In March 2015, the City Planning Commission announced a proposal called Zoning for Affordability and Quality, which broadly calls for three principal changes in the current citywide zoning resolution. The plan proposes to change and enlarge definitions of senior housing to include more types of housing providers than currently permitted. It also proposes to increase buildable space for senior housing in some instances. The proposal also seeks to lessen or some instances no longer mandate … <Read More>
Search Results for: Designations
HDC Identified Targets of Preservation Focus for 2015
Among its stated priorities, preservationist organization hopes to spur designation of items on Landmarks’ calendar that have been long under consideration without being brought to a vote. On February 3 2015, the Historic District Council held an event where it released its annual “Six to Celebrate,” identifying preservation priorities for the coming year. Candidates for the list are submitted by community organizations, and evaluated by HDC for historic and architectural merit, as well … <Read More>
Former Council Member Fined $9,000
Erik Dilan illegally received financial benefits from developer who had business before the Council. On January 22, 2015, the Conflict of Interests Board levied a $9,000 fine on former City Council member Erik Dilan for violations of the City Conflict of Interests Law. Mr. Dilan, now the State Assemblyman for the 54th District, was at the time the Council member of the 37th District representing Cypress Hills, Bushwick, City Line, Oceanhill-Brownsville, and East New York. … <Read More>
Council Subcommittee Approves Expansion of the Special West Chelsea District [UPDATE: City Council Approves Expansion]
Proposal extends Special District bulk regulations and clarifies language in the zoning text. On January 13, 2015 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted to approve the expansion of the Special West Chelsea District. The proposal was designed by the Department of City Planning and Manhattan Community Board 4 to expand the district by one partial block between West 15th Street to the north, West 14th Street to the south, 9th Avenue to … <Read More>
Landmarks Withdraws Planned Removal of Multiple Designation Items from Calendar
Landmarks had originally scheduled removal of 94 potential individual landmarks and two historic districts from its calendar for December 9th. On December 5, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission rescinded plans to remove 96 items from its calendar without bringing the items to a vote of designation. The items planned to be removed included 94 items calendared as potential individual City landmarks, and two potential historic districts. The action, called a decalendaring, was scheduled to take … <Read More>
LPC Community Outreach is Good Government
I would like to respond to a recent CityLand guest commentary by Andrew Berman of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) that suggested that the Landmarks Preservation Commission practice of notifying property owners prior to “calendaring” a property is detrimental to the landmarks process. The Commission’s successful record can be directly attributed to our efforts to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of, and help build support for, landmark designations in their neighborhoods.