R.DOT Position Page

The R.Dot coalition is comprised of Lower Manhattan residents, businesses, representatives from community and business associations and colleges, artists, professionals, and designers.The coalition meets regularly to discuss, research, and develop a collective vision that can shape our new downtown. Member groups of R.Dot represent the voices of thousands of people who have been directly affected by the destruction of the World Trade Center towers.

R.Dot's vision is to help create a 21st Century living and working, sustainable environment that symbolizes the American spirit and its humanistic values; honors our dead, reflects our modern cultural, technological, economic and social thought; our global financial and economic leadership and a multicultural society.

The coalition's objective is to support imaginative, sustainable designs that create a diverse, inclusive, 24-hour residential and business community. The built design should attract and serve people who provide the intellectual, entrepreneurial, creative and technological capabilities that empower New York City's economy and the richness of its multi-cultural life. R.Dot strongly supports the design on the World Trade Center site of an appropriate memorial to all those whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the tragedy of September 11th.

R.Dot's mission is to represent the active voice concerned with Lower Manhattan in the redevelopment of the World Trade Center area; to promote its spiritual revitalization and economic recovery; and to assure that our collective vision reaches the media, the public and the decision-makers who have the power to create the new reality.

R.Dot is led by architect Beverly Willis, FAIA, Director, Architecture Research Institute, Inc. and Susan Szenasy, Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis Magazine.

1.1 Position Paper Contributors

Retail Survey and Analysis by
George Gordon Chang, Development Strategist

Written by
Beverly Willis, FAIA, Architecture Research Institute, Inc.
Jennifer Kossler, Studio 22 Architecture

Edited by
Susan Szenasy, Editor-in-Chief, Metropolis Magazine

Design, Illustrations and Mapping by
Roland Gebhardt, Roland Gebhardt Design; George Chang; Andreas Ott, Pratt Institute Center for Community and Environmental Development (PICCED); Prof. Peter Zlonicky, Buero fuer Stadtplanung und Stadtforschung; Logo by Pentagram; Web Design and Development by Samuel Thomas, SRT Productions.

Prepared by R.Dot Retail Committee
Jennifer Kossler, Roland Gebhardt, George Chang, David Abasta, Andreas Ott, Katie Taylor, Mannix Gordon, Beverly Willis.

Funding
R.Dot is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

R.Dot Steering Committee
Marc James Ameruso, Carole Artigiani, James Biber, Albert Capsouto, Jean Gardner, Roland Gebhardt, David Hupert, Theodore Liebman, FAIA, Gerard Major, Ellen O'Neill, Brent Oppenheimer, Leslie O'Shea, Rafael Pelli, Nanette Rainone, Ron Shiffman, FAICP, Linda Silverman, Susan Szenasy, Liz Thompson, Paul J. Vincenti, Esq., Sally Yerkovich, Beverly Willis, FAIA.

Pace University hosts R.Dot meetings and provides media support.

2.0 Executive Summary

An immediate strategy to rebuild or strengthen Lower Manhattan's retail destinations, districts and corridors is vitally necessary. The greatness of a city and its economic success depends on the vision of its leadership and the opportunities afforded its citizens.

Retail is a major sector of New York's economy. It is an industry that attracts large national and international companies, encourages entrepreneurship, and provides jobs for a large and minimally skilled population. The retail industry-food/dining, personal services and merchandise of all kinds generates revenues that exceed $50 billion a year.

Retail in Lower Manhattan was severely damaged on 9/11. Some 750 stores were destroyed and many others suffered physical damage. In addition, movement in Lower Manhattan was choked by the changing mass transit and traffic patterns as well as blocked and disrupted streets. The destruction of 11 million square feet of office space at the World Trade Center and today's office vacancies of an additional 11-17 million square feet combine to severely impact the retail market. The customers are just not there.

The greater portion of Manhattan retailing has been and is usually about adaptation. The city is an organism of renewal and change, of births and deaths of retail services and concepts. It is not unreasonable to think that market driven trends will continue. Neighborhood demographics are important when planning retail locations.

However, given the catastrophic, non-market-driven ramifications of September 11th, New York City cannot continue to rely exclusively on these assumptions. We need to find clever, inventive ways to bring shoppers back to Lower Manhattan. The key will not be to create a hard and fast blueprint, but rather to find the catalysts that make Lower Manhattan both attractive to visitors, potential employers, new residents, and successful for merchants.

Downtown draws an estimated 30,000 visitors daily, up 50% since 9/11. Adding to this total will help support new approaches to developing Downtown retail.

Rebuild Downtown Our Town (R.Dot) has carefully surveyed, documented, and mapped retail in all the areas below Canal Street. See the Appendix for the survey findings that form the basis of our recommendations.

2.1 Major Recommendations

* Develop a retail master plan for Lower Manhattan by destinations, districts and corridors. See "Recommendation" strategies for descriptions of each of these areas.

* Coordinate retail Master Plan with a program of events (existing and new) to draw people to the area.

* Construct Broadway-Fulton Terminal as major transportation hub.

* Limit retail underground at the WTC to serving the WTC site and commuters. Strengthen the historical district by converting selected streets to managed streets with usage regulations for automobiles, parking, trucks and pedestrians.

* Expand Downtown Alliance's wayfinding system to provide extensive signage to direct pedestrians from ground zero to places of interest that pass by shopping in all areas of Lower Manhattan. In addition to existing place-directed signage, code streets with uptown/downtown, east/west symbols to help orient pedestrians. Support electronic mapping system that locates all retail stores on the streets.

* Provide incentives to open up blank walls and install retail stores facing the street at ground level.

* Provide incentives to magnet stores to promote the development of struggling retail corridors and to create new ones (see maps).

* Keep West Street at grade level, designed as a grand tree - lined boulevard and encourage new retail development facing the boulevard at Battery Park City South and North.

* Create a major open-air market at or near Battery Park to anchor retail development along Water Street (capturing the foot traffic from tourists visiting the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the ferries.)

* Plan Waterfront retail promenade on South Street along the East River as part of the proposed East River waterfront development.

* Plan and schedule annual major events with emphasis on those that can become traditional, such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

* Keep existing subsidized housing developments intact in Lower Manhattan, as retail is dependent on low- income workers.

* Adopt a managed street plan for the Historic District and Chinatown.

2.2 Introduction

The retail sector in Lower Manhattan greatly suffered in the aftermath of September 11th. As the city considers the future of the World Trade Center site and other Lower Manhattan districts, a survey is needed of the state of existing retail across these neighborhoods. It is also time to consider the opportunities that exist to build on what remains, as well as what was there, in order to activate each area according to its traditions, character, and potential for future redevelopment.

Making Downtown a More Desirable Place to Shop
Historically, Lower Manhattan, the area below Canal Street, has been the financial and civic center of New York City. The retail uses there have been dependent on office workers as their customers with shopping transacted during and immediately before and after work hours. These shops close at the end of the workday. In the 1980s, residential communities were born in vacated office and industrial buildings and the Battery Park apartments were built. Approximately 70,000 residents now live there. Prior to 9/11, residential development was hindered by the lack of personal service retail, a situation that was exacerbated by the attack. These two conditions make it challenging to create the retail synergy that characterizes most Midtown and Uptown districts.

At a series of east-west cross-sections, residential uses predominate in Manhattan. Downtown and Midtown are the exceptions. The largest concentration of housing is at Battery Park City, which is physically separated from the rest of Downtown by the West Side Highway. Except for South Bridge Towers at Fulton Street, the entire area east of Broadway is an emerging neighborhood. Rebuild Downtown Our Town (R.Dot) endorses the idea of developing more housing Downtown, both to make it alive after business hours and to give it the same retail synergy that is enjoyed by other Manhattan neighborhoods. (See Illustration A "Shopping.") Subsidized housing exsisting in Lower Manhattan provides housing for retail-restaurant entry-level employees and must not be converted to market-rate housing. However, space should be provided for retail job training facilities.

