Community Wants More Zoning Protections in Union Square South SD Expansion

Hotel special permitting fails to address other types of development in the Union Square South area. On January 22, 2020, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application by the Department of City Planning for an expansion of the Special Union Square District, and the establishment of a special permit requirement for new hotel development in the expansion area.


COMPLETE VIDEO: 164th CityLaw Breakfast with Bart Schwartz, NYCHA Federal Monitor

On Friday, November 15, 2019, New York City Housing Authority Federal Monitor, Bart Schwartz spoke at the 164th CityLaw Breakfast at New York Law School. Mr. Schwartz was introduced by Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law. Mr. Schwartz spoke on “NYCHA Challenges and Updates.”


Carriage Owner Wins Injunction

Central Park Sightseeing, a horse carriage company offering rides in Central Park, sued New Yorkers for Clean, Livable & Safe Streets, an animal rights group based in New York City that is opposed horse-drawn carriages. Central Park Sightseeing claimed that the animal rights group created a public nuisance by interfering with public safety and the safe flow of traffic, and that the animal rights group interfered with the horse carriage business by harassing, threatening, and … <Read More>


5Pointz: The Anti-Rebellion Message of the Graffiti Dispute

Graffiti has become much more than spray-painted tags and quickly disappearing pieces on train cars and underpasses. In some quarters it is now high art. Highly prized are works by Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the “Hope” poster Fairey made for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, Jean-Michel Basquiat, who began as a graffiti artist and whose works today command huge prices, and Banksy, whose street works are carefully preserved.  These dramatic changes in the nature and … <Read More>


Union Square Park, Bergdorf Goodman, IRT Powerhouse Among Items Considered at Third Special Hearing

Wide support voiced for designation of monumental Stanford White-designed powerhouse and iconic Classicist department store, despite owner opposition. On November 5, 2015, Landmarks held the third of four special hearings to address the backlog of items calendared prior to 2010, but never brought to a vote on designation. Previous hearings were held on October 8 and 22, 2015. The November hearing was the first devoted to items in Manhattan.


Demolition of Two Non-Historic Structures, New Canopy, Proposed for Seaport Pier

The demolitions would make new Pier building a free-standing structure, with four visible facades, and a new canopy that would allow for all-weather use of roof space. On August 4, 2015, representatives of the Howard Hughes Corporation appeared at the Landmarks Preservation Commission to propose revisions to their planned redevelopment of Piers 16 and 17 in the South Street Seaport Historic District. Landmarks in 2012 approved an application by SHoP Architects, after multiple hearings<Read More>