Climate change and rising water levels are not news anymore. What’s new is the renewed spirit of New York City in how to prevent massive disasters to its most vulnerable sections. Over the decades, the once never ending line of buzzing piers all across the shoreline of the East River and the Hudson river have disappeared and have been replaced by the largest financial district in the world, its countless shopping malls and an exploding population.

To do that, New York City has been reclaiming land from the sea for centuries.

Now, the more regular and stronger hurricanes and rising water levels are reminders that the sea is not just the subject of beautiful landscapes but it can also reclaim what it lost and bring destruction and mayhem.

As a countermeasure, structural works will begin towards the end of 2019 to fortify Lower Manhattan: New York City’s oldest and therefore most fragile section, as well as one of its richest. The shoreline of the East River will be extended up to 150 meters with elevated and reinforced land in order to protect the FDR highway, Battery tunnel and many subways tunnels. More flood protection will also be built at the Seaport area as well as at Battery Park City on the Hudson river.

The bottom line is that in the next 3 to 4 years, New York City will have changed once again and, we hope, for the better. So, don’t worry if you have not visited it yet. Like its inhabitants, New York City is very resilient and will still be there stronger and bolder posing for your pictures…only this time a little bit further away.

Stay tuned for new trends from New York City and until next time, go out there and see the world.