Adding to the growing list of cool NYC pier conversions, this week Governor Cuomo officially opened Pier 76, located at West 37th Street and 12th Avenue. Completed in less than three months, the Pier 76 project transformed a previous NYPD tow pound into a new Hudson River Park recreational and cultural space open to the public. 

Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Spanning the size of a full city block at 725 feet long by 300 feet wide, the 5.6 acre site is now a wide open space with only the skeletal remains of its previous life, beams and an asphalt floor left behind. The project also features nineteen informative panels telling the history of the area, including the indigenous Lenape of Mannahatta and the evolution of the shipping industry.

Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

"As New Yorkers continue to make incredible strides in defeating COVID, we must focus on rebuilding and revitalizing our state for a post-pandemic future and nothing is more emblematic of this historic effort than Pier 76," Governor Cuomo said. "For years, Pier 76 was an eyesore that blighted the west side. However, thanks to the hard work of so many New Yorkers, this gorgeous new park will provide residents and visitors with incomparable access to outdoor recreational opportunities and cultural attractions like the Tribeca Film Festival for years to come."

The $31 million project included environmental abatement, repaving, and installation of railings and lighting.