Fulton Market, South Street Seaport Renovation

New York, NY, USA

Project details
Client

Howard Hughes Corporation

Architect

SHoP Architects

Duration

Completed 2017

Services provided by Buro Happold

Structural engineering

The South Street Seaport District is being redeveloped and re-envisioned as a vibrant retail and commercial hub. Fulton Market, a historic 3-story, 108,000ft2 structure is set to be transformed into a contemporary shopping center, while the adjacent Tin Building will undergo extensive restoration and, upon completion, feature a world class food market.

Challenge

Buro Happold provided structural engineering consultancy across this extensive renovation project. We will assist in gutting the original Fulton Market building, and creating instead an expansive, column-free interior space that will allow retail and commercial tenants to undertake custom fit-outs to suit their requirements.

As the area was badly damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, our engineers are keenly aware of the need to deliver durable structural designs that will ensure these historic buildings can withstand future onslaughts. In addition, we are incorporating state of the art sustainable building technologies throughout our work to meet our client’s aim to achieve LEED certification.

Solution

The Buro Happold team performed extensive 3D modeling and analysis of the existing Fulton Market building to ascertain how the team could move the existing 90-foot long, full story steel trusses up one story to create the additional open space required by one of the anchor tenants.

Our solution was to reuse portions of the existing eight truss chords and interior gravity columns to rebuild the truss one story higher within the building. In addition, to limit the risk of flood damage, the client elected to use a deployable portable flood barrier mounted to the sidewalks around the perimeter of the building.

Value

Our structural engineering experts worked collaboratively with the wider project team to create a balanced development plan for the Seaport District. When renovation work is complete, this project will provide the rapidly growing Lower Manhattan population with a much needed centre for culture, dining, fashion and entertainment.

fulton market
Revitalizing the historic structures of the Seaport District to create a vibrant food, retail and commercial center for Lower Manhattan. Image: SHoP Architects