A Danish company is building a $335 million seawall around New York

[PillowSmoke]

"In 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed homes, wasted businesses, flooded tunnels, and submerged subways. The storm brought tens of thousands of lives to a halt, and revealed New York City’s vulnerabilities to severe climate conditions and rising waters."

 

“I saw the devastation,” says Henk Ovink. “But, I also saw the opportunity Sandy brought.”

 

 

"In July 2013, the proposal phase of the competition closed with 148 entries. Almost one year (and many jury presentations) later, six winners were announced. One of the winning proposals was Bjarke Ingels Group’s Big U. It’s not simply a big wall — at nearly 10 miles long, the system would wrap around the southern half of Manhattan and mix different kinds of spaces, from parks to community areas, with infrastructure designed to fight flooding."

 

"Developed in conversation with residents, developers, businesses, and city officials, the Big U is a continuous protective structure that blends and adapts to each neighborhood it passes through. In the Lower East Side neighborhood, a raised stretch of land known as the Bridging Berm acts as a natural dam, but also provides recreational green space for residents in the neighborhood. Panels installed on the underside of FDR Drive will be lit and decorated by local artists, creating a space for a seasonal market. But in times of emergency, those same panels can be flipped down to create a floodwall. Ovink calls the features "a chain of pearls." But, he insists, all the components are "tied with one strong strategy of protecting Manhattan." Big U was awarded $335 million dollars to start on implementation."

 

"Other winning proposals address other flooding threats in the region, from Long Island and the Bronx, to Staten Island and New Jersey. Each project requires further funding and coordinated effort between local governments and communities. But the radical solutions that emerged from Rebuild By Design have already inspired similar design initiatives. "President Obama announced the National Disaster Resiliency Competition based on the success of Rebuild by Design," Ovink says. "Another billion dollars of disaster recovery money is now attached to it."

 

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/1/6874925/can-a-massive-seawall-save-new-york-from-flooding

 

And to all of the new yorkers of the forum. Were you affected in 2012 when there was Hurricane sandy? I did, basically lost power for 1 week. No internet, No power, No Heat, NOTHING!

[Kerplex]

Here come the cost overruns.

[Jerakl]

OH LOOK, MORE WAYS FOR THE US TO DEEPEN THE DEBT

[AlwaysFSX]

Here come the cost overruns.

Give it to the Corps and this thing will easily be $3B.

[jbr]

$335 Million?, not a chance.

[Admire]

OH LOOK, MORE WAYS FOR THE US TO DEEPEN THE DEBT

 

Yeah...because the damage from Hurricane Sandy didn't add to the debt. Do you complain when they build ditches too?

[Tech_Dreamer]

a nice proposal i believe...could be useful

 

 

[AndThenThereWas1]

All the text before your source should probably be in quotes since they are taken directly from the verge article. Otherwise it makes people think you wrote it.

[TheSLSAMG]

I lost power for three hours, and I lost a lawn chair, but that was the extent of our damage. Some didn't make it out so easily, in fact you still see the devastation when driving around on Staten Island.

 

And I know of the worse things in the world, but this one affects me on a more personal level.

[MangoJuiceStain]

Is the United States REALLY in the position to do this? Economically speaking they should be focusing on more important things. 

[Tocsin_786]

being im a new yorker. i would love this project (specially in long island) theres no need to complain about debt because we are the country that controls the transactions to other countries through sanctions. debt to the US is childs play 

[Mooshi]

That better be New York's own cash spent and not from the feds.

 

Middle of nowhere USA is so dull, I don't see why companies don't try to make those places more exciting. Humans are probably one of the only species that purposely builds homes in dangerous areas and STAY there.

[Admire]

Is the United States REALLY in the position to do this? Economically speaking they should be focusing on more important things. 

 

wait what? How can they not be in a position to stop future damage? Thats like saying that there isn't room in the budget for lifewests just after one of your boats was sunk.

 

Do you even know how much crap the US spends money on? They literally are producing tons of shit that their own military says that they don't need but it keeps getting funding because it makes jobs in important districts.

 

335 million is nothing in the grand scheme of things....If this works, then it could safe billions in the future in case of future floods.

 

 

 

That better be New York's own cash spent and not from the feds.

 

Middle of nowhere USA is so dull, I don't see why companies don't try to make those places more exciting. Humans are probably one of the only species that purposely builds homes in dangerous areas and STAY there.

 

I just don't understand why you build houses like you do in the states....seriously. No wonder it can't survive the smallest natural disasters when you do it as cheaply as its done in the US and Australia to give a few examples

[zacRupnow]

I just don't understand why you build houses like you do in the states....seriously. No wonder it can't survive the smallest natural disasters when you do it as cheaply as its done in the US and Australia to give a few examples

My house was built before USA owned California, so it was made with quality.

[Toddwjp]

still not as cool as Londons solution. but i can easily see why this would be considered a good idea. although i believe it would be in new yorks interest to slow carbon emissions world wide, otherwise that wall might not last.

[lttiscancer]

Is the United States REALLY in the position to do this? Economically speaking they should be focusing on more important things. 

because the billions in damages because of the recent hurricane doesn't outweigh a 335 million investment towards prevention of another billion dollar flood.

[lttiscancer]

still not as cool as Londons solution. but i can easily see why this would be considered a good idea. although i believe it would be in new yorks interest to slow carbon emissions world wide, otherwise that wall might not last.

Carbon emissions for new yorkers is woefully tiny compared to the entirity of china, or any sector of the manufacturing industry of the us. If you even give half a shit on carbon emissions, you should first make your home completely green efficient or you're just being a hypocrite.

[rafbanaan]

It's a Dutch company not Danish

[JAKEBAB]

People complaining about this because of America's financial state but are u guys forgetting there spending billions on a pointless (except for a very select few) war? At least this is going to give the whole of an American city some sort of gain unlike these wars in the middle east!

[That Norwegian Guy]

Bjarke Ingels

 

Most Dutch name ever?

[AlwaysFSX]

People complaining about this because of America's financial state but are u guys forgetting there spending billions on a pointless (except for a very select few) war? At least this is going to give the whole of an American city some sort of gain unlike these wars in the middle east!

You want to complain about how much we're spending on war? How about the trillions of dollars we're throwing in to useless social systems. So far war isn't the most expensive thing, or even close to what we're spending money on.

[BWSSoldya]

Ovink is the former director general of water planning in the Netherlands, a country that’s been dealing with flooding and water management on a huge scale for centuries.

 

And this is why it will be good, we gots da experience .

OT: Really cool project, curios on how this will actually look / behave when not activated to protect against flooding.
 

[The_Strict_Nein]

Is the United States REALLY in the position to do this? Economically speaking they should be focusing on more important things.

This undertaking will require a tremendous amount of man power. That's a lot of jobs which will stimulate the economy. In many ways, large scale public undertakings are the best thing for economies

[TAK]

.

[JAKEBAB]

You want to complain about how much we're spending on war? How about the trillions of dollars we're throwing in to useless social systems. So far war isn't the most expensive thing, or even close to what we're spending money on.

my point was this is going to give an actual gain to people i have no idea about these social systems as i don't live in the US nor do i pay much attention to politics besides whats thrown in my face eg the isis war.