The developers behind the South Street Seaport overhaul, have put their plans to construct a hotel-residential structure at the current site of the New Market Building on hold, the New York Post first reported last Thursday. "As we've said for the last several months, we are working on a revised mixed-use development plan in light of feedback from elected officials and the community," said Chris Curry, Executive Vice President of Development for Howard Hughes Corporation. "We remain fully committed to the Seaport District and we will be presenting a revised plan soon."
When originally proposed in 2013, HHC planned to replace New Market with a 50-story tower, designed by SHoP Architects, featuring a 95,000 square foot hotel and 280,000 square feet of condos. Seaport Working Group, a task force formed to monitor construction at the Seaport, and Manhattan's Community Board 1 were both vehemently opposed to the plan on account of its height.
Those plans were then revised to shorten the height of the tower to 42 stories, and also included a middle school and waterfront esplanade. Of course, those plans were also met with disapproval by community members and activists who thought the development wouldn't maintain the area's historic character.
"There is a certain sense of promise as we see our years of advocacy for the South Street Seaport Historic District finally bearing fruit," said David Sheldon, a member of Howard Hughes foe Save Our Seaport.
Apart from the New Market Building, HHC's plans for the most part involve redeveloping Pier 17. This includes the creation of a waterfront retail space that will bring to the area a new restaurant by celebrated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a new McNally Jackson outpost, and a movie theater, all of which has received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Committee. The site of the old Tin Building will also feature a Jean Georges-led venture: a 40,000 square-foot seafood-focused food hall and fish market. Both projects are expected to be complete in 2017.
· Out with the fishmongers, in with the winemongers in FiDi 2.0 [NY Post]
· South Street Seaport Food Hall to Be Led by Jean-Georges [Curbed]
· Canopy-Free Pier 17 Moves Forward With Landmarks Approval [Curbed]
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