The World Trade Center and the World Financial Center
Prior to the tragedy of 9/11, the late 1990s high-tech boom in the investment and trading businesses boosted Downtown retail tremendously, especially at the World Trade Center (WTC), which housed most of the retail in the area. This retail served the employees of these companies, their visitors, and the tourists who were drawn to the Twin Towers as a destination, as well as the adjacent residential neighborhoods. In comparison, retail at the World Financial Center (WFC) received little benefit from Wall Street's boom years. With no natural flow of pedestrian traffic, its clientele were mostly office workers within the WFC complex.

R.Dot believes that retail shopping must be encouraged throughout Lower Manhattan to create 24/7 neighborhoods and to provide service retail for them. Diversification of the types of businesses in scattered locations will help provide market-driven demand.

Attracting Shoppers to Sustain the Future of Downtown
New York is unique because it is a melting pot for the world, not only for different cultures, races, and beliefs, but also for people of different economic levels. This reality has given rise to our many different neighborhoods. In many of our neighborhoods, business, light industry, and residential living co-exist. New York is one of the world's top choices for tourism. What Downtown provides are historical attractions- Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street Historic District, City Hall, Chinatown, the South Street Sea Port, and the Fulton Street Old Town areas; these are completely unique to Manhattan. As destinations, they have the potential to be both educational and inspirational, especially in the wake of 9/11, which gave a new importance to Lower Manhattan. Retail development in the area needs to build on and reinforce the qualities that set it apart from the rest of Manhattan in the eyes of residents and visitors alike.

Many issues weigh on the retail sector in Lower Manhattan. For example, given the destruction of some 750 stores, the absence of the "buying power" represented by the World Trade Center, the lack of sufficient retail prior to 9/11, and the currently vacant 11 million square feet of office space, what kind of retail development should be encouraged? In what locations? Which Lower Manhattan areas will benefit most from a concerted effort to revive its retail sector? The doubling of ferry traffic and its additional ports, the shift away from the use of the PATH Train to other modes of access, and the concentration of tourists at ground zero have resulted in new access patterns. How do these changes affect present and potential store locations?

The City and Retail Development
Historically, cities began at crossroads, whether a camel trail, port, train depot, or highway. So did trade. The genesis, success and growth of the city are integrally tied to its trade patterns, its connectivity, and its transportation routes. Bulk goods were unloaded at the point of access, such as the port. It was there that these goods were traded. For example, spices, ceramics, and bronzes from China were exchanged for guns, machinery, and manufactured goods from England. Some bulk shipments were broken into small quantities, then sold in the marketplace together, next to local farm produce. The marketplace was usually at the center of town, easily accessible to all.

As cities grew, neighborhoods with their own markets sprung up. Even today most neighborhoods in Paris still have their own farmer's markets. There are several in Manhattan, like the one at Union Square. As some markets began to specialize in certain types of goods, they attracted buyers from other neighborhoods - the beginning of destination shopping and the idea of district merchandizing. The concentration of district shopping has been a trademark of Manhattan with its flower, diamond, fur, silver and other districts, though some of these are now dispersed.

The first known shop window was created in the leather district of medieval Paris where streets were typically lined with blank walls and an occasional window. The blank wall facing into the street was cut open and a hinged table was placed there to display and sell goods to passersby. Today, many blank wall facades can be found in Manhattan's historical district, constraining the development of retail there. The same situation once existed in the historic districts of European cities until they modified building facades at ground level, which now sparkle with small, exquisite and high-grossing shops.

Retail as a planning component for Downtown
The comprehensive revitalization of Downtown requires street and neighborhood vitality, which both supports and is supported by shopping. Retail and neighborhood vitality have an interdependent relationship which, in part, determines an area's livability and economic reality. Retail is critical to urban vitality. Street level and pedestrian passages and paths are integral components of the planning of Downtown's infrastructure. Street retail is not only a necessity, but is also essential to urban life. It is here where survival goods such as food are purchased and where we meet our neighbors. Retail also defines our ethnic neighborhoods, contributes to our sense of community and creates our identity.

The infrastructure component of retail is defined by its need for space, location and access. Shopping is a pedestrian activity. It requires spacious sidewalks or pedestrian-oriented streets, street furniture, and sidewalk venders. Shopping stimulates street life.

Retail in this paper is characterized as corridors, districts, and destinations.

Shopping Behavior
The planning process must anticipate evolutionary changes in shopping behavior. Desire, needs, and function motivate shopping behavior and give rise to various types of retail. Retailers either respond to what shoppers want or create ideas to attract them. It is the individual shopper who purchases the goods. It is the shopper who seeks out the venue to shop and picks his/her path. Stores are destinations chosen according to need, desire, or opportunity. This activity can be en passant, on the way to work or planned deliberately. The shopper has to be attracted and stimulated. The attraction must be powerful enough to overcome the pull of the Internet and catalogues. Destination districts and magnet stores are becoming increasingly important for this reason. (Map B "Shopping Behavior" summarizes the mix of patterns in Lower Manhattan.)

3.0 Retail's Economic Importance

Retail in New York City employs more than 280,000 workers, generating $7 billion in annual wages. It generates revenues that exceed $50 billion a year. In Lower Manhattan alone, annual retail sales exceed $1.2 billion. New York City's retail relies on a relatively large and low-skilled workforce. On average, these employees earn $25,500 a year. In most retail sectors, operating margins are only 8% to 10%.

Retail, like media and entertainment, gives the city its allure and sophistication. The glamorous image of upscale retail is closely tied to Manhattan, which accounts for 50% of sales across the five boroughs, even though only 20% of New Yorkers live in Manhattan. Manhattan is the only place in the U.S. where specialty and apparel is the number one retail sales generator in virtually every zip code.

National and international specialty retailers and design houses look to New York City to refine their image. Hermes, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Nike, H&M, Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney and many others have built their US flagships here. New York City is also where national department store chains such as Barney's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's and Macy's were founded. Pockets of brilliance dot the landscape in subsections such as home design, consumer electronics, and specialty apparel. There are also homegrown mini-chains like J&R Music World, Models, Nobody Beats the Wiz, and H&H Bagels. Accessories are more than an after-thought. Tiffany's and Coach, for example, garner some of their highest sales per square foot in their Midtown flagships.

Food and drug is the top retail category in New York City, and durables (including home furnishings, appliances, and automobiles) are second. Together, these categories account for 57% of total spending. Specialty (which includes apparel, footwear, accessories, and luxury goods) is third, claiming 16% of retail dollars. (Specialty is #1in Manhattan and #3 in New York City as a whole). Department stores account for an additional 6% of total retail spending.

In total, the retail sector is supported each year by the 8 million residents of New York City and more than 50 million commuters, day-trippers (visitors from beyond the five boroughs) and tourists. In Manhattan, approximately one-third of retail sales are attributed to non-New York City residents. Day-trippers spend $3.3 billion per year in Manhattan, while tourists spend $2.2 billion. (Source: NYC Partnership: Economic Analysis of September 11, 2001 Attack on New York City, November 2001, pp. 42-44.)

Downtown draws an estimated 30,000 visitors daily, up 50% since 9/11. (Source: Regional Plan Association.)

