June 6, 2018
Happy birthday to an ambitious idea that ultimately would change the fabric of New York City. Fifty years ago, Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed the Battery Park City Authority Act. He was said to be “exuberant” at the prospect of creating a neighborhood where deteriorating piers were crumbling into the Hudson River.
Spearheaded by the Authority, innovative public and private partnerships over the next five decades helped extend the shoreline, construct new buildings and parks, and made Battery Park City real.
But it was the “pioneers,” starting in the early 80s, who took a chance on this new place, moved in, and made Battery Park City home. Many of them still live here today.
That journey to today did not come without challenges, of course. More than once this neighborhood has been tested – navigating periods of fiscal uncertainty, rising in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy, and weathering Hurricane Sandy.
Through all of this and more, Battery Park City, buoyed by a determined and caring community, has persevered.
But our work is far from done. That’s why our mission, building upon the legislation signed fifty years ago, is not only to develop but to sustain this community. We have a responsibility to help make the vibrant neighborhood we know and love today an enduring one. So we are looking ahead, investing in resiliency, championing environmentally friendly practices, pursuing opportunities to support affordable housing, and cultivating programs that activate our spaces and connect us.
Doing so is a team effort, and BPCA is lucky to be able to rely on many people to help carry Governor Rockefeller’s idea forward still. This includes leaders like Governor Cuomo and Lt. Governor Hochul, Chairman Dennis Mehiel, our committed Board Members, our dedicated local elected officials and Community Board 1 members, as well as the Authority’s talented and passionate staff – from gardeners to accountants – that make good things happen day after day.
But most of all, thank you to all of you who live, work, study, and visit here. No matter how promising that initial idea was 50 years ago, because of you, Battery Park City has become more than any one person could ever imagine.
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