Plans For Floating Park On The Hudson Dealt A Blow

CHELSEA, NY — The controversial plan to build a floating performing arts center on an island in the Hudson River was dealt a setback on Thursday, when a judge sided with opponents of "Diller Island" in a ruling.

The island, also known as Pier 55, would replace the existing Pier 54, which sits on the Hudson River near 11th Avenue and West 13th Street. Backers of the $200 million public green space on water, including Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg, have envisioned an island that serves as both a park and a performing arts center.

The controversial park has long engaged in a legal back-and-forth with opponents, and Thursday's decision from Judge Lorna Schofield of the U.S. District Court dealt those opponents a victory. Schofield sided with the City Club of New York, which had sued the Army Corps of Engineer after it issued a permit for construction to begin on the project. Schofield wrote in her decision that when the Army Corps issued its permit, it failed to regard the site as a protected fish and wildlife sanctuary.

The aquatic park would be built by pouring more than 400 square feet of "flowable concrete" into piles on the river, creating a new pier for the elevated structure, according to descriptions of the project included in court filings.

Richard Emery, who represents the City Club, told the New York Times the ruling was "a clear, solid victory."

"In my view, the decision makes it virtually impossible for Pier 55 to proceed," he told the newspaper.

Lead image via Patch.