Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District approved

Opposition claimed that costs associated with designation would be too burdensome. The City Council approved Landmarks’ designation of the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District in Brooklyn. The district includes 21 buildings along Court, Montague, Remsen, Joralemon, and Livingston Streets.

Business groups and property owners, including the owners of 186 Remsen Street and the residents of 75 Livingston Street, opposed the district. At Landmarks’ public hearing in February 2011, they argued that some buildings in the … <Read More>


Commission approves Brooklyn skyscraper district

Questions raised about Planning Commission’s authority when reviewing landmark designations. On November 16, 2011, the City Planning Commission approved Landmarks’ designation of the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District in downtown Brooklyn. The district comprises 21 buildings along Court, Montague, Remsen, Joralemon, and Livingston Streets, and is within the boundaries of the Special Downtown Brooklyn District established by the City in 2001.

At Landmarks’ public hearing on the proposed district in February 2011, residents of a … <Read More>


Westchester Square BID enters objection period

At hearing, concerns raised about whether public notice requirements were met for proposed BID. On October 17, 2011, the City Council’s Finance Committee held a public hearing on the Department of Small Business Services’ plan to create the Westchester Square Business Improvement District in the Bronx.

The BID would be within Bronx Community Boards 10 and 11 and extend along portions of East Tremont Avenue, Williamsbridge Road, and Westchester Avenue. The district would include 90 … <Read More>


Chinatown BID approved despite opposition

Due to active opposition, the Council held first-ever oversight hearing on a proposed BID. On September 21, 2011, the City Council approved the establishment of the Chinatown Business Improvement District for more than 6,000 businesses in Manhattan. The BID comprises 50 blocks generally bounded by Broome Street to the north, Worth and Madison Streets to the south, Allen Street to the east, and Broadway to the west. The first-year budget will be $1,300,000.

At the … <Read More>


Planning unveils online land use and zoning tool

Mapping tool provides range of zoning and land use information for individual properties and City at large. On August 25, 2011, the Department of City Planning and the Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications announced the release of the publicly accessible zoning and land use web application known as as ZoLa. The web-based Geographic Information Systems tool provides up-to-date maps with zoning and land use information for New York City properties.

ZoLa is a part … <Read More>


Proposed Chinatown BID nears approval

Image: courtesy of Chinatown Partnership LDC.

Group of Chinatown property owners cited concerns about the BID’s assessment formula. On May 26, 2011, the City Council’s Finance Committee held a hearing on the Department of Small Business Services’ plan to create the Chinatown Business Improvement District encompassing more than 6,000 commercial businesses in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The BID would comprise 50 blocks generally bounded by Broome Street to the north, Worth and Madison Streets to the … <Read More>