Diller Island has been Diller Island since the public first learned five years ago that billionaire Barry Diller was throwing down more than $100 million to build a spectacular new park at Pier 55 in the Hudson River. What else would you call a public park shaped by private interests, its cost jumping from $35 million to more than $250 million, its creator and visionary willing to litigate and Governate its way into existence, his check-signing hand steady and true? Today, Pier 55, Inc. announced that the official name of the park is "Little Island," which is far too modest a name for Diller Island.
"I want this park experience to be leaving the city and going to Oz," Diller says in a sizzle reel released today (does YOUR park have a sizzle reel? Didn't think so). "All of it is an oasis of everything fun, whimsical, playful, that we can conjure."
Laying down the concrete tulips.
The 2.4 acre park (one tenth of an acre smaller than Rat Island) is supposed to open in the spring of 2021. The structure itself rests on 132 massive concrete tulips, and was designed by Thomas Heatherwick's studio. Heatherwick also designed Vessel—another Manhattan landmark commissioned for its subtlety.
The landscape architecture is by Signe Nielsen of Mathews Nielsen, and the park will have rolling hills, 100 species of trees and shrubs, and an amphitheater. According to an agreement between Diller and the Hudson River Park Trust, which oversees Diller Island, 51 percent of the tickets for the performances will either be free or under $30 dollars—pretty darn good for Mallhattan.
A night rendering of Diller Island.
You can see some recent photos of the progress on Diller Island here. (Even the New York Times calls it Diller Island!) Gothamist obtained another uncut sizzle reel of Diller Island below.
