollars in damages. It also served as a wake-up call, announcing loud and clear that the effects of climate change had arrived. In the storm’s aftermath, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) introduced its Rebuild by Design competition, with the goal of advancing a series of resiliency projects to protect areas that had incurred coastal flooding. It was from this strategizing that the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project was born.

ESCR exemplifies the best in coastal resiliency, setting a new standard for combatting the effects of future storms and sea-level rise. The project fuses flood protection with improved public access, new recreational facilities, and ecological benefits. That’s why it’s being honored as one of this year’s Heroes of the Harbor honorees.

Spanning from Montgomery Street to East 25th Street, the effort encompasses 2.4 miles of coastline in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100-year floodplain and offers protection for more than 110,000 New Yorkers across a diverse network of residential and public spaces, including areas with vital infrastructure.

The forward-thinking project was developed around phased milestones that ensure open space will be available to the local community during construction. It integrates resiliency components such as flood gates and flood walls with recreational features like elevated pathways, pedestrian bridges, and greenway connectivity. In November of 2022, ESCR was awarded Waterfront Alliance’s prestigious WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Verification for its innovative approach to design that is resilient, sustainable, and accessible.

ESCR is led by the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), which has embraced the challenge of overseeing the project’s construction while engaging both the local community and private partnerships.

We sat down with DCC Commissioner Tom Foley to learn more about one of the most ambitious and complex climate resiliency projects in the history of New York City.

Forging a New Era of Resilience

Tom Foley joined DDC in 1996, the year of its founding. He later became a resident engineer on the City’s first Bluebelt project, manipulating natural waterways to better drain stormwater. During the De Blasio mayoralty, he was named acting commissioner of the agency and was officially appointed at the start of the Adams administration. He now oversees a 33-billion dollar budget and a diverse team of 1,300 professionals who, in his words, “literally build the city.” His accomplished career has him perfectly poised to manage a venture as groundbreaking as ESCR.

“Post-Sandy, the city was really feeling the demand to mitigate sea levels rising, and to adequately address climate change in order to better protect our residents,” Foley says, reflecting upon the nascent days of ESCR. When the project emerged from the Rebuild By Design competition, DDC was assigned the helm, thus setting off a lengthy planning process.

“We started with an amazing internal design team, and then put out an RFP to recruit a stable of reliable partners,” Foley recalls. “The scope of the initial proposal was truly sweeping. It required participation of so many essential city agencies; Parks, the Department of Environmental Protection, Emergency Management, Transportation… all were stakeholders in this immense effort.

ESCR also incorporated a unique community engagement aspect. “It was one of the first projects in which I’d been involved that had its own social infrastructure via which we could hear directly from local stakeholders as to what they wanted to see,” Foley observes. “And they had thoughts on many aspects of the project, from accessibility to design to the amenities–they really wanted to play a major part.”

At extensive public design workshops, the community had the opportunity to offer feedback on detailed three-dimensional models and sketches of potential designs. A Community Advisory Group was created as an independent entity to relay information between the community and the project team. As construction continues, so does local engagement, via regular updates at Community Board and committee meetings. Additionally, Community Construction Liaisons (CCLs) who work for DDC have been appointed as direct contacts for all stakeholders.

Construction on the ESCR kicked off in Fall of 2020, with plans divided between three project areas. Those areas encompassing green space phase out specified zones over detailed timelines, such that at least 42 percent of park space will be open throughout construction. The team hit a significant milestone this September, when they opened several Phase 1 amenities. These included the East River Park Ballfields 1 and 2, as well as the new Delancey St. Pedestrian Bridge, which connects the Lower East Side to East River Park.

Ruminating on the vision for ESCR, Foley says, “We wanted to open both the waterfront and East River Park. It wasn’t enough to simply provide walled-in protective elements; making this space universally accessible was equally important. And I’m delighted and ecstatic to see how far we’ve come. I look forward to carrying this momentum through construction.”

Building the Blueprint for Tomorrow

ESCR is monumental in size and stands as one of the most technically complex endeavors in New York City’s history. When Lower East Manhattan was initially conceived, no one could have foreseen the need for a full-scale redesign of its waterfront edge. The project’s intricate network of underground infrastructure renders it one-of-a-kind.

“Working on the water is always extremely complex,” Foley says. “Especially considering that East River Park was built over 80 years ago. So, when we envision going out and rebuilding the park to raise it 8 to 10 feet, it wasn’t a matter of just bringing fill in. Our scope of work involved reconstructing the interceptors–the sewers that carry storm water around the perimeter of Manhattan. Then we replaced local sanitary sewers and water mains. We then had to strengthen all of the private utilities that are in major conduits which feed Wall Street on the East Side of Manhattan.”

