SHoP to remake Historic South Street Seaport District

SHoP Architects have been hired by developer General Growth Properties to design a new master plan for the South Street Seaport, one of the first “festival marketplaces’ in the United States and the former location of New York’s famed Fulton Fish Market. The charge for the architects is to “redevelop the district and return it to its former glory as a vibrant hub for commerce in Lower Manhattan.” The new plan calls for the enclosed mall to be replaced with a pedestrian district, and more than two acres of additional open space. New shops and restaurants, hotels and residential units are planned. The project’s signature building is a stunning 42-storey glass and steel lattice clad tower on the East River that is to house a five star hotel and upscale residential units as well as a 3-storey specialty retailer at its base. SHoP’s design complements the existing local architecture using elements and materials that evoke the Seaport’s maritime heritage. SHoP plan’s to explore synergies between the project and the neighboring East River Esplanade and Piers Project, for which it is also the architect.