Developer wins right to complete Queens hotel

Developer claimed that reduction in hotel rooms due to rezoning would jeopardize franchise agreement. Developer HBC Corona LLC received a foundation permit on July 9, 2008 for its proposed seven-story, mixed-use development providing 100 transient hotel rooms and 63 hotel suites, located at 112-15 Northern Boulevard in Queens. Nearly nine months later the City Council approved the North Corona 2 rezoning plan, changing the site’s C2-4 (R6) zoning to C2-4 (R6A), and putting the proposed … <Read More>


Proposed rezoning of Brighton Beach withdrawn

Planning unable to reach a consensus among wide range of stakeholders. On June 11, 2009, the Department of City Planning withdrew its Brighton Beach rezoning proposal. The proposal covered 54 blocks, including a controversial downzoning of a small area characterized by bungalow-style homes. At the City Planning Commission’s hearing, residents and developers criticized the decision to downzone the bungalow area. 6 CityLand 74 (June 15, 2009).


Planning fees upped by 8%

Two new supplemental fees created. The City Planning Commission adopted an eight percent increase in land use application fees and CEQR near fees to become effective August 10, 2009. The approved changes also include two new supplemental fees: one triggered by land use applications for all projects over 500,000 sq.ft., and another for projects that necessitate a restrictive declaration related to the environmental review.

A supplemental fee for land use applications involving projects between 500,000 … <Read More>


Chelsea garage legalized

625-space garage had been operating over capacity since approximately 2003. On July 1, 2009, the City Planning Commission approved 111 Eighth Avenue Parking LLC’s application for a special permit allowing it to continue to operate a 625-space garage on the ground floor and cellar of an office building located between West 15th and 16th Streets, and Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Chelsea. The applicant began operating the 126,677 sq.ft. garage in 1999. It reached its … <Read More>


North Brooklyn rezoned

Greenpoint-Williamsburg Contextual Rezoning, Proposed Zoning used with permission of the New York City Department of City Planning. All rights reserved.

Additional 175 blocks of Greenpoint and Williamsburg rezoned. The City Council approved a 175-block rezoning plan for Brooklyn’s Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods. The newly rezoned area lies east of the City’s large 2005 rezoning initiative. 2 CityLand 67 (June 15, 2005). Unlike the 2005 plan, which concerned redevelopment of the manufacturing-zoned blocks along North Brooklyn’s … <Read More>


DUMBO Plan Approved

Residential conversion of buildings east of Manhattan Bridge now as-of-right. On July 29, 2009, the City Council rezoned a 12-block area of former manufacturing loft buildings located east of the Manhattan Bridge along Brooklyn’s waterfront in DUMBO. This approval adds to several private- and City-initiated DUMBO rezoning plans, and extends the area allowing as-of-right residential conversions from the blocks between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges to the 12 blocks east of the Manhattan Bridge.

The … <Read More>