Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
Their pledge of over $113 million will be the single largest private donation to a public park in New York City history, according to Capital New York.
And now, the project will officially be built after a unanimous vote by the Hudson River Park Trust approving the plan on Wednesday, according to DNAinfo.
Construction will begin on the park in 2016, and it is expected to be completed by 2019. According to DNAinfo, "more than half of the performances in the pier's amphitheater will be free or 'low-cost.'"
The new addition to the waterfront will be called Pier 55 and is expected to cost more than $130 million. The City of New York will provide $17 million to the project, while New York State will provide a separate $18 million for the construction of a public esplanade that will lead into the pier.
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
"New York has always reminded me of Venice, so I am happy the time has come to properly honor its waterways," Von Furstenberg said in a press release.
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
To oversee the park's performance venues, they have recruited Oscar-winning producer Scott Rudin, playwright George C. Wolfe, producer Stephen Daldry, and Kate Horton.
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
"Unexpected topography and captivating spaces will create physical, visual and cultural experiences found nowhere else in the city, much less on the waterfront," Nielsen said in the press release. "The drama and delight of the landscape will make this a magnificent destination that will define a new paradigm of public parks."
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio
"Pier55's imaginative, almost dreamlike design and artistic ambition will touch everyone who visits. This park will be an invaluable public asset for our city for generations to come," Margaret Newman, executive director of the Municipal Art Society, said in the press release.
Pier55, Inc./ Heatherwick Studio