Development of Staten Island Farm Colony offered

EDC seeks proposals for a post-secondary school to occupy 98-acre site containing designated buildings. On February 28, 2007, the New York City Economic Development Corporation issued a request for proposals for a site formerly used as the City’s Farm Colony.

Starting in the 1850s, the City provided housing to indigent New Yorkers in exchange for their labor on the Farm Colony. The facility expanded several times, but by the 1940s its use began to decline. … <Read More>


1920s planned community to be heard

 

Built in the 1920s, Sunnyside Gardens influenced housing development throughout the country. Photo: LPC.

Idealistic planned suburban housing to be considered as historic district. On March 6, 2007, Landmarks voted to consider the potential designation of Sunnyside Gardens, a 600-building complex of one- and two-family homes and multi-family apartment buildings built between 1924 and 1928 in Sunnyside, Queens. Covering almost 16 blocks, only 28 percent of the site contains buildings, and much of the … <Read More>


Mayor appoints two new CPC members

Betty Chen and Nathan Leventhal approved. The City Council unanimously approved Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s appointment of two new commissioners to the Planning Commission, Betty Chen and Nathan Leventhal. The terms of the two new commissioners commenced on March 5, 2007.

Yale-trained architect Betty Chen worked several years as project architect for the New York firm Todd William Billie Tsen. Chen also taught architecture and art history. Chen currently serves as Vice President of Planning, Design … <Read More>


Sale of former firehouse approved by Commission

Sale limited to community-use buyer. On March 14, 2007, the Planning Commission approved DCAS’ application to sell the lot at 269 Henry Street in Manhattan containing a four-story firehouse used by FDNY Engine Company No. 15 until 2001 when it moved to Pitt and Delancey Streets.

In the land use review process, Community Board 3 and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer opposed an open-ended sale. Stringer requested a restriction on the sale requiring the new … <Read More>


Queens court to be reused

 

This Queens mixed-use development will adaptively reuse former Jamaica Courthouse building. Image courtesy of FXFowle Architects.

Residential and commercial development will incorporate Jamaica Courthouse facade. On March 14, 2007, the City Council unanimously approved four linked applications for the redevelopment of the Queens Family Courthouse located on Parsons Boulevard and 89th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens and vacant since 2002. The application included the sale of City-owned property, a zoning map amendment to increase the … <Read More>


City to pay $9 million for Queens waterfront property

Court rejected City’s lower valuation. As part of its plan to develop a waterfront park, the City in 1996 condemned waterfront property in College Point, Queens owned by Malba Cove Properties, Inc. A majority of Malba’s property is underwater and the remainder is constrained by several mapped, but unbuilt streets.

At the trial to determine the property’s value, the City submitted an appraisal estimating the total value at $890,000. Malba’s appraisal found it to be … <Read More>