Opponents raised concerns about impact on Empire State Building, while the Council focused on Vornado’s participation in Minority- and Womenowned Business Enterprise program. On August 25, 2010, the City Council approved Vornado Realty Trust’s proposal to construct a commercial tower rising approximately 1,200 feet on Seventh Avenue between West 32nd and 33rd Streets in Manhattan. The site is occupied by the Hotel Pennsylvania, which Vornado plans to demolish in order to build the project, known as 15 Penn Plaza.

Vornado proposed developing a 67-story, single-tenant building or a 68-story, multi-tenant building in order to provide development flexibility. Vornado agreed to provide a host of transit improvements in exchange for a development bonus necessary to build either proposal. The proposed improvements include reopening and renovating the Gimbels/ West 33rd Street Passageway, and relocating subway entrances at West 32nd and West 33rd Streets.

During the project’s public review, Manhattan Community Board 5 opposed the project, arguing that the proposed transit improvements did not justify the tower’s size. Malkin Holdings LLC, owner of the Empire State Building, argued that the tower would negatively impact the iconic skyscraper, and asked that the proposal’s height be reduced. (more…)

Proposal would replace Hotel Pennsylvania with 2.1 million sq.ft. tower and reopen Gimbels underground passageway. On July 14, 2010, the City Planning Commission approved Vornado Realty Trust’s proposal to build a large commercial tower, known as 15 Penn Plaza, on Seventh Avenue between West 32nd and 33rd Streets in Manhattan. The site is occupied by the Hotel Pennsylvania, which Vornado would demolish in order to build its tower. Vornado proposed either a 67-story, single-tenant building option or a 68-story, multi-tenant development.

The single-tenant option would feature a 218-foot tall podium with a tapered tower reaching 1,190 feet. This building would be designed to accommodate the needs of a financial institution, including an open central space for unobstructed trading floors. It would also include 10,000 sq.ft. of ground floor retail space and a 100-space underground garage. The multi-tenant option would feature a 134-foot base, and a tapered, setback tower that would reach 1,216 feet. This option would provide 34,000 sq.ft. of ground floor retail space and additional retail space in the upper floors of its six-story base. (more…)

Council Members Dickens and Jackson defend plan despite vocal opposition from local residents. On April 30, 2008, the City Council modified the Department of City Planning’s plan to rezone the 125th Street corridor, a 24-block area in the Harlem section of Manhattan.

The plan will rezone large portions of the east and west ends of the corridor to encourage arts, entertainment, and retail uses. The plan will also impose height limits, street wall continuity requirements, and measures to preserve nearby brownstone neighborhoods.

At the Council’s public hearing before the Zoning and Franchises subcommittee, Amanda Burden, Chair of the City Planning Commission, testified that the plan will create Upper Manhattan’s first inclusionary housing bonus, and the City’s first Arts Bonus to encourage developers to provide space for arts and entertainment uses. Burden also testified that the plan would result in 2 million sq.ft. of office space and 8,200 new jobs. Burden concluded her testimony by noting that the three Council Members who represent the area, the affected Community Boards, Congressman Charles Rangel and Governor David Paterson all backed the plan. (more…)

Major League Baseball project in Harlem is among the beneficiaries. On March 6, 2008, the New York City Industrial Development Agency held a public hearing on proposed public subsidies to private entities, including a joint venture between Vornado Realty Trust and California Urban Investment Partners. The joint venture was established to build a 21-story office tower on 125th Street and Park Avenue, directly southwest of the Metro-North train station. The tower will contain 526,555 sq.ft. of office space, 50,492 sq.ft. of retail, and a 52-space underground garage. The tower’s anchor tenant will be MLB Network, Major League Baseball’s new cable broadcasting system. The work site lies within the proposed 125th Street rezoning plan, which the Planning Commission approved on March 10, 2008 to encourage renewed investment and development in the area.

At the hearing, Bettina Damiani, Director of Good Jobs New York, questioned the need for subsidies to attract MLB to Harlem given the area’s easy access to Yankee Stadium and Citi Field via public transportation. Charles Callaway, representing WE ACT for Environmental Justice, expressed similar skepticism and feared that the newly created jobs would not go to community residents. (more…)