The city is going to install a new public pier at the end of Java Street in Greenpoint, plus bring in new ferry service.
The Economic Development Corporation last week began a search for an operator for the new Java Street pier to provide public access to the water — and also announced that it will soon seek bids on a ferry service at the foot of India Street, in anticipation of the burgeoning “residential community” that has begun to take shape since a major waterfront rezoning in 2005.
The goal, said EDC spokesman Dave Lombino, is “rejuvenating an underutilized portion of the Greenpoint waterfront [and] add to a more sustainable and comprehensive East River ferry service.”
But ferry service has not had smooth sailing on the East River. New York Water Taxi’s service from Schaefer Landing on the southside of Williamsburg has been on the chopping block since November due to lack of public subsidies.
And there might be other problems for the party that takes over the development of the pier. In the request, the city states that there is a landowner who claims that he owns part of the dock.
“The dispute is over a portion of the site and it’s the city’s position that the portion is owned by the [city],” Lombino said.
The pier, one of the only plots of land on the Greenpoint waterfront that’s city-owned, is now mostly submerged. It was once a functioning pier, but was taken down in 2000 because it was unstable.
Responses are due on Aug. 5.
