A visionary project in New York City that has been in development for nearly 14 years is finally taking off. + POOL, a floating open-air pool on the East River that was designed by Governor Kathy Hochul , received a major boost when she announced state and municipal funding to realize it. The concept of a floating pool was conceived in June 2010. Since then, it has been a long journey of fundraising, testing and partnerships.
+ Pool was designed by Dong Ping Wong, Oana Stenascu Archie Lee Coates and Jeffrey Franklin. They wanted to create a swimming pool that would be unique. The pool was designed to be shaped like a plus symbol and cater to a variety of needs including lap swimming, kids’ pools, “hanging out” and water sports. In June 2011, a Kickstarter campaign raised $250,000 in a week for the design and testing of a primary filter layer.
After a short hiatus in October 2012, + POOL returned with an ambitious $1 million fundraising goal. In October 2014, the project became a nonprofit, Friends of + POOL. Its founding members included Joshua David and Marc Kushner. The designers have conducted feasibility tests, tested different locations and successfully filtered East River Water through the FloatLab in June 2015.
Partnerships, community board resolutions, and the announcement of the green light in May 2021 are all part of the timeline, which signals a step towards making the vision a reality. The latest milestone is Governor Kathy Hochul’s $16 million commitment to a partnership in January 2024. This will propel + POOL toward its anticipated opening in 2025 in the Lower East Side.
Dong Ping Wong , the original + Pool designer, expressed bittersweet sentiments amidst all of the celebrations. He expressed concerns over potential loopholes, and the risk that the project could contribute to gentrification of Chinatown.
The journey of + POOL, as it nears its realization, embodies the perseverance and dedication of its designers, nonprofit organization and supporters. The project promises an unforgettable swimming experience under the skyline of New York City. It also highlights the many challenges and considerations that come with implementing a visionary concept in a busy urban environment.
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