Councilmember Donovan Richards. Image credit: William Alatriste/NYC Council
Donovan Richards was elected to the City Council from the 31st District in February 2013. When you speak with City Council member Donovan Richards, two things become readily apparent: an encyclopedic knowledge of the needs of his Southeast Queens Council district and the drive to pursue solutions for each of those needs simultaneously.
Greater Jamaica Development Corporation logo. Image Credit: GJDC.
Parking Lots associated with Greater Jamaica Development corporation challenged Finance’s withdrawal of tax exemption. Greater Jamaica Development Corporation and Jamaica First Parking, LLC, brought an article 78 petition against the Department of Finance and the New York City Tax Commission, challenging the City’s revocation of a charitable tax exemption for the public parking facilities they owned and operated. On appeal to the Appellate Division, Second Department, the court restored the tax exemption. (more…)
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Every month CityLand publishes a comprehensive set of charts to track applications to, and decisions from, New York City’s land use agencies. Agencies covered include: Department of City Planning, City Planning Commission, City Council, Board of Standards & Appeals, and Landmarks Preservation Commission.
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).
To view the New Filings and Decisions chart for June 2012, click here.
Read below for expanded descriptions of some of the applications and decisions found in this month’s chart:
– Rezoning proposals for Bedford-Stuyvesant and Harlem certified. The City Planning Commission certified into ULURP the Bedford-Stuyvesant North Rezoning and West Harlem Rezoning proposals. For CityLand’s complete coverage of the proposals, click here.
– Certificate of Appropriateness issued to owner of the Puck Building. Landmarks on April 27, 2012 issued Kushner Companies a Certificate of Appropriateness (more…)
The Diamond District and the Tennis Center are among the beneficiaries. On November 13, 2007 the New York City Industrial Development Agency voted to provide over $105 million in financial assistance to four entities.
IDA awarded up to $51 million in tax benefits to Extell Diamond Tower LLC, an affiliate of Extell Development Company, which will build an integrated diamond and jewelry industry facility in Manhattan’s Diamond District. IDA will extend a mortgage recording tax waiver, building tax exemption, and both City and State sale and use tax exemptions. According to IDA, the facility will include diamond trading, cutting, brokerage, sales and support services, and will create or retain 3,117 jobs. (more…)
85-foot cell phone tower disguised as flagpole. The owner of 186-05 120th Road in the R4 zoned district of Jamaica, Queens sought a special permit to construct an 85-foot wireless communications radio tower with 12 small panel antennae. The owner stated that the tower would be minimally visible over the roof line of surrounding houses, further concealed by trees, and that the mechanical equipment and wiring would be located underground and in the basement of an existing building on the site. The applicant argued that the 85-foot height was the minimum needed for cell phone coverage. In response to community concerns, the tower was relocated toward the rear of the property and redesigned to resemble a flag pole.
BSA granted the application, finding that the tower would not interfere with the privacy, quiet, light and air of the neighborhood. BSA, however, restricted maintenance hours for the tower, required additional slots for other cell phone companies, and required that the flag be replaced once a year, maintained, and lit at night. (more…)
