
Rowhouses along 50th Street in Proposed Sunset Park 50th Street Historic District. Image Credit: LPC.
On May 7, 2019, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the proposed landmark designation of four historic districts in Sunset Park, Brooklyn: Sunset Park North, Sunset Park South, Sunset Park 50th Street, and Central Sunset Park. The four proposed districts encompass blocks that were found to be the most cohesive and intact concentrations of Sunset Park’s architecture, representative of its primary periods of development. If approved, designation would provide Landmark protection to over 539 buildings, the majority of which are rowhouses constructed between the 1890s and 1910s. (more…)

Special Garment Center District, Fashion Avenue. Image Credit: City Planning
Zoning changes will bring many buildings into compliance and will lift manufacturing space preservation requirements. City officials step in to ensure garment manufacturing has a continuing place in the district. On September 26, 2018, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed rezoning of the Special Garment Center District by the Department of City Planning, in conjunction with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC). The Special Garment Center District encompasses approximately 13 blocks between West 35th and West 40th Streets, west of Broadway. (more…)

45 Broad Street Rendering. Image Credit: CPC
Application approval will bring ADA accessibility to Downtown Manhattan. On April 23, 2018, the City Planning Commission approved the application for a special permit to allow a floor area bonus (FAR) of up to 20 percent to the basic maximum FAR to the 45 Broad Street development in connection with proposed subway improvements. The application was submitted by Madison 45 Broad Development LLC. The special permit will allow the construction of two subway elevators on the Broad Street and Wall Street stations, as part of an application for a new mixed-use residential building. On March 14, 2018, the Commission held a public hearing on the special permit. To read CityLand’s coverage of the hearing, click here. (more…)

Former Webber Packing House.
The landmarking of two buildings constructed as schools and a former meatpacking plant receive support at public hearing. On February 13, 2018, Landmarks held hearings on the potential designations of three structures as individual City landmarks in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. The three buildings are the former Richard Webber Harlem Packing House, at 207 East 119th Street; the former Public School 109, at 215 East 99th Street; and the former Benjamin Franklin High School, at 260 Pleasant Avenue. The buildings were identified by landmarks staff in a survey of the area’s historical and architectural resources as part of the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan and anticipated East Harlem Rezoning. (more…)

East Shore Study Area. Image credit: DCP
The proposed rezoning is intended to address high flood vulnerabilities on the East Shore by limiting future developments to low density buildings. On September 5, 2017, the City Council’s Subcommittee held a hearing and voted 4-0 to approve the City Planning Department’s application to create a special zoning district on the coastal areas of Staten Island. The zoning map amendment and zoning text amendments would cover portions of the Oakwood Beach, Graham Beach, and Ocean Breeze neighborhoods. The rezoning would limit future development in these highly flood vulnerable areas. The proposal area matches the State’s designated area for its Buyout Program. For CityLand’s prior coverage of this proposal, click here. (more…)