Cuomo announces $151M elevated promenade to improve Staten Island’s coastal resiliency

Governor Cuomo announced a $151 million plan on Tuesday to build an elevated promenade to improve the resiliency of Staten Island’s east shores during natural disasters. The seawall will stretch from Fort Wadsworth to Oakwood Beach to protect residents from coastal flooding, while simultaneously creating new wetland habitats and recreational amenities. The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation will hold a series of community-based design forums, allowing for Staten Island residents to offer direct input into the project’s final design, which will be complete in the winter of 2018, with construction expected to begin in 2019 and a completion date of 2022.

Taking precautions against storms at least the size of Hurricane Sandy, the seawall’s height will reach 20 feet above sea level. The plan includes creating wetland habitats and recreational amenities, like biking and walking pathways and access to public beaches. According to the governor’s office, the elevated promenade will be able to support a variety activities, like outdoor concerts, cultural festivals, beer and food tastings, as well as marathons and other community events.  At seven miles long, the promenade would be one of the longest in New York, compared to similar structures like Manhattan’s High Line at 1.3 miles long and Coney Island’s boardwalk at 2.7 miles long.

The Department of Environmental Conservation will hold a few interactive design forums to get feedback from the community about what the design should look like. The state plans on creating a project website to keep the public informed about the progress of the project, which is expected to be completed by 2022.

The project also includes the construction of flood resilient wetlands in Oakwood Beach, where the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery previously purchased more than 300 properties after Hurricane Sandy.

“This innovative project takes into account the diverse needs of the affected communities, protecting against future devastating weather events, enhancing access to the shore, creating vibrant, thriving wetlands and bringing peace of mind to those living along the Staten Island coastline,” Cuomo said.

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