Governors Island has started tearing down and rebuilding its two main ferry piers in a $64 million overhaul designed to double passenger capacity on the only way in or out of the 150-acre former Coast Guard base. The Trust for Governors Island announced the rebuild of Yankee Pier and Lima Pier, which are about 60 years old and were built for U.S. Coast Guard use.
The project, first reported by Marine Log, will turn Yankee Pier into the island's primary passenger ferry gateway, with a widened rectangular deck built to serve up to four routes at once, a floating ferry landing compatible with more vessel types, and new amenities including wayfinding signage, canopy shade, seating and lighting. The rebuilt pier will sit at an elevation of 11 feet and will be engineered to withstand flooding and severe weather, according to the outlet. Lima Pier, meanwhile, will become a dependable second access point for deliveries, construction vehicles and emergency services, supporting infrastructure work, historic building revitalization, new facilities and park improvements across the island.
Governors Island now welcomes nearly one million visitors a year, Marine Log reports, having transformed from a seasonal getaway into a year-round destination over the past decade. Clare Newman, head of the Trust for Governors Island, said the investment will provide a year-round ferry gateway with room for more routes and New Yorkers in future years, per the outlet's report.
Why The Island Needs More Capacity Now
The pier upgrade is part of a broader effort to improve ferry access for the island's nearly one million annual visitors.
The island's nearly one million annual visitors underscore the need for reliable ferry access.
Service Shifts To Pier 101 Starting November 2
Demolition preparation for both piers is expected to begin this month, and passenger ferry service will continue serving Soissons Landing once Yankee Pier work is complete. Starting November 2, the NYC Ferry South Brooklyn route and the Trust's seasonal Brooklyn ferry service will be diverted to Pier 101 during Yankee Pier construction, with the Yankee Pier welcome center also relocating there for the duration of the project.
NYC Ferry has issued a public notice warning that the temporary move relies on a portable gangway ramp that could create steep inclines during extreme low tides, raising potential mobility barriers for wheelchair users, according to NYC Ferry. Construction is not expected to impact public access to the island's parks, public spaces or waterfront esplanade, Marine Log reports.
Environmental Protections During Construction
All in-water work will follow seasonal restrictions meant to protect fish and other marine life.
The pier project was coordinated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Marine Log reports. Design and construction contracts were awarded through competitive requests for proposals, with the pier renovation design going to a team led by Indigo River, a New York-based, women-owned transdisciplinary design studio, working alongside Assemblage Landscape Architecture and Collectif Engineering. Skanska will serve as construction manager for the project.
Part Of A Broader Green Harbor Push
The new piers fit into a wider push to green Governors Island's maritime operations. The Trust for Governors Island has announced the $33 million Harbor Charger, a hybrid-electric ferry.
That shift toward electrification has federal backing: a $7.5 million federal grant will support shoreside rapid charging infrastructure, according to the Trust for Governors Island.
