79th Street Boat Basin, New York City, August 30, 2025
News Summary
The city design review board has approved a new 3,800‑square‑foot, climate‑resilient dockhouse for the 79th Street Boat Basin as part of a $90 million marina overhaul. The one‑story building will be elevated on nine columns to meet flood‑zone requirements and feature a green roof, low‑luster stainless steel cladding, large corner windows with bird‑safe frit, and an angled plan to frame water views. The approval clears a major design hurdle for a 15‑acre revitalization that includes dredging, dock replacement and expanded environmental education partnerships, while targeting LEED Silver certification and improved long‑term resilience.
Public Design Commission Clears Climate‑Resilient Dockhouse at 79th Street Boat Basin as Part of $90M Overhaul
The city’s design review body has given unanimous approval to a new, climate‑resilient dockhouse at the 79th Street Boat Basin, clearing a major step in a long‑planned, $90 million revitalization of the 15‑acre site. The centerpiece is a 3,800‑square‑foot dockhouse designed to meet modern flood standards and to blend into the surrounding parkland.
What the approval means now
The approved design, prepared by a Brooklyn‑based architecture firm in collaboration with marine and record architects, lifts the single‑story structure above the river on a grid of nine columns to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency flood‑zone requirements. The building includes large corner windows for views, shading devices and a green roof to reduce energy use, and bird‑safe frit patterns on glazing. Exterior surfaces will use low‑luster stainless steel cladding that will reflect water and sunlight while keeping a low visual profile from nearby parkways and residences.
Project scope and context
The dockhouse is one part of wider work at the basin that will include dredging the harbor for the first time in decades, replacing aging docks, and expanding partnerships for education and restoration with local environmental programs and the public school system. The marina has a long waiting list for slips—roughly 1,000 people and about 15 years of demand—which underscores the community interest in restoring full operations.
History and urgency
The Boat Basin was opened in 1937 as part of a major West Side improvement program and developed into a hub of maritime life in the city. By the early 2000s the facilities were showing heavy wear, and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 severely damaged docks and the dockhouse. The infrastructure never fully recovered, and the Parks Department closed the marina in 2021 and required all tenants to leave. That closure was followed by a partnership with federal disaster funds to support the current $90 million overhaul.
Design intent and siting
The design aims to make the building feel embedded in the landscape rather than put on display. From the Henry Hudson Parkway the structure will be mostly hidden by topography and mature trees. From higher floors of nearby Riverside Drive apartment buildings the green roof will help the building read as part of the park. Architects used chamfered corners and an angled floor plan to sit the building into its specific site lines while keeping sightlines open across the basin.
Program and sustainability
Inside the compact dockhouse the program is focused on supporting year‑round marina operations, including Parks staff space, storage, and service rooms required to manage the city’s only live‑aboard slips that operate through all seasons. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification and includes passive design moves to reduce energy use.
Partners, approvals and next steps
The architectural design team worked with marine engineers and an architect of record to develop a plan that won unanimous design commission approval after several years of public review. With design approval in hand, the project moves deeper into permitting and construction procurement, followed by dredging and dock replacement phases. The timeline will also require new contracts and on‑site coordination to sequence work without further harm to parkland and habitat.
Staffing and project management needs
The revitalization will need experienced construction and design management. The key on‑site client liaison role is expected to act as the main point of contact between client and director, prioritize client needs, manage expectations against pre‑set project goals, and coordinate a wide range of stakeholders. Responsibilities will include daily client communication logs, weekly updates, overseeing delivery and installation, coordinating subcontractors with the general contractor, and managing projects from conception to completion. Minimum qualifications for such roles will likely include at least eight years of professional experience in design, architecture, or construction, a bachelor’s degree in a related field, willingness to travel monthly or bimonthly, and strong skills with project software and budget management.
Community impact and cultural memory
Restoring the Boat Basin is framed as both an environmental and cultural project. The basin once hosted a lively mix of houseboat residents, recreational users, and local figures who kept boats there. The new dockhouse and the broader revitalization aim to restore those functions with better resilience to future storms and rising waters, while expanding educational use tied to waterfront ecology.
FAQ
What was approved?
The city design commission approved a climate‑resilient 3,800‑square‑foot dockhouse and related design details as part of a larger $90 million plan to rebuild the 79th Street Boat Basin.
Why is the project needed?
The basin suffered heavy damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and had long‑standing deterioration. The marina closed in 2021, and the overhaul addresses flood risk, degraded docks, and decades of sediment buildup.
How will the dockhouse be protected from flooding?
The structure is elevated on a grid of nine columns to comply with FEMA flood‑zone rules and minimize damage from floodwaters and waves.
What sustainable features are included?
Key sustainable moves include a green roof, passive shading devices, material choices to limit maintenance, and a goal of LEED Silver certification.
Will boats and live‑aboards return?
Part of the plan supports year‑round live‑aboard operations and aims to restore dock and slip availability, but access and timelines depend on phased construction and permitting.
Who designed the dockhouse?
A Brooklyn architecture firm led the design with marine engineering and an architect of record partnering on structural and technical work.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project budget | $90 million overhaul with federal support |
| Dockhouse size | 3,800 square feet |
| Flood protection | Elevated on a grid of nine columns to meet FEMA standards |
| Sustainability | Green roof, shading devices, target LEED Silver |
| Materials | Low‑luster stainless steel cladding and bird‑safe frit glazing |
| Site work | Dredging (first time in decades), dock replacement, educational partnerships expansion |
| Community demand | Marina waiting list of roughly 1,000 people and 15 years |
| Historical origin | Opened in 1937 as part of a major West Side improvement project |
| Current status | Design approved by the public design commission; next steps include permitting and construction procurement |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- The Architect’s Newspaper: ARO 79th Street Boat Basin
- Wikipedia: 79th Street Boat Basin
- Business of Home: What Happened at New York’s Design Week
- Google Search: New York Design Week 2025
- Curbed: NYC x Design Week — 12 Chairs, MSCHF, Gaudí, USM
- Google Scholar: flood resilient waterfront design NYC
- Wallpaper: New York Art Exhibitions Guide
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Riverside Park (Manhattan)
- The New York Times: Design & Healthy Living (Aug 29, 2025)
- Google News: 79th Street Boat Basin
Author: Construction TX News
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