3.1 Status of Lower Manhattan Retail Today

Ninety percent of all three sectors of retailers - food/dining, personal services, and general merchandise - have suffered a decrease in the number of customers as well as in revenue since 9/11. A survey by the Alliance for Downtown New York shows a distinct change in consumer mix and shopping behavior. Overall, there was a 25%-45% increase in tourists and regional visitors, but fewer financial district workers and less shopping by local residents. Changes in consuming habits have been noted by 82% of the retail/service merchants and 70% of restaurants. These changes were in:

Retail and Service Establishments:
75% "looked for bargains"
55% "bought just what they needed"
34% "spend less time looking for merchandise"

Restaurants
93% "brought fewer guests"
84% "spent less on food"
74% "spent less on alcoholic beverages"

Shopping behavior is complex and subject to change for a wide variety of reasons. The above shopping patterns may be equally influenced by the economic downturn as reflected by citywide year-end sales. (Source: Alliance for Downtown New York: The Lower Manhattan Retail Sector: One Year Later, September 2002.)

Economic Potential of Lower Manhattan Retail
In Lower Manhattan, destination retail does not primarily serve residential needs. However, destination retail is the magnet for organically attracting other retail to the district or corridor. Key destinations are the World Trade Center, Chinatown, South Street Sea Port, Little Italy, Fulton Street Old Town, World Financial Center and the Historic Financial District. Retail is lacking in the financial district and none to speak of for the enormous flow of tourists attracted by the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and now ground zero.

Urban planning must address destination retail, where and how the city can strengthen it with attracting destination stores, strengthening corridor shopping, and stimulate the growth of other types of retail for the residential districts.

While the proposed World Trade Center PATH and subway transit hub retail will serve regional and upper Manhattan commuters, it is important to control this retail so that other retail activity can revive and prosper throughout Lower Manhattan. Experience across the U.S. has shown that mall-type retail can suck the life out of surrounding areas. Mall-type development is at odds with the prevailing urban fabric of Manhattan, which favors street-related shopping corridors.

4.0 Retail and Shopping in Manhattan

Catering to shoppers' needs and desires has created specific types of retail in New York City. Relatively few of these are found in Lower Manhattan.

Retail that caters to neighborhoods
Neighborhood retail can vary in size and type. However, it must provide the necessities of daily life, such as food and drugstores, cleaners, shoe repair, and flowers within walking distance. As Manhattanites eat out and often order in, a range of restaurants is a necessary part of a neighborhood. If an anchor store or restaurant is located there, it may also serve as a destination for shoppers and visitors from other neighborhoods. Examples in Manhattan include Upper West Side streets and avenues; First, Second and Third Avenues; the recent residential developments along the 42nd Street up to the 60s; and the spruced - up shops on Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Avenues.

Retail that caters to the specific industries
In the 20th Century retail districts - a cluster of stores that served specific industries - were located in diverse areas of Manhattan, usually in lower rent areas. For example, retail in the garment district, between 35th and 40th Streets and Sixth and Eighth Avenues, is concentrated on providing merchandise for that industry's use as well as shops for consumers. Among other such districts are the construction business at Upper 40th to 50th Street on the West Side, and the fur, diamond, silver, and flower districts. As these industries are gradually moving out of Manhattan, this type of cluster retail is declining.

Retail that caters to specific communities
One community's desire for retail is not necessarily another community's. Chinatown caters to Asians; Little Italy still caters to the Italian American population (which today it is widely dispersed); Seventh and Eighth Avenues between 15th and 23rd Streets in the Chelsea area and Christopher Street in the West Village both cater to a mostly gay community; the East Village is now mainly a hang-out for young people and college students.

Retail that caters to office employees
Two of the three largest downtowns in the U.S. are located in Manhattan. Midtown is the largest; Downtown is the third largest. Downtown Manhattan includes City Hall, municipal offices and the courts, which are slightly separated from the financial district. In office and industrial areas, retail operates primarily within business hours.

Transportation hub retail
There are three major transportation hub retail centers in Manhattan - Grand Central Station, Pennsylvania Station and the World Trade Center. These primarily serve a transient, regional population that shops 'on the run'.

Destination shopping
New York City destination shopping serves the city, region and the world. Destination shopping is a holiday, an event, an attraction. It is entertainment. It is what gives the city its color and ambiance. A destination can be a district, such as Times Square and the theater district; Lincoln Center; Rockefeller Center or Greenwich Village; or a corridor like Fifth Avenue in the 50s. All are woven into the public image of New York. Certain stores are destination magnets for their particular areas, like the original ABC Carpet & Home in the Cast Iron district, Macy's in Herald Square, Bloomingdale's in the interior design showroom district, and Century 21 in Lower Manhattan.

Museum and performing arts venue shopping
Museum stores have become destination shops and often produce excellent revenue for their institutions. Retail (and entertainment) opportunities can extend to other venues related to the theme of the museum or cultural attraction including restaurants, cafes, research centers, bookstores, theaters, event and exhibition halls, and others.

Event-related and impulse shopping
Retail-restaurant revenues are affected by the economic health of the City's global, national, and regional tourism. One of the many reasons visitors come to New York City is to participate in its famous annual events such as the Ceremony of the Lighting of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As retail-restaurants are increasingly becoming destinations in and of themselves, the type, number, scope and quality of events that occur annually have a direct effect on their businesses.

Planned events, which create a destination for people, are highly effective in activating and revitalizing areas. Development of programmed events should also be anchored into the fabric of Lower Manhattan to ensure a vital clientele. Events such as open-air markets, flower shows, concerts, outdoor performances, fireworks, and sporting competitions draw people and encourage them to linger within the area, activating it and drawing others. The result is street vitality, which enhances nearby retail opportunities. Examples are the visual and performing art events presented by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Chinatown's New Year's celebration, the Canyon of Heroes Ticker Tape parade, and Little Italy's San Gennaro Festival. Afterwards, people want to stroll through the area and are also naturally drawn to browse at the surrounding shops. While people may plan their day around going to an event, once they are there, their activities are usually unplanned and spontaneous.

We have all experienced walking down a street, casually glancing at a display in a store window with no intention of shopping, and then buying something on impulse. Stores lure shoppers to make that unplanned purchase with seductive window displays, an irresistible sale poster, or a bin of bargain goods. Such techniques are more evident in corridor shopping, but equally applicable to destinations. (See Map B "Shopping Behavior.")

4.1 Retail Categories in Manhattan
Retail in Manhattan includes the following categories. The alphabet listing below shows the location of each category on Map C "Retail Categories."

a Specialty retailers: Designer's boutiques, fashion boutiques, department stores, fashion accessory stores, shoe stores, sports wear and gear, jewelry stores, eyewear stores, luggage and hand bag boutiques, ethnic collection stores, souvenir stores.

b Healthcare retail: Prescription drug stores, health food stores, and alternative medicine.

c Lifestyle retail: Bookstores, record stores, video stores.

d Office supply retail: Office supply mega-stores, stationery stores, computer stores.

e House pet retail: Pet stores, kennels, pet food stores.

f Home improvement retail: Furniture stores, electronic stores, and music and sound system stores. Hardware stores, lumber yard, antiques stores, kitchen supplies, home accessories, bed and bath, drugstore, nurseries and florists.

g Service retail: Banks, Post Office, mailing/delivery, travel agent, cell phone center, printing/ computer services, photo development shops, laundromats, dry cleaners, shoe shine/repair shops, hair salons, spas, nail salons.

h Professional service retail: Clinics, veterinarians, dental offices, law offices, accounting services.

i Entertainment retail: Cinemas, performance theatres, jazz club/restaurants, nightclubs, lounges.

j Cultural retail: Museums, museum stores, and art galleries.

k Food/beverage service retail: Restaurants, cafes, bars, fast food restaurants, tea houses, take out food stands, caterers.

l Food/beverage retail: Supermarkets, grocers, bakeries, liquor stores, delis, specialty food markets (i.e.; meat, fish markets, green groceries, and coffee bean and teashops).

m Miscellaneous retail: Lobby shops, magazine stands, flower shops/stands.

