FRICTION NYC

If you’ve been along the Tribeca segment of Hudson River Park recently, you must have noticed the demolition of Piers 25 and 26. This is the third segment of seven that is under construction for the improvements to the park, spanning from Battery Park to 59th Street.

My daily commute to work from the West Village involves riding a bike along the Hudson River to Wall Street. This is when I noticed the deconstruction of my beloved skatepark, my second home, or as others call it, Hudson River Skatepark. As soon as I arrived at the office, I called the Park to see what its ill-fated future was. But to my suprise, the Director told me that the skatepark will be temporarily moved to a location near the Javit Center while construction is taking place this summer. And thanks to a $70-million grant from the feds, the design for Segment 3 in Tribeca includes a new concrete skatepark!

Now we’re talking. And if local veteran Andy Kessler has a hand in the design, you know it will be good. All I could find were a few renderings of the piers and a crude plan that shows the park. It doesn’t look any bigger than the old one, but I do see a little bowl there in the corner. No word on the completion date yet, but I’m guessing it won’t be open till next summer (2007).

Anyone know more details on the park design and construction?