South Street Seaport Reborn!
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy heavily damaged the South Street Seaport, a designated historic district in Manhattan. Tidal waves of up to 7 feet ravaged most of the area. Many businesses closed, and the remaining businesses suffered severe losses.
The Howard Hughes Corporation, the Seaport’s owner, announced it would tear down its most prominent shopping area, Pier 17, as part of a broader redevelopment. The new pier includes retail shops, restaurants, and a rooftop performance space. It reopened in July 2018 and its glorious rebirth was ours to enjoy.
We were guided by Samantha Duffy, Marketing Coordinator -- and great, great granddaughter of architect Cass Gilbert! Keeping the integrity of the Seaport’s history was paramount in its restoration, but shopping, eating, concerts and even ice-skating in the winter would ensure the Seaport was teeming with fun.
Our first stop was Bowne & Company Stationers. Founded in 1775, it is the oldest continuously running business in New York City. Inside, they make and sell hand-printed cards and stationery. As we continued walking outside, Samantha spoke of the Summer Concert Series, which will feature such shining stars as Stray Cats, Sheryl Crowe and Ringo Starr, among many others.
Speaking of stars, Sarah Jessica Parker owns a high-end shoe store at the Seaport, one of 49 stores. Aptly enough, her partner is a former CEO of Manolo Blahnik Shoes. The IPIC Movie Theatre is also high-end: not only do your seats recline, but a server will come directly to you with food and drink.
As Samantha described some restaurants, our mouths started watering. The Fulton, one of eight restaurants, specializes in succulent seafood. An unusual store from Milan, Italy, 10 Corso Como, sells apparel, has an art gallery, and its own restaurant – recently awarded “Best parmesan and pepper sauce in the city.”
The seaport has one of the most spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge. Equally spectacular is the rooftop of the re-built Pier 17, a space that holds up to 3000 concert go-ers, as well as Seaport Fit for fitness classes.
This is truly an uplifting experience. It is a wonderful example of a wise old saying: Out of the muck…comes a rose.
To plan a visit, go to www.seaportdistrict.nyc or call 212-732-8257.