Abstract:
This presentation considers New York City's evolving coastline with respect to the intersection of unprecedented development pressures and the likely ramifications of poorly-documented, abandoned infrastructure. With a legacy of more than 350 years of industrial activities, portions of New York City's shoreline have undergone radical changes in not only usage but also location. Documentation of such changes remains incomplete and largely incompatible with traditional digital resources. As such, the trifecta of competing interests of population growth, brownfield redevelopment efforts, and aspirations for renewable energy investments must be considered through the dual lens of (1) coastal flood risk and (2) utility vulnerabilities. This presentation highlights recent academic and municipal efforts to improve knowledge of the in-situ situation and the opportunities that comprehensive subsurface documentation and management could provide with respect to lowering construction costs and improving resiliency.