The Hudson River Park Plan would provide a continuous esplanade and public spaces from Battery Park to 59th Street, where the proposed Riverside South development begins. A separate city plan would develop Pier 76 opposite the Convention Center. The approved Riverside South development proposal would provide a 21.5 acre waterfront park, linking the Hudson River Park esplanade to Riverside Park. Taken together, these two plans would complete a continuous esplanade from the southern tip of Manhattan to 125th Street. Other smaller connections are planned to provide a continuous path all the way to the northern tip of the island.
Public access is the central issue in planning for the Manhattan waterfront.
It is particularly important in Manhattan where many high-density commercial and residential areas lack sufficient open space and recreation resources, but are within walking distance of the shoreline. In most of these areas, the waterfront presents the only opportunity for new public open space. Except for the waters of the Hudson and East rivers, little remains of Manhattan's natural waterfront. Only one working waterfront use, ferries and ferry landings, is expected to grow in importance. The chapters that follow present detailed information about the issues and opportunities in Manhattan's five waterfront reaches.