Completed in 2020, the design and construction process of Pier 26 actually happened over a span of 20 years. As part of the Hudson River Park Trust, the vision behind Pier 26 was to create an educational pier that provided both usable outdoor space and ecological areas for studying the Hudson River estuary. Pier 26 was also one of only a few New York projects given a construction exemption during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the importance of creating more outdoor space for Manhattan residents and was able to open on time and on budget in the middle of a global pandemic.