People on the street
What do you like best and worst about living in the Seaport?
Interviews and photographs by Ethan Moses
Michael Altman 63, retired
I just moved here from the Bronx. My girlfriend lives in Manhattan. I’d be in Manhattan until 10 or 11 at night very often, and I had to face an hour-long ride on the subway….What I like is the fact that there are so many subways around. I don’t have that long ride….This place is wonderful because it’s near the subways.
If you go to the food court on the third floor [of the Seaport mall] and you go outside facing the river they have wooden deck chairs, and in warm weather, which we’d love to get, you can lie out and watch the river and the boats go by. I love that.
Least favorite: This area, at night, is kind of deserted. Some of the people work here and then they go home at 5 or 6 o’clock… I like the West Village because 24 hours a day, there are people out on the street. This area kinda’ closes up around 9, 9:30.
Maya Dellalba, 3
Swimming here. Least Favorite: Poopie on the streets.
Beth Goldsmith, 39
We like being by the water, and that all the subways go down here, because it’s really easy to get around the city. And my least favorite thing is all the construction — all the noise.
Rita Henderson, retired travel agent
Well, it was my favorite until they started building, and now they’re building over by the hospital and the hospital noise is unbelievable. It’s the least expensive of everyplace I’ve lived.
Kevin Murphy, 55, city worker
I don’t live here anymore — still get mail. Used to be I worked in 90 Gold. The commute was great, but my wife found her dream house and we moved to Brooklyn. It’s a nice area. There’s a lot of entertainment items in the Seaport area, the bars, decent restaurants.
Why did you move?: My wife dragged me. It’s the truth.
Eamon Fitzgerald 29. woodworker.
Most favorite and least favorite thing:
Probably both one in the same: It’s on the water and it’s on the water. It gets a little cold and damp when its windy through the winter, and during the summer time, you’re right on the water.
Eric Gunther, 81
Oh, I love it, really. I’ve been here for 31 years. I’m so glad I’m down here. It’s exciting. There’s always something to do. I’m most grateful for that I can walk and I’m still independent. I have no complaints.
Joanna Goldsmith 39, with her children
I don’t have a least favorite thing, I think predominantly it was regarding the Fulton Fish Market, which is moving. Sometimes in the morning it would smell so bad of fish, really like permeating the air with the smell of fish. But really with Downtown, it’s just the fastest growing area in the city, there’s so much accessibility, all the subway stations, parks for the kids, great restaurants, you’re able to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and be in Brooklyn. It’s just a great fun happening place.
Neil, 54. dog walker
My favorite thing is that I’ve got a lot of work down here walking dogs. and I like the area, because I like old things as well as new things…I just like down here, it can be both peaceful and noisy at the same time, and nice and dirty at the same time. And the least thing that I like about down here — the air quality. I’ve been down here almost 30 years — my aunt died just recently and I’ve inherited the apartment which I don’t plan on leaving especially at the price I’m paying, but I have discovered all sorts of respiratory problems since 9/11. Walking a dog, I was at Tower 1 when the first plane hit, I still don’t know who got back faster to the apartment, me or the dog…. I can also say that the prices of things has gone up exponentially in a ridiculous manner. And, with all the new building that’s going on down here, I can’t see how you’re making a community without creating essential infrastructure. More supermarkets. More parking facilities, dry cleaners, wet cleaners. And here’s another one people don’t think about — candy stores. Little convenience stores, like that down here…. They don’t sell what you need, you don’t have like some of the old mom and pop stores, you don’t have notions, like pins, all different varieties, and little things like that, threads.
