Search Results for: City Hall, NY

BSA rejects waivers for L.I.C. apartment bldg.

Queens developer claimed out-of- date layout made apartments unfit. A Queens developer proposed to demolish two adjacent two-family buildings in Long Island City, replacing them with a five-story, 20- unit building that required waivers from BSA for floor area, yard, height, setback and open space.

The proposal was strongly opposed by the community, Borough President Helen Marshall, Community Board 1 and Council Members Peter F. Vallone, Jr. and Tony Avella. Faced with community opposition, the … <Read More>

Far Rockaway rezoning allows larger and smaller homes

Developers and residents claimed rezoning was racially motivated. On September 15, 2005, the City Council approved a zoning map amendment to rezone a 21- block area encompassing Mott Creek and the West Lawrence section of Far Rockaway in Queens. The proposal was initiated by area residents concerned about their community’s over-development.

It called for the rezoning of an area bounded by Hicksville Road to the north, Beach 9th Street and Beach 6th Street to the … <Read More>

Extra floor allowed for small Chelsea building

BSA allowed seventh floor despite community board objection. Steve Edelson, the owner of 209 West 20th Street, a 2,309-square-foot lot in Chelsea, proposed to replace a vacant one-story garage with a seven-story, 7,090-square-foot residential building with twelve units. The seventh floor would exceed the R8B district’s 60-foot height limitation and provide one additional unit setback atop the structure.

Edelson argued that the site’s shallow 81-foot depth coupled with the district’s 30-foot rear yard requirement made … <Read More>

People v. Second Ave. Woodworking Corp.

Owner challenged the necessity of taking entire property. DEP applied to the Planning Commission to acquire a 12,500-squarefoot unimproved property used as a parking lot on Grand Street between Crosby and Lafayette Streets for the construction and maintenance of Shaft 30B of the Third Water Tunnel. After its construction, DEP proposed to use the lot as public open space. Following a public hearing, the Commission approved in April 2004.

In November 2004, the City filed … <Read More>

Ikea approval upheld

Citizens’ challenge dismissed. In February, 2005, five Brooklyn residents and the Coalition to Revitalize Our Waterfront filed a petition seeking to void the City’s approval of an Ikea superstore in Brooklyn’s Erie Basin, arguing that the environmental study was flawed, the zoning change constituted “spot zoning”, and the development was inconsistent with the City’s zoning plans. 2 CityLand 29 (Mar. 15, 2005).

Justice Karen S. Smith denied the petition, finding that the map amendment was … <Read More>

Lincoln Center to enliven West 65th

Changes include street level restaurants and retail, new film center, and expansion of Juilliard and Alice Tully Hall. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts sought approval for the large-scale redesign by New York firms Diller Scofidio+Renfro and Fox and Fowle Architects of its West 65th Street frontage, requiring an amendment to the zoning text and map and acquisition of an easement over City property.

Under the plan, Lincoln Center’s three parking and loading entrances and … <Read More>