Lower Manhattan is one step closer to becoming ultra-resilient. According to Crains New York, construction and engineering company AECOM and design firm Dewberry have been selected by the city to implement a portion of the ambitious BIG U resiliency infrastructure plan aimed at protecting downtown Manhattan from future superstorms like Hurricane Sandy. The team will be responsible for more than 3.5 miles of the area’s waterfront from Montgomery Street to the Lower East Side.
The city considered numerous proposals aimed at reinforcing the southern portion of Manhattan against storms since Hurricane Sandy devastated New York City in 2012. Created by the Bjarke Ingels Group, the Big U concept (named for the shape of Lower’s Manhattan’s coastline) was chosen as the winner in 2014. The project, estimated at $1 billion, is a highly-technical storm-shielding system designed to not only protect the area from future flooding and severe storm surges, but also to implement new social and environmental benefits for the community such as increased green space, public gathering areas, urban farms, and other amenities.
Related: New York City moves forward with BIG U plan to protect Manhattan from future super storms
According to a spokesperson from Dewberry, who is responsible for the water management portion of the project, the BIG U was broken into two smaller projects: East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) and Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR). The two objectives are both being overseen by Bjarke Ingels Group, but will eventually be linked.
Via Crains New York
Lead image via Bjarke Ingels Group
