A MODERN towering building of cubes by noted architect Santiago Calatrava is just one of the many changes coming to the historical Seaport area.

Another project,dubbed Historic Front Street,has revived a series of small buildings for residential use and created 13

new storefronts that are still being filled.

“We have four leases signed and have been targeting the neighborhood,” said John Evans,vice president of real estate for Sciame Development,the creator of both this small scale and the large scale Calatrava project at 80 South St.

“We have two restaurants and are hoping to have four or five, plus a wine bar and we are speaking with a small

bakery,and an interior design firm.”

The variety of residential units is also attracting a very SoHo-type, young crowd,said C. Bradley Mendelson of Cushman &Wakefield who with partner,David Green is handling the retail at 80 South St. The Calatrava building,a

dramatic series of vertical townhome cubes,however, won ‘t have true retail in its base.

Developer Frank Sciame says they are seeking museums,galleries and/or a very high end boutique hotel for

its 80,000 square-foot base. According to Mendelson and Green,executive directors of Cushman &Wake- field this is comprised of two commercial “cubes ” of 10,000 feet each divided into four floors – that are at the equivalent height of the 12th Fl.- a big stretch of “air ” and then a 60,,000 foot base.

The base will have up to six floors,depending on necessary ceiling heights for the eventual users. Above the commercial cubes are 10 more cubes that are individual townhomes that are selling for more than $30 million each.

“We hired Laurie Beckelman – a former head of the City ‘s Landmarks Commission – as a consultant and are exploring the possibilities of cultural facilities in the base,” said Sciame.

Nevertheless,all eyes are still focused on the 260,000 foot multi-building South Street Seaport itself,where leaseholder General Growth Properties was working on a prospective revival with architectural firm Beyer Blinder Belle.

“We are all waiting to see what directions they want to go in,” said Evans.. The architects were said to be stepping back from what is now a hodge podge of small stores set into a variety of previously historical buildings.

Rather than just restoring,they were to be considering all opportunities for the waterfront real estate. General Growth,which took over the long-term lease with the City from Rouse,was also expected to pick up its option for the

former Fulton Fish Market building just to the north.

That large property,also on the East River,was finally vacated last month when the fishmongers moved to The Bronx. There was also a sense that General Growth would try to imbibe the area with more upscale residents,

while maintaining a retail mix in the lower stories of any new buildings. Nevertheless,there is a chance that General

Growth will sell its lease, either to Joseph Sitt of Thor Equities,as the Post previously reported,or to another suitor,such as Related Cos.which was ready to buy the site from Rouse prior to the General Growth merger.Vornado Realty Trust are another opportunistic player.

“There is a great degree of uncertainty because no one knows General Growth ‘s real plan,” said Mendelson of Cushman & Wakefield.