It’s no secret that New York City isn’t exactly safe from the effects of climate change.
It’s a relatively small island packed with hundreds of thousands of buildings,
millions of people and seemingly endless feats of engineering.
During heavy rainfalls, subway stations and streets frequently fill with water – evidence
that the city’s infrastructure isn’t prepared for what’s to come. And it’s only going to get worse.
And this tiny tip of Manhattan is particularly vulnerable.
Now officials are racing to come up with solutions for the future.
Their latest idea? A multi-million dollar project that consists of building a seawall,
flood barriers, and elevating an entire park in lower Manhattan.
But in order to save the neighbourhood … some of it first must be destroyed.
Take a walk down the west side of Manhattan and you’ll eventually pass through Battery Park City:
a lush 92-acre community on the southernmost tip of the island.
Once home to docklands - the area was officially established in the 1960s through land reclamation.
By using the excavation and debris from the World Trade Center construction site being
built at the time, workers extended the shoreline into the Hudson River.
Today, Battery Park is considered a successful urban renewal project with ample green space,
residential buildings, and restaurants.
While the neighbourhood has exploded in popularity, the future isn’t as hopeful.
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit New York causing an unprecedented
amount of flooding across the entire city.
Lower manhattan remains eerily dark and partially underwater
They’ve never seen anything like this
Homes and critical infrastructure were
left destroyed and millions went without power for days.
In the end the city was left with about $19BN in damage.
Lower Manhattan saw some of the worst of the devastation and
flooding - including parts of Battery Park City.
But this won't be the last of it.
As the effects of climate change threaten to generate more intense storms and flooding,
the city’s infrastructure is not exactly prepared for what’s to come.
According to the National Ocean Service,
sea levels are expected to rise roughly 1 foot, or a quarter of a metre by 2050.
During future storms, water could rise to roughly 5 to 7 metres in the Battery Park area.
While it may not be noticeable day to day, if we want to combat
climate change, it is vital that we build our infrastructure in ways to protect our cities.
Seawalls, trees, and even floating cities are just
some of the solutions engineers around the world have proposed.
Here in Battery Park City, there’s at least a
$221M plan to minimise the impact of future flooding.
That’ll protect key areas on the tip of Manhattan,
including Wagner Park, 3.5 acres of green space along the waterfront.
The park will be demolished and raised from just three metres above sea level to six.
The crown jewel of the project is this massive new floodwall. Parts of
it will be buried under the park, while other sections will be exposed or topped with glass.
Unlike a traditional seawall that would divide the area,
the buried wall will allow visitors to access more green space.
The exposed section will feature flip-up gates that will lie flat when not in use.
And it’ll expand to the north towards Tribeca with
an additional flood barrier system spanning along the waterfront.
The project also includes an enhanced drainage system with the
installation of isolation valves and tide gate.
Over at Pier A Plaza, the areas’ lowest point,
a bi-level landscaped design with tiered seating will act as a barrier to incoming waters.
Wood seating will allow it to remain submerged for longer periods of time.
Workers will also plant trees and build concrete structures resistant to saltwater.
This will all help protect the neighbourhood and the surrounding areas from rising sea levels,
storm surges, and flooding - specifically during rare 100-year storm events
which could save city money, lives, and properties, in the next storm.
Sounds promising, but not everyone is on board with the idea. Especially down at Wagner Park.
Local advocates have pushed against these changes for years because it will
reduce the green space by 10% - something that is already few and far between in New York City.
In response, authorities have made several revisions to the initial proposal. But to
many - it’s still not enough, and they’ve proposed
alternatives like a larger flood wall and flood-proofing existing structures.
Still, officials say the elevation is vital for protecting against future
storms that could very well threaten to flood the park.
In a city of over 8 million people,
it’s no surprise that so many want to have a voice for future changes. Especially when
the impact of climate change has had such a strong impact already.
Saving Battery Park is just one part of a larger plan to fight climate change across the city.
Eventually these projects will connect as part of
The Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project along the East River waterfront.
This includes more flood barriers and the reconstruction of East River Park.
As sea levels continue to rise and flooding gets more intense, it’s important for authorities to
get plans like this right the first time – or else the city risks irreversible damage.
You can learn more about this and other topics on our channel over on The World’s
Best Construction Podcast — available now wherever you get your podcasts.
And as always, if you enjoyed this video and want to learn more about
where construction is headed, make sure you’re subscribed to Tomorrow’s Build.