HQ served as historic tax credit consultants for the rehabilitation of Pier 57, a long-neglected pier on Manhattan’s west side. The pier was designed by civil engineer Emil H. Praeger and constructed between 1950 and 1954 for the NYC Department of Marine and Aviation. It was utilized primarily for freight but also served passengers under the Grace Line. From 1970—when freight and passenger service ceased—until 2003, the pier was used by the Metropolitan Transit Authority as a bus garage. At the outset of the rehabilitation in 2013, the pier had sat vacant for many years suffering from exposure to the marine environment and significant damage from Hurricane Sandy. The rebirth and reimagining of Pier 57 is the result of a partnership between the Hudson River Park Trust, RXR, Young Woo & Associates, and the pier’s tenants, Google, City Winery, Jamestown, and the James Beard Foundation. HQ worked closely with all stakeholders throughout the project, overseeing the tax credit application process on behalf of the developers and each of the tenants. The project, now completed and open to the public, includes a new public rooftop park, commercial office space, a performance venue, a food market, and environmental tech classrooms and community spaces.

The project began with the rehabilitation of the envelope of the pier and the integration of new building systems throughout the interior spaces. Key interventions included repairing the brick and limestone cladding and the original steel windows. Historic building signage and lighting were also restored. Across the north and south elevations of the pier shed, 128 sets of telescoping vertical lift doors were repaired, and flood-proofing was sensitively integrated across the perimeter. The roof, which was framed by tall steel burtons and designed for vehicle and freight storage, was reimagined as a two-acre public landscape featuring walking paths and stepped seating for outdoor screenings. Inside, the original spatial features were enhanced through functional integration with new tenant usages: the concrete ramp at the heart of the pier now guides visitors, rather than vehicles, from the restored passenger waiting room to the historic second floor. Steel columns and girders were left exposed to reveal the pier’s historic structural framework.

By blending a variety of cultural and economic sectors, Pier 57 brings renewed vitality to a significant yet underutilized structure along the Hudson River.