Barry Diller

May 27, 2020

New photos show ‘Little Island’ offshore park making progress at Pier 55

The much-anticipated offshore public park in the Hudson River is coming together, with its concrete tulip-shaped pots in place and the first trees planted. New photos of "Little Island" at Pier 55 show construction progressing ahead of its scheduled spring 2021 opening. The two-acre park, designed by Heatherwick Studio and MNLA, is meant to resemble a leaf floating on water, with its concrete base sitting above the river.
See it here
November 13, 2019

Barry Diller’s $250M offshore Pier 55 park dubbed ‘Little Island’

The offshore park currently under construction in the Hudson River has been officially christened "Little Island," the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation announced Wednesday. The Pier 55 project, which is being funded by billionaire Barry Diller and overseen by the Hudson River Park Trust, includes over two acres of public green space across a wave-shaped structure near West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. First proposed in 2014 for $35 million, Little Island is expected to cost $250 million and open in the spring of 2021.
Get the details
January 17, 2019

Cuomo pledges $23M for Hudson River Park project in State of the State speech

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's State of the State speech Tuesday included a $23 million pledge to go toward the completion of Hudson River Park. That nearly-hidden line item in the state budget represents the governor's mediation efforts in a billionaire-vs.-billionaire feud involving Barry Diller's 2.7-acre park at Pier 55 on the water near West 14th street (often referred to as Diller Park), Crains reports.
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December 10, 2018

See new images of Barry Diller’s $250M Pier 55 park taking shape in the Hudson River

Back in July 6sqft reported construction progress at the enthusiastically on-again Pier 55  public park project on the Hudson River funded by billionaire businessman Barry Diller. The park broke ground in April, and some snaps courtesy of CityRealty revealed new concrete pylons arranged in various heights that will act as the wave-shaped floating park’s support structure. Now, the New York Times details further and more fascinating progress on the $250 million park and performing arts venue, including the installation of its stylistic anchor in the form of a system of concrete supports called pots, the underpinnings of Diller's unconventional architectural vision. And CityRealty once again reveals photos of what's happening in the Hudson just west of the Meatpacking District.
Take a look at what's rising from the Hudson
July 17, 2018

PHOTOS: Pier 55’s undulating support structure takes shape on the Hudson River

Construction photo via CityRealty; Rendering via Heatherwick Studio Construction has moved along quite nicely at Pier 55, the on-again, off-again public park project funded by billionaire businessman Barry Diller planned for the Hudson River. While there was not much to show when the park broke ground in April, photos recently taken by CityRealty reveal new concrete pylons arranged in various heights. These will act as the wave-shaped floating park's support structure.
See the photos
April 17, 2018

Construction restarts at Pier 55 offshore park with new walkways in place

After years of drama, during which the project was declared dead, then given new life, construction on the public park anchored in the Hudson River (also known as Pier 55 and Diller Island), is now moving forward as evidenced by a site photo taken by CityRealty this week showing two walkways leading to the pier from Hudson River Park now in place. As 6sqft reported last October, the Pier 55 project spearheaded by media mogul Barry Diller was rebooted with Diller's renewed commitment, complete with the backing of his recent legal foes, former ointment-fly Douglas Durst and Governor Andrew Cuomo.
More pictures this way
January 16, 2018

After funding lawsuit against Pier55 offshore park, Durst joins board of Hudson River Park Trust

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer appointed Douglas Durst on Friday to the board of the Hudson River Park Trust, a group he has frequently criticized over their proposed Pier55 project. Durst admitted last year to funding a lawsuit to stop the trust's plan for an off-shore park on the Hudson River. While billionaire businessman Barry Diller, who is funding the $250 million project, halted construction in September, the plan was restored a month later, with pressure and financial help from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Brewer told Crain's that Durst didn't volunteer, she asked him to join the board. "I think he loves the park," she said.
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October 26, 2017

