Planning Commission Approves More Retail in Broadway Corridor

City Planning approved a special permit for a retail establishment in the lower floors of a five-story building in the SoHo neighborhood. On October 4, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on an application for a special permit from 449 Broadway LLC—owner of 449 Broadway in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. The application sought a special permit to modify the use regulations of Section 42-14(D)(2)(b) of the Zoning Resolution to allow retail uses on … <Read More>


Adjacent Building Owners Win Protections For Demolition

City sought to demolish derelict, mid-block row-house. The Department of Buildings issued an emergency declaration to demolish a deteriorating, vacant, and dangerous row-house at 32-49 37th Street between Broadway and 34th Avenue in Astoria. In order to demolish the abandoned mid-block building, contractors were required to erect scaffolding protecting the adjoining row-houses that physically abut the derelict building. The owners of the neighboring row-houses refused access to construct the scaffolding unless the City obtained legal … <Read More>


Mixed-Use Development to Replace Pfizer Factory Site

A former Pfizer factory site in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn will be redeveloped into 1,146 housing units, 62,810 square feet of commercial space, 26,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space, and 404 parking spaces. On September 19, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on land use applications by Harrison Realty LLC. The land use applications include: (1) a zoning map amendment to change the current manufacturing district into a residential district with <Read More>


Old Saint James Episcopal Church Designated

City’s second-oldest surviving religious structure designated an individual landmark. On September 19, 2017, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Old Saint James Episcopal Church at 86-02 Broadway in Elmhurst, Queens as an individual City landmark. Completed in 1736 for the Anglican community in the town then known a Newtown, the timber framed meeting hall featured a single tower and wood shingling. In 1848, the building was converted to a parish hall as … <Read More>


LPC Approves Favorable Report for Century Association Building

In exchange for bulk waivers for 16th Street development Tishman Realty will restore and maintain the Century Association Building. At its meeting on September 12, 2017, the Landmarks Preservation Commission revisited an application by Tishman Realty to create a restoration and maintenance plan for the individually landmarked Century Association Building as part of a 74-711 special permit application to City Planning. The City Planning application entails the redevelopment of an adjoining lot at 110 … <Read More>


CPC Approves Residential Building in Flushing

City Planning approves an application for a nine-story residential building with 27 permanently affordable units in Flushing, Queens. On September 6, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on a modified land use application for rezoning the area containing 135-01 35th Avenue. The land use application by Stemmax Realty Inc. includes zoning map and zoning text amendments. Stemmax Realty Inc. owns the project site, located at the northeast corner of 35th Avenue and … <Read More>