The early stages of the project required workers to operate 30 feet below ground. Piles of compressed stone had to be distributed throughout the area in order to support the eventual eight to ten feet of fill that would be layered on top. Once the fill was ready to be brought in, it was (and continues to be) transported via barges down the Hudson and East Rivers, taking thousands of vehicles off the roadways.

“When we’re building up, we have to make many improvements to the existing infrastructure,” Foley notes. “We have to ensure that everything is hard and stable enough to endure another 80 years. We consider these things day in and day out, working with our amazing partners to make sure that we’re building this world class amenity that just so happens to be providing flood protection for over 110,000 residents.”

 

 

Crafting a Legacy of Innovation with WEDG

Beyond the iconic achievement of elevating East River Park and providing comprehensive flood protection for the Lower East Side, ESCR is furthermore significant as the 11^th project to become WEDG Verified. WEDG is a set of rigorous criteria that ensures designs are resilient to the effects of climate change, that they protect and enhance the natural ecology of a site, and that they expand public access. ESCR met these requirements in a variety of creative ways, illustrating that the project is a progressive leader in the world of waterfront design.

In regard to resiliency, the project is prepared for the effects of the 2050 100-year storm, and was constructed to allow for two feet to be added to the design should sea-level rise faster than projected. Ecologically, the project includes an embayment that creates a new intertidal habitat in the East River, featuring ECOncrete® tidepools, which will attract shellfish and provide refuge for other aquatic life. The ecology of the site is further served by upgrades to the combined sewer system, which will improve the quality of water flowing into the East River. Access-wise, the project incorporates new entryways to the park, optimizes pedestrian and bicycle access, and improves access to two NYC Ferry stops.

A crucial category in which a project can earn WEDG credits is innovation. In this area, the review team noted that the project had one of the most comprehensive emergency preparedness and response plans that they had encountered on a WEDG project.

Joseph Sutkowi, Waterfront Alliance’s chief waterfront design officer, said in a 2022 webinar on ESCR earning WEDG Verification that, “for this particular project, [the team] went above and beyond, and were extremely innovative about measuring and planning for coastal storm surges. And that’s not often how these projects are laid out. But it’s the type of planning that most impacts how a site protects its surrounding neighborhood. So ESCR took a very innovative approach, which intrigued and excited our reviewers.”

“Innovation does not stop after the design phase,” Foley added. “Innovation and collaboration are needed, required and expected on every DDC project, from design inception until construction completion.”

 

 

Paving the Way for Generations to Come

Throughout his accomplished career in engineering, Foley has overseen myriad projects that have improved the lives of countless New Yorkers. When asked what advice he might have for future generations following his path, he is steadfast in his response:

“I encourage them to just get involved. Ideally, to work directly for DDC but, barring that, then for a municipality, and to give back. Show up early, stay late–basically put their boots on. Go out into the field and see what needs to get done, and they will have a tangible impact on the lives of fellow New Yorkers.”

It’s undeniable that Foley’s work at DDC, and as Commissioner overseeing major resiliency projects like ESCR, has affected material change for the city’s residents. “I firmly believe that engineers can impact not only today, but tomorrow,” he continues. “The time to start is now. I really encourage engineers, architects and designers to lean into resiliency-oriented projects, because I think they’re here to stay. This is going to be part of our standard portfolio at DDC… everybody [must] be thinking about sustainability, resiliency, the waterfront, and beyond.”

Projects like ESCR are already evolving the city’s landscape, and when prompted to imagine what New York City might look like generations from now, Foley answers, “I think it’ll be totally transformed. As far as the waterfront goes, I think that you can see glimpses of that now—certainly with ESCR, with BMCR (Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience)–the ability to have 100 different flip-up gates that can be opened electronically and manually. But again, 99 percent of the time, we’ll be fortifying an area for recreation—for yoga, for Tai Chi, for ping pong–and then when, inevitably, those next storms do come, the city will be ready for it.”

“I really do see a changed landscape,” Foley adds, winding down with a smile. “One that’s adapted to climate change and sea level rise. Sandy provided a call to action for New York City. I’m very proud of where we are at this point and how we’ve answered that call.”

 

Heroes of the Harbor is an evening to celebrate the best in maritime excellence, from groundbreaking projects to influential leaders, all who have made a positive impact on the New York-New Jersey harbor region. This year we’re proud to honor the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project and Chris Ward. Join us on October 16 from 6-9pm at City Winery for the festivities! Sponsorship packages and individual tickets are available! Learn more here.