Real progress is being made on the redevelopment of the South Street Seaport. Façade installation is well underway on the new Pier 17 mall.
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport, as seen from the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo by Tectonic
Developer Howard Hughes Corporation is redeveloping the historic area, referred to by some as New York City’s first world trade center. The project includes building the new Pier 17, relocating the Tin Building and reopening it with a Jean-Georges-run food hall, and renovating the Fulton Market Building.
These photos come from prolific construction chronicler (and YIMBY friend) Tectonic.
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
Other aspects of the Hughes project include the shelved plans for a 42-story residential building (once 52 stories) at the site of the New Market Building and for affordable housing on Schermerhorn Row, home to the South Street Seaport Museum and the remnants of some 19th century hotels.
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
As for the new Pier 17 mall, it is replacing the one that opened in August of 1983.
Pier 17, connected to its headhouse and the Link Building, in October of 2012. Also visible are the Tin Building and New Market Building. Photo via Howard Hughes Corporation
The design work for the new one is being led by SHoP Architects, which is also working on all of the other Hughes projects at the South Street Seaport.
Rendering of Pier 17. Design by SHoP Architects
When complete, it will essentially be two four-story buildings with their upper floors connected, allowing for tall open space in between them. Announced tenants include new restaurants from the Momofuku Group and Jean-Georges (on top of his food hall at the Tin Building).
Construction at Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport. Photo by Tectonic
On the roof will sit a large open green space that will likely be used for concerts, a restaurant and bar with both indoor and outdoor seating, and the mall’s mechanical equipment. There had been a proposal to put a canopy over the roof’s green space, but that was rejected when some design changes went before the Landmarks Preservation Commission in October of 2015.
Everyone visiting Pier 17 will be treated to amazing views, whether of the Brooklyn Bridge or Brooklyn Heights, or of Manhattan from the roof.
Rendering of the view from the roof of the new Pier 17
Hughes hopes to open Pier 17 in 2017. You’ll surely be reading more about it on New York YIMBY.
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Exciting and I’m excited with 80 South Street, tower near water is the best view for me.
This is the most ill-conceived, badly designed concoction. It is ineptly programmed and structured. It fills the pier with what can only be described as a remarkably ugly suburban high school c. 1962, or some similarly suburban ‘office-park’ warehouse. Just look at the beyond-awkward juxtaposition of the ‘historical’ tall-masted ship to this anonymous and inert, and at the same time gaudily over-articulated (in its curtain wall) big box. Then there is that disembodied, ‘afterthought-of-a-place’ toit-jardin. Who on earth put this thing together? Who designed it?
Who approved it? How can such ineptness come about?
You covered every aspect I was about to yell about, Would a lot better if the just did a massive overhaul but kept the same look that made it worth visiting not that Ugly as hell design .
It looks awesome .
You sound like another NIMBY nitwit
We believe in Frank!
Perhaps it was designed this way to avoid being destroyed by another monster storm.
It really is extraordinarily ugly.
nice that people on the roof will have that magnificent view and everyone else will have this blemish of a structure to look at when attempting to enjoy the view of the East River and Brooklyn Bridge.
I’ll enthusiastically second what Frank said. I would also question the logic of replacing a failed mall with another mall in a far less successful piece of architecture.
Ghastly. Insensitive. Nothing to do with New York or its history or the neighborhood. Very Texas. A famailure in the making. Might as well tear it down now. A shame that this group is being permitted to destroy the feeling of the place, along with its old buildings. So sad. Less and less of nyc to love.
Design at best is mediocre, all that money, landmark and legacy leaving opportunity and you guys came up with a box. Cant wait too be invited to your reckless neighbor shattering Little House on The Prairie marathon bachelor parties so I can cancel with prejudice. An aerodynamic roof (anti storm, anti everything Dubai-ish) design would have been nice with the same large “Pier 17” sign on the side to be recognizable (No respect for nostalgia, elders, forefathers). In 50 years it will match the rest of New Yorks’ 100yr old boring filthy sand colored turn of the century eyesores. I bet it isnt even 5 Star Leed Certified. Self contained everything like electric water and ac contributing to the grid. Self cooling, NFC saturated, with Water Taxi and UBER services and Spirit Cruise Line docking, limo, and any other kind of tie in promotion. Should have had someone like one floor dedicated to small business incubators with kool demonstrations and startup exhibitions for tourists and locals once a month. Movie theater / Concert space? Man give me 3D and IMAX or give me Pier 17 Death! Oh I forgot you geniuses designed it already… I bet there is no smart glass/tables or push button opaque glass bathrooms or anything interesting. You guys couldnt even be interesting. Losers. You had a chance to be interesting with one of the most iconic New York pieces of property and you blew it. How about a secret homeland security HQ underwater maybe 2 floors to protect our bridges? Nothing? Not enough James both movies out? Dubai with 1/3rd of the worlds crains building 2400 buildings with a minimum of 41 stories and 8 of the tallest buildings in the world inspire you? You guys wouldn’t see inspiration if I actually wrote the words in this paragraph.
Should have a NYPD HQ inside so no funny business happens with a temp kooling off/holding facility. I fourth, fifth, and tenth Franks comments. The design is exiting as a box, literally in this case. You created a 100yr monument to your un-interestingly rushed non-imaginative mediocre respect to the past with no originality. Your legacy is a box…….period. My great grandchildren with be pissing in one of the bathrooms and say the same thing. “They should have tore this box down 100yrs ago. They didnt weren’t inspired by Dubai?”
As you can see, I’m speechless…
I hope they charge admission, might reduce the number of homeless folks at night