While the reveal of Manhattan’s first public beach is exciting, there is a catch
This year will see the debut of New York City’s newest beach, though it won’t be your typical trip to the shore if that’s what you’re looking for. Although there are many beaches in New York City, including Midland Beach on Staten Island, the Rockaways in Queens, Coney Island in Brooklyn, and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Manhattan has been the only borough without a beach until now. Despite being sandwiched between two rivers, the tiny island has never had a public beach.
The Daily Beast reports that in the summer of 2023, visitors to Gansevoort Peninsula Park in Manhattan will be able to enjoy the beach, which will feature a sandy shoreline, picnic tables, a sports field, and kayaking on the Hudson River.
The only catch is that you won’t be allowed to swim, so don’t get hyped about jumping in that water! After all, anyone from New York City should know better than to dive into the Hudson.
According to Noreen Doyle, CEO of the Hudson River Trust, everyone is aware that this is not a swimming beach. “We’ve been clear from the get-go that this is not a swimming beach. The Hudson River has made a huge amount of progress in terms of its health since the Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s, but this is not designed as a swimming beach,” Doyle told the Daily Beast.
Doyle also disclosed other features of the beach that could make it the next trendy spot to catch a summer vibe in New York City. The park will have a sports field, kayaking, and “tree-lined promenades, swathes of native grass for lounging and even a salt marsh,” which is something you can only find on the Manhattan side of the Hudson.
Karen Tamir, a landscape architect, and urban designer at JFCO, explains why the Hudson River is still commonly referred to as a beach even though visitors cannot swim there. “The reason it’s called the beach goes back to 25 years ago when the park was being planned in concept, even though all the money wasn’t in place for it yet,” she said.
“People want a place to lay down and take their shirt off, and that’s what they’re going to have here.” another member of the JFCO design team, Cricket Day, added.
Located on the Hudson River between Chelsea and the Meatpacking District, Manhattan’s first public beach was designed by James Corner Field Operations, the firm also responsible for the High Line. The areas have seen a massive influx of buildings and projects from high-profile designers like Bjarke Ingels Group, Zaha Hadid, and Frank Gehry, in addition to the highly anticipated beach, as noted by Architectural Digest. The announcement of the project in 2019 marked the beginning of a three-year process, with the original opening date set for 2022.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.
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This story was originally published February 13, 2023 at 2:42 PM with the headline "While the reveal of Manhattan’s first public beach is exciting, there is a catch."