"The city would build the northern portion of the esplanade first, with the $65 million it would receive for Robert Moses Playground. That would allow it to take advantage of existing pilings in the water, saving tens of millions of dollars in construction costs. The portion of the esplanade from 41st to 53rd Street would be paid for by the sale of 1 and 2 United Nations Plaza, which could yield hundreds of millions of dollars, to be split between the city and the esplanade project."
