Public beach may be in the works under the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge
The updated East River Blueway Plan was unveiled on May 2, displaying a proposed public beach beneath the Brooklyn Bridge’s Manhattan side, stretching from East 38th Street to the Brooklyn Bridge at City Hall. The beach would include public recreational space such as kayaking, wetlands, a food vendor garden, and pedestrian bridges.
The proposal comes as city officials and engineers are working to design new and improve existing public safety measures in the face of potential future weather events such as Hurricane Sandy, while simultaneously addressing a need for more public green space.
According to proposal supporters Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh at a public informational session at Cooper Union, the plan would also provide access to the East River shoreline.