This Summer, A Pool Floats in NYC: Update on + POOL Project

When + POOL first captured global attention, it did so with a deceptively simple idea: New York City is surrounded by water—why can’t New Yorkers swim in it?

Years later, that question has evolved into one of the most ambitious waterfront projects in the country. In a recent interview with Pool Magazine, Kara Meyer, Managing Director of + POOL, provided a comprehensive update on the project’s progress, regulatory breakthroughs, construction milestones, and long-term vision for reconnecting New Yorkers with their waterways.

What began as an artist-driven concept is now mid-construction.

From Concept to Movement

Meyer traces + POOL’s origins to a group of architects and artists who observed the paradox of New York’s geography. “New York City’s surrounded by water and we can’t access it for swimming,” she explained. “What if we could, instead of cleaning the entire river, carve out a small piece of it?”

The early vision proposed a plus-shaped, floating pool that would filter river water directly through its walls—cleaning the water while creating a safe, contained swimming environment. The concept resonated globally. “It was really just a concept in its early design phases that just captured the imagination of the world,” Meyer said. “People all around the world were like, yes, this is awesome, this is great.”

But inspiration alone doesn’t build infrastructure. To move the idea forward, the founders created a nonprofit organization to serve as the development arm of the project.

A Mission Bigger Than a Pool

Over time, + POOL evolved from a singular design concept into a mission-driven organization focused on access, education, and stewardship.

The nonprofit was founded “with a mission to provide free and safe access to urban waters for swimming, to educate the public on the issues affecting our water quality, and to promote water stewardship and water safety education,” Meyer said.

While the iconic plus shape remains central to the brand, Meyer emphasized that the organization’s purpose extends far beyond geometry. “Plus Pool is an organization, right? But it’s also a community of people that are driving that organization and driving the idea forward,” she noted.

The brand was intentionally designed to be “inclusive and celebratory and positive and, quite literally, a plus—to the waterfront, to New Yorkers’ quality of life.”

Building the Pilot: Why the First Pool Is Different

Today, construction is underway on the first + POOL installation—a pilot facility designed to operate within a newly created regulatory framework.

“We are currently building the first + POOL, which is a pilot facility that we are developing against new regulations that we’ve ignited to even allow for this kind of innovation to exist,” Meyer explained.

Because no regulatory pathway previously existed for a floating, river-fed public pool, + POOL had to work with state and city health departments to shape new policy. After that framework was established, the project received capital funding from the Governor of New York to pilot the facility.

Rather than constructing the full plus-shaped configuration immediately, the team is building one “arm” of the plus—a lounge pool portion—to demonstrate operations, safety, and regulatory compliance.

“We took one arm of the plus to do that with that funding,” Meyer said. The intent is to allow city and state officials to understand how such a facility “would be permitted, would be regulated, would operate” before expanding further.

How the + POOL Filtration System Works

What distinguishes + POOL from traditional pools is its direct relationship with the East River.

“The difference between a traditional swimming pool is that the pool is being fed with the East River water,” Meyer said.

Rather than drawing from municipal water sources, the pool pulls water directly from the river. Filtration equipment—housed within a customized barge structure—treats the water on-site. Meyer describes the structure as a vessel: “If you think of the pool as a boat… the filtration equipment lives in the hull of that boat.”

The system continuously pulls in river water, filters it, and discharges clean water back into the river. Notably, the pilot pool will not rely on chlorine as a disinfectant. “The idea is that you’re really having a natural swimming experience in the natural waters,” Meyer explained.

Water turnover rates are significantly faster than those of traditional pools, ensuring safety while leveraging an effectively endless surrounding water source.

The result is both a recreational facility and an environmental intervention. “It’s actually filtering and cleaning the water while you’re swimming in it,” she said.

Regulatory Hurdles and Policy Breakthroughs

For nearly a decade, regulatory barriers represented the project’s biggest obstacle.

“There was no process,” Meyer stated plainly. Existing health codes recognized only two categories: pools and beaches. A floating, river-fed filtration pool fit neither.