Barry Diller’s Pier 55 offshore park plan is back on with backing from Cuomo

In September, 6sqft reported that billionaire IAC Chairman Barry Diller was giving up on the $250 million project that promised to bring a futuristic offshore park and cultural destination to the Hudson River’s dilapidated Pier 54. Since its beginnings in 2014, the seemingly ill-fated project, known as Pier 55 (or sometimes “Diller Park”), was beleaguered by opposing factions–eventually revealed to be funded by prominent New York real estate developer Douglas Durst–that blocked its progress at every turn. Diller, who had imagined the project as a new Manhattan waterfront icon to rival the nearby High Line, had had enough. In a cautiously optimistic turnaround, it was announced Wednesday that the media mogul–now backed by his recent legal foes and Durst in addition to Governor Andrew Cuomo–was renewing his commitment to move ahead with the project, according to Crain's. Diller said in a statement, "I have had countless people tell me how much they were looking forward to having this new pier, and how unfortunate were the circumstances of its cancellation."
So what happened?
September 14, 2017

Barry Diller pulls the plug on $250M Pier 55 offshore park

Barry Diller, the billionaire chairman of IAC, announced he's killing the $250 million project that promised to bring a futuristic offshore park and cultural site to the Hudson River's dilapidated Pier 54. 6sqft previously covered the unfolding saga of the ill-fated project, known as Pier 55 (or sometimes as "Diller Park"), as opposing factions continually blocked its progress and were eventually revealed to be funded by prominent New York real estate developer Douglas Durst. According to the New York Times, Diller said Wednesday that his commitment to build the undulating pier would be coming to an end—an inglorious one for a bold plan that some, and certainly Diller himself, saw as a new Manhattan waterfront icon to rival the nearby High Line.
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May 23, 2017

Pier 55 project files appeal to stop work order; Durst says he backed opposition

6sqft reported in March on the latest developments in the on-again-off-again status of the $200 million Barry Diller-funded offshore park/performing arts center proposed for Pier 55 on the Hudson River; though construction began last November, opponents of the project, led by the City Club of New York, gained a victory in the form of a ruling by Judge Lorna G. Schofield that agreed with group’s claim that the Army Corps of Engineers had not conducted a sufficient environmental review on how the 2.4-acre park would affect fish and wildlife. The judge ordered that work stop at the site and called for a review of alternatives for building along Hudson River Park, a maritime sanctuary. Now, the New York Times reports that the Corps of Engineers, with the project's sponsor, the Hudson River Park Trust, has filed an appeal of the decision.
And what about that Diller-Durst feud
March 24, 2017

Judge once again stops work at Pier 55 over environmental concerns

If you thought the roller coaster that is Pier 55 was over since construction began in November, you may not want to step off the ride just yet. Just yesterday, a federal judge ruled in favor of the City Club of New York, who took legal action against the $200 million Barry Diller-funded offshore park way back in the summer of 2015. As reported by the Times, Judge Lorna G. Schofield agreed with the group's claim that the Army Corps of Engineers had not conducted a sufficient environmental review on how the 2.4-acre park would affect fish and wildlife. She ordered that work stop at the site and called for a review of alternatives for building along Hudson River Park, a maritime sanctuary.
Get the whole legal saga
March 9, 2017

The Statue of Liberty will receive a $4.58 million makeover

A gift to perhaps the greatest woman in New York City, it was revealed on Wednesday that the Statue of Liberty will be receiving a $4.58 million facelift. The Post had the details on the plans which were approved by The National Park Service (NPS) earlier this week. The overhaul is expected to include the planting of 46 salt-tolerant trees, repairs to the statue's granite pavers, and the installation of about 1,650-feet of stainless steel fencing and new gates around Lady Liberty's base.
more details here
November 18, 2016

Construction update: Pier 55’s 535 concrete columns rise from the Hudson River

Now that the Barry Diller-funded Pier 55 offshore park can proceed freely, the Wall Street Journal took a look at how construction is progressing on the $200 million project. Currently, the 535 concrete columns, each three feet wide and ranging from 70 to 200 feet long, that will support the 2.75-acre park have been erected, poking out of the Hudson River amidst the historic wooden piles that once supported Pier 54, where the Titanic was supposed to dock (these will remain to sustain marine life development). On top of them will be pots, "hollow pentagonal forms" that weigh as much as 60 tons and will be "linked with concrete to create a rectangular platform of about 104,000 square feet."
More new details this way
November 11, 2016

