Another pier
that is stripped of its surface. In this area, the following companies
once occupied these piers: Clyde Mallory Lines (piers 34-37), Lehigh Valley
Railroad (pier 38), Bull Shipping Line (pier 39), Luckenbach (pier 40),
D.L. & W Ferry (piers 41-43).
Many of the ferry and railroad companies utilized car floats to ship
their goods from New Jersey-based ports to Manhattan's ports.
We are in the
area between Houston Street and Gansevoort Street. At one time, the
Savannah Line (pier 46) Southern Pacific (piers 49-51), Shepard Steam Ships
(pier 52), New York City (several small piers occupied the pier 53 area
- and these piers even had streets on it! Lawson Ave., Grace Ave., Thompson
Ave., Hewitt Ave., Loew Ave., and Bloomfield Ave. all once resided in this
area. If I recall, while riding along the new West Side Highway bike
trail, I saw a sign for Bloomfield Ave. I wonder if this street is
the only remaining street in this area?). Pier 54 and pier 55 were
occupied by the Cunard White Star Line. One may remember that the
White Star Line was the company that owned the Titanic. The Titanic
was bound for New York City - it may have very well been bound for this
port, or maybe one of the company's other ports closer to midtown (ports
86 and 90).
Another pier
with just the piles remaining.
This pier has
a large building a top of it. The pier was recently rebuilt, utilizing
cement rather then wood for its piles and supports. I am not
sure what this building is used for. OldNYC.com contributor Robert Smith
provides us with this information regarding the building: "In the Battery to Chelsea section of your new
Manhattan Hudson River Piers virtual tour, you show a building on a pier in front of the Gansevoort Destructor Plant and inquire as to its
function. This is an old Marine Transfer Station which was originally used
to transfer garbage from trucks onto barges for transport. It was built circa 1950 and closed in the early 90's due to advanced deterioration of its
steel columns. The columns have been recently repaired (in the last 3 years
or thereabouts) but it is no longer used for garbage transfer."
This pier is
now used by the New York City Fire Department. The bright red and
white fireboat is still being used in daily service.
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