Greening the Growth Machine and the Politics of Resiliency on the New York City Waterfront

• In Event: 508 - Section on Marxist Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Section on Marxist Sociology Roundtables (one-hour). Table 01. Environmental Crises and Resilience

Abstract

15 months after Hurricane Sandy pummeled the coast, contentious debates are still being waged on how to rebuild and protect New York City from rising seas and coastal flooding. This paper explores some of the politics and controversies surrounding the growing emphasis on resiliency in sustainable waterfront planning and redevelopment after Sandy. Ideas about sustainability are a core component of New York City’s waterfront revitalization plans which is driven by a neoliberal urban agenda that uses property-led development schemes and rezoning strategies to transform derelict waterfront spaces, many of which are located in vulnerable floodplains, into valuable real estate. Such an approach has exacerbated inequalities at the same time that it has downplayed potential threats from coastal flooding like those that occurred during hurricane Sandy. Development in vulnerable waterfront areas puts thousands of people in harms way and raises many questions. While the mantra of sustainability is still going strong, there is a growing emphasis on resiliency understood here as the ability of systems and structures withstand and recover quickly from severe climate events. While many are questioning the logic of building in vulnerable flood zones, the City is pursuing a strategy that stresses bouncing back from disasters instead of retreating from them. Incorporating ideas of resiliency into its sustainable growth agenda has not slowed down the neoliberal growth agenda for the waterfront. This paper will focus on bottom- up resiliency strategies and discuss the degree to which they can counteract the neoliberal development of the waterfront.

Author

• Steven Lang, City University of New York-LaGuardia Community College