With patience and persistence...you can make the most of your waterfront

Read the Guidebook - "Making the Most of Your Waterfront"

Watch the "Making the Most of Your Waterfront" Video

New York State’s waterfronts are exciting and diverse – from Niagara Falls to Montauk Point; from New York Harbor to the lakes of the Catskills and the Adirondacks; from the Delaware River to the Finger Lakes; and from the Hudson River and the Canal system to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. With ninety percent of the state’s population and a wide variety of economic activities concentrated in the communities along its waterfronts - from the largest cities to the smallest hamlets – the waterfront plays a vital role in the lives of New Yorkers.

Our waterfronts are rich in natural resources – with abundant fish and wildlife as well as bluffs, beaches and wetlands, forests, and rolling farmlands.

More and more people are recognizing that their waterfronts can bring new life and energy to their communities. They are doing this by creating new economic activity, redeveloping historic and abandoned structures, improving waterfront recreation, and restoring and protecting natural resources. They have found that the keys to making the most of their waterfront assets include a clear vision and plan, broad public involvement, creative partnerships, patience, persistence and a step-by-step strategy.

One of the ways communities – whether they’re a rural town or a New York City neighborhood – can take full advantage of their waterfront is by using New York State’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. Through this Program, communities are building consensus and implementing visions for the future of their waterfronts.

These communities are part of a successful waterfront renaissance that is occurring throughout New York State. The Division of Coastal Resources has produced a Guidebook to help you and your community to achieve that success. This guidebook is designed to inspire and assist all New Yorkers who want to make the most of what their waterfronts have to offer. The guidebook takes you through a step-by-step process to help you make the most of your waterfront. These steps include:

• Developing a waterfront vision – highlighting the importance of generating a sense of community ownership of the waterfront and defining its future

• Establishing partnerships – showing how to strengthen the community’s involvement in the revitalization of your waterfront and ensuring the key players are on board

• Taking a look around – helping you to understand your waterfront, its assets, and key issues and opportunities

• Developing a strategy – showing you how to pull it all together to fulfill your vision

• Taking it one step at a time - providing detailed guidelines for implementing your vision

These steps are appropriate whether the community is large or small; whether the concern is with one issue in one area or with a wide range of issues for a community’s entire waterfront; or whether the primary goal is waterfront redevelopment or natural resource protection.

Communities with a vision succeed. It starts by recognizing that the waterfront belongs to the community. Take a closer look at your community. Local officials, community and neighborhood groups, nonprofit organizations and the private sector are learning that a revitalized waterfront can create many benefits for their community. Take it one step at a time - and stay focused on your vision. Patience and persistence pay off.