About the Author

Ann L. Buttenwieser is an urban planner and waterfront historian. She is the author of Governors Island: The Jewel of New York Harbor, also published by Syracuse University Press.

Reviews

Buttenweiser, a former urban planner, traces the development and redevelopment of New York's waterfront over 200 years. Focusing on the master plans that have guided the waterfront's evolution, she details the conflicting interests of shippers, merchants, and preservationists. Of special interest is the perennial problem of maritime technology outpacing municipal planningin 1904, the new 875-foot piers under construction were rendered obsolete by the announcement of 1000-foot ships. There are few books that deal comprehensively with waterfront development. Recommended for academic libraries with planning programs.