The first major issue that needs to be resolved is the status of the caissons currently in the East River that used to hold up the temporary Outerboard Detour Roadway (ODR). In 2006, a coalition of East Side elected officials (including then State Assembly Member, now DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis) wrote a letter to Mayor Bloomberg urging the retention of the caissons.
- Elected Officials Letter to Bloomberg Administration on ODR Retention (Feb 2006)
This letter details the process of extending the life of the caissons from their temporary 10 year lifespan to 100 years for the creation of a Greenway from 54th Street t0 63rd street at “nominal cost” to taxpayers since the cost of removal and cost of making them permanent are similar. The letter concluded that:
“It would be a shame to tear down the ODR after the FDR’s renovation is completed, especially since the State has already invested $55 million in the temporary structure. The ODR’s retention and conversion to a greenway is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we hope to work with your administration to bring additional and cost-effective greenspace to Manhattan’s East Side.”
The City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) did file an application for making the ODR caisson’s permanent, but this was rejected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
- State DEC Notification of Incomplete Application (September 2008)
The caissons were originally scheduled to be removed in December 2007, but the DEC did extend the permits to December 2008 pending review of the application for permanent permits. Since the original permits from the DEC for the caissons were temporary, DEC requires that they be removed unless they are deemed “reasonable and necessary”
“The proposal in this application to re-use the caissons in the construction of an over-water platform supporting a pedestrian and bicycle esplanade/pathway, does not meet the standards for permitting under Articles 15 and 25 of the Environmental Conservation Law…The platform structure proposed does not meet the reasonable and necessary standard, and is not the alternative for the intended use that avoids or minimizes the encroachment in, upon and over the waters and tidal wetlands of the State to the maximum extent practicable.”
Basically, DEC would rather the current caissons be removed and an alternative, such as a cantilevered structure be used for the Greenway. However, the cost of such a structure would be much higher than if the caissons were made permanent to support the Greenway. The permits for the caissons were again extended to December 2009 pending discussions between DEC, the City and East Side elected officials.
In August of 2009, a large coalition of elected officials on the East Side including City Council Members, State Legislators, the Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney wrote to the State DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis urging the extension of the permits to December 2010 along with a list of reasons for why the caissons should be permanently retained.
- Elected Officials Letter to DEC (August 2009)
“We understand that in previous applications you have found that this use does not meet the necessary permitting and implementing standards required by your agency. However, we request that you grant this extension through December 31, 2010 and review the pending application for four reasons.
First, in this time of tremendous economic challenges, the caissons represent a unique opportunity to save the $20-25 million that it would take to replicate them. Second, allowing the caissons to remain in the water, as the planning process continues will help the City and region achieve the long sought goal of creating a fully connective greenway around Manhattan. Third, as representatives of Community Board 6, one of the leasted open spaced communities in all of New York City, it is our duty to identify and fight for potential open space whenever possible as called for in the Community Board’s New York City Council approved 197a plan. The caissons represent a unique opportunity to create open space and provide access, as well as a connection to the long inaccessible waterfront. Finally, after seven years of being in the East River, the caissons may well be a natural marine habitat. Any effort to remove them, could disturb and disrupt the existing aquatic life.”
The status of the caissons needs to be resolved. In addition to the reasons provided above by the coalition of elected officials, there is a very dangerous area around the current Greenway gap for cyclists because of the heavy level of automobile traffic congestion. From 1995-2007, nine cyclists were killed and hundreds injured by crashes with automobiles in this area.
Action: Contact the State DEC to advocate for making the caissons permanent
Commissioner Pete Grannis
Department of Environmental Protection
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4500
Tel 518-402-8013
http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/407.html
Regional Director Suzanne Y. Mattei
Department of Environmental Protection
1 Hunter’s Point Plaza
47-40 21st Street
Long Island City, NY 11101-5407
Tel (718) 482-4949