Overview
- The NYC Economic Development Corporation and Parks Department plan an outdoor fitness area with seating and an ADA-accessible layout at the former NYU parking site on the East River.
- The conversion is budgeted at roughly $1.1 million, with final design details still to be released.
- EDC President Andrew Kimball described the installation as temporary because extensive waterfront work will continue for decades.
- The city-owned lot had stored about 70 cars for NYU since at least 1991, with rent of $9,492.50 per month, and cars were cleared from the site last month after the lease ended in 2023.
- Community Board 6 and local officials pushed for the reuse, linking it to broader East River greenway goals, while a neighboring heliport poses noise and odor challenges for any permanent plan.