Title: Holding Back the Tides: How Lower Manhattan is Handling Flood Resilience

As an island city, Manhattan is at the front lines in the battle against rising sea levels. The sea level around Battery Park has risen by nine inches since 1950, and this number continues to climb at a faster rate than ever before. 30,000 buildings in the city are already at risk of frequent tidal flooding, which has proven disastrous in recent years. But when the tide rises, so does the city’s determination to fight back. 

Following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Manhattan recognized the need to improve flood defense infrastructure. The storm, one of the worst in our city’s history, caused $19 billion in damage to the city and exposed how vulnerable coastal communities are to extreme weather events. Warmer oceans intensify tropical storms and warmer air causes heavier downpours, creating a cocktail of disaster for vulnerable areas. With sea levels projected to rise two feet by 2100, climate change has spurred the start of Battery Park City’s coastal resilience efforts. Battery Park City is particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding, with its waterfront location as well as its dense residential and commercial areas. Scientific models predict more frequent storm surges on top of steady sea-level rise, making long-term investment in coastal defense in Battery Park City necessary. The annual frequency of severe flooding has more than doubled since 2000, and high tide flooding, also called “sunny day flooding,” has become increasingly common. The project responds not just to immediate risks but also to future conditions that could alter the city’s shoreline. 

One of the project’s objectives is the integration of 8,000 feet of deployable flood barrier systems, especially on the North and West BPC perimeter. These barriers are a part of the $631 million North/West Resiliency Project. They can be raised ahead of storms and remain invisible the rest of the time, preserving waterfront views and allowing for public access. The system is designed to connect seamlessly with other neighboring phases of the resiliency project. Similar technology has already been integrated in European cities like Rotterdam. An elevated waterfront esplanade is to be constructed on the southernmost area of the park, featuring a terraced design that would effectively hold back the water level during the most severe flooding. 

Green areas, like the North Esplanade bordering Stuyvesant, are also targets for development. City planners aim to extend these coastlines to accommodate tiered construction that will serve two purposes: natural-looking flood redirection and accessible recreational spaces. Planners intend to extend coastlines and build tiered terraces that redirect floodwaters and create spaces for recreational activities, such as raised bike lanes and accessible seating areas. The new seawall would also feature a construction that allows aquatic organisms and plants to thrive on it, encouraging marine life by using textured surfaces and by using planters to support aquatic organisms. 

The resilience project also includes the construction of stormwater management systems, including a 63,000-gallon cistern in Wagner Park, salt plantings, rain gardens, and wet weather pumps. Future green spaces will also absorb floodwater, while providing ecological benefits like heat island mitigation. The park was raised 10 feet during reconstruction, reopened in 2025, and was one of the first projects in the nation to meet the Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines certification. Rain gardens and salt-tolerant plantings filter pollutants and withstand saline conditions. The proposed wet-weather pumps prevent flooding by collecting and moving large quantities of stormwater to prevent sewage system overflows during a particularly bad storm. 

In a developed area with so much existing infrastructure, it is a challenge to integrate flood-proof designs. However, Battery Park City’s blend of flood protection and green infrastructure can serve as a model for other vulnerable areas to combat the effects of climate change. With a total investment of $300 million, Battery Park’s strategy avoids the problem of inaccessible seawalls and barriers and serves as an example for accessible and more welcoming environmental design.