9/25/25 | Climate Week Tour: East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project
WBC Member Host: Hope Kaufman, HNTB
Meeting Point: Meeting at the flagpole area in Corlears Hook Park located at roughly Cherry Street and FDR Drive.
Time: 10am - 11am
Client: New York City Department of Design and Construction, led by NYCDDC Associate Commissioner for Infrastructure Thu-Loan Dinh.
East Side Coastal Resiliency
The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project was a coastal protection initiative aimed at reducing flood risk caused by coastal storms and sea level rise along Manhattan’s East Side, from East 25th Street to Montgomery Street. The project boundaries aligned with natural "pinch-points" in the 100-year floodplain—areas where the land was higher along the coastline, making it easier to seal off the system from water entering from the north and south. The design integrated flood protection into the community fabric by enhancing waterfront open spaces and access, rather than isolating the neighborhood behind barriers. Construction began in Fall 2020 and was scheduled to continue through 2026.
In August 2022, the ESCR Project was selected to receive an Envision Gold Award for sustainability from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). The Envision sustainable infrastructure framework assessed project performance across five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Resilience. To earn the Gold designation, the project demonstrated a heightened level of sustainability and resilience. ISI recognized ESCR for its cohesive and comprehensive approach to climate resiliency, its protection of the community while enhancing public spaces and amenities, and its robust engagement program that reflected the diversity of local stakeholders.
In November 2022, the project also received Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG®) Verification from the Waterfront Alliance. The WEDG® rating system honored developers and landowners for creating resilient, sustainable, and accessible waterfront projects. It provided guidance and design standards across six categories tailored to the complexities of waterfront development, including site assessment and planning, responsible siting and coastal risk reduction, community access and connections, edge resilience, natural resources, and innovation. ESCR was commended for its ability to reduce coastal hazard risks, its emergency preparedness plan, inclusive community engagement, high-quality public access areas, waterfront greenway connectivity, and inventive design solutions.
