New York's Zany Floating Pool Will Test 10 Potential Locations

In the five years since a few dreamers first proposed a cross-shaped floating pool for the East River, a lot has changed. The concept, which would employ a filtration system that cleanses the surrounding (icky) waters for use in the pool itself, has inched closer to reality, with fundraising efforts and celebrity endorsements. Last spring and summer, a test laboratory in the Hudson River collected data on water quality (which project leads shared with the public) to see if the filtration mechanism would actually result in swimmable water. And yes, it did! Now the nonprofit has tapped "marine engineers and water quality experts" to conduct a feasibility study to assess 10 specific locations across the city where the eventual pool might live.

The team will look into these options: Bush Terminal Park in Sunset Park; Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo/Brooklyn Heights; Domino Sugar Factory in South Williamsburg; Governors Island; Hallets Point in Astoria; Hudson River Park; Hunters Point in Long Island City; St. George in Staten Island; Transmitter Park in Greenpoint; and Two Bridges on the Lower East Side.

A statement from +Pool co-designer Archie Lee Coates, on what comes next:

We're analyzing the technical and structural feasibility of various sites in the harbor to understand where exactly is the best place for + POOL. After this testing, we'll be finishing site-specific final designs so we can hand them off to the city, apply for permits, build this thing and finally all swim in the river together. It may be a long road to swimming in the river together—the city permitting process can be long and arduous, but +Pool has some environmental lawyers on the case, pro bono—but progress sure has been made. Though there's currently no completion date, it definitely feels more like a reality than it ever has before.
· +Pool [official]
· The Floating +Pool in the East River Is Almost a Real Thing [Curbed]
· Zany East River Pool Inches Toward Reality With Filtration Lab [Curbed]
· These 5 Futuristic Parks May Transform NYC's Landscape [Curbed]
· All +Pool coverage [Curbed]