Water Taxi Beach
Encyclopedia
Water Taxi Beach was an artificial temporary beach
operated from 2005 to 2010 on a wharf
on the East River
in the Hunters Point
section of Long Island City
, in the New York City
borough
of Queens
. It was operated by the New York Water Taxi
Company and was open to the public for free during the summer months. The beach was also rented for private parties. In concept, Water Taxi Beach is similar to Paris Beach in Paris
, France
.. The beach was operated by Harry Hawk and Tony Rosciglione and partners who ran the beach owned by NY Water Taxi, now Harbor Experience Companies.
The restaurant Harry's at Water Taxi Beach serves barbecue
-type foods such as hamburger
s, hot dog
s, beer
, wine
, and tropical drink
s. There is also a full catering
menu. In May 2008, Harry's won first place in a contest to determine which restaurant had the best burger in the boroughs
The beach concept was created in 2005 as an experiment in community and economic development by New York Water Taxi to attract Manhattan
ites to Long Island City and to make weekend ferries
serving the new residential high-rises near the beach financially viable. The success of the beach has led New York Water Taxi to propose a similar project in Red Hook, Brooklyn
.
Since 2007 Water Taxi Beach has been one of the main sites of the annual NYC Food Film Festival.
In March 2008, additional sand was added to the property, expanding its size and making room for three new beach volleyball courts.
In 2005, the company started planning service to Governors Island
in 2005, started service on June 2, 2008, and opened a Water Taxi beach there on July 10, 2009. A beach was also opened at the South Street Seaport on Memorial Day Weekend, 2009.
. In 2009, the property was sold to New York City and is now under the control of the Economic Development Corporation
(EDC). The land is located next to the Queens West development and is also slated to be redeveloped with residential housing and a waterfront park. Accordingly, the beach closed for construction works related to the development of Hunters Point South, after the 2010 season.
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
operated from 2005 to 2010 on a wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
on the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
in the Hunters Point
Hunters Point, Queens
Hunters Point is a neighborhood on the south side of Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 2.- History :...
section of Long Island City
Long Island City, Queens
Long Island City is the westernmost neighborhood of the borough of Queens in New York City. L.I.C. is notable for its rapid and ongoing gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community. L.I.C. has among the highest concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio...
, in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. It was operated by the New York Water Taxi
New York Water Taxi
New York Water Taxi is a water taxi service based in Red Hook, Brooklyn offering commuter and sightseeing service mainly to points along the East River and Hudson River...
Company and was open to the public for free during the summer months. The beach was also rented for private parties. In concept, Water Taxi Beach is similar to Paris Beach in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.. The beach was operated by Harry Hawk and Tony Rosciglione and partners who ran the beach owned by NY Water Taxi, now Harbor Experience Companies.
The restaurant Harry's at Water Taxi Beach serves barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
-type foods such as hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
s, hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
s, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
, wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, and tropical drink
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
s. There is also a full catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
menu. In May 2008, Harry's won first place in a contest to determine which restaurant had the best burger in the boroughs
The beach concept was created in 2005 as an experiment in community and economic development by New York Water Taxi to attract Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
ites to Long Island City and to make weekend ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
serving the new residential high-rises near the beach financially viable. The success of the beach has led New York Water Taxi to propose a similar project in Red Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. It is also the location where the transatlantic liner, the , docks in New York City.- History :...
.
Since 2007 Water Taxi Beach has been one of the main sites of the annual NYC Food Film Festival.
In March 2008, additional sand was added to the property, expanding its size and making room for three new beach volleyball courts.
In 2005, the company started planning service to Governors Island
Governors Island
Governors Island is a island in Upper New York Bay, approximately one-half mile from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel. It is legally part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
in 2005, started service on June 2, 2008, and opened a Water Taxi beach there on July 10, 2009. A beach was also opened at the South Street Seaport on Memorial Day Weekend, 2009.
Property ownership
Water Taxi Beach was built and located on property owned by the Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPort Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. In 2009, the property was sold to New York City and is now under the control of the Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit local development corporation that promotes economic growth across New York City's five boroughs. It is the City's official Economic development corporation, charged with using the City's assets to drive growth, create jobs, and...
(EDC). The land is located next to the Queens West development and is also slated to be redeveloped with residential housing and a waterfront park. Accordingly, the beach closed for construction works related to the development of Hunters Point South, after the 2010 season.
External links
- Water Taxi Beach - Official website
- The Beach at Governors Island - Official beach events sites operated by a consortium of Liberty Event Management, AEG LiveAEG LiveAnschutz Entertainment Group Live is a live entertainment promotion subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group. It is the world's second largest live show promoter....
, Highline Ballroom, and NY Water Taxi