MUD Workshop

Design + Planning


East River Blueway




The East River Blueway establishes a clear set of access points, upland connections, and shoreline improvements to make the East Side’s waterfront easier to reach and use. The plan identifies specific projects and advocacy steps needed to advance a continuous public waterfront edge.

ProjectEast River Blueway

LocationManhattan, NY

ClientManhattan Borough President’s Office

CollaboratorsWXY, AKRF Inc., ARCADIS, Domingo Gonzalez Associates, eDesign Dynamics, HR&A Advisors, Judith Heintz, Philip Habib & Associates, S + M Studios, Weidlinger Associates

ServicesWaterfronts, Visioning, Outreach and Engagement, Comprehensive and Neighborhood Planning



The East River Blueway Plan, commissioned by the Manhattan Borough President’s Office, set out to create a community-based vision for a unified and sustainable East River waterfront. The project emphasized recreational and educational opportunities, climate resiliency, and improved public access, building on the unique potential of this underutilized corridor in Manhattan.


East River Blueway Plan


As Project Manager and Senior Designer, MUD Workshop Founder Shachi Pandey helped lead the planning and design process for the Blueway Plan. Over the course of a year, the team conducted extensive outreach, including dozens of stakeholder meetings, multiple public workshops, surveys, and an interactive website. This engagement process defined four guiding goals: engaging the river by designing key waterfront access nodes; planning for resilient neighborhoods with long-term sustainability and climate readiness; elevating community access through improved upland connections; and creating continuity via a bikeway and esplanade network integrated with public transit. The plan also advanced six priority projects and a set of advocacy initiatives that laid the groundwork for implementation.


Vision for Elevating Community Access


Vision for an East River Esplanade Network



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East River Blueway Plan
Vision for Creating Climate Resilient Neighborhoods
Vision for Elevating Waterfront Access
Vision for an East River Esplanade Network
Vision for Elevating Community Access


Related Projects
Brooklyn, NY
Sunset Park Vision Plan
Suffolk County, Long Island, NY
Suffolk County Blueway Trail Plan
Sag Harbor, NY
Sag Harbor Waterfront Plan and LWRP




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