Shopping Corridors in Manhattan
Ninety-nine percent of all retail patrons in the city arrive at stores by foot. Therefore, the 'malls' of Manhattan are its streets. Suburban-type malls fail here. The exception was the WTC underground mall after it was redesigned in 1999. At the time of its development, there was very little other shopping in the area - and the WTC building complex blocked passage to exploration of adjoining neighborhoods.

Manhattan sidewalks are passageways for pedestrians to travel to and from their destinations. Stimulating storefronts makes the journey pleasurable. Consequently, people often choose routes along shopping corridors rather than service streets. They are drawn to activity and shopping corridors lined with interesting storefronts and wide, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks that have a stimulating and inviting quality that attract use. Sometimes, these corridors become destinations in themselves.

Urban shopping corridors can be compared to enclosed malls in that they usually have a tenant mix (along a certain number of blocks) of a particular quality of goods. That mix in Manhattan has evolved organically, whereas the tenant mix for enclosed malls is predetermined. Although some of the stores within a corridor are destinations, they also act to connect one vibrant area of the city to another, creating a continuous flow of street vitality. Enclosed malls act only as individual destinations and do not serve as connectors between other corridors.

Retail development in Lower Manhattan has not kept pace with the growth of the multiple residential neigh borhoods surrounding the Downtown office district. The office district is itself becoming a mixed-use area as office buildings are converted to residential uses. Lower Manhattan, including Chinatown, has a resident population of approximately 70,000 below Canal Street with an additional 44,000 students attending Pace University, Borough of Manhattan Community College and Adelphi University. Some 275,000 people commute daily. Prior to 9/11 approximately 20,000 tourists visited daily (7.2 million annually). Today that figure has increased a whopping 50% to an estimated 30,000 visitors per day. (Source: Regional Planning Association.)

Corridor retail is dependent on local foot traffic as well as destination traffic. If there are no magnet stores or other attractors in a neighborhood, the population living and working there must be large enough to support personal service stores. At this time, Lower Manhattan's population appears to be insufficient to support personal services retail. Consequently, other strategies must be adopted to stimulate retail corridor development.

Lower Manhattan shopping corridors
The principal shopping corridors in Lower Manhattan beginning with Canal Street are:

- Broadway (Canal to Bowling Green)
- Canal Street (between 6th Avenue and Bowery)
- Church Street (between Rector Place and Canal Street)
- Fulton Street (between South Street and Cliff Street)
- Nassau Street (between Cedar Street and Spruce Street)
- Greenwich Street (between Chambers Street and Franklin Street)

Each shopping corridor should have its own distinct identity or personality. They do not need to be connected. However, they should not impede a seamless flow of shoppers from one corridor to another.

(See Map D "Existing Downtown Retail Corridors" and Map E "Retail Corridors with Major & New Leases."See the Appendix for detailed recommendations for each corridor.)

5.0 Steps to
Revitalization- Transit/Circulation

Access to and circulation within Lower Manhattan is essential to its revival. For retailers, foot traffic is "lifeblood," so needed improvements are a crucial prerequisite to their recovery and future growth. Map F "Retail Corridors and Areas with Transportation Access" shows how Downtown retail corridors relate to existing subway stations and ferry terminals. This section describes specific measures that will reinforce access and circulation to benefit these corridors.

Mass transit
Mass transit-subways, buses, ferries, PATH Train-stops must be equally distributed throughout Lower Manhattan. Mass transit is crucial to the revitalization of the area. It is important to improve and maintain regional access, citywide and local access, as 85% of people now arrive in Lower Manhattan by mass transit. It is mandatory that the Broadway-Fulton Proposed Terminal be completed as soon as possible. (See Map F "Retail Corridors and Areas with Transportation Access.")

Surface streets circulation
People who arrive via mass transit typically walk to their destinations. Consequently the small, narrow streets, characteristic of the Financial District, are flooded with people in the middle of the streets, jostling dangerously with automobiles and trucks, as no street management plan currently exists. (See Map G "Retail and Managed Streets" and Illustration H "Shopping & Managed Streets.") R.Dot recommends an immediate adoption of a Managed Street plan.

Through traffic circulation
To create a street management plan, it is necessary to designate through traffic streets for automobiles and streets that are primarily for pedestrians, with limited truck and automobile traffic. (Maps G and H.) The following measures will help achieve this:

* West Street is a major artery connecting the West Side Highway (Rt. 9A) with the FDR Drive, forming part of the ring road around Lower Manhattan. West Street needs to be constructed as a Champs Elysees type boulevard with connections to Lower Manhattan through southbound streets west of Broadway below Canal Street, such as Church Street, West Broadway, Broadway and Greenwich Street in order to serve all of Lower Manhattan, especially the area below the WTC site. Doing so will provide the opportunity to simulate new private construction of residential or other mixed-use buildings along West Street and Greenwich. (Tunneling ramps, if West Street is partially undergrounded, will create more retail dead spots and will separate Battery Park residences from Lower Manhattan communities.)

* Bowery to Water Street: Develop and improve through automobile traffic from the Bowery to Water Street to replace the through traffic at South Street below Dover Street at the Brooklyn Bridge. This will facilitate the future South Street development along the waterfront at the South Street Sea Port, Fulton Fish Market, and Ferry Terminals.

* Water Street: Reinforce Water Street northbound from Battery Park to avoid bridge or tunnel traffic. This would encourage retail development at the south end of the Lower Manhattan.

* Canal Street: Cross-town transportation or subway stops do not exist east of Broadway on Canal Street. Increase bus services, allow taxi and mini-van services to the area and continue these services to Water Street and the Wall Street financial area and ferry terminals in order to attract new foot traffic.

* Fulton Street is more of a district than a corridor. Because of the concentration of districts in that area, including the future WTC development, it should not be a through traffic street.

* Broadway to the Civic Center is a major through traffic street. However, the congestion below the Civic Center is severe, necessitating the regulation of automobiles and trucks and the substitution of frequent public transportation for non-permitted automobile usage. Northbound and southbound public transportation, such as the Downtown Alliance sponsored "Downtown Connection," can bring people to the center of the Lower Manhattan and to and from the proposed Broadway-Fulton Terminal and Battery Park and other ferry terminals.

* Ferry Connections: Provide ferry services to destination attractions from Battery Park and ferry terminals at the southeast edge of the waterfront.

Deliveries and Truck Parking
Trucks idling and double-parking in narrow streets inhibit the flow of car and pedestrian traffic. This is bound to get worse as shipping and truck delivery increases as Internet shopping grows. A management plan must establish rules and regulations for the time of deliveries. Innovative solutions must be found to enable delivery companies to make small deliveries quickly and easily at all times of the day, even while deliveries needing big trucks and substantial unloading time have to be made in off-peak hours.

Ramps and Tunnels
West Street separates Battery Park City from the rest of Downtown. If the West Side Highway goes underground, it should do so above Battery Park City North, ending at the Brooklyn Tunnel. Side streets should have retail frontage to provide needs and neighborhood amenities. Placing ramps in front of Battery Park City's residential area would be unsightly, with large blank tunnel walls that would change the aesthetics of the well-landscaped neighborhood without stimulating the growth of the area. This should be avoided.

The ramp to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel occupies the entire area where two dead-end streets, Greenwich and Washington, were created when the tunnel was built. This has created a maze of ramps and tunnel entrances. The ramp for the tunnel also creates a blank facade. The Tunnel Authority Building at Battery Place discourages pedestrian movement and retail opportunities. Air-rights development over this ramp could provide residential and/or hotel uses, with entrances to the surrounding streets. This would change the dynamics of the area and provide an opportunity for service retail.

