by Erik Kennedy Uwe Conrad 1. The best beach in Manhattan was located directly south of Pier 76 on the Hudson, across from the Javits Center. I say “beach” — and technically I’m right, because it was a flat, sandy area adjoining a body of water — but I don’t think it was commonly thought of as a beach. I doubt many people thought of it at all. From the seventies until 2021, Pier 76 was a police tow pound. That had a certain effect on the ambiance of the spot. Also impacting t