The Castle on the Concourse is doomed. Had any other owner of a designated landmark abandoned his property to the elements like this, the Landmarks Preservation Commission would have sued him for “demolition by neglect.” But here the commission is helpless. The owner is the City of New York, and while the city fully expects owners of designated properties – private homeowners, businesses, landlords, or institutions – to adhere to standards set by the LPC, … <Read More>
Victor Gotbaum: The Majesty of Fighting for the Underdog
Much has been said about Victor Gotbaum’s many contributions to our country, and to our city in particular. His place among the legends of organized labor is secure; his position as a master negotiator while helping save NYC from bankruptcy has been acknowledged; and his fierce defense of the working class and those trying join it has been well-documented.
I will not revisit his many accomplishments here – others have already done that and thankfully … <Read More>
Simeon Bankoff: Taking the Context out of Contextual Zoning
In March 2015, the City Planning Commission announced a proposal called Zoning for Affordability and Quality, which broadly calls for three principal changes in the current citywide zoning resolution. The plan proposes to change and enlarge definitions of senior housing to include more types of housing providers than currently permitted. It also proposes to increase buildable space for senior housing in some instances. The proposal also seeks to lessen or some instances no longer mandate … <Read More>
New Filings and Decisions Charts for March 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 124th CityLaw Breakfast with Melissa Mark-Viverito
On Friday, April 10, 2015 the Center for New York City Law at New York Law School, in conjunction with the Center for Real Estate Studies, hosted a City Law Breakfast featuring Melissa Mark-Viverito, Speaker of the New York City Council, as the guest speaker.
Support Voiced for Designation of 100-year-old Carnegie Library [UPDATE: LPC Grants Designation]
Library was the first in the nation devoted solely to the needs of children. On April 7, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the potential individual landmark designation of the Stone Avenue Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, at 581 Mother Gaston Boulevard in the Brownsville neighborhood. The Library completed in 1914, to designs by architect William B. Tubby, is one of 21 public libraries in Brooklyn whose development was funded by … <Read More>