5.1 Steps to Revitalization - Facades and Storefronts

As New York has grown and evolved, building uses have changed from factories and warehouses to office and residential space. Ground floor facades have been rebuilt to accommodate new uses. Retail at the ground level is a more profitable use than either residential or office occupancies, providing there is a strong motivation for building owners to invest in conversion. This conversion is just beginning in Lower Manhattan where industrial and warehouse buildings once surrounded office buildings and after most financial offices moved to Midtown. Artists pioneered the area, constructing loft spaces in empty buildings. Upscale residential development soon followed creating today's neighborhoods. Facade conversions are now underway. Many more are needed. Innovative examples exist of how this is and can be done.

(See Illustration I "Storefronts" for a visual discussion of successful and unsuccessful examples of storefront design.)

5.2 Steps to Revitalization-Directional Signs and Graphics

Additional signage is urgently needed to capture the attention of those who visit Lower Manhattan's ground zero, historic district, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Signage can help direct people to places adjacent to Lower Manhattan retail and restaurant locations following their visit. The Downtown Alliance's wayfinding place-based system is a major step. Electronic, interactive kiosks in key locations can locate all retail stores as well as places of interest.

The Wall Street financial district is a maze to most people who visit or work there: congested streets, high-rise buildings, numerous street names (some streets with two or three names). This works to disorient pedestrians. Coded intersections with uptown/downtown and east/west symbols will also help, particularly at Broadway/State Street, Fulton Street and Water/State Street. (Here we have two State Streets for both the continuation of Broadway and Water Street.)

Signs also are needed for directions and access to Battery Park, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Robert Wagner, Jr. Park, Folk Art Museum, Ferry Terminals, South Street Sea Port, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to name a few. After they tour Battery Park, Statue Liberty and Ellis Island, people get lost on dead - end streets like Washington Street, Greenwich Street or the Wall Street maze via Bridge Street, Pearl Street and State Street that connects to Water Street.

There is also a need for more signs and directions to help people locate the temporary 9/11 memorial. Many use St. Paul's Church on Broadway as an entry to the WTC site.

6.0 Strategies for Revitalizing
Lower Manhattan Retail

An implementation sequence for redevelopment in Lower Manhattan is crucial to its fragile business and retail economy. What exists must be stabilized. It is therefore important to provide a vision and development concept for all of Lower Manhattan and demonstrate the ultimate potential of its revitalization. Currently, most private development and planning efforts are on hold as the City, owners, and developers await the results of WTC site planning and the LMDC-proposed Fulton Street entertainment retail corridor. In the meantime, the Downtown economy - including the Fulton Street corridor and South Street Sea Port/Fish Market area is hurting badly. The following immediate, intermediate, and long-term strategies are put forward as key steps to improve conditions in existing retail areas and corridors, in parallel with a larger redevelopment process.

Immediate strategies
1 Establish a master plan for Lower Manhattan as a guide for the future development efforts and one that will satisfy neighborhood needs.

2 Establish Master Plan retail concepts and development schemes for the City and State Public Agency- owned properties and facilities, such as the Fulton Fish Market area, Battery Park, ferry terminals, Ellis Island and Statue Liberty attractions, Chinatown Park and many others.

3 City and state agencies to provide improvements to public transportation to retail destinations, districts and corridors. Extend the Downtown Alliance's street environment program of plantings, streetlights, paving, directional graphics and signs. Vary designs to fit identity of neighborhood. Eliminate sidewalks on designated pedestrian streets.

4 Review and select suitable development proposals from developers that specialize in retail to incorporate into the master plan.

5 Subsidize the location of magnet/destination stores, those with non-typical merchandise or a 'must - see' presentation of goods in order to organically attract other stores. Coordinate subsidy program with neighborhood BID's district and block association programs.

6 Provide sales tax free zones.

7 Create and schedule frequent events to increase the number of shoppers in Lower Manhattan.

8 Create a coordinating council of retail-related players to develop strategies for a balanced Downtown retail environment and signage.

Intermediate Strategies
1 Work with community boards, BIDs, district and block associations, and business sectors to develop guidelines and incentives for future retail development to satisfy the specific needs neighborhoods including Chinatown, TriBeCa, Wall Street area, and Fulton Street Old Town business community.

2 Assist and encourage developers/operators of Downtown properties to generate new concepts and redevelopment schemes for revitalizing existing retail locations that are no longer effective or never successfully performed, such as Pier 17 and Fulton Market at South Street Sea Port, the World Financial and Winter Garden.

3 Provide development strategies to enhance and expand those existing retail establishments that are currently successfully operating.

4 Provide subsidies for pioneering Magnet Stores.

5 Establish a major Farmer's Market near Battery Park or at the WTC.

6 Create and encourage annual or repeating events, such as the TriBeCa Film Festival, to make the area more memorable (promote New York as the capital of independent filmmaking).

Long-term strategies
1 Plan continuous promotion of historical destinations of Lower Manhattan nationally and internationally.

2 Preserve the uniqueness of neighborhoods such as Chinatown, TriBeCa, Fulton Street Old Town, Wall Street area, South Street Sea Port and Fish Market area.

3 Conduct events and celebrations based on neighborhood cultures, communities, and history as the attraction for visitors.

4 Provide incentives for the development/expansion of new businesses or industries to the area. This could include the following:

* Historic District as a destination.

* An academic destination (presently serving 44,000 students).

* Research institutions, associated with the health industry, such as biotechnology.

* Capitalize on subway locations in the Historic District.

* Transform Broadway and Church Street into major shopping corridors by building the Broadway and Fulton Transit Station.

* Encourage retail development starting at and continuing from Battery Park along Water Street and South Street.

* Help create retail to meet the personal service needs of the residential communities.

* Promote and offer incentives for a Performing Arts based Technology Media Center.

* Build in air space over the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to provide frontage continuity for retail to Water Street.

7.0 Detailed Recommendations by Destinations, Districts and Corridors

(See Map J "Retail Destinations, Districts and Corridors," Map K "Survey-Retail Areas," and Map L "Recommended Retail Corridors.")

7.1 Destinations

World Trade Center Site and its Surrounding Areas: Area D3
The rebuilding of the site will make it possible to continue the Church Street frontage and revitalize Church Street retail. Most WTC retail should be initially provided along streets within the development or below grade to serve transit. The development of a shopping mall should be delayed until street front retail is in place. Its ultimate size and character should reflect their presence, not compete with it.

The Battery, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: Areas H, H1, and H2
Connect destination attractions with residential and hotel development around the park, generating sufficient foot traffic to attract retailers and become the center of Lower Manhattan.

Chinatown: Area N and N1
Retail should reflect New York's and America's broader Asian cultural infusion-and introduce late-night activities. Bring public transit to Bowery and Canal Streets and highlight historic landmarks to create a new hub for the area.

South Street Sea Port: Area K
Create a new concept for Pier 17 and the Fish Market that will attract city residents as well as tourists.

Fulton Street Old Town: Area K1
Convert the upper stories of small buildings to artist's work spaces; convert large ones into hotels or housing. Recast the J&R Plaza concept as a duty-free shopping zone to extend into Fulton and Nassau Streets. Designate the area as an historic landmark district. Subsidize one or two magnet stores to attract other quality retail.

7.2 Districts

Historic District is divided into Areas A and B.
Open historically significant buildings and locations to the public. Remove sidewalks from selected streets and provide street management regulations. Introduce a visitor's center for information (and a retail opportunity).

Stone Street Historic District Area J
Promote Stone Street District, one of the first paved streets in the "New World." It is a small piece of old New Amsterdam restored in 2000.

