Officials Start Pier Renewal

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spoke from an empty gravel lot along the Hudson River Monday morning as he announced the beginning of construction on the new Harlem Pier.

The groundbreaking ceremony came more than 15 years after the community began pushing for a revitalization of the waterfront between 125th and 135th streets. The land along the river has been essentially unused since the original piers were demolished more than 40 years ago. Most of it currently serves as a city-owned parking lot.

In front of a small group of press and dignitaries, the mayor discussed the plans for the area with several community and elected officials, including Congressman Charles Rangel (D-Harlem) and Jordi Reyes-Montblanc, chairman of Community Board 9. All spoke proudly about the culmination of years of planning and cooperation between various local, city, and state groups.

"This Harlem Piers project realizes a vision long held by Harlem elected and civic leaders," said Bloomberg, his voice battling noise from traffic on the Henry Hudson Parkway. "We are delighted to join the community in making this project a reality."

The development will include two new piers, one for fishing and other recreational activities, and one to be used for docking water taxis and other boats. The lot which served as the site for the press conference will be landscaped open space with a shoreline bicycle route when the project is completed in 2007.

The $18.7 million endeavor will help complete the continuous waterfront greenway around Manhattan. Bloomberg's administration, the state government, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone contributed more than $13 million toward the project. Additional funding was provided by various donors, including the Port Authority and the City Council.

Kenneth J. Knuckles, the president of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, a non-profit development corporation, declared that "This is just the beginning of the work we will be doing in West Harlem," citing the jobs created from the new Citarella on 125th Street and the Dinosaur BBQ on 131st.

Rangel also heaped praise on the plan. "This is one gigantic step toward fulfilling the dream that all of us have for a better Manhattan, and therefore a better city and a better country," he said.

Bloomberg obtained permission to begin construction last week when the Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit for the waterfront area, the final step needed before construction could begin.

Despite the apparent widespread approval of the plan, some local residents were camped across the street protesting Columbia University's possible use of eminent domain in its pursuit of an extended campus in Manhattanville. As Joan Levine, a resident of Morningside Heights, explained, although the majority of nearby residents appeared pleased with the West Harlem Pier revitalization, it is unhappy that "Mayor Bloomberg has still not taken a stand on eminent domain."

The project was originally scheduled for completion in 2006, but because of the time needed to receive all of the necessary approvals, the completion date has been pushed back to early 2007.