Controversial Plan for Rooftop Pavilion at Pier 17 Cancelled
The Seaport Entertainment Group (SEG), the new proprietor of Pier 17 and other City-owned properties in the South Street Seaport neighborhood, has cancelled plans to erect a large, glass-enclosed structure on the rooftop of Pier 17 to facilitate winter concert events.
An SEG spokesman said, “after careful consideration, the Rooftop at Pier 17 will not be hosting enclosed events this winter. We’re committed to delivering best-in-class events and experiences for our guests, but due to several factors we feel it is in our and our partners’ best interests not to move forward. We look forward to continuing our work on future programming for the 2026 season as our commitment to bringing one-of-a-kind performances and events to NYC’s most scenic stage during the outdoor season remains unchanged.”
At 150 by 140 feet, the structure would have enclosed 21,000 square feet and reached a height of 50 feet. The decision to abandon the project comes after SEG appeared to view the plan as a fait accompli, with its website boasting, “the Rooftop at Pier 17, New York City’s most scenic stage, is set to evolve into a year-round live performance venue with the debut of a custom-designed glass structure for winter concerts starting in late 2025.” The turnabout follows heated pushback from both Community Board 1 (CB1) and the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
When CB1 members considered the plan in June, they enacted a resolution voicing reservations that the planned color (black) was not appropriate, that the structure would block views, and that the design was not harmonious with the surrounding community.
The next month, the LPC concurred. At a July meeting of the Commission, member Michael Goldblum said, “this is not an appropriate proposal. From an historic preservation perspective, I can’t see a way to approve it. The scale of the existing building was set to resemble and echo the scale of peer buildings. But this will increase it by almost two-thirds. To paint it black and hope that nobody sees it is not a good solution.”
The LPC ultimately deferred a decision on the plan for a rooftop shed on Pier 17, instead inviting the Seaport Entertainment Group to return with a modified proposal. But in September, the company decided to cancel the plan, at least for the coming winter.
“The proposal faced regulatory hurdles,” observed Michael Kramer, president of the South Street Seaport Coalition, a local advocacy group that opposed the plan. “In addition to the concerns raised at the LPC about the structure’s scale, visibility, and its impact on views of the Brooklyn Bridge, it required amending the South Street Seaport Historic District master plan. As a coalition, we supplied information to CB1 to assist them in their discussions with SEG, and we thank them for their efforts and support.”
An SEG source added, “as we’ve progressed through the feasibility, design, and production phases of this project, the combination of supply chain challenges, delays, cost fluctuations, and other considerations no longer make the initiative financially or operationally sustainable. Rather than risk additional delays, expense increases, and further impacts to projected ticket sales and event bookings, we have decided not to move forward.”