Parking lots can live many lives. But deciding what kind of life exactly can lead to major gridlock. At least this is the case for one former parking lot in the South Seaport Historic District in lower Manhattan.
Plans to build an $850 million, 26-story tower at 250 Water St. came to a screeching halt when the state Supreme Court blocked further construction on the site late last week.
In his decision, Judge Arthur Engoron stated the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regularly met with developer Howard Hughes Corporation to discuss how to provide “political cover” for the proposed building by linking its development with the survival of the South Street Seaport Museum. The court stated the public deserved better than this “quid pro quo.”
