On a stretch of the East River that had been inaccessible for decades, the Halletts Point Esplanade transforms a 2.5-acre brownfield into a verdant public shore. Part of the Durst Organization’s Halletts Point Development, the Esplanade links the new residential buildings to each other while reconnecting the neighborhood to the water. Generous entrances off... Continue Reading
On a stretch of the East River that had been inaccessible for decades, the Halletts Point Esplanade transforms a 2.5-acre brownfield into a verdant public shore. Part of the Durst Organization’s Halletts Point Development, the Esplanade links the new residential buildings to each other while reconnecting the neighborhood to the water. Generous entrances off the street invite visitors on a journey through native plants and locally sourced boulders, arriving at sweeping views of the East River. Connections to public lands north and south create a continuous public walkway, while a central lawn, dog run, nautically themed playground, coastal plantings, and waterfront seating offer visitors all they need to spend an afternoon on the water’s edge. Starr Whitehouse worked within NYC Planning’s Comprehensive Waterfront Plan zoning parameters, NYC Parks’ Design and Planning for Flood Resiliency Guidelines, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection’s sewer easements, and New York State’s tidal zone requirements to recapture the rugged pre-settlement nature of this Queens promontory and open up the waterfront to the community. Photographs © Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto.
