The Howard Hughes Corporation's ice skating rink and music tent on Fulton Street in the South Street Seaport. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

(UPDATED on Jan. 30, 2014) At Community Board 1's full board meeting on Jan. 28, CB1 chair Catherine McVay Hughes made a startling announcement. "The Howard Hughes' plans to date will not go forward as presented," she said. "Neither the Landmarks nor the ULURP [Uniform Land Use Review Procedure] process has begun and any future milestones are on hold until a comprehensive community process has taken place."

This came in the wake of a CB1-led Town Hall meeting on Jan. 13 at which most speakers said that they opposed The Howard Hughes Corporation's plans for the Seaport, especially the plans for a 50-story hotel/apartment tower at the water's edge.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer visited CB1's Executive Committee on Jan. 22 and said that she favored placing a "pause" in the stated plans until the community could weigh in.

Catherine McVay Hughes said that Community Board 1 was working with City Councilmember Margaret Chin, Borough President Brewer, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's office and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, landlord for most of the Seaport, to create a South Street Seaport task force.

"The goal of the task force is to generate a comprehensive, community-driven dialogue and to create development guidelines," she said.  "The structure and details are being finalized. More concrete details should be available next week."

She called this development "a huge milestone" and said it "has been the result of all of us working together."

In a statement on Jan. 29, a Howard Hughes spokesman provided a different version of what was happening. "The Howard Hughes Corporation is continuing to move forward with its proposed plan for the long-term revitalization of the Seaport in collaboration with the community and stakeholders," he said. "The process has not stopped, and we are discussing the formation of a community advisory board as a continuation of that approach to complete our plans before we begin the upcoming ULURP process. As with the redevelopment of the Pier 17, we firmly believe that a collaborative process involving the community and its various stakeholders will result in a plan for the neighborhood that will inspire locals and visitors to return to the Seaport."

Kate Blumm, spokesperson for the EDC, confirmed the Howard Hughes statement that development plans have not been halted.

"This proposal is at the very beginning of what will ultimately be an extensive public review process, and we have strongly encouraged Howard Hughes Corporation to work with local stakeholders to solicit their input and understand their concerns," she said.  "We're encouraged by the steps the developer is taking in concert with elected officials to more formally structure community involvement, and we look forward to seeing the dialogue evolve. To date, the process is moving as anticipated along the timeline previously agreed upon."

Speaker Silver had yet a different take on what is happening and the meaning of the task force. "I have raised serious concerns, along with local residents, about the proposed development at the South Street Seaport," he said in a statement. "I have been clear from the beginning that we need to have an open, transparent and community-driven process for redeveloping this area. I am very pleased to join Community Board 1 and my fellow elected officials in serving on this task force, which will ensure that the people who live in the Seaport play a key role in determining the future of this critically important historic area."

Finally, there was this from Councilmember Chin's office: "The downtown community has repeatedly called for a community-driven planning process to guide development in the South Street Seaport, and I am working with Community Board 1, local elected officials, the City, neighborhood stakeholders, and the Howard Hughes Corp. to ensure that becomes a reality. We want to make sure any plans moving forward address ongoing concerns and reflect what residents want to see in their community."

So - are the Howard Hughes Corporation's plans moving forward as previously planned, or are they not? It depends on whom you ask.

Artwork created in classes offered by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy will be on display at 75 Battery Place through March 28. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)