Lamartine Place district in Chelsea designated

New historic district in Chelsea consists of twelve rowhouses and includes Underground Railroad stop. Landmarks voted to designate as the Lamartine Place Historic District twelve rowhouses located at 333 through 359 West 29th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, Manhattan. William Torrey and Cyrus Mason built the three-and-a-half story Greek Revival rowhouses between 1846 and 1847 on what was then known as Lamartine Place.

James S. Gibbons and his wife, Abigail Hopper Gibbons, a renowned … <Read More>

FIT’s ten-story West 28th Street building approved

Fashion Institute of Technology’s proposed academic building required street wall height and setback approvals. The Fashion Institute of Technology, a college of the State University of New York, applied to BSA for a special permit to construct a ten-story addition to its existing nine-story academic building on the south side of West 28th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. The 15,092 sq.ft. site is currently occupied by a walled-in courtyard and surrounded by FIT’s academic … <Read More>

Sunset Park Community Board’s 197-a Plan heard

Community board puts forward its own plan to revitalize industrial waterfront. On October 7, 2009, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on Brooklyn Community Board 7’s plan to revitalize the Sunset Park waterfront. The plan is permitted under section 197-a of the City Charter, which authorizes community boards to propose a framework for future development in their districts. CB7 developed the comprehensive proposal over a thirteen-year period with input from local residents, businesses, and civic … <Read More>

Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory plan heads to Council

Proposed redevelopment of the Bronx’s Kingsbridge Armory. Image: Courtesy of Related Companies.

City Planning Commission approved Related Companies’ Kingsbridge Armory plan,with four Commissioners voting against proposal. On October 19, 2009, the City Planning Commission approved Related Companies’ proposal to redevelop the landmarked Kingsbridge Armory in northwest Bronx. The plan is a result of the combined efforts of the EDC and the Kingsbridge Armory Task Force, which was established by the City in 2006 to facilitate … <Read More>

Commercial overlay extended 50 feet in Bayside

The Briarwood Organization requested a rezoning in order to expand offices on adjoining property. On October 14, 2009, the City Council approved the Briarwood Organization LLC’s proposal to extend a C2- 2 commercial overlay within an existing R4 district on Bell Boulevard between 36th and 38th Avenues in Bayside, Queens. The C2-2 overlay had previously extended 200 feet north of the intersection of Bell Boulevard and 38th Avenue, stopping at a two-story building at 36-35 … <Read More>

South Brooklyn rezoning approved

Carroll Gardens and Columbia Street neighborhoods rezoned to prevent out-of-scale development. On October 28, 2009, the City Council approved the Department of City Planning’s rezoning proposal for 86 blocks in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens and Columbia Street neighborhoods. The approved plan replaces the area’s R6 zoning with contextual districts in order to establish height limits to preserve the neighborhoods’ existing built character. The area is characterized by three- to four-story rowhouses with some four- to five-story … <Read More>