A Walk in the Park: East River Seawall Collapses Near Gracie Mansion After Deferred Maintenance

On Friday a fifty-foot section of the esplanade in Carl Schurz Park crumbled into the East River. The section is yards away from the Mayor's residence. The adjacent section of the seawall collapsed during Hurricane Irene in November 2012. The wall was built in 1934. (Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on images to enlarge

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

Residents and advocates have long complained about the deplorable condition of the East and Harlem River Esplanade up to 125th Street.

The City's decades long neglect of its waterfront infrastructure came sharply into public view over the weekend when a fifty-foot long section of sea wall collapsed near Gracie Mansion, the mayor's official residence since 1942, eight years after the wall was built.

On Friday between 1 and 2 pm the section of the esplanade crumbled into the East River in Carl Schurz Park leaving park users shocked and unnerved.

City officials cordoned off the area with metal barriers and caution tape and have stationed NYPD and PEP officers round the clock.

Now that the wall collapsed and created a serious safety hazard near Gracie Mansion and generated intense media attention the city said it would be "expediting" the repairs.

It will spend $ 15 million dollars to repair the seawall within a several block radius according to the Parks Department, phase one of a $ 40 million dollar allocation for repairs.

Looking North. Metal barriers, caution tape and round the clock police now stand guard.

Monday morning employees from The Department of Design and Construction were seen inspecting the area.

The Parks Department trotted out architect Kevin Quinn to speak to the media. He was accompanied by three employees from the press office. Therese Braddick, Deputy Commissioner for Capital Projects for NYC Parks took off just before Quinn spoke to the media.

Quinn said the decades-long neglect and resulting safety hazards of its waterfront infrastructure wasn't due to city neglect.

Multiple media outlets said the Parks Department press office tried to blame the collapse on Friday's rain.

The city was forced to repair a large section of the seawall adjacent to Friday's that had collapsed during Hurricane Irene in November 2012.

November 2012 - The city was forced to repair a large section of the seawall adjacent to Friday's which had collapsed during Hurricane Irene.

November 2012 - A section of railing and its foundation in the East River.

The very next section also crumbled into the East River several years ago and instead of fixing it the city erected construction fencing which has also fallen into the East River.

May 8, 2017. An adjacent section of the esplanade collapsed years ago. Instead of fixing it the city erected construction fencing which has also now fallen into the river. Now that a large section of wall collapsed closer to Gracie Mansion and generated intense media attention the city said it would be "expediting" the repairs.

East 90th Street, Carl Schurz Park (Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on images to enlarge

In November we reported on a large section of the esplanade near 113th Street that had further collapsed, more than five years after the city delayed repairing it.