Hunter's Point South Waterfront Park Wetland Design & Permitting

Great Ecology served as the ecological consultant on the Arup and SWA/Balsley team for Phase II of the Hunter's Point South Infrastructure and Waterfront Park Project. The 37.5-acre former industrial site was revitalized into a landmark green space and commercial area in the heart of New York's urban area.

In support of Phase II, Great Ecology designed the ~1-acre tidal wetland mitigation and habitat creation in addition to extensive permitting support, including a Wetlands Functional Analysis. The wetlands were designed to fit seamlessly into the park and serve as both a functional and aesthetic focal point, connecting visitors with the native wetland habitat while providing storm surge and sea-level-rise buffering.

Our staff conducted an Evaluation of Planned Wetlands (EPW) to quantify the wetland functional capacity of the pre-existing wetlands onsite. The EPW informed design modifications to enhance ecological function and uplift of the proposed wetlands, resulting in a reduced amount of compensatory acreage required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The project required extensive coordination between stakeholders and city, state, and federal agencies including the NYC Department of Transportation, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and the USACE.