I recently helped a client purchase a gorgeous condo in Battery Park City. Did you know that the entire 92 acre neighborhood is landfill from the creation of the World Trade Center!

In the top image we can see all of New York City's piers, which I think is fantastic because we tend to forget that the reason NYC was so valuable historically was its port.

*A restaurant in the Syrian Quarter. - Photo: NYPL Digital Archives*

In the 1880s the area that borders Battery Park City (which would have been riverfront) was known as Little Syria or the ‘Syrian Quarter’. It was New York City’s first community of arabic-speaking immigrants. In the late 1930s as the plans for the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel were underway, completely disrupting the neighborhood, many of Little Syria’s residents moved out to places in Brooklyn.

*Construction of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. - Photo: New York Daily News Archives*

By the 1950s the port area had become dilapidated as many shipping companies moved their operations to Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. Private groups along with the mayor and Governor Nelson Rockefeller had initially concepted an idea to revitalize the area through landfill and eventually all came together in 1968 - forming the Battery Park City Authority.

*The west side piers where Battery Park CIty would be created in 1960. - NYPL Digital Collection*

*Excavation of the World Trade Center site in the late 1960s. - Photo: NYPL Digital Archive*

To create the land for Battery Park City, debris from the excavation of the World Trade Center and Water Tunnel 3 (the largest capital construction project in NYC history, still ongoing) was used as fill. The landfill was completed in 1976, and by 1979-1980, construction began on the first condominiums. By the late 2010s, Battery Park City had grown to include 46 buildings.

*Battery Park City is coming to life as it's filled in with debris. - Photo: LOC*

In the next series of photos, a very surreal New York City is portrayed as the alien landscape of Battery Park takes shape. These images are one of the reasons I wanted to do a quick piece on Battery Park City. I hope you find them equally intriguing!

*Battery Park City coming to life! - Photo: BPCA*

*1980s Battery Park City. - Photo: BPCA*

Today, Battery Park City remains somewhat of a hidden gem, as it's not an area you can easily stumble upon like most neighborhoods. It boasts ample green space and stunning waterfront views of the Statue of Liberty, which are its main attractions. The neighborhood also features its own grocery store, along with several bars and restaurants. I love spending summer afternoons wandering around and grabbing a bite to eat at PJ Clarke's in the marina – enjoying the sunset while dreaming of owning one of the luxurious yachts docked nearby!

Battery Park City

The Flatiron Building

New York versus Boston