Chief Financial Officer Pamela M. Frederick
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The Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority (the “Authority”) is a public benefit corporation created in 1968 by the New York State Legislature to be responsible for planning, developing and maintaining the residential, commercial, parks and open space located along the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan in New York City (the “City”). Home to 16,000 people, the work place of 40,000 more, and visited by more than a half-million people each year, New York’s Battery Park City is an asset to both the State and City.
According to the Battery Park City Master Plan of 1979, Battery Park City was envisioned not to be a self-contained community, but rather a neighborhood woven into our city’s fabric. Through its contributions, the Authority is deeply committed to the mission of providing resources for the good of neighborhoods across the five boroughs.
Battery Park City Authority has a long history of environmental leadership. Since its inception, the parks and open spaces in Battery Park City were designed with environmental quality as a priority. In the early 2000s, the Authority released environmental guidelines for residential buildings and commercial buildings, leading to the development of buildings that were well ahead of city, and even global standards at the time. The BPC Sustainability Plan, released in 2020, builds on Battery Park City’s robust environmental legacy with a refreshed commitment to take and facilitate bold and effective action to enhance sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Board and management of the Authority remains committed to encouraging and pursuing resiliency and environmental sustainability among its top priorities.
Through its layout and geographic orientation, Battery Park City is an intentionally knitted extension of the City’s streets and blocks. The names of streets heading east and west are purposely the same as those on the opposite side of West Street. Battery Park City was never considered an addition to New York City, but rather, a continuation of this dynamic City’s development into the 21st century.
The Waterfront Alliance has announced that the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project has become the 13th project nationally to achieve Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) verification. This distinction places the project, which is located at 20 Battery Place in Lower Manhattan, at the forefront of resilient, ecological, and accessible waterfront design.
The South Battery Park City Resiliency Project is designed to protect a significant segment of Lower Manhattan, including landmarks like the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Wagner Park, and Pier A Plaza. This area has been planned to counteract events related to sea level rise, such as coastal flooding and storm surges.
Developed in collaboration between the Battery Park City Authority and AECOM’s design team, the project introduces a range of resilience features integrated into the site. Wagner Park will undergo a transformation that that will conceal its seawall and resilience infrastructure. The park’s elevation will increase by 10 feet as a result of the project, offering protection against storms and providing expansive views of the New York Harbor. Additionally, the existing stone riprap along Pier A Inlet will be replaced with new terraced plantings to attract marine life, coupled with an overlook for educational purposes.
Throughout the design process, emphasis was placed on stakeholder engagement, leading to design alterations such as lawn scaling, safety enhancements, and a realigned bikeway. The project also prioritizes universal access, ensuring that all park users can navigate the site.
“In Battery Park City, with the urgency and care the moment demands, we’re adapting our waterfront to address climate change and simultaneously creating an even more beautiful and accessible park space for our residents and visitors,” said Battery Park City Authority president and CEO, Raju Mann. “We are honored to attain WEDG Verification from the Waterfront Alliance, an organization that has helped shape the New York City’s waterfront. The South Battery Park City Resiliency Project, including the redesigned and revitalized Wagner Park, will set the new standard for waterfront design excellence, flood protection, and functionality for the next generation of New Yorkers.”
U.S. cities and states are experiencing severe and increasing financial impacts as a result of climate change and extreme weather events. From 2010-2019, the U.S. experienced 131 climate-related disasters that generated losses of more than $1 billion each; this is a stark comparison to 33 such incidents in the 1980s.1
To both mitigate and respond to future events, U.S. municipalities are exploring ways to fortify infrastructure and provide energy-efficient affordable housing. Sustainability bonds, which fund projects with both environmental and social benefits, are one key way that cities and states are raising capital for these efforts. Here’s what institutional and retail investors should know about the market for sustainability bonds and some of the ways they are making a difference.
Construction is moving along on the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project (SBPCR), an integrated coastal flood risk management system at the southern tip of Battery Park City. Led by architect and engineer AECOM, the $221 million project involves the creation of an elevated landscaped waterfront esplanade spanning from the Museum of Jewish Heritage to Pier A Plaza, as well as the reconstruction of the Wagner Park Pavilion with a new design by Thomas Phifer and Partners. The SBPCR is one component of the 3.5-mile-long Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency (LMCR) master plan, which is engineered to reduce the risk of flood damage from storm events like Hurricane Sandy. Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority is the owner and EW Howell Co. is the general contractor for the property, which is addressed on permits as 20 Battery Place.
Recent photographs show the site fully cleared, with dirt raising its elevation higher than the street level of Battery Place. Some steel plates and columns have also begun to be placed for the new two-story Wagner Park Pavilion’s foundations. The 19,204-square-foot structure will sit 11 to 12 feet higher than its predecessor and contain a community room, a restaurant and public restrooms at ground level, storage space for staff, and an ADA-compliant roof deck. The building is being engineered to achieve ILFI Net-Zero Carbon Certification with geothermal heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, high-performance glazing, a highly insulated envelope, low-flow fixtures, and recycled building materials.
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Donald Capoccia is the managing principal and founder of BFC Partners, a real estate development company that has been involved in the planning, development and construction of some 12,500 units of housing in New York City with a combined value of $4.5B. His projects also include approximately 2,000,000SF of neighborhood retail and community facility uses. Mr. Capoccia began his development and construction activities in New York City in 1982, just prior to the completion of a Masters Degree Program in Urban Planning at Hunter College, and after completing a BA in Urban Studies from the University of Buffalo in 1979. Mr. Capoccia and BFC have focused predominately on the production of affordable housing, investing in a concentrated geographic strategy that has helped spur the resurgence of key New York City neighborhoods; the East Village, East Harlem, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn. Mr. Capoccia has pioneered the production, and promoted the importance of affordable home ownership opportunities to these neighborhoods.
For more information about our executive board, their schedule & past meetings please use the link below.
Lower Manhattan Climate Resilience Study (March 2019)
Sustainalytics Second Party Opinion - Sustainability Bonds
FY2019 Sustainability Bonds Reporting
Sustainability Plan April 2020
Green Guidelines September 2020
Sustainability Plan September 2020
Sustainability Implementation Plan September 2020
FY2020 Sustainability Bonds Reporting
FY2021 Sustainability Bonds Reporting
How NYC's Battery Park City Is Preparing for Rising Seas (Bloomberg) - 7/26/22