Mall expansion approved

Mall to expand at Rego Park site once considered by Wal-Mart. On September 15, 2005, the City Council approved a text amendment, special permit and modification of a restrictive declaration to allow the expansion of the Rego Park Mall in Rego Park, Queens. Alexander’s Inc., the applicant, and Vornado Realty Trust, the developer, proposed a 1.8 million-square-foot project consisting of a 600,000-square-foot four-story mall with 1,416 parking spaces at the base and two residential towers … <Read More>


York Ave. tower approved over opposition

New residential tower will be nine feet from adjacent co-op building. On September 28, 2005, the City Council approved a text amendment and special permit to allow construction of a 26-story, mixed-use building at 1129-1133 York Avenue in Manhattan. The proposal called for a zoning map amendment to change the site from C8-4 to C1-9 and a special permit to build a 100-space parking garage.

The developer, the Witkoff Group, plans to use HPD’s Inclusionary … <Read More>


Far Rockaway rezoning allows larger and smaller homes

Developers and residents claimed rezoning was racially motivated. On September 15, 2005, the City Council approved a zoning map amendment to rezone a 21- block area encompassing Mott Creek and the West Lawrence section of Far Rockaway in Queens. The proposal was initiated by area residents concerned about their community’s over-development.

It called for the rezoning of an area bounded by Hicksville Road to the north, Beach 9th Street and Beach 6th Street to the … <Read More>


Developer fails to beat down-zoning deadline

Area rezoned minutes before applicant obtained a new building permit. BSA denied applications to renew a new building permit and extend the time to complete the foundation for a proposed building at 3329 Giles Place in Van Cortlandt Village, the Bronx. After the City Council approved the down-zoning of a 15-block area of Van Cortlandt Village on September 28, 2004, (1 CityLand 4 (Oct. 15, 2004)), Buildings issued a stop-work order to GRA V LLC, … <Read More>


Parking garage approved; Council takes review

Special permit for 83-space garage approved over community opposition. Developer 155 West 21st Street LLC sought Planning Commission approval for an 83-space public parking garage within an as-of- right building that it planned to construct on West 21st Street in Chelsea. The 17,000-square-foot garage space would be located on the ground floor, cellar and sub-cellar of the newly constructed 15- story, 109-unit residential building at 155 West 21st Street. It would replace a vacant two-story … <Read More>


388-foot residential tower approved for West Street

Lower Manhattan parking lot to be replaced with 815,000-squarefoot residential/retail project. The Planning Commission approved a proposal of the Economic Development Corporation and the project developer, Edward J. Minskoff Equities, Inc., to replace a City-owned surface parking lot in Lower Manhattan with an 815,000-square-foot mixed-use project. Located on a 95,565-square-foot site bounded by West, Warren, Greenwich and Murray Streets, the proposal includes 402 condominium and rental units, a 400-space parking garage and 165,000 sq.ft. of … <Read More>