Setting Sights on the Seaport

Last night, we headed over to a Community Board 1 meeting in which the Landmarks and Seaport/Civic Center committees learned details about the plan to renovate the South Street Seaport. It was a standing-room only crowd as the Howard Hughes Corporation unveiled its plans – complete with a space for musical performances, stunning glass doors that can slide down amid inclement weather, and a more engaging space to take in the panoramic view of the Brooklyn Bridge.

We issued a brief statement in support of the plan, saying the “project would create more jobs, more publicly accessible open space and more shops on Pier 17. It would also boost sales tax revenues for New York City and make the Seaport a more compelling destination for Lower Manhattan’s 310,000 workers, 57,000 residents and 9.8 million visitors a year.”

But best of all, from our perspective, it would drive much-needed foot traffic into the Water Street corridor, Lower Manhattan’s premier commercial boulevard.

“The Downtown Alliance believes the Pier 17 revitalization plans of the Howard Hughes Corporation would benefit not just the Seaport but Lower Manhattan and the entire city,” our statement read.

It’s expected – if all goes according to plan – that work could begin next year and be completed by 2015. We can’t wait.