For 4th straight year, part of the East River Esplanade remains shut due to construction
Manhattan residents are upset that, for the fourth summer in a row, they can't access part of the East River Esplanade.
Construction delays at a nearby hospital continue to block the path from 70th to 78th streets.
In March, 2022, construction began on the Hospital for Special Surgery's Kellen Tower. A locked gate blocks access to the esplanade from 70th-78th for the fourth straight summer, interrupting the continuous park along the water.
"There doesn't seem to be any end in sight"
The reopening of the esplanade keeps getting pushed back. It was originally set to reopen last summer.
"We don't want it to be a fifth, and there doesn't seem to be any end in sight," said Jennifer Ratner, chair of Friends of East River Esplanade. "Last year, they told us this year. You know, this year they're saying, 'Oh well, we'll have another community board meeting in October.'"
Ratner said runners, walkers and cyclists must detour onto the streets of the city, or turn around at the gate. So Friends of the East River Esplanade is working on an alternative with local leaders.
"A safe and permanent, or semipermanent, like a pontoon, to make a detour that stays on the waterfront," Ratner said.
The group started a petition to stop the extended closures, and hundreds signed.
"The timeline reflects the complexity"
CBS News New York reached out to the Hospital for Special Surgery to learn more.
"The timeline reflects the complexity of restoring public waterfront infrastructure," HSS said in a statement. "In addition to our privately funded restoration, we are also working around new challenges like sinkholes."
HSS added the reopening will take place in phases, and is a coordinated effort between the Parks Department, Department of Transportation, and Con Edison.
"You come here to relax"
The esplanade between 70th-76th should be completed by March 2026. The stretch from 76th-78th depends on the progress of the Parks Department.
"Rebuilding the East River Esplanade is a top priority. We are undertaking a multi-phase rehabilitation project to transform this deteriorating waterfront into a resilient, revitalized public space," said NYC Parks Borough Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. "By investing in these critical infrastructure repairs today, we're ensuring that New Yorkers can safely enjoy the esplanade for years to come."
Upper East Side resident George de Hoios loves the beautiful views and people along the esplanade.
"You come here to relax," de Hoios said. "You don't have to cut in the traffic, into the stress."
Until the work is completed, Rachel Katz says she'll take the detour in stride and is looking forward to when the locked gate is gone.
"That would be a dream. That would be the best," Katz said.
