Weehawken’s Lincoln Harbor neighborhood has a brand-new waterfront attraction and a few more nearby revamped piers will be coming soon, which is helping spark some residential growth in an area that has some of the best Manhattan views you can find.
The latest project to open in the enclave, which just north of the Hoboken border, is the $3.1 million Weehawken Recreational Pier. The structure stretches nearly 500 feet into the Hudson River directly opposite the Empire State Building. Designed by McLaren Engineering Group in collaboration with RSC Architects, the project features a “pod” design with a series of platforms and interconnected walkways, which provides a variety of destination points for visitors.
“McLaren developed the groundbreaking new ’pier pod’ design concept, and we believe it’s a bold, revolutionary new way to construct piers compared to traditional box-like configurations,” says Shea Thorvaldsen, P.E., Director, Infrastructure and Marine at McLaren Engineering Group. “Because there is no heavy structure, a pier designed this way is much cheaper to build and offers the ability to expand easily.”
The pier boasts five pods connected by 10-foot-wide walkways. Some of the pods were designed to facilitate specific activities, with one featuring a boat launch pod for kayakers and another one designed for fishing and educational visits.
The new Weehawken Recreation Pier has undergone rigorous testing to ensure its stability and longevity. It replaces a structure that was destroyed back in 1993 and is something Weehawken has been trying to get done for over 15 years.
McLaren is also developing two other similar waterfront designs for Transmitter Park and Java Street in Brooklyn. Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner says the company was great to work with. “We were happy that the project came in with no additional costs and it’s designed to withstand the weather of the area,” he says.
Just down the road from the newly-opened pier, another waterfront renewal is well underway. 1500 Harbor Boulevard, right next to the Chart House Restaurant, will house the new offices of the Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club, replacing their old facility that was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Starting construction earlier this year, it will also contain residential units overlooking the yacht club’s boat slips.
Lincoln Harbor has great light rail and ferry service and has seen a few new apartment complexes like The Estuary open in recent years. With the nearby Port Imperial neighborhood booming, it might not be long before more development hits Weehawken’s waterfront.
