West 49th St. development approved

Residential development approved for former manufacturing district. On March 10, 2008, the Planning Commission approved Real Estate Industrials’ proposal to build two, seven-story residential buildings and a public parking garage adjacent to an as-of-right residential building and an existing four-story Red Cross headquarters on West 49th Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues. The as-of-right building would have 41 dwelling units, while the two additional buildings would have 124 units total. The developer would demolish four … <Read More>


Special Hunts Point District plan starts public review

Plan strives to encourage growth in food service industry. On January 7, 2008, the Planning Commission launched public consideration for the Department of City Planning’s proposal to rezone portions of the Hunts Point peninsula. The proposal is now with Bronx Community Board 2 for its review.

City Planning seeks to downzone 70 blocks of industrial land to M1-2 for light manufacturing. The area surrounds a 22-acre residential district and is roughly bounded by Bruckner Boulevard, … <Read More>


Planning Commissioner fined for Atlantic Yards vote

Dolly Williams’ vote to approve Brooklyn rezoning conflicted with her investment in the Nets. On November 27, 2007, the Conflicts of Interest Board fined City Planning Commissioner Dolly Williams $4,000 for failing to recuse herself from a May 2004 vote on a rezoning plan that benefited her investment in the Atlantic Yards Project in Downtown Brooklyn.

The Downtown Brooklyn Plan sought to encourage commercial and residential development in Downtown Brooklyn, including areas within the footprint … <Read More>


Commission modifies CB9 and Columbia plans

Commission signs off on Columbia’s eminent domain option despite vocal opposition. On November 26, 2007, the Planning Commission modified and approved both Columbia University’s campus expansion plan and Community Board 9’s 197-a plan. The two plans must now go before the City Council for their review.

Columbia’s plan called for rezoning 35 acres of Manhattanville, a section of West Harlem primarily zoned for manufacturing, to facilitate construction of a 17-acre academic mixed-use development roughly bounded … <Read More>


37-story residential tower approved

Tower includes parking garage and ground-floor retail. 1113 York Avenue Realty Company sought a zoning text amendment and special permit to facilitate construction of a 37-story residential tower with 211 apartments, 2,500 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail and a 195-space parking garage.

The site is located on the eastern portion of the block bounded by First and York Avenues, between East 61st and 60th Streets. It would be connected to an adjacent 41- story … <Read More>


ESDC unveils vision for Moynihan Station

ESDC plans to convert the James A. Farley Post Office complex into Moynihan Station West. Photo: Regional Plan Association.

Plan includes multiple development projects. On October 23, 2007, the Empire State Development Corporation released its draft environmental scope document for the Moynihan Station project. The project, first proposed by Senator Patrick Moynihan 15 years ago, would create a new train station within the historic James A. Farley Post Office complex, renovate the current Penn Station, … <Read More>