Giant French Market and Restaurant Complex Le District to Debut Late March

The team behind Battery Park City's giant French market/food court Le District tells the Commercial Observer that they should be open by late March or early April. Just don't let owner and downtown restaurant king Peter Poulakakos hear you call the project a food court. "Hudson Eats is a food court. We're a food destination — very different from a food court...It's quite different," he says. The market, which will have four designated "districts" (restaurant, market, garden, and cafe), has also been called a French version of Eataly, but Poulakakos says it's not that either. "Ours is more of an urban experience...It's laid out differently... it's more of a Parisian-style market than what Eataly is doing."

Whatever it is, New Yorkers will be able to decide for themselves as various districts open throughout the spring. Beaubourg (the restaurant district) is slated to open between March 25 and 31, while its chef's table won't make an appearance until May. Stay tuned.