Dear readers, allow Tita S to tell you 18 facts about a new park which recently opened in New York City.
1.Little Island at Pier 55 is an artificial island in the Hudson River, west of Manhattan in New York City, adjoining Hudson River Park1.
Photo source: https://littleisland.canto.com/v/Press/landing?viewIndex=0
It is near the intersection of West Street and 13th Street in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea neighborhoods of Manhattan.
It is slightly west of the Manhattan shoreline atop Hudson River Pier 55, connected to Hudson River Park in Manhattan by footbridges at 13th and 14th Streets.
2. It covers 2.4 acres (0.97 ha) and can fit 1,000 people simultaneously.
3. In 2011, Hudson River Pier 55 was deteriorating, and became even worse because of Hurricane Sandy the next year. So, rebuilding the pier was a great idea. The task was spearheaded by Diana Taylor of the Hudson River Park Trust2 and Barry Diller3.
4. Initially called Pier 55, this project was announced to be designed by Thomas Heatherwick’s4 company Heatherick Studio in November 2014, commissioned and largely funded by the foundation of businessman Barry Diller3 and wife, Diane von Furstenberg5, for $100 million, with plans to donate another $30 million. The New York City and state governments pledged $17 million and $18 million, respectively. Construction was scheduled to start in 2015 and completed by 2018 or 2019.
5. However, plans were scrapped in September 2017 due to cost overruns of over $200 million, and continuing legal disputes on environmental issues. The proposal was revived the next month by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who agreed to provide funding for the park, with the lawsuits dropped. Construction began in April 2018 and a symbolic cornerstone was laid in December 2018, with a new project estimate of $250 million.
Photo source: https://littleisland.org/visit-us/
6. The project was renamed Little Island in October 2019. The first trees were installed in March 2020. This construction was considered essential so it continued even with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city in 2020. Most of the work was conducted outdoors.
7. This park officially opened on May 21, 2021, at a construction cost of $260 million. The landscape contained 66,000 bulbs and 114 trees when it opened.
The opening of this park coincided with the loosening of pandemic restrictions in the city. Visitors were asked to book reservations if they wished to visit during the midday, and you know what? The resulting heavy traffic online led to the park’s ticket website to crash!
Looking northwest from smaller hill – Photo source: Jim.henderson, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 20 May 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Island_at_Pier_55#/media/File:Little_Island_on_opening_morning_2021_HDR_jeh.jpg
8. The Diller family foundation agreed to fund the upkeep of the park, including programming, for 20 years. According to Barry Diller3, the foundation’s total contribution to the park reached an estimated figure of $380 million, of which the upkeep costs comprise $120 million.
9. This artificial island is supported by 132 pot-shaped structures called tulips, suspended above the water, which in turn stand on 280 concrete pilings extending into the riverbed, at most 200 ft (61 m) into the bottom of the Hudson River. The largest support is 30 ft (9.1 m) tall and weighs 90 short tons (80 long tons; 82 t).
The tulip pots vary in height and range from 15 to 62 ft (4.6 to 18.9 m) above the mean waterline, to protect the park from a 500-year flood6, in which the water level in the river rises as much as 11 ft (3.4 m). The heights of the pots was intended to give the appearance of a floating leaf or a wave.
Each pot has 4 to 6 lightweight concrete sections, called petals, which are designed to reduce the load on the pilings.
Each piling measures 3 ft (0.91 m) in diameter and can handle loads of 250 to 350 short tons (220 to 310 long tons; 230 to 320 t). The pilings were hollowed at their cores, with metal guide rails to allow the pots to be installed without the pilings tipping over. The edges of the pots are placed 9 +/- 3 in. (229 +/- 76 mm) apart.
Little Island from north entry walkway – Photo source: Molliewobbles, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 7 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Island_at_Pier_55#/media/File:Little_Island_from_north_entry_walkway.jpg
The structural design of the park, including the installation of the pots, was overseen by the Arup Group7 and manufactured in Upstate New York by the precast cement contractor Fort Miller Company. The precast concrete is meant to be resistant to erosion and corrosion.
