$170M Floating Park Planned For Hudson River
Plans for a $170M floating park in the Hudson River are in the works by a family foundation run by media mogul Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife, Diane von Furstenberg. Featuring lawns, gardens and three performance spaces, including a 700-seat amphitheater, the 2.7-acre project, dubbed Pier 55, would replace the decaying Pier 54 on West 13th St. and be connected to Hudson River Park in Manhattan via a series of platforms. Additional funds for Pier 55, which has the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, would come from the city, state, and Hudson River Park Trust, subject to approval of the Trust's board. Approvals also must come from the Army Corps of Engineers and state Department of Environmental Conservation before construction can begin in 2016.
