Sandy Stymies Revitalization At South Street Seaport
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The South Street Seaport is one of the areas hammered by Sandy and now there are worries that the revitalization there has been seriously setback.
WCBS 880's Alex Silverman On The Story
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The cobblestones of Fulton Street have caved to Con Edison's jackhammers, businesses have been boarded up, workers in white plastic body suits outnumber those dressed like they're from this planet, and metal fences guard Pier 17.
Plans to remake it into a mall are on hold as they try to figure out if its structure will hold.
Amid the boarded up businesses Friday, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman found one with signs of life - Jeremy's Ale House on Front Street.
"Only because of the dedication of the staff that's been with me for 30 plus years," Jeremy, who didn't want to give his last name, told Silverman. "Because I've been 'Jeremy from Jeremy's.'"
"When you opened back up, was there anybody here?" asked Silverman.
"That's the problem," he said. "I don't have much choice. There's 30 guys that work for me. They all have kids. Some of their kids are in college."
Faith Hope Consolo, one of the city's leading retail real estate brokers says the challenge is huge.
"If they reopen at the Seaport, they're going to have to do a dramatic marketing and advertising campaign like: 'We're back!'" she said.
She says she knows what else it will need.
"Some stores that aren't anywhere else in the city. Some restaurants that aren't anywhere else in the city. Cause if somebody can go to the same restaurant uptown or across town, they're not going to go to the Seaport," she said.
"Do you think that this area is capable of coming back from something like this?" Silverman asked Jeremy.
"I'm betting every dime I still have," he said. "Just hope people start coming back down. I hope we're here for them."
