Proposed sites
Sept. 16, 2015 By Christian Murray
The Long Island City ferry dock is likely to be located on northwest corner of Center Boulevard, according to representatives from the Economic Development Corp who spoke at a joint Hunters Point Parks Conservancy/Hunters Point Civic Association meeting at the Irish Center last night.
The EDC is currently working on expanding the East River ferry service and aims to introduce a new line by 2017 that will run from Hallets Cove in Astoria to Roosevelt Island, to Long Island City, to East 34th Street and Wall Street in Manhattan.
The Long Island City ferry dock will be in addition to the existing dock at Hunters Point South.
James Wong, director of ferries for the EDC, said the agency is currently evaluating the Center Boulevard site and another on 44th Drive (north of Anable Basin by Water’s Edge), but that the Center Boulevard is likely to be selected.
“Right now, for a 2017 launch, we think Center Blvd is the best option; it’s really the only option at this juncture,” he said.
Wong said the EDC wants the Long Island City service to attract a high ridership from the get-got and therefore believes that it makes sense for the dock to be located right next to the residential buildings. Wong said that the 44th Drive location is more isolated and much harder for existing residents to walk to.
However, some attendees disagreed arguing that the 44th Drive location is better suited since it is more accessible to the growing number of Court Square residents and for residents who live on the periphery of Long Island City who might want to drive there to use the ferry.
They claimed that there is a lack of parking near the Center Boulevard site.
Wong said that the EDC is likely to reevaluate the location in 3 to 5 years based on how the community develops. He said that the gangways and the barges (used for the docks) can be moved without any great time or expense.
Wong said that all the riders’ needs will be taken care of on the barge—such as ticketing and shelter from cold winds– and that there shouldn’t be any lines that spillover onto Gantry Plaza State Park to disrupt park users.
The EDC will be conducting an environmental impact study to assess noise, pollution and traffic.
However, Wong said that other docks are located near residential buildings, much like this one, and does not anticipate any major problems.
The design and construction is expected to begin in early 2016.
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22 Comments
I vote for Anabel Basin. I commute on the ferry everyday, but will be moving more north in lic closer to the Anabel Basin. I think it geographically makes more sense to have it more northbound as the current residents along that area will continue to use the existing dock as the most convenient. There will be more expansion northwards in the court square area as these areas become more residential and retail oriented with the rezoning for towers.
And where exactly is the public open space and public waterfront access in this vicinity? And where to the restored /rebuilt wetlands get constructed?
A greener new New York needs a working waterfront and an accessible waterfront and an environmentally sustainable waterfront.
Of course there will be horns, hello! Oy oy oy!
Not agree with “environmental impact study”, you have not seen environmental impacts of noises, crowd & tossed garbages in S. HUNTERS park LIC Landing. The study was not accurate in my opinion who takes daily walks in Gantry park & should have more carefully looking into impacts. We do not need another Ferry boat dock in Gantry park.
who uses the basin anymore? let the developers fill it in with more buildings.
Why can’t they use/expand the ferry terminal at LIC Landing? The infrastructure is there: comfort station, shelter, Citibike to get around further in Hunters Point, even food/bev. Riders who want to transfer ferries can do so without hauling over to the next station.
LIC Landing is half a mile away from the proposed site as it is. People look at Hunters Point and think its the entire LIC, but that’s so wrong – the real growth in this neighborhood moving forward is over a mile away from that site – both residents, hotels etc.. Court Square and its surroundings will dwarf the waterfront in the near future. If they insist on putting it where they want to now, it would be pretty dumb not to include a pedestrian bridge over Anable Basin to help capture those other riders.
But Court Square has great access as it is with the several subway lines that pass through that area.
Why not keep the dock on 44th Drive and build a pedestrian bridge to Centre Blvd? Anable Basin is narrow enough, and the large number of residents in Queens West would really benefit in having this additional ferry service.
Can’t wait! This is a great idea, and the perfect location for it.
Where is CB2 on this? This will be more noisy (engine/horn) and impact more people in the community than any use of outdoor space on Vernon.
Unless I’m mistaken, O’Brien believes that 44th Dr. is a better option to serve the future growth of the neighborhood.
Of course he does – there’s probably someone padding his pockets to think so – maybe that guy from Water’s edge who just got in trouble?
CB2 deserves no say and no respect until they clean up their act and abide by the laws put in place to govern all community boards. If CB1 and CB3 can follow the rules, so should CB2.
This is extremely close to 3 residential buildings who would get to hear the horn every day starting before 7 am yet Wong has no concerns about noise? Seems he is pressing his agenda without real thought. The lack of parking which was raised is also a legitimate concern that shouldn’t be dismissed.
But they will hear the horn regardless of which site is chosen.
It they chose the 44th Drive no one will take it and they’ll discontinue it, plain and simple. It happened several times with the Water Taxi Beach ferry and has happened with the Rockaway ferry too. They need riders to take it. As many as possible and not ones that will drive to the ferry. That’s the whole purpose to get cars off the road and people using public transportation, not cars!
I feel bad for those people in the towers. The horns going off all the time will be annoying as hell. And required by federal law, so they can’t do use them. Huge issue in Williamsburg years ago about it.
I live in one of those towers and think Center Blvd is the way to go. Just add the horns to the noise that comes from the cheesy patrons of Blend, the helicopter port and the sea planes. It’s all part of living in a popular, crowded city. At least the windows are double paned and this is still the quietest place that I have lived in 20 years in NYC. I agree about the cars. Cars are a problem and we should not cater to them but rather make it harder for them. Screw cars.
Points well taken.
But I wouldn’t feel too bad for people who can afford to blow $4500 a month on rent. They’ll be OK.
I live in a 2 BR 2 bath and my rent is not close well below $4000.
Class envy? Well, I don’t feel bad for people who are being priced out of the neighborhood. Bring on more rent increases!
Looks very short sighted as a decision. I don’t buy the notion they would simply move the dock one day
I agree. It doesn’t seem like they’re keeping an eye on the future of the neighborhood. Only what they see right in front of them today. Despite this project being two years off. And I really do doubt they will up and spend the time/money to move it at any point in the future. Someone needs to build this pedestrian bridge…