New waterfront tower developments in New York City are highly flood resistant designs and measures amid concerns about rising water levels . Resilient design has become a focus for architects and engineers since Hurricane Katrina in 2008 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 . One lesson from Hurricane Sandy was that high - rise apartment residents may have to live without power from utilities for long periods . NYC chief planning officer Daniel A Zarrilli predicted climate change and rising sea levels as a challenge but also an opportunity to " create a more resilient , sustainable and equitable " city .
New waterfront tower developments in New York City are exploring flood resistant designs and measures amid concerns about rising water levels. Resilient design has become a focus for architects and engineers since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. One lesson from Hurricane Sandy was that high-rise apartment residents may have to live without power from utilities for long periods. NYC chief resilience officer Daniel A Zarrilli said climate change and rising sea levels presented a challenge but also an opportunity to "create a more resilient, sustainable and equitable" city.