According to Lendlease, the company that owns the ferry pier and the lot behind it at 1 Java Street, the ferry’s return to Greenpoint is “imminent.” Greenpointers sat down with Lendlease to discuss the long-awaited return of the India Street ferry stop.
Greenpoint residents may recall that NYC Ferry has not stopped in Greenpoint since its abrupt closure on May 23, 2021, leaving locals without this mode of transportation for over a year. Originally, an update said the ferry stop would be closed for a few months, however, following updates marked its return for May 2022, then June 2022, and finally September 2022. The most recent update said the ferry would return to Greenpoint in August 2022.
“We are targeting for work to be completed by the end of August,” said Isaac Henderson, Development Director at Lendlease. “Getting the ferry up and running is not as easy as it seems,” continued Henderson.
As Greenpointers previously reported and Henderson again confirmed, three regulatory agencies were involved in the permitting process. Both environmental and construction permits had to be obtained through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the NYC Small Business Services.
The second factor contributing to the delay was a moratorium on in-water construction in place by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation that ended in May. This moratorium is in place to protect aquatic life in the waters surrounding Brooklyn and the other boroughs.
“We haven’t wavered in our commitment to getting it done,” said Henderson, who explained that Lendlease is committed to bringing back the ferry in a safe and sustainable way.
Lendlease told Greenpointers that this disruption of over a year was caused by one pile malfunction. The piles are supposed to last forty years, and this particular pile at the Greenpoint ferry stop lasted only five years.
To prevent future problems, Lendlease increased the number of piles and the size of the piles. They also hired third party engineers to inspect the piles and ensure they will not be defective in the future. “We wanted to focus on this not happening again,” said Henderson.
As of this week, five piles have been drilled into the water’s bottom. Over the next two to three weeks, rock sockets and concrete will secure the piles in the water. “There are always unknowns when constructing in the water,” explained Henderson, “and the next two weeks will be critical.”
Finally, when all construction on the piles is complete, Hornblower, who owns NYC Ferry, will need to perform tests with the ferry boats to ensure everything is working properly. Lendlease is in constant contact with Hornblower so that they are ready to test as soon as possible.
Although Lendlease could not give a definite date for the ferry’s return to Greenpoint, Henderson said, “I assure you it is imminent.”
In two to three weeks, when the piles are secure, and if there are no unforeseen problems, Lendlease will not only announce a return date, but also announce a celebration they are calling a “ferry appreciation party.” Lendlease is partnering with local vendors to give out food and beverages on the pier at no cost to ferry riders.
“We recognize what a great resource this is,” Henderson said, referring to the ferry, “and we appreciate everybody’s patience.”
Henderson continued by saying that the Lendlease team will be Greenpointers themselves in the future, referring to the building at 1 Java Street, directly in front of the India Street ferry pier. Although the building will not be completed until late 2025 or early 2026, construction has already commenced.
The foundations for the building at 1 Java Street will be cemented from now until August 2023, with shoreline construction taking place for the next few months, until November. Lendlease confirmed that the site will include a park on the waterfront. Behind the park, retail space will be located on the ground floor of the building, and there is also the possibility to have a waterfront restaurant.
Lendlease made assurances that access to the ferry will remain open throughout construction. They also posted an email address, [email protected], for locals to contact with questions or concerns, or to be added to a list to receive updates about the ferry and construction at 1 Java St.
UPDATE as of Aug 25, 2022! – I just contacted Lendlease for an update because I am one of those people who depends upon the ferry to get me to work in Manhattan, and THIS was their response (asterisks around the KEY info):
Greenpoint Ferry Landing Launch Update
Update: August 25, 2022
In-water construction at the Greenpoint ferry landing is on-going, and we’re happy to see that significant progress has been made.
*******However, the rock socketing process to secure the piles in place is taking longer than expected and we now anticipate the launch of the landing to be at the end of October or early November. *******
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Is there a Greenpoint based neighborhood group that can be joined to get this project done ASAP? This is outrageous. Next will be an excuse that they can’t finish it this year after all because they’re running into the same “concerns” some East River regulatory body had over them working on the pier late last fall! It’s ridiculous, and SOMEBODY (Emily Gallagher, Assemblywoman for our neighborhood, are you listening??) needs to prod them to get this done ASAP. No more excuses!
Pretty sure this is a case of hardball money dealing over liability – Lendlease, a private company owning a pier servicing another private company’s ferries, to carry NYC passengers to and fro….what happens when a ferry caught gets in a strong current rams the Greenpoint pier and a 30 something millennial lawyer passenger gets hurt, or worse, is sitting next to a elderly grandmother out and about with her grandson…oh boy…better that NYC own the pier and the liability.