Seaport Entertainment Group presented a proposal to the Landmarks Preservation Commission on July 15 to install a seasonal winter tent over the rooftop concert venue at Pier 17, to be erected in mid‑October, open from late November through mid‑March, and removed before the summer concert season. "The application in front of you this morning is for a temporary winter structure to be installed on the roof of Pier 17," said George Yaquinto, representing Seaport Entertainment Group. He described a gabled, glass‑and‑metal structure with a black roof and a ridge height of roughly 129 feet and said the tent would allow the concert series and other events to continue through colder months.

The commission and public commenters focused on the structure's scale and visibility, mechanical systems, color, and whether it would affect views in and around the South Street Seaport Historic District. John Graham of the Victorian Society of New York told commissioners, "It is a sad commentary that such a massive and highly visible structure on the roof of this building would have so little effect on the historic and architectural character of the South Street Seaboard historic district," and asked where mechanical equipment would be located and where the tent components would be stored. Kaylee Johnson of the Historic Districts Council said the tent "blocks important views of the city, Pier 17, Brooklyn Bridge, and the historic district." Downtown Alliance chief of staff Taina Prado urged approval, saying the seasonal tent would help sustain rooftop activation and nearby businesses in winter.

Commissioners asked technical and design questions about the proposal: why the pitched gable is required (Yaquinto said the structure must clear existing lighting rigs and be pitched for snow), whether other shapes or colors were considered, and whether views such as those toward the Brooklyn Bridge were affected. “The pitch is determined by a number of items...the ridge is at 129 and change,” Yaquinto said. Several commissioners — while acknowledging the winter activation objective — said the current design needs more work. Commissioner Goldblum said a six‑month seasonal pavilion has a substantial visual impact and urged a design that better responds to the building below; Commissioner Bland asked the applicant to consider more inventive or contextual shapes and colors; other commissioners suggested testing lighter roof colors or referencing the building's palette.

The commission did not vote on the application. Instead commissioners closed the hearing and asked the applicant to return with design refinements and additional documentation: accurate photo‑views from public thoroughfares (including potential views of the Brooklyn Bridge), alternatives for roof color/finish, clarification of mechanical equipment location and drainage, and details about where tent components would be stored and assurances the structure would be dismantled on schedule. The commission noted this is a seasonal installation (to recur each winter) and emphasized that because it would be in place for several months each year the design must be intentional and compatible with the pier building and the district.

Next steps: the applicant will revise the design, produce additional viewpoint studies, and return to the commission with clarified mechanical and storage plans and color/material alternatives.