Floating +Pool Secures Spot in New York City’s East River
The ring of the school bell strikes through the air and echoes down the hallways alongside cheers celebrating the completion of another school year. Energetic strides race through front doors and coincide with the slams of backpacks and binders being tossed on the ground. Conversations about vacation plans and farewells to teachers sweep across the city, creating an ever-growing hum of excitement for the long-awaited summer break.
As the challenging school year of 2020 to 2021 comes to a close and temperatures are steadily on the rise, people are looking now more than ever for places to unwind and cool off, especially in Manhattan. Luckily, New Yorkers will soon be met with the perfect location to spend their summer afternoons underneath the blazing sun, and that is at +Pool.
Initiated by Archie Lee Coates, Jeff Franklin and Dong-Ping Wong back in 2011, +Pool will be a floating, plus-sign-shaped swimming pool positioned in the Lower East Side of the East River. After spending the last decade raising money and support for +Pool, this $25 million project recently secured its location site and is moving forward with its development.
“We have an official confirmation to succeed with the next steps for the project,” Kara Meyer, +Pool’s managing director, expressed to Curbed.
The next steps for this project involve ensuring that all health and safety regulations are met with the pool and water filtration system. Planning to use 600,000 gallons of filtered river water daily to fill this pool, the project’s engineering team is working on finding the best method to treat the water to swimmable conditions.
Although it is uncertain when the project will be complete, organizers and city dwellers are satisfied with the rate that +Pool is moving along, especially since it plans to operate as a nonprofit organization, promising access to all interested in spending their summer in this remarkably unique pool.
“When + POOL opens, it will be the first time New Yorkers have been able to swim directly in their river since 1938,” +Pool’s website states. “That experience needs to be available for everybody.”
Congratulations.
Wow! It is our first trip to NY end of Aug ( fingers crossed) would love to swim there!
Jamie, Laurel
Niamh Nolan ?
Daniel Daley