The City of Climate Solutions: Indigo River and New York City By Luke Carothers
Like many coastal cities around the world, the stakes are much higher for developing climate solutions in New York City. Facing direct threats stemming from climate change, New York City has developed into an epicenter for climate change planning, action, and research. One firm built to thrive in such an environment is Indigo River. Found - ed in 2018 by Dena Prastos, Indigo River is a Waterfront Solutions company with specialists in a growing number of disciplines includ- ing architects, landscape architects, naval architects, urban planners, climate adaptation specialists as well as civil, geotechnical, structural, marine, and coastal engineers. United by a common purpose to improve the waterfront and driven by the impact on their own communities, Indigo River is at the fore- front of progress in their growing fields. Indigo River’s dedication to this common purpose is gaining a growing influence on the built environment of New York City’s waterfronts and shorelines. Indigo River is currently working with entities such as the Governors Island Trust, Scenic Hudson, and New York City Economic Development Corporation to both improve the city’s waterfronts and prepare a new workforce for jobs in green fields. Facing direct threats from climate change, New York City is respond- ing by launching projects such as the Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island that will not only help the city and its surrounding communities by researching and developing climate solutions, but also by providing workforce training and green jobs. Located off the south- ern shore of Manhattan, Governors Island has a long history of use for military purposes dating back to the 17th century. Since the military ceased operations on the Island in 1995, multiple improvements have been made to open the space up to the public including ferries and walking paths as well as museums and public spaces. In September 2020, plans were announced to develop a Center for Climate Solutions on the Island. This center will bring together communities of research- ers, educators, advocates, innovators, and policymakers to create, test, and implement climate solutions. While the Center for Climate Solutions is currently in the process of awarding the final scope to an academic institution, Prastos and Indigo River are helping prepare the Island to be the focus of climate solu- tions locally and globally, Indigo River was awarded the contracts to redesign and re-envision two of the Island’s primary piers: Yankee and Lima. Awarded in late 2022, this project is still in the early stages, but Prastos is quick to pick out the importance of this project–both symbolic and practical.
In the practical sense, the redesign of Yankee and Lima piers is a tremendous opportunity to build an important piece of infrastructure within the city. Hosting millions of visitors per year prior to the Center for Climate Solutions, Governors Island is only accessible via these piers, making them vital to the current and future functions of the
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csengineermag.com
April 2023
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