City of Water Day, July 13, 2019 –  the City’s waterfronts were bustling on this hot summer Saturday. The Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race took place at Manhattan’s Brooklyn Bridge Beach after teams put together what they hoped would be seaworthy vessels.  Once again, the event provided the public with the opportunity to walk on the sand near the water’s edge – promoting access that advocates have long fought for. At the historic Seaport, displays emphasized the importance of protecting our waters  – from reestablishing oyster beds in the rivers (Billion Oyster Project) to replacing plastic water bottles with eco-friendly ‘Boxed Water’.  [event supported by South St. Seaport Museum, Waterfront Alliance, Con Edison, Howard Hughes Corp., and others – see cityofwaterday.org]

In design, the New Market is purely functional, but in its simplicity and vast interior space lies endless possibility for reimagining it for a new public purpose that honors its Seaport history.  To insure that the site remains in the pubic domain, and does not become a pawn in private development bargaining for control and development of historic Seaport assets, reach out to your elected officials and make your voice heard.

Public access to Manhattan’s Brooklyn Bridge Beach on July 14, 2018 proved that public use is both feasible, and what the public wants.

(Photo and Article: Terese Loeb Kreuzer).
Downtown Post NYC, Vol. 5, No. 4, Feb. 25, 2018; Fate of New Market Building and its Seaport Site Pits Economic Development Corp. Against Community and Pols:
“As a glass-enclosed shopping mall and concert venue erected by The Howard Hughes Corporation nears completion on Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport, the fate of a neighboring 79-year-old building on South Street is causing anger, frustration and even anguish among people who care about the historic Seaport. “
For link to full article,