Park Row - Broadway - John Street - Spruce Street, William and Nassau Street Area K1
Expand concept of the J&R Plaza to create a duty free shopping zone to extend into Fulton and Nassau Streets. Subsidize one or two selected magnet stores to attract other quality retail to the area.

TriBeCa is divided into Areas A and B

TriBeCa North Area A
The retail establishment should coexist with the exclusive housing market of this area. As described in the area survey, the existing retail in this area forms a particular high-end character and a destination quality to the predestined clientele. Create a village retail hub at Collister and commercial strip on Greenwich and Hudson Streets.

TriBeCa South Area B
Encourage and create personal service retail along Greenwich Street that is consistent with the characteristics of Area A and enhances the existing village market setting.

Battery Park City is divided into Areas C, E, and F

North of Battery Park City Area C
World Financial Center Area E
South of Battery Park City Area F
* Provide residential and hotel development along West Street south of the World Trade Center site and west of Broadway which will physically connect these areas to the rest of Lower Manhattan as well as create a steadily increasing client base to attract retailers to this area.

* We recommend that the owner/operator of the World Financial Center reevaluate the existing retail operation and introduce new concepts for the facility that are unique to the area, city, nation, and the world.

Chinatown is divided into Areas N and N1

Chinatown, west of Bowery Street Area N
Chinatown, east of Bowery Street Area N1
* Encourage business communities and retailers in this area to reinvent the traditional culture and provide new concepts and images to attract the new Asian American market that is still unique to people from other parts of the world.

* Bring public transportation systems to Bowery Street between area N and N1 and build new destination icons, highlighting the existing historical landmarks to reinvent this location as the hub of Chinatown.

* Introduce new business types to the area that will draw new client base and energy for late-night activities.

Civic Center Area M
* Install retail and restaurant kiosks to serve visitors and office workers during the business hours of this area.

Battery Park Area H

Museum of Jewish Heritage, Robert Wagner Jr. Park Area H1
Folk Art Museum Area H2
* We see the opportunity for bridging destination attractions with residential and hotel development located around the park, possibly over the ramp of the tunnel between Greenwich and Washington Streets at Area G. This would generate a large client base to attract retailers to the area and serve visitors of these destination attractions. This area should become the center of Lower Manhattan and the symbol for historic New York and America.

Wall Street Financial District is divided into Areas J and I

Wall Street Area J
* Institute graphic signs, location kiosks and architecture lighting program for this area providing full exposure of the historically significant locations and buildings, corporate headquarters, retailers, public art installations and other attractions to tourists, office employees and residents during the day and night.

Southeast corner of Wall Street Area I
Introduce a new visitor's information and retail center that is part of the existing ferry services, which would:

* Unify the existing destination attractions around Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty, Immigration Museum at Ellis Island, Governor's Island and Roosevelt Island.

* Highlight the spirit and history of America of how the country was built, and celebrate the history of the way people came to this country.

* Discover the history of New York and it's melting pot cultures.

* Provide preview information for all of the destination attractions that would support, inspire and facilitate an international tourist center and an information center for the local visitor and resident.

Fulton Street and South Street Seaport Neighborhood is divided in Areas K, K1, K2, and L.

Fulton Street and J&R Plaza Area K1
* Convert the upper levels of the small buildings to artist studios and workshops and the large buildings to hotels or apartments to ensure the authenticity of the neighboring retail development that is unique to this area.

* Expand the retail concept of the J&R Plaza to create a duty free shopping zone for electronic, music, and computer systems similar to Akihabara in Tokyo, Japan where tourists purchase electronic and music systems and computer hardware and software free of tax by showing a passport and airline ticket.

* Declare the entire area a historic landmark district. Preserve buildings, restore pebble stone streets, and install traditional storefronts and street lamps.

* Provide signage to facilitate building identity and orientation.

South Bridge Towers Area K2.
* Provide gateways, icons and transportation stops along Water Street to identify areas K amd K1

South Street Seaport/Pier 17 and Fulton Street Market Place Area K
* Create new concept and use of Pier 17 and the adjacent Fish Market to be an anchor destination serving not only tourists, but also local residents.

* Create a landmark waterfront retail shopping, restaurant and entertainment district by relocating retail stores of the Pier 17 Mall to fully occupy the Fulton Market Place and area between Water Street and South Street, and John Street and Beekman Street.

Fish Market Area L
* Introduce working and living studios and retail to the area. Work studios to be used for painting, photography, digital production, media and sound.

* Create a destination anchor retail store with supplies and household goods to serve local residents and people from the other parts of the city. Create multi-level parking at the parking lot at Water Street between Beekman Street and Peck Slip.

7.3 Shopping Corridors

7.3.1 Existing Corridors

Broadway and Church Street Corridor is divided into Areas D, D1, and G

Broadway and Church Street Area D
* Develop street - front retail with new buildings to turn Broadway and Church Street into major shopping corridors. Promote and subsidize magnet stores.

* Allow street - front retail on Church Street in landmark buildings.

Trinity Place and entrance ramp to Brooklyn Battery Tunnel Area G
* Support residential and hotel development and build over the ramp of the entrance to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel with entrances to Trinity Place, Greenwich Street and Battery Park Place to energize the area, including Battery Park City.

Canal Street (Sixth Avenue to Bowery)
* Encourage an independent filmmakers cluster to attract film related retail. Allow new performance theaters in existing buildings and provide other alternative culture destinations.

* Improve storefronts and sidewalks.

Fulton Street (South and Cliff) and Nassau Street (Cedar and Spruce)
* Allow street - front retail, with service industry uses above, on Fulton Street. Theme and selected magnet stores are needed on Nassau Street as well as the Fulton District.

Greenwich Street (Chambers and Franklin Street)
* Encourage personal service retail to reinforce the "village market" setting.

Greenwich Street (Fulton Street to Canal Street)
* Encourage quality retail and develop the Collister area as retail center for the Village.

South Street
* Create a major boardwalk for residents and visitors to connect Battery Park, ferry terminals, Terminal Buildings and Pier 17 attractions.

7.3.2 Potential Corridors

West Street (Vesey to Morris)
* Create a personal service retail corridor.

Water Street (Brooklyn Bridge to Peter Minuit Place)
* Create a retail/restaurant corridor serving local residences, office workers, and visitors.

8.0 Appendix

8.1 R.Dot's Survey of Retail Areas Comprising Lower Manhattan

As neighborhood retail can substantially vary, each neighborhood was divided into specific retail areas (or lack thereof) within each neighborhood. (See Map K "Survey Retail Area" and Map L "Recommended Retail Corridors.")

8.1.1 World Trade Center site Area D3

History:
The World Trade Center building complex was designed to create a center for international financial business corporations and institutions. To maintain the "image" of the building and its tenants, street level retail was excluded from the design scheme. Concourse level retail catered to commuters using subways and PATH. Battery Park City was established in the late 1980's at the same time as the boom in the shop- ing mall business. Request for Proposal was issued for the creation of a major mall that would bring World Trade Center and World Financial Center retail together as one shopping center.

The boom of the financial and investment trading business brought many prestigious corporations, financial institutions and their employees to Lower Manhattan and specifically to the World Trade Center. These companies were mostly worldwide operations, bringing many daily visitors to the site. Retail at the World Trade Center became the primary retail of Lower Manhattan, which contained a merchandise mix, like Midtown's catering to young professionals and visitors. This development competed directly with other retail establishments in the area, including those on Fulton Street, the South Street Sea Port, and even in the World Financial Center's retail mall.