Other firms involved in the structural design were marine consultant Meuser Rutledge Consulting Engineers and marine contractor Weeks Marine.
10. The lawns, paths and plants were aesthetically arranged by landscape architect Signe Nielsen of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects to reduce erosion. The landscape contractor was BrightView Landscape Development.
There are 35 tree species, 65 shrub species, 270 perennial and grass species. The original trees were up to 35 ft (11 m) tall with trunk diameters of 12 in (300 mm), planted in 4 ft (1.2 m) of soil, stabilized by geo-fibers and fed by a large irrigation system.
It is interesting to know that:
* plants were arranged in specific color patterns, like a certain portion was planted with gold, lavender, purple and yellow plants to contrast each other;
* the composition of the soil was engineered to reduce erosion; and,
* evergreens and other plantings were used to shield the park from strong winds from the Hudson River.
11. The 4 corners of this park are designed with different topologies. There are 3 lawns and a secret garden planted exclusively with white flora. One of the lawns called the Main Lawn, is in the center of the park. Walkways lead up to the highest portions of this artificial island.
12. Alongside the landscapes are scenic observation areas. There are overlooks at the northwest, southwest, and southeast corners of the park.
13. This urban park also has plazas and performance spaces.
At the western end of this park is a 687-seat amphitheater nicknamed The Amph, including a flat pier with public restrooms and actors’ changing rooms. Ticketed shows are basically free or have low admission fees, and educational programming and performances are scheduled for 6 days a week. Acts scheduled for the Amph’s opening season include the American Ballet Theatre.
Entrance to the Amph at the southern end of the park – Photo source: Jim.henderson, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 21 May 2021,
There is also a small stage.
In early 2021, it was announced that the park will have a program of artists in residence, and they will work with the park’s production team over a period of 3 years.
The first of artists in residence were choreographer Ayodele Casel and thespians Tina Landau, Michael McElroy, and the PigPen Theatre Company.
If you have a ticket to see a performance at Little Island, that ticket will also grant you entry to the park for that day, so there is no need to reserve a Timed Entry reservation in addition to your performance ticket. However, some shows in The Amph require a separate ticket to be guaranteed a seat. (See fact 15 below.)
For ticketing FAQs, go to https://littleisland.org/ticketing-faqs.
14. Three concession stands are located around a plaza called The Play Ground, and are operated by Savory. The drinks include custom-made cocktails for park visitors.
A concession stand on opening day, Little Island – Photo source: Jim.henderson, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, created 21 May 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Island_at_Pier_55#/media/File:Little_Island_opening_morn_(13)_jeh.jpg
The southern portion of the park contains The Glade, an arts and crafts area for families and children.
15. This park is open to the public daily, from 6:00AM – 1:00AM daily, all year round.
It is open, rain or shine. From time to time, the park will close due to lightning strikes and other severe occurrences. Visitors will be asked to evacuate the island during these times. In case of inclement weather, better check for updates on its website (https://littleisland.org/) and social media channels.
No reservations are required from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM but crowding and safety are monitored at these times.
Timed entry reservations are required on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 12:00 PM to 1:00AM, every half-hour, to ensure the safety of visitors, artists and staff by limiting the number of park visitors. Children, ages 3 and up, need a reservation.
Visitors are required to book reservations online if they visit after noon. You can go to https://littleisland.org/timed-entry-reservations/ to make your reservation, simply select a month, plus the date/s and time/s. If a date does not appear, it means that no reservations are available for that time slot on that particular day and month. You can choose another.
When timed-entry is in effect, visitors receive an e-ticket to be used to enter the park. Visitors are advised to arrive within 30 minutes of ticket reservation. Tickets may be printed out or shown from a mobile phone.
If the park reaches capacity, entry will stop temporarily. Visitors will have the option of returning later or temporarily queuing for entry.
