A new global marketplace is coming to the South Street Seaport, Side Dish has learned.
While the Howard Hughes Corp. awaits approval for its proposed 50-story hotel and condo tower with retail space, among other developments, it is also formulating a plan for a new food market that could top 40,000 square feet, sources said.
The Seaport is talking to various celebrity chefs (“you can count them on one hand”) to curate the marketplace experience, according to a source.
In contrast to Mario Batali’s Eataly, which focuses on Italian cuisine, the Seaport is considering a more globally diverse marketplace with select specialty foods as seen through the eyes of one master chef.
If the new luxury tower gets city approval, that would add 130,000 square feet of retail space, for a total of 500,000 feet for retail, dining and entertainment purposes.
“That would make it the biggest in the city,” said broker Robert K. Futterman, chairman and CEO of RKF, the exclusive leasing agent and consultant for the South Street Seaport redevelopment project.
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While grand plans are in the works for the Seaport, some of the neighborhood’s local haunts are finally set to reopen after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy.
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee, which has become a meeting hot spot at 222 Front St., is among the most highly anticipated by residents.
With five New York locations, the mini-chain, which has been closed since four feet of water came flooding in last year, is opening its doors again this week.