The Council member previously chaired the Committee on Environmental Protection. On July 20, 2015 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises was held for the first time with new committee chair Council member Donovan Richards. Council member Richards was elected to the Council in 2013 from the 31st Council District, representing southeast Queens and the Rockaways. He was voted in as chair on June 26 to replace Council member Mark Weprin after Weprin … <Read More>
Reconstruction of 19th century Fire Lookout Tower Approved
Because individual landmark will be accessible to the public, railings and other safety features will be incorporated into reconstructed tower, as well a stainless steel structural elements. On July 14, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered and approved an application to reconstruct the Watch Tower in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park, an individual City landmark. The four-story octagonal tower, built around 1855, originally served as a fire lookout tower for Northern Manhattan. It is the only … <Read More>
Garodnick Addresses Phase Two of East Midtown Rezoning
The Councilmember spoke to early details of what’s next after the Vanderbilt Corridor. On July 16, 2015 City Councilmember Daniel Garodnick delivered the keynote address at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce’s panel discussion on the East Midtown Rezoning. (See CityLand’s complete video of the event here.)
Development of Willets Point Blocked on Appeal
Appellate panel found the authorization for private construction on parkland did not extend to a shopping mall. On October 9, 2013, the City Council approved Queens Development Group’s planned 10-story, 200-room hotel and 30,000-square foot mall complex on the Willets Point West site, formerly the location of Shea Stadium. The site was once the north end of Flushing Meadows Park until the state legislature authorized the stadium’s construction in 1961. The development would anchor further … <Read More>
New Filings and Decisions Charts for June 2015 Available
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).
Complete Video from the East Midtown Rezoning Panel
On Thursday, July 16, 2015, the Center for New York City Law and Center for Real Estate Studies at New York Law School hosted a panel on the East Midtown rezoning. The panel consisted of Dr. Michael Horodniceanu of the MTA, Chris Sameth of Kuafu Properties, Jeffrey Holmes of Woods Bagot Architects, Dirk Hrobsky of DTZ, and was moderated by Manhattan Chamber of Commerce chairman Ken Biberaj. The keynote speaker … <Read More>