Through-lot building is opposed by Manhattan Borough President and Community Board 5. On February 4, 2015 the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed residential tower at 39-41 West 23rd Street in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District. The site is zoned M1-6 and is surrounded by commercial use buildings, but has been the subject of residential development attempts since 2006. (See previous CityLand coverage here and here.)
Proposal for Former Sugar Refinery on Waterfront Divides Commission
Plan would replace existing, non-original, facade facing East River, with sculptural contemporary facade of glass and metal. The Landmarks Preservation Commission considered an application on February 3, 2015, for the renovation of an 1898 factory building at 10 Jay Street in the DUMBO Historic District. The building, originally built to process coffee, and later converted to a sugar refinery, was substantially altered in the 1940s, with approximately half the building demolished. The proposal … <Read More>
ALJ Finds Landlord Harassed Tenants
Testimony showed landlord Aimco routinely ignored maintenance requests and issued baseless eviction threats. The NYC Department of Housing Preservation Development charged Aimco with a dozen different forms of harassment against their tenants. Aimco is the owner of the Tempo, a Class A hotel at 238-244 West 73rd Street, with 150 rent-stabilized single-room occupancy (SRO) units and 75 SRO units rented at market-rate. Aimco’s representative, John Bezzant, denied the charges and petitioned for a certificate of … <Read More>
Waiver Granted to Build Housing Development on Unmapped Street
Seven of the proposed homes did not front on a legally-mapped street. On January 6, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant the applicant, Block 7092 LLC, a waiver to allow construction of seven residential buildings on an unmapped street. The buildings are part of a development of twenty-four two-story, one- and two-family dwellings and one three-story, two-family home located at the intersection of Turner Street and Crabtree Avenue in Rossville, Staten … <Read More>
Mayor de Blasio Delivers State of the City Address
Affordable housing issues, including rent-regulation, mandatory inclusionary zoning, and more were highlighted in the speech. On February 3, 2015 Mayor Bill de Blasio delivered his second State Of The City address from Baruch College. The Mayor spoke at length about the affordable housing crisis facing New York City and the programs his administration has begun or will propose to address the problem.
City Council Holds Oversight Hearing on 421-a Program
HPD Commissioner Been, others testify on effectiveness of the program. On January 29, 2015 the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings held an oversight hearing on the 421-a tax benefit program. The program, established in 1971 by the New York State Legislature, was designed to spur residential development of underused land by granting a property tax reduction to developers for a period of ten to twenty-five years, with an objective of increasing affordable housing … <Read More>