Over the course of 48 hours, the intense wind and rain devastated many communities and left tens of thousands of homes damaged.
It also caused billions of dollars of damage as coastal communities were ravaged and flooding, fires and tremendous loss followed.
The storm also showed us just how vulnerable we are.
There has been major rebuilding in the 12 years since Sandy, including a hurricane mitigation project on Staten Island. The multi-million dollar project consists of a series of breakwaters off the shores of Tottenville.
The "Living Breakwaters" off the coast of Staten Island are a set of eight eco-friendly breakwaters that slow waves while creating a habitat for sea creatures. Artificial tidepools and textured surfaces are easier for mollusks and algae to attach to than slick concrete.
The breakwaters are part of a strategy to reduce risk from hurricanes after Superstorm Sandy pummeled the region in 2012 and killed 23 people in Staten Island, alone.
Other parts of the city have also been developing coastal defenses.
In Manhattan, a stretch of parkland along the East River is being elevated to serve as a barrier against future storm surges. Floodwalls are planned as part of a line of protections that will eventually form a "U" around Manhattan's southern tip. On the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, boardwalks destroyed in the storm have been rebuilt as fortified flood barriers.
Climate experts warn that although breakwaters are a useful tool to deal with intensifying storms, they'll only help for so long as seas continue to rise.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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