New NYC storm surge map shows how climate change threatens affordable housing, upscale waterfront
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The Washington Houses is a 15-building complex operated by the New York City Housing Authority. It’s just a few blocks away from the East River but was unharmed during Hurricane Sandy.
The Washington Houses campus is dotted with flower and vegetable gardens.
Not far from the Washington Houses, the Isaacs Houses received an elevated annex to keep electrical equipment away from future floodwaters.
Luxury towers erected along the water are built on the site of one of the country’s largest oil spills. When it floods, this contaminated water can impact human health.
The Greenpoint and Williamsburg waterfront is a popular destination for its river walk with views of Manhattan on one side and a competing skyline of opulent towers on the Brooklyn side.
The local community board for Greenpoint and Williamsburg say that there are 20 towers, 30 to 40 stories each, that are in the works for the neighborhood.
The local community board said that the construction boom on the Greenpoint and Williamsburg waterfront has not reached its apex yet.
The East River Houses is one of 35 NYCHA complexes damaged during Hurricane Sandy. As part of the recovery from the storm, the complex received floodproofing and a new rooftop electrical annex.
NYCHA said it’s spent close to $2.5 billion on post-Sandy repairs and resiliency projects.
A cyclist bikes past a fenced-off portion of the East River Esplanade. The waterfront was damaged during Hurricane Sandy. The city has made some repairs since then, but advocates are calling for the waterfront to be elevated to protect against future storms.