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Weather notwithstanding, it's a great time to be a New Yorker if you love parks. And who doesn't? In addition to our iconic mainstays (Central, Prospect), there are a bunch of cool new ones to check out (and more on the way!) Add to that list of exciting options Pier 97 at Hudson River Park, an extremely cool and somewhat science-fiction-y looking project coming to Hell's Kitchen.
Based on feedback from the community in the neighborhood, the park is designed to be an open space with a diversity of relaxing options available: go for a walk down a shaded esplanade! Kick a ball or whatever on some open grass! Bring friends and hang out by some modern picnic tables! You do you. Design firm Melk wants the park, located at 12th Avenue and 57th Street, to be "a distinct place in the city," a phrase that doesn't mean anything but is also very easy to achieve.
Oddly, one of the great things about living in New York is feeling like you can get out of New York while still staying in New York. And that, my friends, is what parks are for.
Construction on Pier 97 is set to begin in September 2020, so I would guess the goal is to be done by summer 2021. If you need a respite from midtown or a nice walk before you hit the clubs in HK, look no further.