So we asked the mayor…
WHERE’S THE LEASE…FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM?
Save Our Seaport notes that the South Street Seaport Museum is still in limbo, without a revised lease from the city that will allow it a sustainable future.
It’s been more than six years since Superstorm Sandy disrupted the Museum’s operations, and despite many positive moves on the part of museum leadership, lack of a fair and viable lease with the city has stalled the museum’s efforts at full recovery.
Save Our Seaport urges the city to act promptly to grant the Museum a lease that will allow it to move forward with confidence, raise funds, and execute on plans developed by the Museum to refocus its mission for the 21st Century.
The community has been told repeatedly that discussions are in the works. Four months ago, on August 31, Mayor De Blasio said on his call-in show on WNYC that a plan for the museum was imminent:
”We do believe there is a sustainability plan in place for the museum now —being pulled together, I should say. We believe the museum will be strong and will survive. Yes, there is some development in that area, but I think what’s being done is done in a manner to preserve all of the historic elements and to make sure there is economic sustainability, so those historic buildings can be preserved long-term, and the museum can be preserved long-term. I’m very, very hopeful that there will be a long-term sustainability plan for the museum.”
Since then, Save Our Seaport has met several times with representatives of the NYC Economic Development Corp.(EDC) to urge prompt action to ensure that the museum can be the anchor for a viable South Street Seaport Historic District.
In its mission to help insure a viable future for the Museum and preservation of the district’s historic assets, Save Our Seaport supports a fair lease for the Museum that would include an end to the rent the City requires the Museum to pay on public land while other museums face no such requirement from the City. The museum should be allowed to develop compatible uses of city-owned land to generate a dependable stream of future revenue.
Save our Seaport urges a prompt, conclusion of these negotiations with the De Blasio administration to give the Museum a “FAIR LEASE and FAIR WINDS.” Save Our Seaport’s recommendations for such a lease can be found HERE.