Sunset Pier 94 Studios Expected to Create More Than 1,700 Jobs, $6.4 Billion in Economic Impact, and Significant Public Space Improvements
Our Bureau
New York, NY
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was joined this week by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, Vornado Realty Trust, Hudson Pacific Properties, Blackstone, elected officials, and community leaders to break ground on Sunset Pier 94 Studios — a first-of-its-kind film and TV campus coming to Manhattan’s West Side. Leveraging $350 million in private investment, the project is expected to create more than 1,700 jobs, including more than 1,300 construction jobs, add $6.4 billion to the local economy over the next 30 years, as well as adding new public restrooms, significant public space and bike safety improvements, and a new workforce development program to connect New Yorkers. The start of construction represents major progress on a site sitting vacant, where efforts to advance a project creating jobs and public open space have stalled for more than a decade.
The start of construction on Sunset Pier 94 Studios marks a major stop on Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Tour,” continuing to create jobs and power New York City’s economic recovery after the city set an all-time job record with 4.7 million total jobs, recovering the nearly 1 million jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project at Pier 94 also delivers on key initiatives in Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Making New York Work for Everyone” action plan, which recommended new investments to build on the city’s status as a hub for film and TV — driving both the city’s economy and its cultural and creative identity.
“New York City didn’t set an all-time jobs record by accident — we did it by strategically protecting public safety, investing in public space, and supporting and delivering for working people. This project at Pier 94 will do all three, and we are excited to bring our ‘Working People’s Tour’ to the West Side,” said Mayor Adams. “Sunset Pier 94 Studios will bring a major private investment to this public asset, activating this long-vacant space to create good-paying jobs, vibrant public space, and exactly the amenities this community has been asking for.”
“After breaking New York City’s all-time record for jobs, our administration forges ahead to ensure our economy remains the most competitive in the world and is accessible to all New Yorkers. Sunset Pier 94 Studios is part of our inclusive growth strategy and will cement New York City as the capital of world-class film and television production,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “I want to thank NYCEDC, Vornado, Hudson Pacific, and Blackstone for working quickly to reach this major milestone.”
“Congratulations to NYCEDC and partners on today’s milestone groundbreaking of the Sunset Pier 94 Studios, which is poised to become a major contributor to New York City’s film and television production industry,” said Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman. “With an economic impact of $82 billion and a role in supporting 185,000 jobs, it is easy to say that when our city’s film and television industry thrives, New York City thrives. Welcome Sunset Pier 94!”
Sunset Pier 94 Studios will be a first-of-its-kind space, home to state-of-the-art film, television, and content production technology that will make New York City even more competitive with other cities. Sunset Pier 94 will also provide impressive amenities for all New Yorkers to enjoy, including new public restrooms for Hudson River Park, an 1,850-square-foot community amenity space, 25,000 square feet of waterfront open space on the pier, and safety improvements to the existing greenway. There will also be a program to support workforce development and training programs to connect residents to opportunities in film, television, commercial and other media production.
“Manhattan Community Board 4 applauds the transformation of Pier 94,” said Jeffrey LeFrancois, chair, Manhattan Community Board 4. “The project will be a boon for film and television production and brings great improvements to Pier 94 for the public: additional space to Hudson River Park’s Clinton Cove, restrooms, and significant improvements for cyclists and pedestrians. It took a long time to get where we are, and the community looks forward to a speedy, efficient, and effective construction process.”