In addition, many areas of the East River were not classified as “bathing” waters under state environmental regulations, prohibiting the construction of swimming facilities.

Through data collection, policy advocacy, and collaboration with agencies, + POOL helped establish new regulatory pathways. The updated framework allows for waivers and demonstrations of safety compliance, even in proximity to combined sewage overflow (CSO) systems—an issue common to many older cities.

“This has been kind of an interesting case study… in how you can really innovate alongside government in a way that will shift the needle,” Meyer reflected.

Funding a Public Vision

From its inception, + POOL adopted a public-benefit model inspired by projects like the High Line. Meyer explained that the nonprofit structure was chosen to ensure the pool would be equitable and accessible—not a members-only amenity.

“We wanted to make sure that was equitable and accessible to all and not reserved for… a members-only type private facility,” she said.

The project has relied heavily on private donations, volunteer expertise, and pro bono services to sustain operations and programming. Ultimately, state capital funding unlocked the ability to construct the pilot installation.

The public-private partnership model is designed to demonstrate feasibility so that future investments—public or private—can scale similar projects.

Construction Timeline: What Happens Next

As of early 2026, the floating barge structure has been constructed, and the team is preparing to install the pool liner, piping, and filtration systems.

“We’re mid construction,” Meyer said.

The plan is to float the operational structure into the river this summer to demonstrate full-scale operations to health officials. After testing and regulatory review, the team hopes to complete above-deck amenities—including decking, railings, bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms—and officially open to the public in summer 2027.

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Education and Community Programs

Even before the physical pool is complete, + POOL has invested deeply in community programming.

Recognizing that many New Yorkers lack access to swim education, the organization launched a Learn to Swim program focused on low-income youth. “Data really has shown that low-income New Yorkers are the least likely to have the ability to take swim lessons or learn to swim,” Meyer noted.

To date, the program has served more than 1,500 youth across the city, later expanding to adult learners.

In parallel, + POOL has developed STEM curricula and public data initiatives to demystify water quality. From classroom instruction to interactive dashboards—and even a floating light sculpture that changes color based on real-time water conditions—the organization has worked to make water science accessible.

“We’ve really taken a role in making sure that people understand what is safe about their water,” Meyer said.

Reconnecting a City to Its Water With + POOL

At its core, + POOL represents a cultural shift.

New York has spent decades revitalizing its waterfronts—adding parks, bike paths, and boat launches. Meyer sees + POOL as the next step: not just bringing people to the water’s edge, but into the water itself.

“We’re taking that kind of waterfront revitalization one step further and getting people into the water,” she said.

Success, in her view, isn’t just a single floating pool. It’s a new regulatory landscape, additional urban swim facilities, and a generation of residents who see their waterways not as barriers—but as assets.

New York City boasts more than 520 miles of waterfront, yet only 14 miles of beaches. “We have lots of untapped potential,” Meyer observed.

If all goes according to plan, by summer 2027 a floating pilot pool will mark the first tangible realization of a vision that began as a sketch—and a question.

What if you could swim in the East River?

Thanks to years of advocacy, engineering, and persistence, New Yorkers are closer than ever to making that dream a reality.

On a More Personal Note

At Pool Magazine, we support the + POOL initiative. Over the years, we’ve watched this project evolve from an inspired concept into a policy-shifting movement—fueled not by a single entity, but by a coalition of passionate grassroots supporters, designers, engineers, educators, legislators, and advocates who refused to let the idea fade.

Now, as the first incarnation of + POOL moves from blueprint to floating reality, it represents more than a public swim facility for New Yorkers. It represents the power of community-driven progress and a reimagining of how cities can reconnect people with their natural resources.

We’re proud to have been supporters from the beginning—and we’re excited to see this landmark public works project finally coming to fruition.

Photo Credits: + POOL – http://pluspool.com/

Ready to Take a Deeper Dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Kara Meyer, Managing Director of + POOL on the Pool Magazine Podcast.