Revitalizing NYC’s South Street Seaport

Words: Dan KamysSG Blocks Inc., a provider of construction solutions using code-engineered cargo shipping containers, has, in conjunction with Hunter Roberts Construction Group and Bayer MaterialScience, completed an installation at the South Street Seaport in New York City for the Howard Hughes Corp.'s "See/Change" initiative.

The pop-up retail installation at Pier 17 features 11 insulated and wired SG Blocks with window openings and French doors. The company worked with its vendors and the building crew on site to have the entire structure installed over a two-day period. Construction of the full installation totaled five weeks.

"In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, speed of delivery and durability were paramount in quickly bringing consumers back to the South Street Seaport,” says Paul Galvin, CEO of SG Blocks. “As the formal redevelopment of Pier 17 is now underway, the SG Blocks Building System illustrates the value of activating a site with temporary and commercial applications concurrent with predevelopment. There is the additional benefit for retailers of testing the viability of a marketplace before committing to building out permanent space. SG Blocks continues its expansion into the retail market with the Pier 17 project being emblematic of the retail development opportunities that exist.”

For more information, visit www.sgblocks.com.
Outreach Outlook: Springing into Action – The Season of Growth
March 2026

There is a distinct shift in the air when March arrives. You can feel it on the job sites, and you can certainly feel it in the classrooms. As the winter chill begins to lift and the days are a little longer, the construction industry naturally wakes up f

Chairman's Message: Laying the First Brick - A Fresh Start
March 2026

As we head into a new year, I’m excited and, honestly, grateful to step into the role of Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America. This industry has been good to my family, and I see this role as a chance to give back and help move things

GEN NXT: 2026 Skills Challenge Winners
March 2026

After another successful year of the Skills Challenge, the MCAA had the opportunity to speak with the three 1st Place winners of each skill level. Get to know their journeys, motivations, and the mindsets they have in order to compete in a national compet

2026 World of Concrete Recap
March 2026

The 2026 World of Concrete Convention marked another successful year for masonry. From the world-renowned Skills Challenge and Fastest Trowel on the Block competitions to the new innovative GEORGE AI class, we gained a lot of ground in pushing this indust