$70M FXFOWLE-designed Statue of Liberty Museum receives approval

It's full steam ahead for the FXFOWLE-designed Statue of Liberty Museum. Per the Journal, The National Park service approved plans on Wednesday to erect the free-standing structure on Liberty Island. The development team broke ground on the project in early October and at the same time releasing renderings of what would eventually rise on the site. As 6sqft previously reported, the $70 million museum is being helped along by Diane von Furstenberg, who has been named the honorary “godmother” of the project. Von Furstenberg is currently spearheading fundraising efforts for the museum and hopes to secure $100 million from donors for the development. Von Furstenberg, along with her husband Barry Diller, are also in the midst of pushing another civic project forward, Pier55 Park.
find out more here
October 26, 2016

Pier 55 appeal dismissed in court; park construction can move ahead

After nearly a year and a half of yo-yo-ing back and forth between stop work orders and lawsuits, the Barry Diller-funded Pier 55 park can finally move ahead freely. The New York Law Journal reports that yesterday the state Court of Appeals denied the City Club of New York's appeal of September's ruling in favor of Pier 55 and the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) that said construction could continue on the 2.75-acre offshore park, dismissing the opponents' claims that the park failed to go through adequate environmental impact evaluations and violated the public trust doctrine by planning to host private events.
What this means for Pier 55
October 6, 2016

FXFOWLE reveals design for $70M Statue of Liberty Museum, complete with green roof

Four months after it was announced that FXFOWLE would be designing a new, free-standing museum for the Statue of Liberty, principal architect Nicholas Garrison has revealed renderings of his vision for the site at today's groundbreaking ceremony on Liberty Island. The $70 million project--which will be largely funded by fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg--features an angular-shaped, 26,000-square-foot building constructed of glass, granite and concrete that was inspired by its waterfront location. It'll sit across the circular plaza from the Statue and will "seemingly rise out of the ground," according to Crain's, thanks to its green roof that acts as an extension of the surrounding park.
More renderings and details this way
September 8, 2016

Pier55 prevails in court, construction to continue on Barry Diller-funded offshore park

All systems are go for the Barry Diller-funded Pier55 park, as a State Appellate court ruled today that work can continue on the 2.75-acre project sited along the Hudson River. As 6sqft previously reported, the main opponent of the park—better known as The City Club of New York—has been aiming to thwart the project under the claim that those involved, namely the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and Pier55 Inc. (the nonprofit manager established by Diller), failed to go through adequate environmental impact evaluations. City Club served the pair with a lawsuit that eventually led to a stop work order in June. However, an appeals court lifted the stop work order shortly after, and by the end of August, the first nine piles were installed. Today's ruling upholds a lower court's decision that HRPT and Pier55 Inc. did in fact do a proper environmental review, and moreover, that HRPT was not required to put out an RFP to solicit other ideas for the site from other developers—another major point of contention. The court also decided that the park reserves the right to use the space for non-public events like ticketed concerts, although it is noted that "the lease requires that 51 percent of the performances be free or low-cost."
find out more here
September 7, 2016

POLL: Are you in favor of the Pier 55 offshore park moving ahead?

As of late last month, summer construction work on the Barry Diller-funded Pier 55 was complete, with the first nine piles propping up the offshore park having been installed. It seemed as though all systems were a go at the $130 million futuristic park, but yesterday 6sqft reported that The City Club of New York, the civic group who was behind an earlier lawsuit and stop work order, may have a backer in none other than Douglas Durst. And today the Wall Street Journal shares that opponents had their first day in front a panel of state appellate-court judges to express environmental concerns and frustrations that the initial planning between billionaire Diller and the Hudson River Park Trust was done behind closed doors. What are your thoughts on the issue?
More details on the hearing, and tell us if you're in favor of Pier 55 moving ahead
September 6, 2016

Mogul vs. mogul: Is Douglas Durst trying to stop Barry Diller’s offshore park?