Once you enter the park, there is no time limit to your stay.
Timed entry reservations are released on a rolling basis. Reservations may not be changed or exchanged for other dates due to limited inventory.
It you cannot locate your ticket and you created a login upon reserving or purchasing your ticket, you can access your account at https://littleisland.org/account to retrieve your reservations.
For further assistance, you can reach out to https://ticketing@littleisland.org.
16. So, how do you get to Little Island? The best way to get there is by taking public transportation to 14th Street.
This park is accessible by 2 pedestrian bridges connecting to the Hudson River esplanade, extending across the water from Hudson River Park1: a southern esplanade at Little West 12th Street and a northern esplanade at 14th Street.
Its public transit access are:
* by subway – A, C, E and L trains at 14th Street/8th Avenue; the 1, 2, and 3 trains located at 14th Street and 7th Avenue; the F and M trains located at 14th Street and 6th Avenue. Walking west, visitors can cross the West Side Highway at 14th and 13th Streets.
* by NYC bus – M11, M12 and M14D SBS buses stop at 14th Street and 10th Avenue.
If you plan to travel by car, sorry, there is no on-site parking. If you travel by taxi, please plan all pickups and drop-offs east of 10th Avenue.
17. Visitors must refrain from the following activities:
* walking in plant beds
* picking flowers or plants
* bringing in outside alcohol
* smoking or vaping
* riding or bringing bicycles
* using skateboards, roller skates/blades and scooters
* fishing
* playing amplified sound
* solicitation
* commercial activity
* littering
* obstructing entrances of paths
* bringing dogs, with the exception of trained service dogs
* flying drones
For other rules, visit https://hudsonriverpark.org/park-rules-regulations/ since Little Island is a part of Hudson River Park1.
18. Before your visit, go over these policies for health and safety:
* If you are unvaccinated, maintain a 6-ft distance between individuals not of the same party and wear a mask or face covering when coming into close contact with others.
* Disposable masks will be on hand for any visitor should they require one.
* Wash your hands frequently in the public restrooms, or use a hand sanitizer in The Play Ground.
* Wear a face mask or face covering inside restrooms.
* Cover coughs and sneezes.
* Do not visit this park or attend any of the performances if you received a positive Covid-19 diagnosis in the last 10 days prior to your visit, or if you are feeling any symptoms of Covid-19. For a refund, contact ticketing@littleisland.org.
*Certain pop-up style performances and activities will occur in The Amph, The Glade, and The Play Ground. In these events, unvaccinated visitors are required to wear facial coverings or maintain a safe distance from others.
* Maintain social distancing when seated in The Play Ground.
The information was obtained from https://littleisland.org/ and the Wikipedia page “Little Island at Pier 55”8.
So, if you find yourself in New York City, would you go see this new urban park? Tita S would, when it would be safe to travel to the USA, all in God’s time. Will I see you there?
This is not a sponsored post. I just want my readers to know more about new places to visit. You can visit its website: www.littleisland.org. If you are interested in a 40-minute audio tour of this urban park, go to https://littleisland.org/audio-tour and download it.
The photo featured in the cover picture was obtained from https://littleisland.org/visit-us/.
Did you find this post informative? I would like to hear from you re Little Island.
See other interesting places through other posts in this category and other categories of SCapades, Pinoy Delights, and Smart Travelers – Foreign Travelers Ask, Now You Know, and Say, Say, Say. Happy reading, and I hope that you will appreciate what I shared and some of the featured destinations will be part of your future travel plans!
