Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

This is the futuristic $130 million floating park being built on a New York river

Wow.

IAC CHAIRMAN (AND billionaire) Barry Diller announced earlier this year that he and his wife are funding $130 million of a $170 million floating park in the Hudson River called Pier 55.

On stage at Business Insider’s Ignition conference, Diller said that he feels lucky to be part of such an ambitious project.The park will be built 186 feet off the Hudson River shoreline, near 14th Street in New York City.

PastedImage-79301

It will be supported by 300 mushroom-shaped concrete columns (“Not the kind of mushrooms you probably hope,” Diller joked to Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget).

PastedImage-96054

“We’ve been plotting this for almost two years,” Diller says. “It will take us another four years to actually build it.”

PastedImage-95802

The park will have gardens, wandering paths, and a 700-seat amphitheatre.

The park will have gardens, wandering paths, and a 700-seat amphitheater.

"It will be a performance place for every kind of discipline of music, spoken theater, ballet, orchestra," Diller says.

PastedImage-85284

He says he feels lucky to be working on it.

 

PastedImage-17475

The $113 million pledge by Diller and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, is the largest private donation to a public park in New York City history.

PastedImage-76214

The new pier was designed by Heatherwick Studio in collaboration with landscape architect Signe Nielsen.

PastedImage-21697

One of the most extraordinary (and decadent) houses in the US is on sale for $85 million…

Check out the tiniest apartment in Paris – yes, that’s the bed in the cupboard

 

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Published with permission from
View 19 comments
Close
19 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ruth
    Favourite Ruth
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:25 PM

    Totally cool.

    What’s the grim reaper up to just left of centre pic. 3?

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pokey2013
    Favourite Pokey2013
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 5:18 PM

    Well spotted!

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute fact&ionlydealinfact
    Favourite fact&ionlydealinfact
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:10 PM

    Will they let ordinary people on is it just for Manhattan millionaires?

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:33 PM

    The clue is in the phrase “public park”.

    111
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SMcB
    Favourite SMcB
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:12 PM

    This really is a ridiculous waste of money in an age when people are still dying of hunger.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George Orwell
    Favourite George Orwell
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:20 PM

    Easy for you who has no money to say that.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
    Favourite Neal Ireland Hello
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:34 PM

    People die of depression in big cities like this. Decent public spaces help.

    77
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SMcB
    Favourite SMcB
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:56 PM

    Ok George…

    There’s plenty of open space in NYC for people to ramble around…. Central Park is pretty big…

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute George Orwell
    Favourite George Orwell
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 5:16 PM

    So what? Cities are static models. They change.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Bowden
    Favourite Jack Bowden
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 11:36 PM

    This won’t stop any crops from being grown or it won’t make anyone hungrier so I don’t get the conflicting interests. We can’t all sit around and do nothing ever again because there’s people going hungry.
    It’s such a cool idea. It might become another huge tourist attraction for the city.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tractor1000
    Favourite tractor1000
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 8:25 PM

    Great idea! Give it a rest with the starving and homeless lark! Go donate your wages if you feel so bad!

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P O Leary.
    Favourite P O Leary.
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 7:59 PM

    Looks brilliant. And seems like a bargain if it comes in at $170m(imagine what it would cost if built here)

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cosmological
    Favourite cosmological
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:07 PM

    Magic mushroom – who can complain?

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute david dickson
    Favourite david dickson
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 4:22 PM

    Nice but Ihope they put a runway on it just in case another plane lands in the Hudson.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Rothwell
    Favourite Alan Rothwell
    Report
    Dec 7th 2014, 9:16 AM

    “Floating Park”?! Not exactly, if it’s bring supported by concrete mushrooms

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian magee
    Favourite brian magee
    Report
    Dec 7th 2014, 12:12 AM

    Typical journal article missing the fine detail. What size will it be? How many acres?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute peter
    Favourite peter
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 8:03 PM

    Wow that’s great I’m sure all their homeless and starving love that idea.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian magee
    Favourite brian magee
    Report
    Dec 7th 2014, 12:13 AM

    Homeless articles are that way –> let’s see if you can bring irish water and the bakers into the mix.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Decky MrBoombastic Rowemantico
    Favourite Decky MrBoombastic Rowemantico
    Report
    Dec 6th 2014, 11:57 PM

    Looks like Slane, kinda!

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds