In 1998, the passage of the Hudson River Park Act launched the transformation of Manhattan’s post-maritime west side waterfront into a blue and green oasis that welcomes millions of New Yorkers and visitors from around the world every year.
This revitalization didn’t take place overnight — in fact, it’s still underway, with the exciting openings of Gansevoort Peninsula, Pier 97 and the Pier 26 Science Playground.
In the galleries below, you can glimpse our piers when they were part of one of the world’s busiest working waterfronts, explore images of your favorite Park locations then and now, experience the pre-Park waterfront from the lens of local photographers — and enjoy some of our favorite moments from the last 25 years.
In this special digital exhibit, explore a selection of the works of photographer Shelley Seccombe, a longtime Greenwich Village resident, showing the conditions of the west side waterfront before it became Hudson River Park, depicting New Yorkers’ interactions and explorations among the ruins of the Hudson River piers.