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The following terms are defined for interested readers, especially those with “Senior-Moments”, those not familiar with the terms used in this post, and those too busy or lazy to Google such terms:
1The Hudson River Park is a waterside park on the North River (Hudson River) that extends from 59th Street south to Battery Park in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is a component of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway and stretches 4.5 miles (7.2 km) and comprises 550 acres (220 ha), making it the 2nd-largest park in Manhattan, after the 843-acre (341 ha) Central Park. This park is a joint state and city collaboration, but is organized as a New York State public-benefit corporation. It opened on July 23, 1998. It had 17 million visitors in 2015. For more information, go to https://hudsonriverpark.org/.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Hudson River Park”.9
2The Hudson River Park Trust is a partnership between New York State and New York City charged with the design, construction and operation of the 4-mile Hudson River Park1. It is guided by a 13-member Board of Directors and a 50-member Advisory Council which plays an integral role in the park planning process.
The trust operates on a premise of financial self-sufficiency, supporting the staff as well as the operations and maintenance of the park through revenue generated within the park by rents from commercial tenants, fees, concession revenues, grants and donations. Capital funding comes primarily from the state, city and federal budget appropriations.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Hudson River Park Trust”.10
3Barry Charles Diller is an American business who is Chairman and Senior Executive of the American holding company IAC (which owns brands worldwide, mostly in media and the internet) and the American online travel shopping company called the Expedia Group, He founded the Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia pages “Barry Diller”11, “IAC (company)12, and “Expedia Group”13.
4Thomas Alexander Heatherwick is an English designer and the founder of London-based design practice Heatherwick Studio4. He is considered as one of Britain’s most significant designers. He works with a team of around 200 architects, designers, and makers from a studio and workshop in King’s Cross district, Central London, England.
Examples of his works are: the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics cauldron; the red double-decker London bus called New Routemaster; the moveable Rolling Bridge in Paddington Basin, London, which curls into an octagonal shape; the award-winning Seed Cathedral, the UK Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010; the multi-use educational facility called The Hive in Singapore; and Little Island which is featured in this post.
The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Thomas Heatherwick”.14
5Diane von Furstenberg, born Diane Simone Michele Halfin, is a Belgian fashion designer known for her wrap dress. She married Prince Egon von Furstenberg of Germany in 1969, separated in 1972, divorced in 1973, and continued to use his family name. Her fashion company, Diane von Furstenberg (DvF) is available in over 70 countries and 45 free-standing shops worldwide. In 2014, she was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes; in 2015, she was included in Time 100 and recognized as an Icon by Time Magazine; and, in 2019, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Diane von Furstenberg”.15
6A 100-year flood is the level of flooding that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, and has an equal chance of occurring every year, regardless of whether or not it occurred in previous years.
Similarly, a 500 year flood refers to a flood level that has a 0.2% chance of occurring in any given year, and has an equal chance of occurring every year, regardless of whether or not it occurred in previous years.
The information was obtained from https://www.ledgeviewwisconsin.com/what-are-100-and-500-year-floods/ and https://www.click2houston.com/weather/2017/11/29/what-does-a-500-year-flood-really-mean/.
7The Arup Group is a British multinational professional services firm headquartered in London which provides design, engineering, architecture, planning, and advisory services across every aspect of the built environment16. It was originally established in 1946 by Sir Ove Arup, and was involved in the Sydney Opera House, and built environment projects. This firm employs about 16,000 staff, in over 90 offices, across 35 countries around the world, with projects in over 160 countries. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Arup Group”.17
8“Little Island at Pier 55,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Island_at_Pier_55
9“Hudson River Park,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_Park
10“Hudson River Park Trust,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_Park_Trust
11“Barry Diller,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Diller
12“IAC (company),” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAC_(company)
13“Expedia Group,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedia_Group
14“Thomas Heatherwick,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Heatherwick
15“Diane von Furstenberg,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_von_Furstenberg
16Built environment, or built world, is a term used in urban planning, architecture, and civil engineering which refers to the human-made environment that provides the setting for human activity, including homes, buildings, zoning, streets, sidewalks, open spaces, transportation options, environmental concerns, etc. It is defined as “the human-made space in which people live, work and recreate on a day-to-day basis”. The information was obtained from the Wikipedia page “Built environment”.18
17“Arup Group,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arup_Group
18“Built environment,” accessed July 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Built_environment
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