Harry and Peter Poulalakos, noted Lower Manhattan restaurateurs, got the O.K. to build an oyster bar, complete with “outdoor seating, event venue and [a] visitor center” on Pier A from the Battery Park City Authority today.
The deal was no doubt helped by the generous amount of public space—30,000 square feet to be exact, not including the 12,500-square-foot promenade—the Poulalakoses and their partners, The Dermot Company, agreed to.
“My father’s longtime dream since his arrival in Lower Manhattan over 50 years ago was to operate a facility in Pier A,” Peter Poulalakos said in a release. “We’re excited that now our family has been given the opportunity along with our partners, The Dermot Company, to make his dream a reality and create a breathtaking historic landmark for both the community and tourism in lower Manhattan.”
The project is part of an attempt to revitalize Pier A that started in 2008 with the city forking over $30 million to the BPCA. In the two-plus years since the handout, the “BPCA has led the redevelopment of the pier, including the repairs to the foundation and replacement of the pier’s deck.”
In addition to the oyster bar, the Poulalakos family already owns a slew of downtown restaurants, including Bayards, Harry’s Steak House, Ulysses, Financier Patisserie, Harry’s Italian, Vintry and Adrienne’s Pizzabar.
mcoyne@observer.com
