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Curbed Cup 1st Round: (6) Seaport vs. (11) South Williamsburg

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The Curbed Cup, our annual award to the New York City neighborhood of the year, is kicking off with 16 'hoods vying for the prestigious fake trophy. This week we'll have two matchups per day, and all the results and the full tourney bracket will be reviewed on Friday. Voting for each pairing ends 24 hours after it begins. Let the eliminations commence!

The South Street Seaport, which underwent a complete cycle of Sandy damange and subsequent recovery, nonetheless faces an (un-weather-related) uncertain future. As developer Howard Hughes marches onward with plans to convert the now-shuttered Pier 17 into a glitzy new megamall, their proposed SHoP-designed 50-story tower has been bashed by neighbors. Turning to an example of a project not in the rendering stage, this 31-story hotel is rising, and in general residents are genuinely worried about the various threats to the area's historic character and long-time institutions, like its museum.

Meanwhile, South Williamsburg—which we're generally defining as the swath south of Grand Street—has its own SHoP-designed waterfront gamechanger: the oft-debated Domino sugar factory megaproject. The mindboggling rendering reveal for the giant towers provoked every response under the sun, from preservationist protests to alternative proposals, with the site currently being used as a temporary park. Beyond that, though, there are countless new rental projects (one with hopscotch on the roof, no less) as well as a handful of hotels planned for the area, which dovetails with the growing number of eateries and boutiques.

Which neighborhood should move on to the next round and contend for neighborhood of the year?

Poll results

· All South Street Seaport coverage [Curbed]
· All Williamsburg coverage [Curbed]
· All Curbed Cup 2013 coverage [Curbed]

Pier 17

89 South Street, Manhattan, NY 10038 Visit Website