Legume on Leonard — Dad Joker on The Bean, revealed

Immigrants = rapists and pedos. Must be nice to talk with your veil of anonymity about people you don't know and who are looking for a better life. Truly gross. Try harder to be human. — malcolm on In the News: Holiday Inn in Fidi will be temporary home for migrants

It is clearly 30 Park Place. All you have to do is go on StreetEasy and look at photos of the units for sale: The finishes in the kitchen and the balcony rails are dead give-away -- the same as in the AD article photos. — Anonymous on In the News: Solaire moving like hotcakes

It should all go back to the drawing board and the LPC staff and commissioners involved in the approvals should all be investigated and punishments should include jail time. — Hugh Janus on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

It will be a nightmare for everyone on Harrison Street and particularly for the Staple Street alley. — Becky on Nosy Neighbor: Is a cannabis dispensary coming to Harrison?

I dont think its the Woolworth, since you can actually see the Woolworth green top from one of the views thru a window.... Plus I doubt any designer would have taken away the iconic metal work with the W that you find in the kitchen in those apartments. — Richard on In the News: Solaire moving like hotcakes

I wish people would stop talking about the parking lot. It totally missed the real sordid story It’s a only a temporary parking lot because the buildings on the lot we are left till they fell into disrepair and were knocked down, the previous developer who got permission to build under the zoning requirements, decided not to build. Instead, the real story is about a bully developer who doesn’t want to follow the rules that every other builder in the historic district has had to follow. Before commenting, everyone should read the actual decision. It reads like a novel of political corruption. They will see clearly it’s about behind the scenes, secret backlot dealing, It’s also about a developer buying air rights from the city in a non-competitive process and asking the city to use that public money to support a private museum and then the developers saying they are bailing out the museum themselves, as a bribe to get a favourable permit from a supposed independent public agency. And as far as affordable housing? Make no mistake. This is a luxury tower with the few affordable units and the community space shrinking and changing with each new iteration. Follow the money! — Linda Jane on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

In many prior undertaking by the developer H.H.C. has promised to include affordable housing units in their developments. Has anyone actually seen in writing an agreement as to the number of apartments they are promising to provide here in the Seaport and under what conditions? In Ward Village Honolulu as a condition for gaining approval to develop the land they made similar promises. However, upon completion, it become clear that those units were not being maintained affordable to those who need them most. They were being used instead as a means of increasing profits and gentrifying neighborhoods at the expense of the very tenants who moved in to the affordable housing units. Only after did they find out when the H.H.C. increased their maintenance burden. Tenants were forced to file for bankruptcy since in many cases they were locked into their “affordable housing”. It is clear that H.H.C.'s actions have not protected the very people who were meant to benefit from their affordable housing promises. I urge the City of New York and community leaders to take a closer look at the actions of H.H.C. and hold them accountable for their failures to deliver on their promises in their developments that a simple google search verify. — Jared Brown on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

The political cover used with the money offered to the museum and the 70 units the HHC is offering is a joke. The first building renderings had a separate entrance for the affordable housing units. The community who actually live in the area oppose this tower. It will over power the block and cause 5 years of construction and possible damage to the historic buildings in the area. — Wendy C on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

Don't you think we all had enough here in New York. There are 1,500 illegal ones here already. We don't need any on Harrison Street. It brings problems for the area. Just look at Chambers Street. — NY Native on Nosy Neighbor: Is a cannabis dispensary coming to Harrison?

Of course this is about the views, the views over and beyond the low-rise historic district that Howard Hughes Corp wants to sell in its proposed tower. It’s also about the views that we have, those of us who live and work in the district, those from around the city, from around the world, who visit the seaport and who will look up to see a wall of steel, stone and glass where there was once open sky. Most of Southbridge Towers does not look over 250 Water Street, and most of the apartments that do would have their views blocked by a building made to the zoned height. No one has objected to such a structure. It’s also about an incursion into a designated historic district and therefore a dangerous precedent for our city. As for affordable housing, that is not in the Howard Hughes Real Estate business model, one that uses a cycle of high-end retail and increasingly affluent tenants to increase value for it’s stockholders. That’s good for CEO Bill Ackman, but it’s gentrification to the rest of us. The Landmarks Preservation Commission was formed with a mandate to prevent this kind of nonsense. It has done so in the South Street Seaport Historic District repeatedly until now. And now it has been called to task for the lapse. — David Sheldon on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

I respectfully disagree. While a building would be a net positive for New York City on a parking lot, a building that is 324 foot high inside an historic district with mostly 6 story buildings will completely overwhelm the South Street Seaport Historic District. It is also important that the Landmarks Preservation Commission follow the law, which LPC did not (otherwise Judge Engoron would have found that they did). It is very scary that the developer was in private conversations on a nearly weekly basis to get the right "cover" to get approval for this project. I am for development of 250 Water Street, so long as it is within the height restrictions of 120 feet, which I believe is still too high, but certainly doable. Thank you. — WSG on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

