By Evan Mantyk
Epoch Times New York Staff Nov 02, 2005
REVITALIZATION NEEDED: A parking lot at 125th Street and West End Avenue., where the Hudson River can be seen in the background. A new project is aimed at revitalizing the area with a new pier and new recreational facilities. (Mary Blanco)
High-resolution image (1619 x 1079 px, 72 dpi)
NEW YORK � On Oct. 31,several city and state officials attended a ground breaking ceremony for construction of the West Harlem Piers. The piers are an $18.7 million project that will connect West Harlem to the rest of the Manhattan waterfront greenway.
The project is a part of the City's West Harlem Master Plan that the Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced in Oct. 2002. The goal of the plan is to revitalize the area between 125th and 135th Streets, Broadway and the Hudson River in West Harlem.
At the ground breaking ceremony, Mayor Bloomberg said, �The West Harlem Piers will bring together various recreational uses by connecting the Manhattan greenway with the northern segment of Riverside Park, creating a destination for West Harlem residents and all New Yorkers to enjoy for years to come.�
The Harlem Piers project calls for a new bicycle and pedestrian path, a docking pier, a recreational and fishing pier, and landscaped open space that will reclaim the waterfront for pedestrian and recreational use.
The West Harlem Piers will improve City-owned land by transforming a parking lot between 125th and 135th streets. The new recreational pier will support various activities including fishing, water tours, boating and ecological exploration. The new pier will accommodate a variety of vessels with the main portion allowing excursion boats and water taxis to dock at West Harlem. A bicycle and pedestrian path will provide a link in the waterfront greenway, connecting Cherry Walk on the southern end with the northern segment of Riverside Park
Congressman Charles B. Rangel, whose congressional district includes West Harlem, also joined Bloomberg at the ceremony. Rangel pointed out that the piers will also generate business opportunities and jobs in construction and operation of the facility.
Rangel recently secured an additional $26.8 million in federal funds that will further enhance the neighborhood with streetscape improvements along 125th Street.
West Harlem community leader Jordi Reyes-Montblanc said, �This is a long-awaited and much-fought-for project, which is the symbol of the rebirth of West Harlem.�
The Army Corps of Engineers approved the project last week, clearing the last regulatory hurdle before construction can begin. The construction work will begin in earnest by the end of the year, and it is expected to be completed by spring 2007. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone contributed more than $6 million for this project, with the state adding more than $4 million and the city providing more than $3 million. The Manhattan Borough President, the City Council, the State Department of Parks and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, among others, are providing additional funding for a total of $18.7 million.
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