The goal of the redevelopment of the World Trade Center concourse-level retail space in late 1999 was intended to: 1. Maximize the rentable square footage at both concourse and plaza levels. 2. Attract more national retail chains and manufacturers' stores in order to generate higher rents for the building and to improve the real estate Performa. 3. Reduce the staffed security checkpoints at the entire center in order to reduce the operating budget. All adjustments were designed to attract a private real estate management team to take over the entire complex. Following the initial success of the redevelopment, an addition of more retail was planned before the 9/11 tragedy.

With the downturn of the financial and investment trading business and the relocation of many companies, a majority of the client base (young professionals with 24-hour schedules and big pocketbooks) that had supported the previously established retail scheme left the area. Now, without an understanding of the future tenants of the new development with which to define the direction of the retail mix, it is very difficult to plan any pre-mixed retail operation and environment. A total vision for Lower Manhattan redevelopment one that can benefit all neighborhoods and communities and that is not dependent upon the World Trade Center is needed.

8.1.2 Battery Park and Museum is divided into Areas H, H1, and H2

Battery Park Areas H, H1, and H2 Characteristics
* Battery Park City is characterized by parks, historic tourist attractions and museums dislocated from the urban setting by major freeways and ramps. Most out-of-town visitors who come to this area from Broadway cannot find their way back after sightseeing at Battery Park and the Statue of Liberty. The Museum of Jewish Heritage and Robert Wagner Jr. Park at the west corner are hardly noticeable to the public, while the new Folk Art Museum has attracted few walk-ins. There are no restaurants and retail stores for people to stop and rest before wandering back north to find public transportation.

Areas H, H1, and H2 Retail
* There are no street retail activities within the parks and museums. There is only one specialty deli market, the Amish Market at Battery Place between Greenwich and West Streets, which is at the street level of a converted apartment building.

Examples of attractions and retailers in Areas H, H1, and H2
* Battery Park, Museum of Jewish Heritage, Robert Wagner Jr. Park, American Folk Museum, Amish Market.

8.1.3 TriBeCa is divided into Areas A and B

TriBeCa Area A Characteristics
This area is comprised of historical warehouse and factory buildings with cobble stone streets. Most of the existing buildings have been converted into expensive housing units. Most of the buildings have loading docks and platforms at street level. There is a feeling of SoHo in the early 1980s with little traffic and activity at street level.

Area A Retail
Most retailers in this area are expensive, high profile manufacturers and designers with exclusive clienteles. Most retailers and restaurants are of destination quality with regional and national reputations and draws. Some have an international reputation. The quality of the retail is consistent with the residential development of the area. Artificial massing of these retailers is not so inportant as their clientle will find them no matter where they are.

On Canal Street, although there are few retail establishments along this section of the street, there are bars, restaurants and a movie theater. The Screening Room, at West Broadway and Varick Street is destination retail and operates in the evening.

Examples of attractions and retailers in Area A
Issey Miyaki, Nobu, TriBeCa Bar and Grill, Chanterelle, Odeon, Mentrachet, Layla, Screening Room and others.

TriBeCa Area B Characteristics
This area is comprised of typical New York walk-up apartments and commercial buildings with first floor retail space. It has a village and neighborhood feel, especially around the Duane Park area. There are new apartment buildings on Greenwich Street between Duane and Murray Streets, with retail spaces on ground floors. There is a sharp transition from this neighborhood village to the corporate office and campus building complex on Greenwich Street. Existent buildings include the Travelers Group building between Hubert and N. Moore Streets and the Borough of Manhattan Community College campus at Greenwich Street.

Area B Retail
There is more neighborhood and personal service retail in this area, especially along Greenwich Street, beginning at N. Moore Street (where a destination restaurant, TriBeCa Grill, is located) and continuing south to Murray Street. Further south, neighborhood and personal service retail dominates, including supermarket, dry cleaners, pet supply, delis, drugstore, green market and flower shops, nail salon, shoe repairs, copy and print, tanning spa, mail box center, liquid store, pharmacy, and one dog daycare. There are few high quality retail shops and a lack of a quality fresh food market. There are empty spaces on Greenwich Street in all new buildings near Barclay Street. There are some regional destination restaurants here.

Examples of retailers in Area B
Food Emporium, A.L. Bazzini (a high-end deli and dry goods store at corner of Jay and Greenwich), Morgan's Market, King's Pharmacy, Duane Park Cafe, Yaffa's Cafe, and others.

8.1.4 Battery Park City is divided into Areas C, E, and F

Battery Park City North Area C Characteristics
Consists of campus and planned residential complexes with no street level retail.

Examples of Area C Retail
No Retail.

World Financial Center Area E Characteristics
This area consists of corporate building complexes with suburban lobby retail mall interiors. There are no street activities. Mall traffic is very minimal. There are two major food court areas, the Winter Garden and Courtyard with several retail stores at the second floor office lobby and at the Winter Garden. This is not a well-planned retail space. There is no room for anchored retail to bring people to the site. Restaurant spaces were originally planned for small retail stores and offices spaces. There is no seductive link between the Winter Garden and the Courtyard.

Area E Retail
Most of the tenants are suburban mall retailers, chain restaurants, fast food chains, and restaurants that are operated by one caterer/restaurateur. There are only a few specialty lobby shops and some personal service retail. Retail caters to people who work in the complex and weekend tourists. The busy time is during the lunch and happy hour.

Examples of retailers in Area E
American Express Travel Service, Ann Taylor, Gap, Godiva Chocolatier, Sunglass Hut, Au Bon Pain, California Burrito, Grill Room, and others.

Battery Park South Area F Characteristics
This is the hub of the Battery Park City residential area with massive apartment complexes and individual apartment buildings. Most of the buildings are without ground floor retail space. Some buildings contain fenced-in courtyards. There is a small neighborhood shopping center near the Liberty Street entrance to the area. The setting of this area is similar to a housing project, but with well-designed and landscaped communal gardens.

Area F Retail
There is one supermarket, dry cleaner, and laundromat near the Liberty Street entrance catering to the residents living in this immediate neighborhood. The closest drugstore and house supply store was the destroyed Duane Reade at the World Trade Center. The shops within the building complex cater minimally, if at all, to the daily residential needs.

Examples of retailers in Area F
Food Emporium.

8.1.5 Chinatown is divided into Areas N and N1

Chinatown Area N Characteristics
Narrow streets typify the original Chinatown district with all retail types at the basement level, street level and floors above. There are multi-level food markets, mini malls, mini department stores, medical buildings, churches, temples and other special-use buildings mixed in with the conventional retail street layouts. There are also offices and residential apartments above street level. Streets are packed with people during all hours of the day with a mostly Asian community that works, lives, and visits there. This part of Chinatown is also a major tourist destination. Canal Street is the gate to this area, which provides no icon for the area aside from the gateway to Little Italy at Mulberry Street.

Area N Retail
Most of the retail stores and restaurants have a long history of operation. New store and restaurant concepts have appeared lately due to the new Asian trend. New Chinatown communities exist in Flushing, Queens, where a modern Asian lifestyle and new immigrants have merged. Novel Asian food restaurants and tea houses sell products reflecting the modern Asian culture and modernized food markets carry new ingredients for new recipes. Mini - buses transport people to Flushing, Queens regularly. 90% of the retail business in this area caters to an Asian population primarily of Chinese descent. Tourists mostly visit restaurants and some inexpensive souvenir stores at the area. The latest trends in this area are Taiwanese style tea houses, Malaysian restaurants, and specialty restaurants with modern interiors.

Retail on Canal Street between Broadway and Bowery consists mainly of jewelry stores that cater to the Asian communities on the north side of the street. These attracted another client base during the late 80's when Hip-Hop gold jewelry was in fashion. There are food markets between Lafayette and Mulberry Streets on the south side of the street that are not pleasing to tourist foot traffic and dicourage visitors/ customers from SoHo and the subway stops.

