NCMM-Response-to-the-BPCA-RFP-Marina-Operator

Proposer’s Development Program. The alternate Proposal will
include Proposer’s proposed means of addressing and financing
wave attenuation in a manner suitable for supporting
Proposer’s Use Program in keeping with the guidelines and
objectives of the RFP.
You have done an incredible job
of bringing visibility to Battery
Park City as well as providing
dynamic and fun events that
have become a tradition. I look
forward to the future of you
running North Cove as I’m sure
you have some exciting plans in
the works. I can’t imagine my
life in this crazy city without the
outlet of the Manhattan Yacht
Club and North Cove Marina.
- Nancy Rosenthal
3. Wave Attenuation Considered Essential: Proposer will submit
one Proposal, which will include Proposer’s proposed means of
addressing and financing wave attenuation in a manner suitable
for supporting Proposer’s Use Program in keeping with the
guidelines and objectives of the RFP.
Our company considers wave attenuation as desirable but unessential.
It is desirable because it could potentially lessen the ferry waves which
affect the marina. On weekdays and especially around rush hours, the
waves inside the marina cause yachts to move and roll much more than
yacht locations outside our busy city. We know this is primarily a ferry
wave problem because on weekends when ferries are not running, the
marina is calm.
North Cove does lose business every year from yachts which depart early
because owners do not like the waves or from yachts which skip the city
altogether. This is lost economic activity for the marina as well as
Battery Park City and all Manhattan. We have estimated the lost
revenue and earning potential for North Cove from the ferry waves to be
about $100,000 per year.
The reason wave attenuation is unessential is that we are able to run the
best mega yacht marina in the harbor without wave attenuation. This
proves wave attenuation is unessential.
The challenge with any form of wave attenuation is that it is very
expensive and there is no guarantee it will work. BPCA did its own study
of wave attenuation and what it would cost. This study was conducted
at some point between 2007 & 2010. The costs were up to $4 million
and there is not sufficient economic benefit to justify this investment.
This is also no guarantee that wave attenuation will work. Other marinas
affected by ferry waves have paid for and installed wave attenuation
systems. These include Chelsea Piers, Lincoln Harbor, Shipyard Marina
and Newport Marina. In each and every case, the engineered systems
did not deliver significant wave attenuation and they all broke up in the
wave action and required substantial additional investments. Any plan
for wave attenuation at North Cove created by a company without direct
experience in New York Harbor with the ferry waves will likely follow the
similar path.
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