Next Phase of Hudson Climate Adaptive Park Complete

Over the past year, work at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park has shifted from conceptual design toward more technical design documentation. The southern extent remains the center of Hudson’s waterfront recreational life, situated between the redeveloping Dunn warehouse & the park's edge/views of the Catskills. This shift toward more technical workflows emphasizes turning community-driven ideas into solutions that can be built, tested, and adapt resiliently over time.

Building on the priorities established during Phase 1 in 2022, the project team spent the past year working closely with New York State agencies to review and refine the design. Seasonal tidal flooding already impacts the park, and rising sea levels require an approach that accepts water in some areas while preserving the most heavily used parts of the shoreline. Intertidal habitat creation, selective shoreline elevation, and improved circulation support both ecological systems within the park and expanded public access.

Material selection has become an important design focus during this phase, balancing durability, climate resilience, and low-carbon goals. The design combines robust living shoreline systems with carefully selected materials that reduce embodied carbon while meeting performance requirements. Relocating parking away from the river’s edge prioritizes pedestrian use and helps the waterfront function as a continuous public space. Phase 2 also clarified and strengthened connections between the park and local communities, thereby creating opportunities for a future aquatic education center and a new public water access point.

Combined, these efforts are shaping Henry Hudson Riverfront Park into a resilient public landscape defined by technical rigor, intensive ecological restoration, and a long-term commitment to Hudson’s waterfront community, and they represent a meaningful step forward in strengthening resilience along the Hudson River.