Little Island at Hudson River Park

The opening of Little Island in May 2021 has brought an exciting new 2.4-acre public oasis to Hudson River Park, for which AKRF has provided environmental planning and permitting services since its inception, along with a variety of engineering and support services. We prepared a critical sun exposure study for the reopening of Pier 54/55 as Little Island – designed by Thomas Heatherwick and Mathews Nielsen. Adjacent to the pier, we supported landside transportation and civil engineering efforts for a wide new pedestrian path and improved bikeway linking Little Island with other sections of the park.

Our sun exposure analysis was conducted to determine the daily extent and duration of sunlight on the river under and around the proposed pier, compared with the previously approved pier. The study showed that the portion of the river that would receive minimal to no sunlight would be substantially reduced in size with the proposed project, attributable to Little Island’s comparatively higher elevation, particularly on the southern side. AKRF concluded the proposed project would not cause significant adverse impacts to aquatic ecology due to shading.

Little Island is located between two other AKRF projects: redevelopment of the historic Pier 57 into Google offices and a mix of cultural, recreational, and public market activities, and “Day’s End,” an in-water sculpture by David Hammons donated to Hudson River Park by the Whitney Museum that outlines in steel the former Pier 52 on the park’s Gansevoort Peninsula.

(Photo by Ashok Sinha Photography)