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 green-lights climate-resilient 79th Street Boat Basin dockhouse as part of $90M overhaul
City officials have approved a new climate-resilient dockhouse at the 79th Street Boat Basin, a key move in a broader $90 million effort to rebuild and modernize the marina more than a decade after it was ravaged by a major storm. The approval from the Public Design Commission came after years of design revisions and public review and clears a milestone in a project that includes dredging the basin, replacing docks and expanding community and educational programming.
What was approved and why it matters
The approved centerpiece is a new 3,800-square-foot dockhouse designed by a Brooklyn-based design firm in collaboration with engineering and architect-of-record partners. The one-story structure will sit elevated above the river on a grid of nine columns to meet current flood-zone requirements and reduce vulnerability to waves and storm surge. The building aims to support essential operations for the only city site that permits year-round live-aboards while minimizing visual impact on nearby parkland.
Design and resilience features
Designers balanced durability with subtle visibility. From nearby upper levels the structure will appear blended into the landscape thanks to a green roof and shielding from mature trees and topography. Exterior cladding will use low-luster stainless steel to reflect water and sunlight while avoiding glare. Large corner windows will frame views in multiple directions but will include patterned fritting to reduce bird collisions. Shading devices and the planted roof are intended to cut energy demand, and the project is targeting LEED Silver certification.
Project context and scope
The Boat Basin has been part of the waterfront since it opened in 1937 as an element of a large improvement project. Over decades it grew into a center of local maritime life, home to houseboats and recreational boating. Facilities deteriorated by the early 2000s, and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 left docks splintered and the previous dockhouse extensively damaged. The marina was fully closed in 2021, tenants were required to leave, and the Parks Department announced a joint overhaul with federal funds.
The dockhouse is one element of a 15‑acre revitalization that will include dredging the basin for the first time in decades, replacing docks, and new partnerships with education and restoration groups to expand programming and environmental work.
Community demand and program needs
The marina serves a large waiting list, underscoring demand for slips and live-aboard space. The waiting list for berths extends to roughly 1,000 people with waiting times reported in the range of 15 years. The dockhouse is designed to house Parks Department staff, gear storage and support services to operate the marina and serve resident boaters year-round.
Approval process and design team
The commission’s unanimous approval in August followed multiple iterations and public reviews. The design was prepared in collaboration with structural and marine engineering firms and a designated architect of record. The approval moves the project from design and review toward permit-ready documentation and eventual construction phases, though a formal construction start date was not specified in the approval notice.
Construction strategy and flood compliance
Elevating the building on columns addresses FEMA flood-zone rules and preserves views and park continuity. The one-story plan uses chamfered corners and an angled footprint to sit within the site geometry and to open sightlines toward the river. Materials and detailing were chosen to resist salt, wind and water exposure and to require limited visual intrusion into Riverside Park.
Project staffing and operational roles
Successful delivery will depend on close client-facing coordination. The project anticipates a main point-of-contact role responsible for day-to-day client communication, managing expectations against project goals, maintaining daily logs and weekly updates, coordinating delivery and installation, and working with principals, directors, manufacturers, architects, contractors and subcontractors. The role would oversee projects from concept to completion, prepare and update schedules, punch lists and budgets, and ensure on-time document submissions.
Minimum qualifications described for comparable roles 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, strong client-management experience and proficiency with common software tools such as spreadsheets, CAD and project-management platforms. A related job posting referenced a firm website and included standard site-use prompts.
Next steps and community outlook
With design approval in hand, the project moves toward permitting, procurement and construction phases. Planned basin dredging and dock replacement will proceed as separate but related elements of the broader overhaul. Community groups, marine users and education partners are expected to be involved as programming and restoration efforts are expanded. Exact timelines for phased reopening or return of former tenants were not provided at the time of approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly was approved?
Approval covers the design of a new 3,800-square-foot dockhouse that is elevated above the river and includes resilience, accessibility and operational spaces to support the marina.
Why is the dockhouse being rebuilt?
The existing facility suffered long-term deterioration and serious damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The rebuild is part of a resilience-driven program to protect infrastructure from future flooding and to modernize marina operations.
How does the design respond to flooding?
The building is elevated on nine columns to meet FEMA flood-zone requirements and to reduce risk from storm surge and waves.
What are the sustainability goals?
The project includes a planted green roof, shading devices and material selections to reduce energy use and is targeting LEED Silver certification.
Who designed the dockhouse?
The design was led by a Brooklyn-based architecture firm in collaboration with marine and structural engineers and an architect of record.
What else is included in the larger revitalization?
The program covers dredging the basin, dock replacement and expanded educational partnerships with local restoration and school groups, plus broader site and access improvements across the 15-acre property.
Key project features at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project cost | $90 million overhaul (city and federal cooperation) |
| Dockhouse size | 3,800 square feet |
| Site area | 15 acres of revitalization |
| Elevation strategy | One-story structure elevated on a grid of nine columns to meet FEMA standards |
| Materials | Low-luster stainless steel cladding; green roof; fritted glazing for bird safety |
| Sustainability target | LEED Silver target; energy reduction via shading and green roof |
| Program | Parks staff space, storage, services to support year-round live-aboards and marina operations |
| Community demand | Marina waiting list around 1,000 people, with long wait times |
| Historic note | Facility originally opened in 1937 as part of a major waterfront improvement |
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 CA News
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