City Planning Commission

Mayor appoints two new CPC members

Betty Chen and Nathan Leventhal approved. The City Council unanimously approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s appointment of two new commissioners to the Planning Commission, Betty Chen and Nathan Leventhal. The terms of the two new commissioners commenced on March 5, 2007.

Yale-trained architect Betty Chen worked several years as project architect for the New York firm Todd William Billie Tsen. Chen also taught architecture and art history. Chen currently serves as Vice President of Planning, Design … <Read More>

Commission approves 369-space parking facility

Garage to be part of significant asof- right Battery Park City development. Sheldrake Organization, developer of a 31-story mixed-use development in Battery Park City, sought Planning Commission approval for a 369-space parking garage with 316 public parking spaces. The garage would be accessible from Murray Street and located within Sheldrake’s 499,720- square-foot development, currently under construction, on a lot bounded by Murray Street, River Terrace, North End Avenue and Vesey Place. The project, called the … <Read More>

Sale of former firehouse approved by Commission

Sale limited to community-use buyer. On March 14, 2007, the Planning Commission approved DCAS’ application to sell the lot at 269 Henry Street in Manhattan containing a four-story firehouse used by FDNY Engine Company No. 15 until 2001 when it moved to Pitt and Delancey Streets.

In the land use review process, Community Board 3 and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer opposed an open-ended sale. Stringer requested a restriction on the sale requiring the new … <Read More>

New BID for Downtown Brooklyn approved

Plan encompasses 130 businesses. On February 7, 2007, the Planning Commission approved an application by the Department of Small Business Services to create a new Court Livingston Schermerhorn Business Improvement District for 350 tax lots and 130 businesses in downtown Brooklyn.

The proposed BID will allow an annual assessment on businesses and residents to enhance security, sanitation, holiday lighting, marketing, maintenance and economic development. Within the boundaries of the BID are a Barnes & Noble, … <Read More>

Open space at issue in rezoning near Lincoln Center

Proposal includes controversial new bulk waiver that will impact ten community districts. West 60th Street Associates, LLC applied to rezone 14 lots in Manhattan’s Lincoln Square neighborhood from manufacturing to commercial zoning. On 11 lots, West 60th would develop a mixed residential and commercial project with 301 rental units, 41 condos, 10,000 sq.ft. of retail and 200 parking spaces. Along with a special permit for on-site parking, West 60th proposed a text amendment that would … <Read More>

Midtown hotels to be built on platforms over rail line

Developer plans two hotels with 354 rooms on platform above Amtrak. SCW West LLC applied for a special permit to allow development of two hotels on a platform to be built over two active, below-grade Amtrak rail lines and a vacant through-lot located west of 10th Avenue in Manhattan. The special permit sought to include the platform’s area into the calculation of lot area. SCW proposed a 12-story, 118-foot tall, 203-room hotel on West 43rd … <Read More>