Work is beginning to restore New York’s South Street Seaport, the historic district along the East River, which was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.
The Seaport’s cobblestone streets, gas lamps and sailing ships and have made it the 26th most- visited tourist attraction in the world, tied with the Great Wall of China and ahead of the Louvre Museum in Paris, according to Travel + Leisure magazine.
Pier 17, at the heart of the Seaport, was not badly damaged by Sandy, but many of the stores were destroyed and many did not reopen.
The new Pier 17 will have a mix of retail, dining and entertainment options, highlighted by a 1.5-acre rooftop with a world-class restaurant, two outdoor bars and an amphitheater that will hold 4,000 people for concerts and special events overlooking New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan.
The Hughes Corporation, which owns the pier, put off working on the project until after the summer season, giving New Yorkers and tourists one more chance to enjoy the pier.
All the stores are now closed until the work is done in 2016.
