Fulton Fish Market’s historic Tin Building is back in business in New York

After two years of reconstructing the pier on which it sits alongside the East River and cataloging hundreds of its original components, Howard Hughes Corp. re-opened the Tin Building at the South Street Seaport this week.

Fish now sold and served at the building is prepared under the direction of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who teamed up with HHC to present a culinary curation of more than 20 restaurants, grocery markets, retail shops, and bars.

An internationally acclaimed chef and restaurateur, Vongerichten owns more than 40 restaurants worldwide, among them Nougatine in New York, Jean-Georges Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, Market in Paris, and JG Tokyo in Japan.

The Tin Building is the largest culinary experience to open in Lower Manhattan in years, according to HHC. The two-level culinary colossus spans 53,000 sq. ft. and will employ 700 people.

"The market at the Seaport was one of the first places I visited when I first came to New York City in 1985, and it has continued to be a consistent part of my culinary inspiration ever since," said Vongerichten. "It has been a great privilege to have this opportunity to bring back the Tin Building and reinvent such an iconic New York staple in a new and authentic way.”

Found in the renovated structure are a French brasserie, a seafood restaurant, an Asian speakeasy, a breakfast counter, a bakery, and a coffee shop. Its expansive central marketplace sells locally and sustainably sourced meats, seafood, cheeses, produce, and ready-to-eat items.

Specialty food offerings include a variety of Jean-Georges branded items such as sauces, oils, and marinades as well as candy, chocolate, and gifts.

Inside the Tin Building, which was built in 1907, Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors used turned wood, ribbons of brass, and marble surfaces to revive the structure’s early era.

"We are so excited to see these spectacular spaces and historic walls buzzing with the excitement of their heyday once again," said Roman and Williams principal Robin Staeder.

Over the past 10 years, HHC has spent $789 million on the development of Pier 17, the Tin Building, and New York’s historic Seaport neighborhood.