Quantcast

Trust again looks to develop Pier 40

kite-2006-07-13_z

The Hudson River Park Trust is drafting a new Request for Proposals for Pier 40 at Houston St.

Connie Fishman, president of the Trust, the state-city agency planning and building the five-mile-long park between Chambers and 59th Sts., told the Trust Advisory Council on June 28 that the new R.F.P. would be ready by the end of the summer and presented to the Advisory Council for review.

Pier 40, the 14-acre pier at Houston St. where the Trust has its headquarters on the second floor, currently has a large artificial turf playing field on the central open courtyard and other indoor recreation space on the ground level. A small field and public seating is located on the top level. Public parking is mainly on the top floor but some parking is accommodated on the perimeter of the second floor.

An earlier Request for Proposals was dropped in 2003 after disputes over the commercial uses of the pier. State legislation mandates that at least 50 percent of Pier 40’s area be devoted to public recreation.

The Trust has indicated the new R.F.P. would keep the field in the central courtyard.

The Advisory Council, created by the state Hudson River Park legislation to provide non-binding review of Trust action, includes representatives from the Trust board of directors, Community Boards 1, 2 and 4, elected officials and community activists.

—Albert Amateau

WWW Downtown Express