Morris Adjmi knew from an early age that architecture would be his calling. At age five, he designed his first masterpiece: a pyramid of coffee tables and chairs covered with blankets. Just as his mother arrived for the unveiling, the pyramid fell to the floor and injured young Morris, striking him above the eye. Despite the initial setback, he was hooked. A native of New Orleans, he found an abundance of architecture, especially in the … <Read More>
Search Results for: Special District
EDC seeks developers for Jamaica rezoning district
Site will be one of first parcels developed after major rezoning. The New York City Economic Development Corporation issued a request for proposals seeking a developer to purchase a 45,000-square-foot City-owned site in downtown Jamaica and develop it into a mixed-use building with retail space, housing, and parking. A two-story parking garage partially used by the NYPD currently occupies the site, which is part of the Special Downtown Jamaica District from Jamaica Avenue to 93rd … <Read More>
Sunnyside Gardens designated a historic district
Landmarks unanimously designated despite community controversy. On June 26, 2007, Landmarks voted to designate Sunnyside Gardens, Sunnyside, Queens, as a historic district. A planned community designed by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright in the 1920s to house working class families, Sunnyside Gardens’ distinctive characteristics include its large landscaped courtyards and its mixture of single- and multi-family buildings. It was one of the first planned communities built by a private limited-dividend corporation, and, as a non-car … <Read More>
Potential Sunnyside Gardens district proves divisive
Opposing sides report neighborhood friction, allegations of spying and harassment. On April 17, 2007, in front of an audience exceeding the hearing room’s capacity, Landmarks heard testimony on the potential designation of a Sunnyside Gardens Historic District. Sunnyside Gardens, a planned community built between 1924 and 1928, features a mixture of single-, double-, and multi-family dwellings arranged around large, landscaped open courtyards. Funded by a limited dividend company, the development provided high-quality housing for the … <Read More>
New text approved for historic districts
Amended text needed for 85-unit apartment building, 150-space garage to be built on SoHo parking lot. United American Land, LLC applied for a text amendment and three special permits to allow a 137,000-square-foot, mixed-use development on a lot at 311 West Broadway within Manhattan’s SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. The 28,200-square-foot site currently contains a 206-space parking lot and a two-story building.
Before applying to City Planning, United sought Landmarks approval. Landmarks suggested that United eliminate … <Read More>
Modifications to High Line, West Chelsea district approved
Boundaries, frontage, easement access and lot coverage modified for High Line and Special West Chelsea district. In June 2005, the City Council approved several applications related to West Chelsea including the establishment of a Special West Chelsea District to support development of the High Line elevated public space, art galleries, marketrate housing, and affordable housing. 2 CityLand 83 (July 15, 2005). Public review of the proposed text amendments identified the need for additional modifications.
On … <Read More>