NYC floating pool coming to the Lower East Side (eventually)
+ POOL, designed by Family New York & PLAYLAB, INC. Rendering by Luxigon.
Plans to bring a self-filtering floating pool to the East River are taking a small step forward this month. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams named Pier 35 on the Lower East Side as the official location for the +POOL, a first-of-its-kind swimming pool that uses a unique filtration system to provide safe swimming. Thanks to joint funding from the city and state, a three-month water filtration demonstration project will begin this month. A prototype of the +POOL structure could be ready by the summer of 2025.
The nonprofit +POOL first proposed a self-filtering floating pool in 2010. The group has collaborated with the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and local stakeholders for more than a decade to create a plan, analyze the city’s water quality, and identify the best location for the pool.
In May 2021, +POOL received approval to continue with the creation of a +POOL on the south side of Pier 35 on the Lower East Side. In January, Hochul and Adams committed $16 million to the nonprofit group.
Starting this month, the filtration demonstration project at Pier 35 will “ensure this innovative model can safely provide swimming access” by testing the water quality and evaluating requirements from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The data will be available to the public and be assessed by the city.
According to the nonprofit, the scaled version of the filtration system is mounted on a 110-foot by 36-foot floating barge, situated south of Pier 35. The system will bring raw river water to an “acceptable microbiological standard for swimming.”
Following the pilot filtration system, the goal is to launch a 2,000-square-foot portion of the filtering pool and its technology by summer 2025.
“The interagency and community collaboration to bring NYC’s first water-filtering floating swimming pool to life has been incredible,” Kara Meyer, +POOL Managing Director, said. “It demonstrates New York at its best–when the people are working together to advocate for change, evolve systems, design solutions, test concepts, and build innovations. It’s what makes New York, New York.”
The pool’s structure is plus-shaped with four pools in one: a kiddie pool, a sports pool, a lap pool, and a lounge pool. The walls filter river water and remove any bacteria and contaminants, leaving behind safe swimming water.
The innovative swimming pool is part of a broader effort by the governor to expand access to swimming across the state. Hochul plans to construct public pools in high-need areas, including in urban environments, and invest in the maintenance of parks and pools across NY.
“Through innovative solutions like + POOL, we are providing children and their families with safe spaces to swim in New York City,” Hochul said. “NY SWIMS is the largest statewide investment in swimming since the New Deal, and we’re increasing access to pools while helping our kids learn how to stay safe in the water.”
NY SWIMS will provide $150 million in public funding to build 10 new landmark swimming pools in underserved areas and communities most at risk of extreme heat events. The program will also promote the creation of innovative pool designs, like +POOL, and install temporary pop-up pools.
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