A name can also — perhaps — paper over a less-than-fabulous address; or give would-be residents a sense of a building's salient features, like proximity to water (Northside Piers, a development in Williamsburg) or its values (the ecologically correct Tribeca Green).
"We sell a lot of fish and chips and ice cream but we don't do kiss-me-quick hats," said Andy Watts, the pier's business development manager.
The process began in 1982 after the Port Authority proposed, and then decided against, selling unused piers for private development.
The proposed site, near the foot of Wall Street, is occupied by three piers scheduled for development by the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
"We're well on our way to reaching our goal of getting 12 million passengers on the Thames by 2020," said Andy Thompson, Transport for London's (TfL's) head of London river services, "and TfL demand models suggest river bus commuter numbers could double in the next five years with the right investment in new piers and riverside development delivery".
In this small, dense neighborhood, just across the river from Boston, commercial fishing piers and industrial development fell in the shadow of Interstate 93.
Pier 40 also happens to be one of the piers designated for commercial development, with revenues to cover park maintenance.
Ms. Witty said that without the hope of high-occupancy development, the piers had become a liability for the Port Authority.
Ms. Taylor said the Trust will depend on revenue generated from the development of Piers 40 and 57, which together offer roughly about 1.5 million square feet of space.
Fortunately, say those advocating New York's interests, New Jersey wants an additional $24 million to rebuild some crumbling piers at a Hoboken development, although the amount is far less than what New York needs for Queens West.
