New manufacturing district created for Midtown

New zoning district created to protect existing commercial uses will also facilitate private developer’s mixed-use project. On September 21, 2011, the City Council approved the Department of City Planning’s proposal to create the new M1- 6D manufacturing zoning district. The Council also approved an accompanying proposal by Edison Properties to apply the new M1-6D district to the mid-block portions of two blocks bounded by West 28th and West 30th Streets and Seventh and Eighth Avenues<Read More>


New shopping center proposed near the Belt Parkway

Thor Equities’ proposed 214,000 sq ft Gravesend Bay retail complex would feature BJ’s wholesale store as anchor tenant. On July 13, 2011, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on Thor Equities LLC’s proposal to construct a 214,000 sq.ft. two-story retail building on a vacant lot at 1752 Shore Parkway in the Gravesend neighborhood of Brooklyn. The project site sits on a peninsula that protrudes into Gravesend Bay, adjacent to the Belt Parkway. The site is … <Read More>


Controversial catering hall rezoning approved

White House Restaurant located in at 10-24 154th Street, Queens. Image: Courtesy of bridgeandtunnelclub.com

State Senator and residents opposed addition of catering hall to Whitestone restaurant. On June 29, 2011, the City Council approved a modified version of Joe Franco’s proposal to rezone the western side of 154th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues in the Whitestone section of Queens. The plan rezoned five lots and will facilitate the expansion of Franco’s White House restaurant … <Read More>


Mixed-use project along Northern Boulevard OK’d

Seven-story mixed used development at the corner of Northern Boulevard and Prince Street in Flushing, Queens. Image: Courtesy of Anthony Morali Architect PLLC.

Mixed-use project with 34 market-rate apartments will replace auto parts store in Flushing. On June 29, 2011, the City Council approved Mark Solow’s rezoning proposal for three lots at the northeast corner of Northern Boulevard and Prince Street in Flushing, Queens. The approval rezoned the three lots from  M1-1 to R6 … <Read More>


Staten Island shopping center rezoning approved

Small rezoning would facilitate expansion of Woodrow Plaza shopping center. On June 29, 2011, the City Council approved Ottavio and Leonello Savo’s proposed expansion of the Woodrow Plaza shopping center at the corner of Woodrow Road and Rossville Avenue in Staten Island. Woodrow Plaza was built in the early 1980s and includes two, one-story buildings and a surface parking lot accessible from Rossville and Alverson Avenues. The project site consists of two wooded, vacant lots … <Read More>


Variances granted for HPD project in Borough Park

Image: Courtesy of Bricolage Designs
Image: Courtesy of Bricolage Designs

HPD claimed site’s former railway use complicated development of seventeen apartment buildings. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development selected the Southern Brooklyn Community Organization to build seventeen, four-story affordable housing buildings on two narrow City-owned parcels on 37th Street in Borough Park, Brooklyn. The block-long parcels are separated by 13th Avenue and were once occupied by the South Brooklyn Railroad and the elevated BMT … <Read More>