Councilmember David Greenfield, chair of the Committee on Land Use. Image credit: William Alatriste/New York City Council

City officials questioned on policy to protect New York’s industrial sector.  On May 6, 2015 the City Council Committee on Land Use held an oversight hearing on industrial land use policy in New York City with a focus on protecting and encouraging the City’s industrial sector from encroaching alternative uses.  In his opening remarks, Councilmember and Land Use Chair David Greenfield emphasized as ineffective the City’s policy of designating Industrial Business Zones without changing the underlying zoning to protect industry from competing commercial uses and pointed out the importance of protecting the City’s industrial sector, comprising 10 percent of the local private sector workforce, frequently made of small businesses employing forty people or less, and paying significantly higher wages than the service sector.

(more…)

Samuel Gompers Industrial High School building. Image Credit: LPC.

On December 6, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Samuel Gompers Industrial High School as an individual landmark. The school, located at 455 Southern Boulevard in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx, was the City’s first vocational high school and is one of the City’s most distinctive public school buildings. For CityLand’s prior coverage, click here. (more…)

Samuel Gompers Industrial High School building. Image Credit: LPC.

The school was the first vocational high school in New York City. On September 20, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar the Samuel Gompers Industrial High School for consideration as an individual landmark. The school, located at 455 Southern Boulevard between East 145th to East 147th Streets in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx, is a well preserved example of the Medieval Revival style. (more…)

Rendering of one of the new proposed buildings. Image Credit: NYC CPC.

The buildings would provide residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. On May 11, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for an application that would facilitate the development of two eight-story mixed use buildings that will offer residential, commercial, industrial and office spaces in Ravenswood, Queens. The rezoning area consists of the entire block bounded by 33rd Road to the north, 34th Avenue to the south, 11th Street to the west and 12th Street to the east. The two buildings take up a majority of space on the block, with the exclusion of a portion of the midblock facing 11th Street. The current block has a vacant lot and warehouses.  (more…)

Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz, one of the three sites calendared by LPC on January 19th. Image Credit: LPC

Both buildings were landmarked as part of the agency’s Equity Framework. On May 18, 2021, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to unanimously designate Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz in Washington Heights and the Educational Building in Greenwich Village as the City’s newest landmarks. The two buildings were landmarked as part of Landmarks’ new Equity Framework, which highlights the agency’s efforts for designations that represent the city’s diverse and inclusive history. (more…)