Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces New Crane Safety Plan, Effective Immediately

New plan subjects crane operators to additional safety regulations and increased fines for non-compliance.  On February 7, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a four-prong safety plan to be taken by large crane operators.  The new set of safety measures arose in response to a fatal crane collapse incident, which occurred on February 5, 2016 in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Manhattan.


City Planning Commission Approves Modified Affordable Housing Proposals

Despite expressing broad support for proposals, City Planning calls on City Council to make further modifications.  On February 3, 2016, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposals, which are two of the major programs to be implemented under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York plan.  This was the first opportunity for City Planning to present its modified versions of the MIH and ZQA … <Read More>


New Hotel, Partially within Historic District, Approved after Revisions

Six-story-plus-penthouse hotel approved after applicants changed the brick used in the cladding, and added masonry to large window openings. On September 8, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a proposal demolishing an existing building at 456 Greenwich Street in Manhattan, and constructing a new hotel, with ground-floor retail uses. The lot to be developed lies partially within the Tribeca North Historic District, with the western portion of the site lying outside of the landmarked … <Read More>


New Six-Story-Plus-Penthouse Hotel Would Lie Partially Within Historic District

Landmarks asked for revisions to application to demolish 20th century freight terminal building and construct new brick-faced hotel. On August 3, 2015 the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered an application to demolish an existing building and construct a new hotel at 456 Greenwich Street in Manhattan. The lot under consideration lies partially within the Tribeca North Historic District. The existing structure at the site, originally built as freight terminal building in 1942, was heavily altered … <Read More>


Radical Redesign Wins Approval for Development of Vacant Lots

Applicants amended plan to feature primarily masonry façade, in light of criticism of previous glass-faced plan.  On January 14, 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve a plan from DDG Partners to develop two adjacent, triangular-shaped lots currently used for parking, located at 100 Franklin Street in the Tribeca East Historic District. The Commission previously held a hearing on the proposed development on November 12, 2013.


HDC Defends NYC Landmark Preservation

Last week CityLand published a Guest Commentary from Steven Spinola, President of REBNY.  Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council submitted this commentary in response. 

In his recent editorial in CityLand, Steven Spinola, the longtime President of the Real Estate Board of New York, suggested a number of ways which the Landmarks Law needs to be reformed to adhere to its “spirit.”  This is a curious statement that warrants further examination.  … <Read More>