Approved plan rezones 161st Street and River Avenue corridor and establishes new C6-3D commercial zoning district. On September 30, 2009, the City Council approved the Department of City Planning’s proposal to rezone areas along 161st Street and River Avenue in southwest Bronx. The rezoning impacts portions of eight blocks in three separate areas within the heart of the borough’s civic center, described as the Residential, Civic, and Transit Nodes. The broad rezoning area is generally bounded by 162nd Street to the north, 153rd and 159th Streets to the south, Park Avenue to the east, and River Avenue to the west.

The corridor is surrounded by a variety of land uses including the new Yankee Stadium, the Bronx County Courthouse and Borough Hall, and is near the Melrose Commons Urban Renewal Area. The corridor has easy access to mass transit including the 4, B, and D subway lines, and the Metro-North rail line. The area has experienced limited residential development and commercial expansion largely due to its zoning, which had remained mostly unchanged since 1961. The plan seeks to encourage the development of affordable housing, promote commercial expansion, and strengthen the area’s overall appeal. (more…)

Nation’s largest mass transit project will double NJ Transit’s commuter rail capacity into Manhattan. The City Council approved the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s applications related to the $8.7 billion Access to Region’s Core (ARC) passenger rail project. Jointly sponsored by the Port Authority and New Jersey Transit, the project’s goal is to double the capacity of NJ Transit’s commuter rail service into Manhattan by building a rail tunnel under the Hudson River connecting to an underground rail station adjacent to Penn Station.

The Port Authority submitted an application for a special permit to construct the new rail station, six station entrances, and four fan plants to provide emergency ventilation. The rail station will be 150 feet below grade at the terminus of the proposed tunnel along West 34th Street between Ninth and Sixth Avenues. The Port Authority will build the entrances along West 34th Street near intersections with Eighth, Seventh, and Sixth Avenues, and the four fan plants will be located from Eleventh through Sixth Avenues. (more…)

Vornado exploring new development options for current site of Hotel Pennsylvania. On January 27, 2009, the Department of City Planning held a public hearing on the draft scope of an environmental impact statement for the proposed developments at 15 Penn Plaza in Manhattan. Bounded by Seventh Avenue to the west, West 33rd Street to the north, and West 32nd Street to the south, the Vornado Realty Trust-controlled property currently houses the 1700-room Hotel Pennsylvania.

In order to respond to changing market conditions, Vornado put forth two different development scenarios, both of which require discretionary approvals from the City Planning Commission, including zoning map amendments, text amendments, and various special permits.

The first scenario comprises a 2.84 million sq.ft. single tenant office tower that reserves 1.52 million sq.ft. for office space and another five floors for trading operations. The second scenario scales back the gross square footage of the building to 2.65 million, and allows for 1.85 million sq.ft. of office space and 380,447 sq.ft. of retail space. 228,114 sq.ft. of the retail space could alternatively be used for trading uses. In addition to providing the City with Class A office space, Vornado would seek to improve local mass transit conditions, as both scenarios contemplate re-opening and renovating the pedestrian passageway under the south side of West 33rd Street. (more…)

Alterations are designed to restrict big-box retail and hotel developments. On May 21, 2008, the City Planning Commission voted to approve, with modifications, the Department of City Planning’s proposal to rezone a 70-block area in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. The area City Planning proposes to rezone is bounded by the Bruckner Expressway, Halleck Street, and Ryawa and Oak Point Avenues.

Consisting of 690 acres, the Hunts Point peninsula is characterized by a 22-block residential district that is surrounded by more industrial uses. The industrial area of Hunts Point is developed by such facilities as the Fulton Fish Market, the 329-acre Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, and a number of waste-treatment centers.

The proposed rezoning would create a buffer between the residential and industrial areas. The rezoning would also prohibit new wasterelated uses from entering the area, a measure intended to encourage the further growth of food industries in Hunts Point. (more…)

Borough President testified against the rezoning because of as-of-right hotel use and “big box” retail provisions. On April 9, 2008, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Department of City Planning’s proposal to rezone a 75- block area in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. The proposed rezoning would establish the Special Hunts Point District, bounded by the Bruckner Expressway, Halleck Street, and Ryawa and Oak Point Avenues. The area is characterized by a small residential district surrounded by industrial uses, such as the relocated Fulton Fish Market and the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center, as well as some waste-related uses.

The proposed Special Hunts Point District would consist of two subdistricts, one residential and the other catered to the food industry. According to City Planning, 13 residential lots and 47 commercial lots, representing 31 businesses, do not comply with the proposed rezoning. 5 CityLand 9 (Feb. 15, 2008). (more…)