250 Water Street (Seaport District)
Update
01/11/22
Controversial 250 Water Street Project Receives Approval
An unpopular mixed-use development, proposed for 250 Water Street in the Seaport Historic District has just been approved by the NYC Mayor's Office. The 270-unit tower is being developed by The Howard Hughes Corporation and will stand 26-stories at 324-feet tall. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the development was originally presented as a dual tower concept, but a redesign saw this change to a single-rise structure.
Despite receiving the approval of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), 250 Water Street received a fair amount of community backlash throughout the public review process. The local "Seaport Coalition" wound up filing a lawsuit against the LPC, and a Change.org petition was even created, which now has over 9,000 signatures in opposition to the development.
While the project's approval is sure to upset some people, The Howard Hughes Corporation has insisted that they are "committed to a bright future for the Seaport neighborhood." As a compromise, the company agreed to present the South Street Seaport Museum with a $50 million endowment. It will also construct a new museum building at 89th South Street and fund maritime-focused capital improvements throughout the historic district.
