On October 7, 2020, Mayor de Blasio announced that the SoHo/NoHo Neighborhood Plan will advance to the City’s public land use review process. The purpose of the Neighborhood Plan is to expand housing opportunities for New Yorkers, support cultural and economic success in the area, and reduce regulatory burdens on residents and workers in the area.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer
Appellate Division Provides Major Win for Two Bridges Developers
Two Bridges development gets Appellate Division ruling but two lawsuits remain pending. On August 27, 2020, the First Department’s Appellate Division unanimously ruled in favor of a Lower East Side development that would consist of four towers, 11,000 square feet of retail, and over 2,700 residential units. Of the 2,700 residential units, approximately 700 units will be dedicated to affordable housing and 200 units will be set aside for senior housing. The project’s development group … <Read More>
ULURP Remains Suspended, What Next?
Why did ULURP remain suspended when so many City agencies and public bodies took to virtual operations? On March 16, 2020, the Department of City Planning announced that, pursuant to an executive order from Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and all relevant public hearings and votes were suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the suspension, Community Boards, Borough Presidents, and the City Council have virtually convened to … <Read More>
Mayor de Blasio Plans to Paint and Co-Name City Streets in Honor of Black Lives Matter
The first street to be co-named and painted will be near City Hall. On June 9, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the City will begin to co-name and paint selected streets in all five boroughs in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement, which began in 2013, works to address the issue of state and vigilante violence against Black individuals and works to bring equity to Black communities. … <Read More>
Landmarks Holds Hearing on Upper West Side Church Adaptation
Upper West Side community weary on rooftop addition and removal of stained glass windows. On March 3, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission heard an application by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan for a Certificate of Appropriateness regarding 361 Central Park West, a Beaux Arts classical style church overlooking Central Park. The building is located on the northwest corner of Central Park West and 96th Street in Manhattan. Approval of the application would permit adaptive … <Read More>
Community Wants More Zoning Protections in Union Square South SD Expansion
Hotel special permitting fails to address other types of development in the Union Square South area. On January 22, 2020, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application by the Department of City Planning for an expansion of the Special Union Square District, and the establishment of a special permit requirement for new hotel development in the expansion area.