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Barry Diller to Revive Plans for Floating Park at Pier 55

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Billionaire Barry Diller is not giving up on his beautiful renditions of a floating park at the site of the decrepit Pier 55 by the Hudson River. As reported by the NY Post, last Wednesday, he announced that he will be reviving the $250 million plan to create a massive floating park, this time with help from Governor Andrew Cuomo. “I’m going to make one last attempt to revive the plans to build the park, so that the intended beneficiaries of our endeavor can fall in love with Pier 55 in the way all of us have,” said Diller in a statement.

Activists including the City Club of New York and its financier developer Douglas Durst had thwarted the plans with a chain of lawsuits. Brokered by Gov. Cuomo, they have agreed to cease litigations, with the conditions that Cuomo promise to complete the unfinished 25 percent of the Hudson River Park, and that no harm be done to the local marine life in the Hudson River.

In September, Diller and his wife, Diane von Furstenberg, regretfully abandoned plans for the 2.7-acre oasis, dubbed “Diller Island”, due to the costly lawsuits. His plans to replace the rotting pier with grassy fields, paved walkways and three performance spaces saw costs skyrocket from $100 million to $250 million because of the ongoing litigations and the resulting delays. Cuomo was rightfully dismayed at the loss of the project, as Diller had promised to cover all of the funding for the project with minimal cost to the state or city. Upon the plan’s resurrection, the governor vowed to see the parkland fully completed within his next term in office, if he is re-elected to a third term. “We have had productive conversations and it has been agreed that the legal dispute commenced by the City Club will cease, Pier 55 will go forward, and we will work cooperatively to complete the full vision for the Park,” said Cuomo.

Mayor de Blasio, who had also tried to revive the plans, applauded the media mogul’s renewed interest. Mr. Diller, who spent over $40 million in legal battles for the project, says he has now been reinvigorated by public support to see the project through. “In the last month, I have been the recipient of so much importuning, from so many people, all with the same sentiment: They all express their hope that we not give up and instead find some way to proceed with building Pier 55,” said Diller.

By: Hellen Zaboulani

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