ECOncrete has been transforming New York’s waterfronts for over a decade, advancing both infrastructure resilience and marine ecosystem health in one of the world’s most urbanized environments. ECOncrete designs and engineers tailored solutions for shoreline and waterfront protection projects; in New York we’re helping build a more sustainable and resilient city.
Pioneering Shoreline Protection in Brooklyn Bridge Park
In 2013, ECOncrete partnered with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation to enhance the park’s infrastructure near the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Tidepool Armor Units were installed to stabilize the local shoreline and enhance the intertidal ecosystem, while innovative pile jackets provided essential structural support for the piers enhancing the subtidal habitats. As soon as 3 months post installation, and to a greater level today after 12 years, both ecologically enhanced infrastructures are providing preferable habitats for a diversity of local species, demonstrating the ability to harness active infrastructure for biological and ecological purposes without compromising their functional purpose, showing an increase in ecosystem services provided by the structure.
Nature-Inclusive Design at Gansevoort Peninsula
In a more recent project, ECOncrete technology was applied in the terraced shoreline of Gansevoort Peninsula, a key site for the Hudson River Park Trust. Designed in collaboration with Field Operations, the terraced steps incorporated tide pools at every level, creating vibrant aquatic habitats along the shoreline. This approach not only addressed environmental concerns but also strengthened the structural integrity of the peninsula.
Living Breakwaters: A Model for Resiliency
As part of New York’s post-Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, ECOncrete worked with SCAPE on the design of the groundbreaking Living Breakwaters project. This initiative involved constructing multiple breakwaters with hundreds of ECOncrete Armor Blocks and Tide Pool Armor embedded into them, off Staten Island, to mitigate storm surge risks and support biodiversity restoration. The project showcases the dual benefits of our eco-engineering approach—protecting communities while fostering healthy marine ecosystems.
Innovating at South Battery Park Pier Inlet
In downtown Manhattan, ECOncrete is playing a key role in the South Battery Park City Resiliency Project, designing nature-inclusive solutions including wall cladding, tide pools, horizontal tiles, and pier piles. These features not only fortify the waterfront but also create habitats for marine life, contributing to long-term coastal resilience.
East Side Coastal Resiliency: A Comprehensive Approach
ECOncrete is proud to be part of the transformative East Side Coastal Resiliency Project in New York City. The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project is a large-scale initiative designed to mitigate flood risks along the East River while enhancing its ecological functions. ECOncrete’s contributions include nature-based infrastructure elements that integrate seamlessly into the urban waterfront, strengthening shoreline stability and fostering marine biodiversity.
Offshore Cable Protection, Eco-Engineered Scour Protection
ECOncrete has also been applied on the seabed off the New York coastline: ECOncrete eco-engineered Concrete Mattresses are protecting electrical interconnection cables and providing habitat for marine species. In addition, a novel Scour Protection solution, designed to protect the foundations of offshore structures, is currently researched in a NYSERDA funded project, with monitoring and analysis of the positive effects on the fish population executed by Stony Brooks university.
Building Resilient Communities and Ecosystems
New York’s waterfront is unique – not just in its scale, but in its ambitions to protect and rebuild nature while ensuring urban resilience. ECOncrete is making an impact by consulting, designing, and engineering solutions that work in tandem with local partners, concrete manufacturers, and agencies. Our collaborations extend beyond infrastructure; we work with organizations like the Billion Oyster Project to restore marine habitats and with Stony Brook University to deliver the scientific research needed to expand eco-engineering efforts.
Through partnerships with the DEC, NYSERDA, and other stakeholders, ECOncrete is laying the groundwork for future offshore applications, from wind farms to port infrastructure, ensuring that nature-inclusive solutions become a standard part of New York’s blue economy.