Peck Slip Plaza

The Old Seaport Alliance (OSA) is a non-profit merchants' association founded in the wake of Superstorm Sandy by the businesses within the historic South Street Seaport neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. Among the top priorities of the OSA is the neighborhood improvement initiative that focuses on the clean-up and programming of Peck Slip, currently under the agency of DOT while it awaits commencement of construction and its ultimate transformation into a park by the NYC Parks Department.

The OSA envisions creating a true community center in Peck Slip, which is located at the center of the historic district, and is the area's greatest and most important asset. However, it is currently being used as a construction staging area for a DDC project on Broadway.

Since construction on the park is not slated to begin until mid-2015, the OSA has taken steps to secure the area for use as a temporary public plaza, which will greatly benefit a community that has rebounded after the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy. These steps include signing a Plaza Maintenance Agreement with NYCDOT. In order to sign this agreement, the OSA must ensure that insurance, sanitation and street maintenance services are in place for the plaza. The OSA will manage the programming and stewardship of Peck Slip plaza, and is raising the funds needed to be able to formally create a community space for the area's business, residents and visitors. 

Working with the NYC Departments of Transportation (DOT), Parks, and Design & Construction, the OSA will enter into a maintenance agreement that will allow for a temporary plaza to be created. The OSA is eager to sign the agreement as soon as possible, in order to best align use and programming of the plaza with the most optimal weather conditions. The nearly 1-acre open space will be protected by planters, which local schoolchildren will help to plant, and granite benches for quiet enjoyment of the space under the open sky. Inside the plaza, DOT-donated tables and chairs will occupy either end, leaving space in the middle for kicking balls, riding a scooter, and other active play. Funds generated will cover the cost of plaza maintenance and related insurance, which will ensure a clean, safe and well-maintained plaza. We will also create programming in the space, including markets, music, and classes for all ages.

Nineteen months after the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, most of the businesses in the historic Old Seaport district have rebuilt their shops and restaurants, and, along with area residents, are eager to welcome a prosperous new chapter for the neighborhood. Until very recently, Peck Slip was being used to store construction materials and debris, but as a result of community efforts to date, the western portion of Peck Slip has been cleared. Continued efforts to clear the eastern portion have been successful, and this larger area, too, will be cleared of material in the coming weeks. As the only easily accessible open space, and by far the most important and central asset to the neighborhood, the Old Seaport community is very eager to reclaim this wonderful open space, clean it up, and allow for its use as a true community center.