MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — It’s not much to look at now, but Pier 94 — an abandoned ruin where 52nd Street hits the Hudson River in Hell’s Kitchen — should eventually become “Hollywood on the Hudson.”
New York City is partnering with three developers on a $350 million, state-of-the-art film and TV studio campus.
More than a quarter of a million square feet will house six sound stages, production facilities, offices, and parking.
The idea is to grow New York’s limited studio space to make it more competitive with Hollywood.
The project is not without its controversy. Critics say the city gave too sweet a deal to developers, offering unnecessary subsidies for prime real estate along the Hudson River.
One of the subsidies includes the city paying for the capital improvements of the renovated Pier 94, not the developers. Nearby Chelsea Piers and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum each spend millions of dollars a year to pay for their upkeep.
The project, dubbed “Sunset Pier 94 Studios,” is expected to create 400 jobs over the next 15 years, and it will certainly grow New York’s film and TV production business. The project will include public amenities connected to the existing bike and park trail along the river.
The groundbreaking is later this year. In 2025, expect it to be “lights, camera, action” for the new Pier 94.
