Why is this building significant?
The South Street Seaport Museum occupies a block of nine red-brick warehouses, known as Schermerhorn Row, dating back to 1811-12, which collectively constitute one of the City’s oldest extant commercial developments. The Federal-style buildings, adjacent to the East River waterfront, evoke an era when the City was a bustling port. Today, with development pressures mounting as the result of the area’s ongoing transformation from a 9-to-5 business-oriented district to a 24/7 mixed-use neighborhood, the museum’s cultural contribution to its surrounding is more critical than ever.
What did the New York Landmarks Conservancy do?
We have long been a strong advocate for the South Street Seaport Museum, understanding the institution’s important role not only in the City’s cultural life, but also as an anchor of preservation in this (perpetually threatened) historic neighborhood. In 2012 we provided a $10,000 emergency grant for restoration work after Superstorm Sandy and subsequently promoted additional funding from the City. We also successfully lobbied against plans to reduce the museum’s size.
Contemporary
Historic
