A previous design for Pier 17 by Rockwell Group and Kevin Kennon. The theater in the center was to house Cirque du Soleil.
A tipster with a history on Pier 17 reminds us that mall giant General Growth Properties is not the first to propose an overhaul of the tourist mecca. And his experience tells him that a "tall iconic building" isn't passing muster with the local community board. He writes, "3 years ago Related Companies had made a deal to purchase Pier 17 from Rouse, the former owner. We did extensive plans (see above) to level the entire site and knit the pier back into the urban fabric, adding a market building, a beautiful icon 1800 seat public theater situated at the end of the pier, new public parks networked through the entire site, street level-only retail and a W hotel with conference center. This was the killer; CB 1 destroyed the deal, the project etc.
"Although we had an very slender 12 story tower which was within the zoning envelope, CB 1 came out in full force to protest and the project died then a month later GGP purchased Rouse. I am bitter this is the second project I've had that CB 1 killed. There is no way in hell GGP gets a tower. It is only actually structurally feasible on the northern most portion of the site which will block the view of the 3000 people in that god awful tower."
· Things Are Looking Up at Pier 17 [Curbed]