The land currently used as private vehicle storage is very expensive so the very high density housing will make very good economic sense for the developers. This is too bad. It would make a great place for a park. But then, so would the lot soon to be next to Grand Central. A more contextual development would be better for the area as a whole. I’m not talking a row of brownstones. We can have density that isn’t disgusting. Look at Paris or the Upper West Side. But cookie cutter mega tall modern “luxury” buildings are, like scaffolds, a thing we seem to accept with depressed resignation. It’s too bad. The classic building we all love in NYC are quirky cast iron and masonry, usually 6-14 floors. They aren’t glassy behemoths yet somehow they still make economic sense over a century after they were built by the thousands! — OK on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

I agree that this is needed and the opponents are just hiding behind the historic district designation. A building like this will bring Jane Jacobs-type of mixed-use, mixed socio-economic vibrancy to a "dead without tourists" neighborhood. I believe the affordable housing units will be permanently designated. That is a big concession by the developer. VIA57 development has a lot of affordable units but they are not permanent. The developer resisted any such designation which, like all of the Mitchel-Lama Housing of the 50's-60's (Independence Plaza), will revert back to market rate someday. And please, enough with the dollar signs already, no one wants to make an investment like this unless there is a return. You wouldn't take job for no pay right? — MK on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

1. The plaintiffs are in favor of affordable housing as long as the developer follows the rules. 2. In 2003 the area was "downzoned" to 120 feet. The developer is proposing a project three times this size. 3. The Judge's decision was based upon the developer using "affordable housing" as political cover to gain the support of the lame duck council member before her term of office was up. 4. The only story here is that approvals at the Landmarks Preservation Commission are now "for sale" to developers who team up with worthy non-profits. This violates their charter mandate. — Not Margaret Chin on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

So it’s not a legal dispensary, but is it a vape shop??? One would think the landlord would be willing to at least connect the new tenant with the TC for some free publicity / to get the word out to the neighborhood? I’m worried it’s another shady, tacky vape shop located near multiple childcare facilities. Hope I’m wrong… — E. on Reade on Nosy Neighbor: Is a cannabis dispensary coming to Harrison?

Disagree. Those are 30 PP floors. — Manhattan Mommie on In the News: Solaire moving like hotcakes

I live in the area. We need open space, parking, low rise buildings and ball fields. — David Goldenson on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

It is so obvious the " affordable housing" is just an excuse, a shiny cover to pretend 250 Water st. has a heart for low-income, the truth is this developer has many buildings/towers at West Seaport that have zero low income unites, so suddenly got a heart for low income! No, it is about Money/investment $$$$$ to find a way around the Seaport zoning code/area also due to the potential mercury on the ground from the previous ancient factory/facility on this ground. I hope human rights of district 1, implementing law, respecting historical Seaport zoning area, two elementary schools, and health issues will WIN against legal loopholes of 250 Water street using taxation relief/affordable housing as a cover for only one true reason make more millions $$$$$$. — N.A on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

I just wish we didn't have to endure the skunk smell everywhere. I'd even prefer we go back to cigarette smoke everywhere over the skunk smell that just pervades everything. It gets into our apartment somehow from people smoking on the sidewalk. Nauseating. — Marcus on Nosy Neighbor: Is a cannabis dispensary coming to Harrison?

HHC should donate the land to the city to build a 2-story Museum and Community Center with ball fields on the roof. God bless you — Judy Meatballs on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

Pinch me -- all five comments thus far strongly support the 250 Water Street project and condemn not just the judge's ruling but the NIMBY opponents who brought the lawsuit. I just wrote to our (District 1) councilmember Chris Marte, pointing out this rare show of unanimity and urging him to reconsider his opposition. I encourage others to do likewise, via District1@council.nyc.gov. — Komanoff on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

Awesome apartment. Looks like 30 Park Place to me, not Woolworth Building. Kitchen finishes and loggia w/ limestone column + straight 3 WTC view gives it away. — person on In the News: Solaire moving like hotcakes

Well stated; every single parking lot in this city developed into dense, mixed-use housing for all income levels. Agreed. So tired of the folks who dont work dont care, dont have to worry about housing costs influencing decisions made for the better good. And its not like there are no tall buildings around. Decision should be overruled and Judge should be send to a class on modernization on making more wholistic decisions. — Patrick on Seaport Coalition wins round one against tower

Went to Pier A Harbor House today and was so disappointed to see it closed. Wish it reopens again! — Noel on Pier A is still closed and in flux