City Council rejected the first private application of Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. On August 16, 2016, the City Council rejected a proposal to rezone a large corner lot in order to construct a new mixed-use development located at 4650 Broadway in Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood. Currently a two-story commercial building operating as a parking garage and U-Haul truck rental facility occupies the site. The original proposal from the developer, Acadia Sherman Avenue LLC, was to build a … <Read More>
Search Results for: Parks
Past Corruption in New York City: Marcus, Tweed & Gross
New York City has a long and rich history of scandal and corruption. Here are three examples from favorite books that visit past scandals in complete and revealing detail.
Land Use Committee Hears Testimony on Proposed Capital Commitment Tracking System
The proposed system would keep track of the financial and infrastructure-related promises made by the Mayor’s office to neighborhoods being rezoned. On June 7, 2016, the City Council Committee on Land Use held a public hearing on a legislative proposal to implement a tracking system, which would monitor the status of promises made to the public by the Administration during the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process. The proposed bill, Intro 1132, is sponsored by … <Read More>
How Small is Too Small: the Trivial Doctrine in New York Law
How small is too small when it comes to trip hazards on New York City sidewalks? New York courts, grappling with this issue for over 125 years, have declined to advance a standard based solely on the size or dimensions of the defect or hazard and instead have opted to evaluate each slip, trip and fall case on the merits under a totality of the circumstances test. The result is that it is difficult for … <Read More>
City Planning Commission Approves Plans to Build Socrates Sculpture Park
The site has been operating as an open public space for use by local artists and community members since 1986. On April 13, 2016, the City Planning Commission adopted a resolution to approve the amending of the City Map to include the Socrates Sculpture Park, located at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens. The site has been functioning effectively as a public park for local artists and community members for … <Read More>
City Council Resolution Supports Landmarking the Coney Island Boardwalk
The City Council resolution has garnered unanimous support by the Council’s Members and other elected officials. On May 4, 2016, the City Council Land Use Committee will hear testimony on a resolution to urge the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the Riegelmann Boardwalk—most commonly known as the Coney Island Boardwalk—as a New York City Landmark. The resolution, sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Mark Treyger, is a way to protect the Boardwalk from physical alterations, which … <Read More>