About

The Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Plan is a joint effort led by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Mayor’s Office of Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) to transform the waterfront, creating a place that serves New Yorkers better than before. The Master Plan, which outlined a conceptual design for protecting Lower Manhattan from sea-level rise and coastal storms, was released in December 2021. Since the release of the conceptual design, the design has continued to be advanced and refined to respond to stakeholder needs, technical constraints, and regulatory considerations.

Climate Change Isn’t Coming, It’s Here.

NYC is increasingly vulnerable to flooding due to climate change. More intense coastal storms, rising sea levels, and extreme precipitation are already causing flooding across New York City. By the 2040s, Lower Manhattan’s shoreline will begin to experience frequent tidal flooding from sea-level rise, impacting streets, sidewalks, buildings, and critical infrastructure.

Why Lower Manhattan?

Lower Manhattan is at the core of New York City’s transportation system, economy, and civic life. Millions of people travel through Lower Manhattan by rail, bus, car, and ferry every day. This area provides connections across all five boroughs and to other regional centers like Midtown, Jersey City, and Downtown Brooklyn.

New Yorkers from every neighborhood work in Lower Manhattan. As one of the largest business districts in the United States, Lower Manhattan is not only central to the economy of the city, but to the region as a whole. Lower Manhattan is also more than just a business district – it’s a regional center of culture, community, and civic life with a growing residential community and a destination for students and visitors.