Silvercup Studios’ East River project proceeds

Proposed 2M-square-foot Silvercup West complex in Long Island City, near the Queensboro Bridge. Used with permission of The Marino Organization. All rights reserved.

2M-square-foot complex with apartments, office, commercial and production studio space sent to Council. Silvercup Studios, through Terra Cotta LLC, obtained Planning Commission approval for several rezoning and special permit applications to enable the development of Silvercup West, a 2.07-millionsquare- foot complex that would occupy six acres along the East River waterfront in … <Read More>


New district approved with 70-block rezoning

Council Member Avella drops his opposition to the application of the R5D district to Jamaica Hill and Hillcrest, Queens. The City Council approved a 70-block rezoning for the Jamaica Hill and Hillcrest areas of Queens and a linked application for a newly created zoning district. The action reduced the size and density of permitted development on 59 blocks and up-zoned 11 blocks to a new district, an R5D.

The R5D district permits all residential building … <Read More>


134-block rezoning approved

Planning Department proposed application of inclusionary housing text to Queens neighborhoods. On May 24, 2006, the Planning Commission unanimously approved a rezoning impacting 134 blocks of the Maspeth and Woodside neighborhoods. The rezoned area is comprised mostly of one- and two-family homes as well as a few walk-up and elevator apartment buildings, and includes higher density development along Queens Boulevard. A steady increase in out-of-scale residential development triggered the City’s action.

Density would be decreased … <Read More>


Mixed public school/ residential development approved

New public school will be among first built since 1970s without City funding; school construction program amended to increase flexibility. The City Council’s Land Use Committee voted yes on two applications that would enable private development of a 520-seat City middle school on the Upper East Side at no cost to the City.

In 1966, the City created the New York City Educational Construction Fund, a public benefit corporation, to allow the leasing of City … <Read More>


Williamsburg East River towers advance

Two Williamsburg residential towers near approval after City acts to apply 20 percent inclusionary affordable housing text to development. On June 5, 2006, the Council’s Land Use Committee voted to approve a 591,138-square-foot residential and retail development along the East River waterfront in Williamsburg, outside of the City’s recent rezoning. Along with the development, the Land Use Committee approved a separate zoning amendment application initiated by the Planning Department that would apply the City’s Inclusionary … <Read More>


Rezoning sought to allow air rights sale

Developer to buy 58,005 sq.ft. of air rights from Broadway’s Hirschfeld Theatre. An application to transfer additional air rights from the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, formerly the Martin Beck Theater, on West 45th Street started the City’s public review process on April 24, 2006 when the Planning Commission certified the applications of Allen Goldman of Fifth Street Holdings, LLC and SJP Residential Properties.

In 1998, the City enacted zoning rules aimed at preserving Broadway’s historic theaters. … <Read More>