March 17, 2004
Waterfront by Philip Lopate
One of the books we've been enjoying recently (recommended by brokentype - thanks again) is Waterfront: A Journey Around Manhattan by Philip Lopate. Lopate looks at how New York's waterfront developed; he calls the waterfront "the key to New York's destiny." It's full of rich details (maybe too specific for a reader looking for a quick browse), and since Gothamist is always fascinated by how the city was built, it's a must if you're a New York City history buff.
Newsday has a great article about Lopate and in it, he suggests some ideas for future waterfront development:
You have this strange phenomenon of all this underused land in the most intensely built- up real estate market in the world. So what are you going to do with it? The identity of New York resides in the answer. Because we've become so environmentally aware, there's come to be this equation of open space with park space. Greening the edges [with parks] is a good idea in places. But you don't need a chlorophyll cordon sanitaire around the edge. Why can't you have newspaper kiosks overlooking the water or movie theaters? Why not a post office, so that people would be brought there by their daily functions?Why not indeed? Go listen to Lopate speak; he starts his tour tomorrow with TWO events, one at Makor (noon, 35 West 67th Street) and the other at 192 Books (6:30PM, 192 Tenth Avenue). There will be six other NYC speaking engagements until May.
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I think I'm gonna run out and buy this book today. I've always wondered "what if" NYC's waterfront along both sides of the east river were more developed. I've always thought about how other cities have beautiful waterfronts, why hasn't it happened here?
Don't know why this came to mind as I skimmed this, but readers might be interested in renting "Last Exit to Brooklyn". Powerful, disturbing movie about Red Hook, I believe, and based on a book written by the author of "Requiem for a Dream."
You don't put things like post offices on border locations like the water because it's inefficient -- half as manypeople will be withing usuable range of the location.
Same logic for newspaper kiosks, theaters, and almost any business -- you want them in the middle of a population, not at the edge. It's an expensive location with half the potential market.
Geez, haven't you played Sim City? :)
"half as many people will be within usable range"
no more drinks for me
The waterfront may be an expensive location with "half as many people within usable range" (*heh*), but it is also unique and a natural place to gather.
If Bryant Park can be great for movies, why not a pier, combined with some architecturally adventurous restaurants gathered about it? I can picture colorful sails and expert lighting set among tasteful gardens and all-night revelers.
Neighbors, of course, would be strictly forbidden to disrupt the party with their snoring, TV-watching and lovemaking.
I *heart* half-sunken remnants of old piers.
It's true that given the current situation the may not be central enough to justify the costs but let's think 5-10 years down the road. Currently I see a trend of people moving out of the city into the boroughs (greenpoint, williamsburg, LIC and hoboken come to mind) as the cost of housing rises in manhattan. Perhaps we may see a shift in what we today consider central. Another factor maybe the construction of an events center outside of manhattan or the boom of financial districts other than midtown or downtown.
I know that's assuming alot as I have no hard data to support any migration of people and business. Just brainstorming...
I'm seventy.I've lived a block or two from RSDrive all my life and never been able to get to that entrancing, beckoning water. Depress that highway.Bring the paths, the grass, trees, up to the river. Forget the restaurants etc., just let us get to the water. We'll come, we'll picnic, we'll play with the kids. How about rowboats, big, clumsy safe ways to us our great resource. Something for the people instead of an extravagant, unproductive sports stadium that we can't afford to attend. What do you think?
I'm seventy.I've lived a block or two from RSDrive all my life and never been able to get to that entrancing, beckoning water. Depress that highway.Bring the paths, the grass, trees, up to the river. Forget the restaurants etc., just let us get to the water. We'll come, we'll picnic, we'll play with the kids. How about rowboats, big, clumsy safe ways to us our great resource. Something for the people instead of an extravagant, unproductive sports stadium that we can't afford to attend. What do you think?
One of the reasons we should be concerned about people touting the all the "benefits" of developing the waterfronts around new york, especially in brooklyn, is because there is so much potential for these people to make a killing on the land if these plans go through. I admitt, the waterfronts could use a new plan -- however, it is not as if these neighborhoods are little Manhattans. The neighborhoods along the water in Queens & Brooklyn have largely been blue-collar places. Unregulated "high-rise" & "mahattan-overflow" (read: NYU dorms) buildings will be the death of afordable housing in these neighborhoods. I'm all for allowing real-estate people to develop in these areas, but the buildings they propose to build are grotesquely overside for the area. They will be overpriced and inaccessable for longtime outerborough residents. What we need in these areas is a voice for how to make the waterfront a great place for the whole of NYC, not just a high-price manicured lawn for super-expensive high rises.
There, I've said my piece.