Landmarks votes eight designations in one day

Designations include Lord & Taylor store and Eberhard Faber Pencil Co. complex. On October 30, 2007, Landmarks voted unanimously to designate seven individual buildings and one new historic district.

In Manhattan, Landmarks designated the Lord & Taylor flagship store in Midtown, the Manhattan House in the Upper East Side, and two federal-era rowhouses in the Lower East Side. The Lord & Taylor store dates back to 1914 and is an example of the Italian Renaissance … <Read More>


Council OK’s new design standards for public plazas

New standards and guidelines intended to improve public use. The City Council approved City Planning’s proposal to update, improve, and consolidate rules for privately owned public spaces.

Under the old zoning, a developer in parts of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens can generate a floor area bonus of up to 20 percent if it builds an adjacent publicly-accessible open space, such as a plaza, arcade, or galleria. In practice, however, many of these privately owned public … <Read More>


Lycée Français and DoubleClick on IDA’s July Calendar

July public hearing notice lists $143 million in bond offerings and six straight leases. The New York City Industrial Development Agency, a component of the Economic Development Agency, held its monthly public hearing on July 19, 2007. The 14 project applications detailed in IDA’s public notice included over $143 million in bond offering and six straight leases.

The largest bond application on the July calendar was made by the Lycée Français de New York, an … <Read More>


Council limits bulk waiver to Manhattan Comm.Board 7

The proposed height provision had, as approved by the Planning Commission, been applicable citywide. On February 28, 2007, the City Council approved the four linked applications for the mixed-use development of West 60th Street Associates, LLC with significant modifications to the developer’s proposed citywide zoning change on bulk.

West 60th originally proposed a zoning text amendment that would allow developers of general, large-scale developments located in certain commercial districts to modify the height factor calculation, … <Read More>


Zoning for Housing Opportunity Amendment Aims to Address City’s Housing Shortage

Still in its early stages, Mayor Adams’ proposed zoning text amendment aims to increase affordable housing in the city. On June 1, 2022, Mayor Adams announced his “City of Yes” plan consisting of three citywide zoning text amendments. One of these initiatives, “Zoning for Housing Opportunity,” addresses the city’s housing shortage. Although the text amendment has not yet been drafted, Mayor Adams listed four key housing proposals in his announcement.


DOT Launches Bike Parking Pilot Program

The pods are enclosed to provide secure bicycle parking. On March 11, 2022, the New York City Department of Transportation announced the launch of a bicycle parking pilot program which will provide protected curbside biking corrals in five locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. As more New Yorkers choose cycling as a mode of transportation, secure bike parking options will be in greater demand.