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The 550-acre, five-mile long Hudson River Park project regenerates the historic waterfront on the west side of Manhattan and provides public access to the Hudson River.
The Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) appointed Arup, together with Bovis Lend Lease, as project manager and design coordinator. Design criteria were set for each of the seven segments of the park.
Design features include a waterfront esplanade, bike way and landscaping along the full length of the park.
Arup’s work on the project included ensuring that HRPT’s goals were consistently met and controlling standards park-wide. This involved producing design guidelines, designing park-wide elements and advising on issues such as pedestrian and vehicle movement. The firm also managed design teams for each segment and conducted stage-by-stage reviews of their designs – reviewing estimates, schedules and managing 14 sub-consultants.
The project raised a range of sustainable development issues. A number of piers are isolated from land and planted to provide a human-free habitat for wildfowl. Regulations ensure minimal effect on the river’s aquatic life. Boat piers and water taxi stops are positioned along the waterfront to encourage water-based recreation, sailing and canoeing.
Arup also provided security consulting services including security requirements analysis, access control design and intrusion detection.
Preserving history
The historic setting is an important component of the Hudson River Park design, and features such as the original bulkhead, historic rail transfer pier and cruise ship loading piers are emphasised.
Historic piers were reconstructed for public use – piers and other sections of land are available for concerts, performances and public events.
Establishing a historic reference library, implementing a web-based project management system and directing permitting through New York State and City agencies were also important aspects of the project.
