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Even though Manhattan is an island, it’s not commonly considered a toes-in-the-sand destination.
But New York City has plans to establish two new city beaches — with one slated to open to the public at the end of this coming summer.
The Manhattan-based beach will be built on Hudson River Park’s Gansevoort Peninsula at the city’s west end, a park spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
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The park’s website says the beach, located just north of W 12 St. near the Meatpacking District, will be built on solid ground and developed into a "large green oasis."
This includes a "beach" with places to lounge while taking in river views, as well as river access for kayakers and small boaters.
There's one caveat, however.
Swimming is not permitted — even though the Hudson River has made "a huge amount of progress" in terms of health since the Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s, the spokesperson said.
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In a statement to NY1, the Department of Environmental Protection said that New York Harbor is "the cleanest it’s been in the last 100 years, due to continued improvements to wastewater handling and treatment."
A rendering of Manhattan's newest beach, set to open in the summer of 2023. (James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust)
The statement also says, "But water quality can vary, especially after a heavy rain, which can flush out sewage into the river."
While Gansevoort isn’t designed to be a swimming beach, the park told Fox News Digital that there will be misting features to keep people cool.
The north side of the peninsula will feature a salt marsh — unique on the Manhattan side of the Hudson River — which is home to native grasses and plants that provide "valuable habitat," the park wrote on its website.
Hudson River Park's new Gansevoort Peninsula will include salt marshes on its northern edge, as the rendering shown here indicates. (James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust)
In addition to the beach and intertidal ecosystem, the 5.5-acre site will also include boardwalks, a large sports field, a dog run, an adult fitness area, restrooms and a small concession, along with pedestrian promenades and an art installation on the south end.
A second beach is slated to open near Domino Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, by 2028, a Two Trees Management spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital.
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At this beach, wading in the East River will be permitted.
Above, a rendering of the projected sports field at Gansevoort Peninsula. (James Corner Field Operations, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust)
"A couple [of] days ago, there were dolphins swimming behind me in the East River," Two Trees Management director Dave Lombino told NY1.
"The trajectory of water quality over time is a very sharp improvement."
He added, "The goal is to attract folks to the water’s edge, to let them interact with the East River in a way that they never have."
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Two Trees said that the goal is to allow full swimming, which will require clearance from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The beach will only be part of the larger build of Williamsburg's River Ring Waterfront.
The new development will also include a three-acre "world-class" public park, new affordable housing, a 50,000-square-foot YMCA facility and other state-of-the-art features, according to a press release.
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