Is One of New York's Most Successful Parks Heading for a Reckoning?

Charles V. Bagli and Lisa W. Foderaro report on the successes and challenges facing Hudson River Park, which is now running short on money for routine maintenance, and was supposed to be the model for New York City parks to come.

1 minute read

January 30, 2012, 8:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


For anyone that has visited the elegant park that stretches five miles along the Hudson River on Manhattan's west side from Battery Place to 59th street, the successes are evident in the crowds of daily visitors and the string of luxury condominiums and Class A office space that have been drawn to the waterfront by its development.

What's less apparent are the challenges that the park now faces due to declining capital funds and stalled commercial development on its piers.

"'Part of the challenge is how to put together a plan for successful private investment and appropriate redevelopment when you're basing that thinking on quicksand,' said Vin Cipolla, president of the Municipal Art Society. 'There has to be public investment, and the leadership will have to come from the governor. Otherwise we'll just see more deterioration.'"

Friday, January 27, 2012 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Route 66 motel neon sign.

Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing

A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.

15 minutes ago - High Country News

Green public transit bus at stop in Silver Spring, Maryland.

DC Area County Eliminates Bus Fares

Montgomery County joins a growing trend of making transit free.

1 hour ago - The Washington Post

Close-up of full beer glass with purple train-themed design sitting on bar between two frosty tall cans.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?

TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

June 30 - Cities Today

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.