the seaport is more than just McD's and Urban Outfitters. It is a neighborhood- I doubt it if anyone would want their home neighborhood to die and or be desolate-- that is what may happen if the seaport is changed drastically or if the flavor of the areas is torn down..... Living near the water is a gift-- and that needs to be enhanced, not destroyed by lots of stores and remain a tourist trap.

Robert from NYC: Haven't you heard Howard Hughes has been resurrected and his name is Elon Musk.

I miss the old Seaport. There was a very hometown New York quality to it before the deal with Rouse Corporation. Moreover the Museum seems to have lost its way, if not its soul, as commercial interests overwhelmed those historical.

Activities like boatbuilding have moved elsewhere and other maritime arts no longer seem to be as visible as they once were. A store called Captain Hook's offered actual nautical merchandise along with tourist memorabilia and assorted nautically themed junk. One could actually buy functional marine hardware there. The old Fulton Fish Market building offered a venue for small business, arts and crafts; some of which were operated on a shoestring by chronically under financed entrepreneurs. When the deal was struck, most small operators could not afford to participate and now the Seaport area is no different from most other malls in the country; namely, the same brands, merchandise and food available anywhere. There is no longer a bookstore specializing in comprehensive maritime literature, nor any vendor that can offer authentic connection to the city's maritime heritage. The ships, arguably the biggest lure the museum has, are in need of extensive maintenance and refitting.

Sandy may have dealt a mortal blow to an already declining institution but we have to realize that the South Street area means more than just retail space. It may be the last point of contact to our past left and this should be taken into consideration for future planning.

I work on Wall St. The LAST thing anyone needs in the US is another big box store. We have enough! I'd like to see the Seaport turn into something similar to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Yes, the Wharf is a tourist trap but all the business there are local and unique.

The rendering looks ok....
I think glass has jumped the shark though...
We should go back to brick. Where's the lightRail?

Why isn't there a marina for small pleasure boats to dock and go ashore at the Seaport to enjoy dining and shopping. It's incredible that NYC has so little temporary docking for small boats. It would open up another revenue stream for businesses on shore and on water. The Seaport should be rebuilt as part of Lower Manhattan - not just as a shopping mall for tourists as it currently exists.

I thought Howard Hughes was dead! Who's Howard Hughes?

The South Street Seaport, so what! Yes, that's what I always say, "The South Street Seaport, so what!" Big yawn, maybe 2, maybe 3 visits then it becomes the big yawn. Tourist trap par excellence. Do I need to go the the South Street Seaport to have a Mac Donald's or KFC or Urban Outfitters? SSS so what!