On a walkabout on the Promenade this morning, I got to thinking about hard and soft edges for urban waterfronts, the BQE rumbling below, the concrete piers extending into the East River, the overgrown and decayed pylons. The piers seem so crisp, even in disrepair, and foreign against the river. Yet on Pier 3 sits a stand of many varieties of trees, and with them the promise of a new future for Brooklyn Bridge Park.I'm looking forward to seeing how Brooklyn Bridge Park will ultimately reinvent and soften the waterfront edge. Ecologically speaking, the recreation of salt marshes and wetlands will create healthier and more dynamic tidal ecosystems along the shoreline, while the reinsertion of permeable surface will create recharge zones that will help reduce pollution from urban stormwater. Environmentally responsible methods are being employed in the park's construciton as well. I'm impressed by the level of care being taken to recycle and reclaim materials from demolition in the park's construction, such as stones from the Willis Avenue Bridge and timbers from the demolished Cold Storage Warehouse.
Back in May the trees for Piers 1 and 6 were set into a temporary space on Pier 3 (above). Pier 1 will be the first to open this winter. Next month there are construction tours on tuesday nights. RSVP requested. Who wants to go with me?
Construction Updates
Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation
