A 10-year vision

New York City is in the midst of some of the toughest challenges of our lifetimes: the cumulative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate hazards, a legacy of unfair policies, dwindling federal resources, and eroded trust in public institutions threaten our physical, mental, economic and civic health. While these challenges reach well beyond the waterfront, we must envision ways to harness the city’s 520 miles of shoreline to address them head on.

In the next 10 years, the City’s waterfront policies and programs will be driven by the climate justice principle that all New Yorkers should live, work and play in safe and healthy environments. New Yorkers will have more equitable access to all that NYC’s waterfront has to offer — from parks to jobs, as well as affordable and resilient places to live. New Yorkers will be better informed about their climate risks and will be equipped to make decisions about managing these risks, including how to stay safe during floods and heat waves. To preserve the economic vitality of waterfront areas, buildings and infrastructure will be designed and retrofitted to withstand climate impacts of today and tomorrow. New Yorkers will have access to cleaner bodies of water, water safety education and more interaction with nature. The rewilding of treasured estuaries and wetland ecosystems will be supported by collaborations between City agencies and community stewards. The waterfront will continue to serve as a lynchpin in the regional supply chain and will host industries that will employ New Yorkers in well-paying jobs. The City will rise to the challenge of supporting a thriving city as the climate, coastal environments and waterways change. And New Yorkers will continue to keep the City accountable to their evolving needs by participating in local democratic systems and structures.

From wetlands and natural areas to high-density mixed-use neighborhoods, the 520 miles of NYC’s waterfront are diverse in terms of their settings and populations, opportunities and challenges. The waterfront is often a place where uses, needs and issues converge. Many of these can be complementary, such as creating resilient open spaces with ecological features and space for public enjoyment. Others can conflict, such as a need for industrial waterfront uses to operate safely and securely and a desire to expand public access to the waterfront. The Plan is organized by six interconnected and interdependent topic areas.