DEPARTURES TRAVEL
DEPARTURES TRAVEL NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH 38 The recently launched Mr. C Seaport hotel in New York City; right: Scotch snails at Manhatta restaurant; below: 10 Corso Como, a new branch of the concept shop in the Seaport District Polishing Up the Seaport A surge of boutique openings has turned an out-of-the-way area of Manhattan into style central. by Ben Ryder Howe FOR DECADES, the Seaport District was one of New York City’s most perplexing neighbourhoods, an area seemingly blessed with everything: waterfront access, proximity to Wall Street, a killer skyline and some of Manhattan’s stateliest old buildings. Yet New Yorkers themselves could rarely be found walking its cobblestoned streets. The main draws were chain-style shops and food courts that primarily attracted tourists. Hurricane Sandy, which displaced many businesses, offered a chance to reboot. Last year that new chapter began, as the Seaport celebrated the unveiling of the Mr. C Seaport ( mrcseaport. com). Built by brothers Maggio and Ignazio Cipriani, the latest generation of moguls from the family behind Harry’s Bar and Cipriani venues worldwide, the Mr. C occupies a landmark building constructed when the neighbourhood was a maze of waterfront markets. Though only seven storeys tall, the 66-room hotel enjoys grand views of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Looming on the horizon (and at night, glowing) is Pier 17 (pier17ny.com), a one-time mall recently transformed by SHoP Architects into a liveentertainment complex featuring a rooftop theatre and soon-to-open restaurants by David Chang and Andrew Carmellini. In its shadow stands Carla Sozzani’s beloved Milanese concept store 10 Corso Como (10corsocomo.nyc), which had a glitzy debut last September. The space, in the Fulton Market Building, includes a cafe, galleries and no shortage of high-end labels, from Comme des Garçons to Maison Margiela. Lower Manhattan has been undergoing a renaissance generally, and at the edge of the Seaport, Manhatta (manhattarestaurant.com), Danny Meyer’s new venture, sits atop a former bank headquarters. From the exquisite art collection and the walnut panelling to the lobster que nelle, there’s a glamorous, midcentury feel to go with the world-conquering view. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: © MR. C SEAPORT; DANIEL KRIEGER; KARSTEN MORAN / NYT / REDUX / LAIF
