East Side story: Designed by BIG and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, the first stages of Lower Manhattan's post-Sandy flood defences have been completed after years of local resistance and interdepartmental infighting.

The article focuses on the completion of the first stages of the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project in Lower Manhattan, designed to protect the area from flooding following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The project, initially conceived as the BIG U by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), faced significant community resistance and changes in design, ultimately resulting in the elevation of the John V Lindsay East River Park by 2.5 to 3 meters. Despite the loss of mature trees and the park's original character, the ESCR aims to safeguard 110,000 residents from future storm surges with integrated flood defenses and improved park amenities. The final phase of the project is expected to be completed by late 2027, contributing to a broader vision of climate resilience in New York City. [Extracted from the article]