Although in its early years under the Port Authority, the terminal was increasingly successful, it began to decline in the late 1950s, especially after the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 further reduced grain shipments from the Great Lakes to the Port of New York. Labor costs became uncompetitive relative to those of other ports like those of Philadelphia and New Orleans where by 1964, loading grain cost $0.21/ton and $0.15/ton, respectively. By comparison, the same task in New York cost $0.78/ton. The consequences were apparent throughout: in that year New York handled 1.7 million bushels of grain, Philadelphia 26.5 million bushels, and New Orleans 238 million bushels. In 1965, the grain terminal was deactivated. In 1987, the loading pier and conveyor structure were demolished.
