This coming weekend, local organizations are inviting Lower East Side residents to a section of Pier 42, just north of Montgomery Street, for a community day. As you may have heard, the Parks Department is moving ahead with plans to turn the old pier into a green space, an extension of East River Park. This summer there will be a series of art, educational and design installations at the pier, beginning with the event on Saturday.
Visitors will be able to build model depicting their visions for the space, meet the artists who will be involved in the installations, learn about river ecology and tour the pier. The community day is hosted by the LES waterfront Alliance, including CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, Good Old Lower East Side, Hester Street Collaborative, Lower East Side Ecology Center, 267/275 Cherry Street Tenants Association, Two Bridges Neighborhood Council and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and State Sen. Daniel Squadron.
The event takes place from noon-4 p.m. Click on the Paths to Pier 42 web site for more information.
On Thursday, May 9, Community Board 3’s Waterfront subcommittee will meet to have a first look at preliminary master plan schemes from Mathews Nielsen, the architectural firm hired by the city for the planning phase of the project. The firm has been conducting visioning sessions with community groups in recent months. The city has around $13 million to get started on the park, perhaps one-fourth of what will eventually be required to finish the job.
