Leyla and Johnny Lancaster love a park on Manhattan's East Side. She played there as a kid. They met playing softball and got married on home plate on Field Five. 

After their team came up short 7-3 on Friday,the Manhattan couple had more disappointment: they found out that the entire park is going to be shut down for three-and-a-half years, starting, officials say, in spring 2020.

It will still transform this park into a recreational levee. Bookended by two sections with unchanged plans, the new part runs from East 13th to Montgomery streets, raising it eight to 10 feet higher than it is now.

There aren't many more details, but a floodwall close to the FDR Drive now hugs the shore.

They say it all cuts down on construction, ending in 2023 and not 2024 as before.

Of note, deadlines have long shifted on this project. The new approach nearly doubles the pricetag, from $760 million to $1.4 billion.

While some of the money comes from the federal government, that new price is itself more than double the entire Parks Department capital budget. 

"This is just another investment that we need in terms of the work that we did as a community, to not just bring in federal money to protect our waterfront community, but to also make sure that there is buy in from the city," said City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera of Manhattan.

It's a city with 520 miles of coastline in all five boroughs, where many other neighborhoods flooded, sometimes to deadly effect.

"We understand that this is affecting 110,000 residents of New York City. That's a signficant commitment that we have to do," said First Deputy mayor Dean Fuleihan. "This is providing resiliency. It is providing flood protection."

When the mayor announced the first park plan, it was at a major news conference, with Governor Andrew Cuomo and a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet. The changes to the park were announced in a more low-key way: on a conference call, on a Friday, with members of de Blasio's administration. NY1's request for an on-camera interview was not granted.

Approval is needed from the federal government, the state legislature and the City Council. Deadlines could get pushed back.

Back at the ballfield, the Lancasters were wistful but understanding it's needed to prevent floods, which inundated their neighborhood.

"Obviously, that is a good thing, but they say three-and-a-half years, and then it turns into five, six, 10," Leyla Lancaster said.