Pier 55‘s new futuristic public park slated to open in the spring of 2021 has a new name.
The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, which is funding the pier’s development, announced on Wednesday that its moniker is now “Little Island.”
When it opens, the 2.4-acre green space within Hudson River Park at West 13th Street will be peppered with 100 species of trees and shrubs across “rolling hills,” walking paths and open lawns, but most notably, it will sit 15 feet above the Hudson River on 132 concrete support structures, which will give it an “undulating” appearance, according to the pier’s designer, Heatherwick Studio. All year, it will host arts, educational and community programming — some on its planned waterfront amphitheater.
“It’s a joyous feeling to see Little Island rise up in the Hudson River, and now I can’t wait for New Yorkers and its visitors to cross the bridge, leave the boisterous city behind, and play, lay back and be stimulated every which way by the Island,” the foundation said in a statement.
The project, which started with a budget of $13 million has reportedly ballooned $250 million.
