Here, exclusively, is the first look at the latest version of SHoP Architects plan to remake Pier 15 at the South Street Seaport. Earlier this week, the Landmarks Preservation Committee green-lighted the design, which calls for a two-level pier with "passive recreational space" and space for boats to dock.
Followers of the Pier 15 saga may recall that we've seen designs for this dock before, most recently last spring. At that point, the renderings featured ping-pong and tango pavilions, perhaps a response to earlier critics who dogged the project for catering to "couch potatoes." Those potato-throwers also favored a plan that made Pier 15 primarily a place for docking historic ships—and while there is a historic-looking ship in the latest SHoP plans, it appears the pier will cater to recreational users as much if not more than the Tall Ships crowd.
Meantime, when might we expect this new glory to come to pass? Last year, a seemingly reasonable timeline of choosing a builder by summer-fall 2009 was announced; if they can stay on that plan, we'd be looking at opening in 2011.
