Restoration plans for New York City’s historic Seaport District have surfaced, and SHoP Architects’s plan is to turn it into a mixed use, pedestrianized area, ArchDaily reports.
The scheme includes a proposed 500-foot luxury residential tower that would jut out into the harbor, extending the Manhattan grid out into the waterfront.
According to the architects, the Seaport District proposal “provides a vision of restoration and revitalization for this historic waterfront neighborhood. While South Street Seaport is currently a waterfront access hub for commuters, boaters, and tourists, it is also home to long-neglected historical elements and impediments to foot traffic.”
“The principal of this mixed-use project is to extend the Manhattan city fabric toward the water, defying the current barriers created by South Street and the FDR drive, and creating continuous pedestrian connections and increased waterfront access. The addition of retail, residential, cultural, and educational facilities will transform the waterfront area to an essential asset for the community and the city.”
“Restoration of the historic Tin Building will breathe new vitality into a long-neglected structure and provide a plaza and marketplace in a previously abandoned space. The residential building on the New Market site will complement both the history and future of the seaport in its aesthetic and materiality, and will include retail spaces as well as a school on its lower levels.”
“The Seaport project as a whole embraces the district’s nautical and commercial history at the same time as it rethinks the relationship between the city grid and the waterfront.”
Related Stories
Architects | Sep 24, 2015
Supertall buildings vie for dominance along Chicago’s skyline
The latest proposals pit designs by Rafael Viñoly, Jeanne Gang, and Helmut Jahn.
Architects | Sep 24, 2015
From Gehry to the High Line: What makes a project a game-changer?
Each year, there are a handful of projects that significantly advance the AEC industry or a particular building type. Send us your game-changing projects for BD+C’s January 2016 special report.
Cultural Facilities | Sep 24, 2015
Bakpak Architects' 'pottery courtyard' concept in Poland incorporates local heritage
The multifunctional building proposed for Rzeszow, Poland, looks like it was handcrafted on a potter’s wheel.
Modular Building | Sep 23, 2015
SOM and DOE unveil 3D-printed, off-the-grid building
The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) building features a high-performance shell with a photovoltaic roof and built-in natural gas generator.
Airports | Sep 23, 2015
JFK Airport's dormant TWA terminal will be reborn as a hotel
After 15 years of disuse, the Googie architecture-inspired TWA Flight Center at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport will be transformed into a hotel. Gizmodo reports that the city’s Port Authority chose a renovation proposal from Jet Blue this week.
Architects | Sep 23, 2015
Architecture billings dip in August, but no 'cause for concern' says AIA economist
The American Institute of Architects reported the August ABI score was 49.1, down from a mark of 54.7 in July. This score reflects a slight decrease in design services.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Sep 21, 2015
Tokyo Olympic Stadium saga ends for Zaha Hadid
After resubmitting a bid, the firm will not design the main venue for the 2020 Olympics after all.
University Buildings | Sep 21, 2015
6 lessons in campus planning
For campus planning, focus typically falls on repairing the bricks and mortar without consideration of program priorities. Gensler's Pamela Delphenich offers helpful tips and advice.
Museums | Sep 21, 2015
Ma Yansong and Jeanne Gang revise Chicago lakefront Lucas Museum
New renderings of the proposed Lucas Museum show a scaled-down building on more green space.
Designers | Sep 21, 2015
Can STEAM power the disruptive change needed in education?
Companies need entrepreneurial and creative workers that possess critical thinking skills that allow them to function in collaborative teams. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education might be the solution.
