Drawing of Manhattan Waterfront Greenway on Academy Street with people enjoying various activities. A pond with ducks is on the left, surrounded by trees. High-rise buildings and a blue sky are in the background.
Parks & Public Spaces Infrastructure & Transportation Waterfront

Manhattan Waterfront Greenway

Location: Manhattan
Project Status: Ongoing

Manhattan’s next big park isn’t in the center. It’s on the edge.

The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway is an important open space resource for the city, providing access to the shoreline for a variety of activities, integrating larger parks within a connected network, and providing a bike path for recreation and commuting. This is an opportunity to create public open space, providing residents in some of Manhattan’s most densely populated neighborhoods with improved access to the city’s waterfront. When complete, the 32.5-mile Greenway loop will connect a network of green spaces totaling more than 1,000 acres—a space larger than Central Park—running continuously around the entire island. Joggers, walkers, cyclists, and people of varying ages and abilities from every neighborhood should have access to the Greenway that is designed within the context of each unique neighborhood.

Milestone

1.3B+

The amount committed to quality open space that integrates the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway in Inwood, North Harlem, East Harlem, East Midtown and Lower East Side.

Closing the Loop

The City has made historic investments to close the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway loop, committing more than $1.3B to quality open space that integrates the Greenway into Inwood, North Harlem, East Harlem, East Midtown, and Lower East Side; This includes $723M committed in Spring 2021 to close four of these gaps, located in Inwood, North Harlem, East Midtown, and Lower East Side, by the end of the decade. Most of these gaps are in low-income neighborhoods historically cut off from the waterfront.

Manhattan’s geography and historical land uses have made completion of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway challenging. Consideration of sea level rise and valuable habitats also demand that we are creative and resilient in our future Manhattan Waterfront Greenway designs. Each location has its own unique needs. We look forward to engaging with each community throughout the design process.

Stay Informed: Please fill out our short form to stay up to date on the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway projects and ways to get involved.

Rendering of Manhattan Waterfront Greenway featuring people walking, cycling, and sitting on benches. Kayakers are on the river under a blue sky. Trees line the path, and a bridge spans the water. Buildings are visible in the background.
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The Vision

The vision of “closing the loop” is guided by four principles:

  1. Maximize the location along the waterfront: Working within the context of the existing landscape, the ideal location is along the waterfront wherever possible.
  2. Enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists: The safety of the Greenway’s users is central to its design.
  3. Improve access from upland areas: In order for communities to benefit from the increased open space and waterfront, convenient, frequent, and safe access from upland areas is critical.
  4. Account for sea level rise: Greenway design should account for sea level rise in its alignment, elevations, and material choices.

Explore Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Projects

NYCEDC is leading the planning, design, and construction for major portions of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.

Pathway along 107th Street Pier & Bobby Wagner Walk Reconstruction with a tree and railing on the right. A bridge spans the water, and residential buildings are in the background. The sky is partly cloudy.
Manhattan
107th Street Pier & Bobby Wagner Walk Reconstruction
In Progress
Current state of Academy Street Waterfront Park. A cracked concrete walkway runs alongside a river with old wooden pilings in the water. Leafless trees line the path, and apartment buildings stand in the background under a clear blue sky.
Manhattan
Academy Street and North Cove Waterfront Parks
In Progress
Rendering of Manhattan Waterfront Greenway with people strolling and sitting on benches. Green trees and shrubs line the path. A cyclist rides nearby. An iron bridge spans the river, with tall buildings in the background. The sky is clear and blue.
Manhattan
East Midtown Waterfront
In Progress
A modern pavilion with a glowing red roof stands on East River Waterfront Esplanade at night, surrounded by tall NYC buildings with illuminated windows and a large docked ship to the right.
Manhattan
East River Waterfront Esplanade
In Progress
Rendering of Harlem River Greenway. A vibrant park scene with people relaxing on grass, cycling, and walking. Lush green trees dot the landscape. The large, steel Manhattan Bridge spans the sky, set against a backdrop of blue skies and scattered clouds.
Manhattan
Manhattan Greenway Harlem River
In Progress
Aerial view of Pier 42, a riverside park featuring green spaces, walking paths, sports fields, playgrounds, and a large rectangular soccer field alongside a waterfront, with an urban neighborhood in the background.
Manhattan
Pier 42
Completed

Status

NYCEDC completed the construction of East Midtown Greenway and Andrew Haswell Green Park Phase 2B and are about to begin construction for the Manhattan Greenway - Harlem River project in East Harlem (E 125th – E 132nd Streets).

NYCEDC is leading planning, design and construction for three gaps in Inwood (Sherman Creek waterfront), North Harlem (E 145th – E 163rd Streets), and UN Esplanade in East Midtown (E 41st – E 53rd Streets), in close collaboration with DOT and Parks. We look forward to engaging with communities through the design and development process.

NYCEDC is also working in partnership with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation to rehabilitate, reconstruct, and improve the section of the Bobby Wagner Walk, an existing Manhattan Waterfront Greenway segment, between 94th and 107th Streets and 117th and 124th Streets, including the pier at East 107th Street. Read more about this project.

Related Documents

The following provides a view into what a completed Greenway might look like, with recommendations for all gaps and upgrade areas. As the projects advance, there will be ongoing public engagement in all phases of design and development.

Rendering of people enjoying a scenic Manhattan Waterfront Greenway beside a river. The path includes benches, trees, and flowers. On the left, water extends into the horizon, while on the right, tall buildings and greenery create a lively urban atmosphere.

Manhattan Waterfront Greenway Brochure

A Vision for Closing the Loop

Learn More

Related News

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A group of eight New York City Officials stand in a row and hold pieces of a green ribbon at a playground to celebrate the opening of Pier 42 open space.
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Rendering of East Midtown Greenway and Phase 2B of Andrew Haswell Green Park shows a paved riverside walkway with benches and greenery that run alongside a body of water, with Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan buildings in the background. Trees with autumn foliage line the path.
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