BSA approved residential building in Tribeca

Manufacturing and office use found infeasible on triangular-shaped lot adjacent to Holland Tunnel. The owner of 500 Canal Street, Greenwich Triangle NU, sought a variance to build a 49,060 squarefoot, eight-story residential building with ground floor retail in a Tribeca manufacturing zoning district. The 8,000 square-foot, triangular-shaped lot fronts Canal, Greenwich and Watt Streets directly adjacent to the Holland Tunnel. The site is partially developed with abandoned one and three-story buildings.

The owner argued that … <Read More>

Residential and commercial complex approved

Two four-story residential buildings approved after reduction in size and addition of commercial space. Southside Realty Holdings LLC, owner of an L-shaped group of eight lots located at 291 Kent Avenue in a Williamsburg manufacturing district, sought a variance in 2003 to construct two 11-story residential towers, totaling 122,905 sq.ft., and underground parking. The Planning Commission and Brooklyn Community Board 1 both opposed the application due to the site’s adjacency to the Domino Sugar Plant, … <Read More>

Project Greenhope housing facility approved

Facility to provide transitional housing for formerly incarcerated women. The Planning Commission approved a 49-unit, seven-story new building to serve as a substance abuse treatment facility and transitional housing for 70 homeless women ex-offenders, of whom an estimated 28 will have children residing with them. The new building, which will be funded by the New York State Homeless Housing Assistance Program, will be located at 435 East 119th Street in East Harlem and managed by … <Read More>

New zoning district approved for Bayside

New district created to curb development of Queens “McMansions.” On March 14, 2005, the Planning Commission unanimously approved the Bloomberg administration’s largest proposed down-zoning to date and a new citywide zoning district to be applied first to Bayside, a Queens neighborhood characterized predominantly by single-family detached homes. The approved 350-block down-zoning of Bayside, commenced at the urging of Council Member Tony Avella and local residents, seeks to end the rising development in Bayside of semi-detached … <Read More>

Anticipated Rezoning Approved with Changes

Affordable housing incentives, as well as height, massing and manufacturing zones, revised before approval. Over the disapproval votes of Commissioners Karen Phillips and Dolly Williams, the remaining members of the Planning Commission approved the rezoning of a two-mile area along the East River waterfront in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods after modifications were crafted to address public officials and residents’ comments.

The six linked applications, including text, map and City map amendments to create park … <Read More>

Council, after two delays, approves Port Morris plan

Yassky opposed over affordable housing issue. On March 9, 2005, the full Council approved the rezoning proposal for 129 lots in the South Bronx, converting it from manufacturing to mixed-use zoning that aims to further expand Bruckner Boulevard’s antique row and increase development of residential and livework uses. Initially scheduled for a vote on February 28, 2005, Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo, elected only 14 days prior by a special election, requested a vote … <Read More>