page_title: Chelsea Piers
section_title: Late 20th century
hierarchical_section_title: Chelsea Piers / History / Late 20th century
caption_attribution_description: Thursday, June 28, 2012 -- Governor Dannel P. Malloy participated in the opening ceremony for Chelsea Piers in Stamford, where the company opened a three-story, 417,000 square-foot sports and entertainment complex featuring two National Hockey League-size ice skating rinks, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a recreational water park, space for food vendors, basketball courts, volleyball courts, squash courts, tennis courts, a 60,000 square-foot playing field, and much more.
context_page_description: Chelsea Piers is a series of piers in Chelsea, on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Located to the west of the West Side Highway and Hudson River Park and to the east of the Hudson River, they were originally a passenger ship terminal in the early 1900s that was used by the RMS Lusitania and was the destination of the RMS Carpathia after rescuing the survivors of the RMS Titanic. The piers replaced a variety of run-down waterfront structures with a row of grand buildings embellished with pink granite facades.
  The piers are currently used by the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex. The Complex is a 28-acre waterfront sports village located between 17th and 23rd Streets along Manhattan's Hudson River. This privately financed project opened in 1995. Situated on Piers 59, 60 and 61 and in the head house that connects them, the complex features the Golf Club, a multi-story driving range; the Field House, which contains numerous sports and training facilities; Sky Rink, which has two full-sized ice rinks; the Chelsea Piers Fitness health club; and Bowlmor at Chelsea Piers, a bowling alley; and Sunset Terrace, a venue that hosts weddings.
context_section_description: In the 1980s, plans circulated to replace the West Side Elevated Highway with an at grade highway going along the West Side south of 42nd Street. The plan called for the highway to run over demolished piers. The superstructure of Pier 54 was demolished in 1991 except for the archway entrance (along with the White Star and Cunard signage).  The plan (dubbed the Westway) was abandoned after court cases said the new highway would jeopardize striped bass.
  Following the demise of Westway, development of the West Side Highway evolved into two parts: a public/private partnership that evolved into the upper piers being used for recreational purposes. The southern piers are now part of the Hudson River Park while the northern piers make up the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex. Construction of the complex began on July 12, 1994 in ceremonies attended by New York Governor Mario Cuomo, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger. The complex opened in August 1995.
  Chelsea Piers Connecticut, the first expansion project of Chelsea Piers, was built in Stamford, Connecticut. The facility opened in July 2012.
  After the collapse of the World Trade Center due to the September 11 attacks, EMS triage centers were quickly relocated and consolidated at the Chelsea Piers and the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal.  The EMS triage center was shut down and disassembled on September 12, 2001, due to a lack of need.  An ad hoc volunteer disaster recovery site was run from Chelsea Piers through September 16, 2001.  Volunteers assisted with resources for ground zero recovery volunteers: sleeping area, food, and cell phones.
caption: Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and other officials at the June 2012 ribbon cutting ceremony for Chelsea Piers Connecticut, the first expansion project of Chelsea Piers brand
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