New Amsterdam Market Town Hall Meeting January 13

On Monday January 13, Manhattan Community Board One will host a Town Hall Meeting dedicated to one issue only:  the future of the Old Fulton Fish Market, an irreplaceable public site which the Howard Hughes Corporation proposes to demolish and replace with expanded chain-store retail and high-rise luxury housing. Read more here.

Held in the dawn of a new administration, this Town Hall is the people's opportunity to be heard not only about the Old Fulton Fish Market, but also about the future of our waterfront and of other public assets such as libraries and hospitals which are increasingly under threat.

Let yourself be heard!  To attend and receive further details, register by emailing rsvp@newamsterdammarket.org

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For more information about Wall Street and New York's Financial District, join a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour!

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! 

Fulton Stall Market

Terri Vegetarian ~ Organic

The Best of New York Deli

150 Water Street | (212) 952-1890

Pearl Diner

212 Pearl Street |  212-331-0899

Jeremy's Ale House

228 Front Street | 212-964-3537

Plaza Deli

127 John Street |  212-943-7735

Seaport Saved!

On March 14, 2013, the New York City Council heard testimonies from various parties regarding the new development of the South Street Seaport by the Howard Hughes Corporation. While the hearing was meant to center around the proposed plans of the new Pier 17, concern was voiced for the future of the historical buildings in the area as well as the effect future renovations might have on area businesses such as the New Amsterdam Market. 

On March 20, the Council’s Sub-committee on Zoning and Franchises and its Land Use Committee approved the HHC's application for the redevelopment of Pier 17 (a $200 million dollar plan) providing they comply with modifications that ensure the preservation of the historical buildings and the businesses that utilize them. 

The testimonies of Wall Street Walks and other concerned parties no doubt proved instrumental in highlighting these concerns and ultimately modifying the deal so that the South Street Seaport could be "saved."  

The following is our testimony from that day:

March 14, 2013

To the members of the City Council:

               

I own and operate “Wall Street Walks," a New York walking Tour Company focused solely on Lower Manhattan's history, the neighborhood, and its landmarks and museums.

I would like to speak about the significance of two city-owned landmarks, the Fulton Fish Market Tin Building (1907) and New Market Building (1939). 

Markets are part of a centuries-old tradition.  Long before the construction of the F.D.R. Drive or even the Brooklyn Bridge, the Fulton Market was the largest and most important food showcase in Greater New York.  Indeed, locals have been buying and selling fish (and meat, cheese and produce) along this stretch of East River shoreline since the mid-1600's, when the first food markets of New Amsterdam sprung up around the ferry landing at Peck Slip.

Commercial development will promise employment and tax dollars to the city, but it cannot do justice to the neighborhood’s storied past.  Will the development by the Howard Hughes Corporation, or any corporation in the future, be sensitive to the history of the area? 

The Fulton Fish Market Tin Building and the New Market Building buildings are of national significance.  They could be restored & dedicated as a new wholesale and retail markets.   Please protect and preserve these buildings.

The Highline development has changed the meat packing district into a premier New York destination.  The Fulton Fish Market Tin Building and New Market Building could do the same for the Seaport area.  It could solidify the South Street Seaport as another premier destination for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world.

Thank you,

Annaline Dinkelmann

Owner and President

Wall Street Walks