http://www.thenewseaport.com/
South Street Seaport Redevelopment
Blending the character of Greenwich Village, the charm of Stone Street, the energy of Elizabeth Street, and the reprieve of Bryant Park with the iconic waterfront views that only the Seaport offers, the new Seaport plan reignites the spark of old Manhattan in the place where the port of New York began.
The master plan completely preserves the Seaport’s historic structures while proposing an array of storefront shops, two hotels, and new housing. It combines a city-sponsored initiative to rebuild the former fish market’s aging infrastructure with a new vision for the pier itself.
Local residents will benefit from more open space and community amenities, including a specialty food market, a three-acre addition to the East River Esplanade, and a 30,000-square-foot community space for performances, lectures, and children’s programs. Vibrant nightlife, specialty stores, restaurants, and public events will make the Seaport a place for every New Yorker.
From preservation work and innovative architecture to greater open space and new, practical retail, the plan unites old and new and imbues the neighborhood with spirit—helping the district achieve its full potential as one of New York’s most enduring communities.
One of New York’s most historic neighborhoods, the Seaport has been a place of energy and opportunity, a riverside hub where culture and commerce combine and thrive.
Working in cooperation with the broader New York community, GGP will celebrate the Seaport’s storied past with a plan that revitalizes the character of this unique New York neighborhood, weaving the Seaport into the fabric of the city around it.
GGP’s commitment to the community is paramount. It has and will continue to meet with neighbors, community members, and other stakeholders to ensure that the project reflects community input and meets residents’ needs.
A DESIGN MARVEL
Architectural innovation by SHoP Architects is the keystone of Pier 17’s redevelopment. It begins with the four freestanding retail structures on the pier’s west end. Positioned to create pedestrian-only “streets” that extend from the city grid, these new buildings will line open lanes that create view corridors to the harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Each of the four retail buildings will be 40 feet tall and comprised of two stories. Two additional structures, also designed by SHoP, will be built above the retail buildings and home to a small boutique hotel. The first of these structures will stand three stories tall; the second will rise to six stories.
The construction of the boutique hotel creatively solves the problem inherent in building over water. The two structures that contain the hotel are designed to “hang” from steel rooftop girders. The girders themselves will be planted on columns set on new caissons drilled into the river floor. The boutique hotel buildings will appear as floating structures, suspended from steel cables hung from the girders—engineering similar to the steel suspenders that have supported the Brooklyn Bridge’s span for more than 135 years.
SHoP used the Seaport’s maritime heritage as inspiration for the hotel’s design features. Steel and other structural elements and materials will be treated but left exposed to evoke ship masts and utilitarian port equipment. Two sky bridges—a functional feature that often marked 20th-century New York architecture—will link the hotel buildings.
Entering from Beekman Street, guests will take elevators up to the hotel’s third-floor lobby. Guest room balconies will provide stunning harbor and city views, and a rooftop lounge and reflecting pool will create an exceptional gathering place on the waterfront.
Beautiful and architecturally unique, the boutique hotel will integrate into the overall design of the new Seaport’s master plan and honor the history of the neighborhood.
BEFITTING THE LOWER MANHATTAN SKYLINE
When the downtown FDR Drive opened in 1942, it immediately boosted circulation around Manhattan. However, at the South Street Seaport, the strictly utilitarian steel-and-concrete elevated highway imposed a boundary between the historic cobblestone district and the waterfront. Today, it stands as a partial barrier to light, views, and pedestrian circulation, obstructing sightlines to Pier 17 and discouraging foot traffic across South Street.
The hotel/residential building will rise above the FDR, acting as a beacon to indicate visually that more activity and architectural attractions lie east of the highway.
Rising 495 feet above the East River, the hotel/residential building will serve as a Seaport icon and an economic anchor within the site.
The lower portion of the new structure will house hotel rooms, while the upper stories will house one-, two-, and three-bedroom cooperative apartments. The base of the building will house a three-story specialty retailer.
The hotel/residential building will stand just outside the city-landmarked Seaport district, replacing the long-vacant New Market Building on Pier 17. Because of its slender structure and small footprint, the building will provide continued views of the Harbor and Brooklyn Bridge. Its narrow side (78 feet) will face the city, while its longer side (130 feet) will extend over the East River.
Construction of the hotel/residential building promises to be one of New York’s most innovative projects. Since it will be built above water, a standard below-grade foundation is impossible. Instead, the building’s height will be supported by caissons drilled approximately 230 feet down to bedrock, which will replace existing wood pilings. To install the caissons, contractors will use a modernized method that harkens back to the Brooklyn Bridge’s construction more than a century ago.
From that riverbed base, the SHoP team will erect a solid steel-and-concrete core, from which each floor will radiate. The exterior of the building will be reminiscent of the fishing nets and the ropes of ships that once docked at the Seaport.
Light will play a key role in the building. Energy-efficient interior lights will make the structure appear to glow by night, an effect that will be enhanced by exterior lighting illuminating the building’s unique façade. Soundproof, treated glass, meanwhile, will provide comfort and quiet to residents and hotel guests.
Construction equipment, recycled materials, energy conservation, and other factors will earn the hotel/residential building the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver certification and ensure compliance with Local Law 86, the rigorous sustainability mandate the city has adopted for its own projects.
When it opens in 2014, the hotel/residential building will attract residents, visitors, and shoppers. It will drive traffic and revenue to the Seaport’s historic district, improve pedestrian circulation, and establish a new architectural identity for the pier.
REVITALIZING AND RECONNECTING
For more than two centuries, the South Street Seaport has been a place where innovation and history come together. GGP’s proposed redevelopment, in partnership with the City of New York, will continue this tradition of innovation, renewing the Seaport and Pier 17, and reconnecting them to Lower Manhattan, both physically and aesthetically.
With this plan, New Yorkers and visitors will have even more reasons to find themselves at the Seaport. New conveniences for local residents—including a collection of specialty food stalls, unique shops to suit a range of tastes, and improved community space—will enhance the neighborhood’s quality of life.
GGP’s plan for the new Seaport addresses the needs of residents and the area as a whole. It will bring more open space for walks and recreation along the waterfront; open sightlines of the harbor from Fulton and Beekman Streets; provide a new meeting space for live performances, lectures, and children’s programs; and offer venues that celebrate both the area’s rich history and its vibrant present.
But how do we make this happen?
How do we reconnect the Seaport with the energy of Lower Manhattan?
How do we create new amenities, such as shops and cultural venues, while actually increasing open space?
How do we preserve and restore beautiful historic buildings while making sure new building designs honor the district’s maritime legacy?
How do we attract new retailers and restaurants while enhancing the neighborhood’s distinctive character?
These are some of the questions answered by GGP’s proposed redevelopment plan to renew the South Street Seaport. Introduced by GGP in spring 2008, the master plan will serve the local community while attracting visitors from around the city and the world. The proposed redevelopment will begin the public approval process this year.
Iconic architecture distinguishes the Seaport along the Manhattan skyline at night
The Seaport’s historic cobblestone “Uplands” joined by the new architecture On Pier 17
The new Seaport: more open space on the pier, two hotels, new retail space, and a restored Tin Building relocated to the harbor’s edge
South Street Seaport model, overlooking the proposed redevelopment
South Street Seaport model, looking East at the extended street grid and boutique hotel
Outdoor cafes on the pier bring friends and families together, on the water
More than double the existing open space on Pier 17; a place for neighbors and visitors to relax and enjoy the harbor views