50a. South Street Seaport Historic District

Location: Roughly bounded by East River, Brooklyn Bridge, Fletcher Alley, and Pearl and South Streets
Built: from circa 1781 to circa 2000; mainly 19th century
Architect: Multiple
National Register Number: 78001884
Listed: December 12, 1978
Visited: January 14, 15, and 28, and February 2, 2008
Additional Documentation: Historic American Buildings Survey; NYCLPC Reports for individual buildings and the district



This designation could be seen as a token of the preservation movement's growing confidence throughout the seventies. First, the Schermerhorn Row Block gets landmarked by the National Parks Service in February 18, 1971, followed by 170-176 John Street on May 13. Obviously unsatisfied, a year later the Parks Services designates the South Street Seaport a landmark, which it defines as the Schermerhorn block plus four neighboring ones. And six years after that, it mightily stretches its blanket of protection yet again with the South Street Seaport Historic District designation, which (if the map on page 12 is accurate) includes all of the aforementioned sites plus seven-and-change more blocks and four piers. (AND from 1978 to 2002, six boats connected with the Seaport get landmarked as well.)



In what must've been an aggressive attempt at discouraging future interlopers from ruining the neighborhood, the district includes some things that are ehh wellll maybe not so so "historical": a 34-story skyscraper from '83, a '74 ConEd substation that dominates the block it's on, and an acre's worth of parking.