River Walk (Manhattan)

About

River Walk was a proposal in the 1980s to construct a large mixed-use development on a concrete platform in the East River along the east side of the FDR Drive adjacent to the Kips Bay and Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village neighborhoods in Manhattan, New York City. The 30-acre (12 ha) project site ran from 16th to 24th streets, in an area of the river known as Stuyvesant Cove, and was located immediately south of similar platforms that had been constructed over the river for Waterside Plaza and the United Nations International School. Initial plans called for the development of nearly 1,900 apartments contained in townhouses and towers up to 32 stories tall, a hotel, commercial space (including offices, shops, restaurants and movie theaters), a marina, and a 9-acre (3.6 ha) park with a waterfront promenade.

Although River Walk was supported by Mayor Ed Koch, the project was opposed by residents of neighboring communities and the elected officials representing their districts. The proposal was ultimately withdrawn by the developer in 1990 and officially terminated by the city in 1992. The landside portion of the project site was subsequently developed by the city as a waterfront park, which opened as Stuyvesant Cove Park in 2002.