Once again in the news is media mogul Barry Diller's futuristic offshore cultural pier development at Pier 55 on the Hudson River. The proposed park project, known informally as Diller Park after its main backer, who is chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp and is married to fashion designer Diane Von Furstenburg, is helmed by the Hudson River Park Trust. The New York Times reports that the project’s main opponent, a civic group called The City Club of New York, may have an equally powerful backer. According to Diller, there is a deep-pocketed "hidden hand” funding the legal actions against the park. In a recent interview, Diller said, “The backer of all this is one Douglas Durst.”
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August 24, 2016

Summer work on Barry Diller-funded futuristic offshore park complete

Work on the Barry Diller-funded Pier55 park is advancing nicely, even after being slapped with a lawsuit and a stop work order in June. As the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and Pier55 Inc. announced this afternoon, the first nine piles propping up the 2.7-acre undulating park have been installed. Per the pair's press release, the milestone marks the completion of summer work and is part of the initial work of the first phase of construction.
more on the progress here
July 19, 2016

Court Says Work Can Proceed at Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park

At the end of last month, an appellate court issued an injunction that said work must temporarily stop at Barry Diller's Pier 55 until at least September when opponents of the futuristic offshore park (who claimed it had gone through inadequate environmental impact evaluations) could present their case again. But The Real Deal reports today that work has resumed much sooner than expected, as an appeals court lifted the stop work order yesterday.
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June 30, 2016

Court Temporarily Stops Construction on Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park

Last summer, a civic group known as City Club of New York slapped Barry Diller's Pier 55 with a lawsuit, claiming he and the Hudson River Park Trust had failed to thoroughly evaluate the environmental impact of the 2.7-acre offshore park. In April of this year, the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed the case, and later that same month news broke that construction on the $130 million project would begin this summer after gaining regulatory approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, DNAinfo reports that today an appellate court issued an injunction that says work must temporarily stop until at least September when the opponents present their case again.
More details ahead
June 10, 2016

Diane von Furstenberg Will Help Fund New Statue of Liberty Museum

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and husband Barry Diller are well known in the philanthropic circuit as supporters of cultural public spaces. They were early funders of the High Line, and construction is soon to commence on Diller's $150 million+ futuristic offshore park known as Pier 55. Their latest endeavor will be backing a new Statue of Liberty museum, as the Wall Street Journal reports that von Furstenberg has joined the board of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and agreed to assist with fundraising. The announcement for a new, free-standing museum designed by FXFOWLE comes as the Statue of Liberty nears its 130th anniversary in October. Currently, the exhibition space is housed in the statue's pedestal, but because of its size and security concerns only about 20 percent of the 4.3 million annual visitors can access this museum. The National Park Service, in an environmental review put out last month, said the 15,000-square-foot project is "intended to increase public access to exhibits on the history, construction and legacy of the statue, and provide additional shelter during inclement weather."
More details on the building
April 27, 2016

It’s Official! Construction on Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park to Begin This Summer

Earlier this month, Barry Diller's futuristic offshore park got closer to reality when the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed a case against the development that claimed it could have a negative environmental impact. And now the $130 million project known as Pier 55 has cleared its final hurdle, gaining regulatory approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to Crain's, the Hudson River Park Trust revealed today that construction will commence this summer.
More ahead
April 8, 2016

Judge Gives the Go Ahead to Barry Diller’s Pier 55 Offshore Park

Billionaire media mogul (and husband to Diane von Furstenberg) Barry Diller just had a big victory in his road to constructing Pier 55, a $130 million futuristic park off 14th Street in Hudson River Park. As reported by the Post, the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed a case against the development that claimed it could have a negative environmental impact, wiping out local species such as the American eel and shortnose sturgeon. Justice Joan Lobis, who noted she enjoys biking along the Hudson, said the project did go through the appropriate environmental review process, which found that it "would not cause significant adverse impacts on the aquatic habitat." Though the plaintiffs, the civic group known as the City Club of New York, have vowed to appeal the decision, construction is currently set to begin later this year.
More information ahead