The Greens
Make Up For Lost Sunshine

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we faced a major challenge at The Seaport in New York. With large-scale sponsor commitments from Chase, Heineken, Pepsi, and Lincoln tied to our concert series on The Rooftop at Pier 17—and the shutdown of large gatherings—we were left with a massive concert venue and only a small rooftop restaurant bar.

We asked ourselves: How could we rethink dining during a pandemic? What could booking a table look like in this new reality?

By reimagining the act of dining out, we created a unique installation that defined the summer of 2020. We transformed The Rooftop into a grid of 10’ x 10’ mini lawns, each offering full restaurant service in a private, open-air setting. With sweeping views of the Brooklyn Bridge, East River, and the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines, the experience brought warmth, escape, and connection at a time when people needed it most.

The concept was a massive success. It drew a daily waiting list of over 60,000 people, inspired thousands of organic social media posts, and met all sponsor obligations. It also drove significant revenue for the Howard Hughes Corporation through private corporate rentals, including ESPN hosting the ESPYS on-site.

Due to its popularity, we extended the concept into the following year—adding private winter cabins as the rest of the city adapted to outdoor street dining