With the pier ’s closing , it sat unused for nearly two decades while the shore on either side was redeveloped as a series of linear parks comprising the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway , which nearly circumnavigates the urban island . Following the September 11 , 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center , federal and state funding became available for park expansion projects as part of the revitalization of lower Manhattan . The heavy storm surge that flooded the neighborhood during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 inspired community advocates to demand a design that would make Pier 42 a park with a function , serving as a soft storm barrier
September 11 , 2001 attacks
September 11 attacks
Pier 42 (East River)