Our history began in 1996 when a group of activists came together as the Hudson River Park Alliance to save Hudson River Park, which, at that time, was, in reality, only a plan that was readily being scaled back. In 1997,  the Alliance succeeded in securing the support of Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani, who confirmed their recommitment to allocating $200 million in State and City funds to help build the Park.

In 1998, the Hudson River Park Alliance was again victorious, this time advocating successfully for passage of the Hudson River Park Act which created Hudson River Park and protected it against over-commercialization.

Friends of Hudson River Park was founded in 1999 as the successor to the Hudson River Park Alliance. Our original mission was to ensure that the money committed by the State and City was received and to provide support for the Hudson River Park Trust, the State/City agency responsible for building and operating the Park.

The funding that the State and City allocated in 1998 was not enough to complete the Park. An additional $200 million has been secured since then, but for development to continue, at this time, from $140 to $200 million more is needed. Towards this end, our mission now focuses on the larger goal of not only advocating for the Park, but also of helping to raise the money needed to complete it.

Over the last five years, partnering with the Hudson River Park Trust, and with community, civic and environmental groups, we have succeeded in getting both the City and State to add to their initial commitments, and we have secured private sector funding as well. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary this year, we look forward to more actively engaging our constituency in helping us complete the Park.