HDC Identifies Six Preservation Priorities for 2013

Advocacy group selects areas in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island as meriting preservation attention in 2013. The Historic Districts Council announced its “Six to Celebrate” list of preservation priorities on January 3, 2013. The areas identified by HDC consist of the Bronx Parks System, Manhattan’s East Village/Lower East Side and Tribeca neighborhoods, Brooklyn’s Greenpoint and Sunset Park neighborhoods, and Harrison Street in Staten Island.

The six areas were chosen from applications … <Read More>


Top Ten Stories of 2012

Welcome to CityLand‘s first annual top ten stories of the year! We’ve selected the most popular and interesting stories in NYC land use news from our very first year as an online-only publication. We’ve been reporting on NYC land use for eight years and we’ll continue to provide in-depth coverage of the latest land use projects, cases, and legislation in 2013.  The CityLand staff thanks you for your support and wishes you a happy … <Read More>


Nine-Story Building Proposed for Vacant Lot in SoHo Historic District

Landmark commissioners split on Annabelle Selldorf designs for a five-story building at the streetwall, with set-back four-story tower, faced in glass and aluminum. On December 11, 2012, the Landmarks Preservation Commission heard a proposal for the construction of a new structure at 42 Crosby Street, at the corner of Broome Street. The space, located in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, is currently occupied by a parking lot and garage, which would be demolished. … <Read More>


New Filings and Decisions Charts For December 2012 Available

Every month CityLand publishes a comprehensive set of charts to track applications to, and decisions from, New York City’s land use agencies. Agencies covered include: Department of City Planning, City Planning Commission, City Council, Board of Standards & Appeals, and Landmarks Preservation Commission.

CityLand tracks these applications through the review process to a final decision. The majority of these decisions are available on the Center for New York City Law’s CityAdmin database (found at www.CityAdmin.org<Read More>


Signs and Billboards: What’s Legal and What’s Not?

Sign installation in New York City triggers regulations governing location, size, illumination, and construction. The New York City Building Code and the New York City Zoning Resolution are the two main bodies of law governing signs in New York City. The Building Code regulates the construction and maintenance of signs, such as permissible construction materials, and is primarily concerned with public health and safety. The Zoning Resolution, while implicating issues of public health and safety, … <Read More>


Landmarking of Brinckerhoff Cemetery Proceeds to Council Vote Despite Owner’s Opposition [Update: Designation Approved By Full Council]

Owner of the vacant former cemetery site claimed she purchased the lot to build a home for herself, not knowing of the property’s history, and was not competently represented throughout the landmarking process. On December 6, 2012, the New York City Council’s Land Use Committee voted to recommend approval of the designation of the Brinckerhoff Cemetery as a New York City Landmark.  The property, at 69-65 182nd Street in the Fresh Meadows neighborhood of Queens, … <Read More>