http://www.treehugger.com/
Not far from the High Line, another decaying piece of New York infrastructure is bound for a green revival: Pier 57, the decaying concrete hulk on New York's Hudson's River will be transformed into a rooftop park and open-air market sitting above a warren of art studios -- all of it made, appropriately for the port site, out of shipping containers. The board also admired the plan’s financial feasibility: YoungWoo’s proposal cost $191 million, compared to Durst’s $330 million and Related’s $353 million. Cost has been kept low, says LOT-EK, because of its dependence on pre-fab units.
Though the project may not be completed for another two years -- pending approvals and an environmental review -- the disused Pier 57 is due for a makeover. It gained notoriety in 2004 when it served as a detention center for protesters rounded up during the Republican National Convention. Lawsuits later complained of prolonged exposure at the site to motor oil, asbestos, and other contaminants.
