Construction at Pier 26, the piece of Hudson River Park stretching out west in front of City Vineyard, halted but then was deemed an essential infrastructure project and geared back up again. My photos are now out of date — the ecological get-down, where most of these were taken, in fact is now finished. But they are so cool I thought they were worth sharing. Will get back out there soon for an update.

The landscape teams and electricians are on the site there now, installing pavers, railings, furniture, etc. There are some logistical delays due to the pandemic, but the project should still be finished late summer. Cross fingers.

This is a chance to see the eco-tech features that will not be so apparent once the project is finished. The wood used for the decking and the seating is a Norwegian product called Kebony. The company takes softwoods like pine and impregnates them with a kind of alcohol that comes from crop waste; that process changes the cell structure to make it perform like a hardwood. The stuff is not cheap, but it lasts forever and looks great.

Then there’s the giant sponges being used to create the “wetlands” at the end of the pier. This is the first time they have been used in an urban setting — usually they are seen bobbing around in real wetlands that are being restored. Each of the holes in the pictures below will be filled with spirulina, which will then take hold and grow above the water level.

For a better look at the finished product, see the renderings here. (And thanks to G. for that last bird’s eye view, looking down from IPN.)