Saturday, May 8th, 2010, 9:30 AM-3:00 PM, at the City College North Academic Center. The Waterfront and Economic Development Committee of Community Board 9 is inviting West Harlem residents to come up with some ideas on what to do with the abandoned sanitation station at 135th Street and the Hudson called the Marine Transfer Station (lower photo). We found the above archival image (circa 1895) of the Columbia College Boat House that was at 115th Street and thought that reviving this type of facility could be a great solution. A boat house would be a structure that fits in with the new West Harlem Piers waterfront's recreational theme and provides more athletic options in the warm weather seasons. A riverfront restaurant inside the boat house would even be more amazing. Any suggestions out there? See the www.WeAct.org website for more information:
LINK
Saturday, May 8th, 2010, 9:30 AM-3:00 PM, at the City College North Academic Center. The Waterfront and Economic Development Committee of Community Board 9 is inviting West Harlem residents to come up with some ideas on what to do with the abandoned sanitation station at 135th Street and the Hudson called the Marine Transfer Station (lower photo). We found the above archival image (circa 1895) of the Columbia College Boat House that was at 115th Street and thought that reviving this type of facility could be a great solution. A boat house would be a structure that fits in with the new West Harlem Piers waterfront's recreational theme and provides more athletic options in the warm weather seasons. A riverfront restaurant inside the boat house would even be more amazing. Any suggestions out there? See the www.WeAct.org website for more information: LINK
I just took a look at the Google satellite map and street view from the West Side Highway -- what is the smaller structure just to the south of the transfer station on the Hudson? Is it part of the same complex / abandoned property?
ReplyDeleteIt often smells over there because of the sewage treatment plant just to the north. I'm not sure how appetizing a restaurant would be in this location.
ReplyDeleteThe River Room restaurant is part of the sewage/park complex at the 145th Street end.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to my question above, the smaller structure marked "pumping station" in the following set of plans from 2004:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cb9m.org/docs/hw_winter04.pdf
Between the pumping station and the Harlem Piers Park area in the plans, there is also a feature marked "kayak float." I'm not sure if this exists or will exist -- it's not visible in the satellite photo.
Hopefully some people can show up to this meeting to push back on CB9's hair-brained obsession with aquaculture. I'm not sure why they think there is a market for fish farmed next to a sewage facility. Not to mention that aquaculture would have negative environmental consequences of its own.
ReplyDeleteThey (CB9 and others) have been talking about the transfer station for years, and yet somehow this is the best they can do. The same handful of folks, who take themselves to be synonymous with "the Community," just keep getting together in an endless cycle of self-consultation and buzzword swapping. Meanwhile, nothing much happens.
Just about anything -- whether a boat house, restaurant, commercial facility, or even dismantling the thing into "open space" -- would be better than their aquaculture proposal.
WeAct has done some good work just to get to this point with the city, but in their planning efforts they need to have some voices countervailing the conventional wisdom.
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2009/03/04/old-marine-station-gain-new-green-life
ReplyDeleteDismantling the whole thing and turning it into open space with some benches and greenery would be best.
ReplyDeletePlease tear this eyesore down. Its ridiculous with budget cuts, etc. that the community board is considering another facility for the community. We have enough facilities. Boat houses on the Hudson are not a good idea. BUT, boat houses on the Harlem river should be priority.
ReplyDeleteThe Marine Transfer Station should be torn down. It is too expensive to restore and maintain.
What's Columbia's stake in this?
ReplyDeleteColumbia has a huge stake in the area, including the immediate environs of 12th Ave in Manhattanville -- but they also have every incentive to keep their heads down and mouths shut until the Court of Appeals rules in their favor and they are able to proceed with construction in earnest.
ReplyDeleteJust send a RFP and see what ideas come in...
ReplyDelete