Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Critics: Peck Slip Design Suffers from "Cuteification"
By
Jill Priluck
Published Apr 17, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jill Priluck
Published Apr 17, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
For years the seaport area has been undergoing changes – from the closing of the fish market to the restoration of landmark buildings to the boom in residential development to the redesign of Peck Slip.
But not everyone's supporting the Peck Slip makeover. The NY Sun is reporting that some local preservationists are bemoaning the area's “cuteification.” They say that plans to remake the half-acre along Front St. into a park don’t honor the area’s past.
“Putting trees and flowers and benches in the middle of the space belies the historic authenticity of the space," a co-director of the Seaport Community Coalition, Gary Fagin, said. "The historic open space should be treated with the same delicacy with which historic buildings are treated."
Community Board 1 is expected to approve the $3 million plan – which features a tree grove and planting area - despite the opposition.
This isn't the first time around for the Peck Slip redesign, which has been in the works for years. Initial plans for a park and cobblestone plaza were shelved last month after Community Board 1 rejected the plan because it lacked green space. Last June, residents urged for a Rome-like piazza that would honor the neighborhood’s maritime history.
Tagged
community
community board
design
Front St
history
ny sun
peck slip
Jill Priluck
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 12:55 p.m. ET
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .