Wall Street Walks: The South Street Seaport: Six Months Later

PHOTO CREDIT: Irene Plagian/DNAinfo

"A few blocks from the hustle and bustle of Wall Street is a virtual ghost town. When Sandy struck, water flooded the streets in Battery Park City, the Financial District and the South Street Seaport for weeks, wrecking homes and infrastructure." - am New York

While this is certainly true, several area businesses have fought tooth and nail to reopen to the public and are single-handedly trying to resuscitate the nabe. According to the Downtown Alliance, over 90% of district one businesses are open. These statistics, however, do not necessarily indicate the reality of the South Street Seaport and the surrounding area. For many businesses and residents, life without adequately restored power, data services, etc still reflects a neighborhood that has a long way to go to get back to "normal," according to the recent article in am New York. Establishments that have re-opened now face a landscape that is a far cry from the vibrant destination that existed before Hurricane Sandy hit six months ago. However, in a similar article featuring an interview with the owners of the Cowgirl Seahorse restaurant, the loyal customer base that was still willing to return to the area was lauded. Numbers are undeniably lower due to the drastic drop in residents and tourists, but that did not deter many members of the community from banding together and frequenting their favorite haunts. Some shops were offered a break when the Howard Hughes Corporation agreed to let the tenants of Pier 17 stay open throughout the summer before shuttering the building for redevelopment. The few months of income gives the owners a chance to recoup some of their losses suffered after the storm. In a further effort to bring awareness and business to the establishments that have reopened, the Lower Manhattan Marketing Association launched a promotional campaign on their behalf:

View the full list here

The fact that there are now fewer establishments and attractions in the neighborhood has a much more far-reaching effect than is readily evident. Like many tourist-dependent businesses, Wall Street Walks has much to benefit from a vital and thriving Downtown community. Please join us in our efforts to support these businesses, both new and old, that have opened in the wake of the storm in their endeavors to rebuild and revitalize the District. In addition, many of these businesses and restaurants are to be highlighted in Wall Street Walks' newest Food History Tour. Help do your part and book your tickets today!