1909 “Automobile Row” complex considered

1780 Broadway in Midtown, Manhattan. Image: LPC.

Owner of B.F. Goodrich Company buildings argued that only one building deserved designation. On August 11, 2009, Landmarks held a public hearing on the potential designation of the B.F. Goodrich Company buildings as an individual landmark at 1780 Broadway and 225 West 57th Street in Manhattan. Conceived as a single project and built in 1909, the two structures are located on the same tax lot and once shared … <Read More>


Single-family home wins waiver of rear yard rule

Owner during construction was caught by Citywide text change affecting rear yard. In July 2007, the owner of 1291 Carroll Street obtained a permit from Buildings allowing renovations to an existing single-family home located in an R2 zoning district. The plan included a rear enlargement built within 30 feet of the rear lot line. On April 30, 2008, the City Council approved a Citywide zoning text amendment that eliminated from R2 zoning districts the provision … <Read More>


Residence allowed on small lot in M district

Applicant claimed that lot’s small size would not allow a viable industrial use. The owner of a site located in an M1-2 zoning district sought a use variance to construct a two-story residential building. The 20 x 80 foot vacant lot, located at 328 Jackson Avenue, was formerly occupied by a residential building and has never been occupied by an industrial or manufacturing use.

The owner argued that it would suffer unnecessary hardship in developing … <Read More>


Grocery store zoning incentives proposed

Program would create floor area bonus and other incentives in effort to increase number of grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods. On August 5, 2009, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on the City’s proposed Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program. The program, a joint effort by the Department of City Planning and the City’s Economic Development Corporation, is a response to a City-sponsored study from 2008 finding that low- … <Read More>


In Difficult Times for Architects, Sherida Paulsen Provides an Experienced Perspective

Sherida Paulsen, midway through her one-year tenure as President of the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects, talked to CityLand about her career, AIA initiatives, and architecture and planning in general. She brings a wealth of experience to the position. Paulsen has served as a Commissioner and Chair of the Landmarks Preservation Commission and is a principal at PKSB Architects.

A self-described “California girl,” Paulsen attended UC-Berkeley and UCLA before moving to … <Read More>


Developer wins right to complete Queens hotel

Developer claimed that reduction in hotel rooms due to rezoning would jeopardize franchise agreement. Developer HBC Corona LLC received a foundation permit on July 9, 2008 for its proposed seven-story, mixed-use development providing 100 transient hotel rooms and 63 hotel suites, located at 112-15 Northern Boulevard in Queens. Nearly nine months later the City Council approved the North Corona 2 rezoning plan, changing the site’s C2-4 (R6) zoning to C2-4 (R6A), and putting the proposed … <Read More>