Examples of retailers in Area N
Peking Duck House (specialty restaurant with modern interiors on Mott Street), Sinotique (modernized Chinese antique store on Mott Street), Green Tea Cafe, Saint's Alp Teahouse (modernized tea houses on Mott Street). Kim Mon Food Market on Canal Street, Deluxe Food Market Inc. (new concept indoor food market on Elizabeth Street between Grand and Hester Streets). Dynasty Arts (popular antique store on Mosco Street).

Chinatown Area N1 Characteristics
These parts of Chinatown are similar to the Area N in terms of building types with two major retail streets, East Broadway and Division Street go through the area. There is not much tourist traffic here. It is mostly Asian regulars and visitors.

Area N1 Retail
This is similar to Area N with mostly food-related retail. There are no antique stores or any souvenir retail. There are some destination restaurants for regional visitors and for regulars.

Examples of retailers in Area N1
Canton (old destination restaurant on Division Street), Dim Sum Go Go (new popular restaurant on East Broadway).

8.1.6 Civic Center Area M

Civic Center Area M Characteristics
In this area, there are mostly civic and federal buildings with plazas and courtyards, including City Hall and City Hall Park. There is no retail space. For security reasons, vendors were also eliminated from the site. The only retail block is between Chambers Street and Reade Street, and Broadway and Elk Street.

Area M Retail
The retail within this area is limited to the single block mentioned above; and along Chambers Street and Broadway catering to people working and visiting the area; and the continuation of the Chambers Street shopping area westward.

8.1.7 Broadway and Church Street is divided into Areas D, D1, and G

Broadway and Church Street Areas D, D1, and G Characteristics
Broadway is the main street in this area with mostly commercial buildings and offices, corporate buildings, and some converted residential office buildings. There is a constantly interrupted retail strip on the street, broken by Area M - Civic and Federal buildings without street level activities, parks, the City government complex, and churches and office buildings all without street level retail space.

Areas D, D-1, and G Retail
Most of the retail along Broadway caters to people who work in the area and similar retailers to the ones at the east end of 42nd Street and other Midtown office areas along Third and Lexington Avenues. There are mall retailers near the entrance of Fulton Street; and restaurants, cafes, specialty retailers and other retail between Broadway and West Broadway, Duane and Warren and along Church Street that serve not only the people who work in the area, but also the neighboring residents and regional visitors. Century 21 on Church Street and facing the World Trade Center site, is also a destination for international tourists. Zym's, a discount department store, caters to local and regional shoppers.

The retail at Canal Street, between Broadway and West Broadway on the north side, and Broadway and Church Street on the south side of the street, is different from retail towards the east from Broadway. There is Pearl Paint, Canal Plastic, hardware supplies, and luggage stores that cater to the general public, arts and crafts students and professionals. There are more tourists and a mixed cultural client base at this section of Canal Street than the rest of Canal Street. Pearl River, a Chinese department store at the corner of Broadway and Canal, attracts mostly young students and professionals and tourists as regular shoppers.

Examples of Areas D, D1, and G retailers
Century 21, Zim's, Strawberry, Mrs. Fields, City Hall Cafe, Pearl River, Canal Plastic, Pearl Paint.

8.1.8 Wall Street Financial district is divided into Areas J and I

Wall Street Financial District Area J Characteristics
This area consists of a banking and financial business hub composed of narrow and winding streets, corporate high rise buildings, and colonial classic headquarters buildings. There is no street level retail space in most of the buildings in this area, especially those that were built before the mid-1980s. There are a few retail alleyways that contain some restaurants and pubs. In recent years, some smaller buildings have been converted to residential use. The entire area is like a maze, with the reputation as the "Wall Street area," and draws many tourists from all over the world.

Area J Retail
There are restaurants, bars and delis serving the people who work in the area and chain convenience/ drugstores, photo printing, and other office-related service retail. In recent years, art galleries, museums and destination restaurants/private clubs have sprung up. All of the retail more or less serves the people who work in the area and shuts down at the end of office hours. It is not an easy place to find your way and there is no main retail - shopping street for visitors.

Examples of Area J retailers
Duane Reade, Kinko's, Harry's Cipriani.

Southeast corner of Wall Street district Area I

Southeast corner of Wall Street district Area I Characteristics
This area is similar to Area J but with newer buildings and without many historically important buildings and establishments besides the Vietnam Veterans Memorial between Water and South Streets. There are ferry terminals and a heliport.

Area I Retail
Same as Area J.

Examples of Area I retailers
Duane Reade, Starbucks.

8.1.9 Fulton Street and South Street Sea Port Neighborhood is divided into Areas K, K1, and K2

Fulton Street and South Street Sea Port Area K1 Characteristics
(J&R Plaza and Fulton Street Neighborhood)
This is the oldest retail street in Manhattan, consisting of cobblestone streets, turn-of-the-century retail buildings, and small walk-up tenements and offices and stores. There are gaslight street lamps along Nassau Street as an intended major historical shopping arcade for the area. There are many distinguished-looking buildings in this area, especially on Fulton Street.

Area K1 Retail
There is the J&R Square along the entrance to the area, which is located along the entire block between Park Row and Theatre Al, Beekman Street and Ann Street. The J&R retail plaza includes an audio and music appliance store, computer hardware and software, and a Kodak center and camera store. There are mostly fast food shops and counters, discount convenient stores and drug stores, take-out delis and groceries, and a few specialty retailers. All of the business establishments are old and somewhat out-dated. Most of the similar types of retail businesses are failing to compete with the newer and bigger establishments of Area J. Destination retailers on Fulton Street are limited to Radio Shack and Strand bookstore.

Examples of Area K1 retailers
Strand bookstore, Radio Shack, China Trade Center.

South Bridge Towers Area K2 Characteristics
This area consists of a housing complex development, South Bridge Towers with high rise residential towers, a cinema, some retail stores at Fulton Street, and courtyards between towers. There is a fenced, children's playground adjacent to the development along the Fulton Street. This development definitely interrupted the historical establishment of Fulton Street.

Area K2 Retail
There is a food market catering to the residents across Fulton Street. There are also chain retailers at the street level of the housing development.

Examples of Area K2 retailers
McDonalds, Gap, Citibank.

8.1.10 South Street Sea Port Area K

South Street Sea Port Area K Characteristics
This area consists of the historical Sea Port with cobblestone paved streets, historic landmark tenement buildings with retail at the street level and food market buildings. At Pier 17, there is the South Street Sea Port waterfront shopping mall and its plaza and boardwalks. This is a retail mall formula developed in the early and mid 1980's. The entire development is an isolated and staged environment without natural transitions to the surrounding neighborhoods. With the fish market moving out of the adjacent neighborhood, there are many empty buildings and streets around the project.

Area K Retail
The entire area is operated and managed by one retail development company. It is mall retail, with two different settings, one on the street and one inside the mall. The retail and restaurants at the Fulton Market building are limited to the street level only with the entire upper levels not occupied. The entire development and retail establishment caters to tourists and hardly at all to the people of New York.

Examples of Area K retailers
Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Gap, Bennetton, The Sharper Image, Banana Republic, Guess, Red's, JP Mustard.

8.1.11 Fish Market Neighborhood Area L

Fish Market Area L Characteristics
This area includes the historical fish market and food supply and small industrial buildings. There is one institutional building complex, the Seaman's Church Institution, which has new additions to the existing historical structure. There are some tenement buildings in this area and a truck parking lot on Water Street.

Area L Retail
There are a few neighborhood grocery and food shops.

Examples of Area L retailers
No Retail.