
Areas under study by the Department of City Planning for inclusion into the Special West Chelsea District. “Area A” (at bottom) is currently before the City Planning Commission. Image credit: DCP
CPC certified application to increase the district’s footprint. On September 2, 2014, the City Planning Commission held a review session on the Department of City Planning’s proposal to expand the Special West Chelsea District. The proposal would expand the district by one partial block, generally bounded by West 15th Street to the north, West 14th Street to the south, 9th Avenue to the east, and 10th Avenue to the west. The existing West Chelsea district is generally bounded between West 30th Street to the north, West 15th Street to the south, 11th Avenue to the west, and 9th Avenue to the east. The district was originally formed with the intent of developing the High Line into a public open space, and the surrounding West Chelsea neighborhood into a mixed-use residential community. (See previous CityLand coverage here.)
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On October 25, 2012, the City Council Land Use Committee voted in favor of both the West Harlem rezoning plan and the Chelsea Market expansion plan with modifications. (See CityLand’s past coverage here). The full City Council was originally expected to vote on these plans on October 30, 2012. However, Hurricane Sandy forced this vote to be delayed two full weeks.
Under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), when City Council review is triggered, the Council has 50 days to act on an application approved by the City Planning Commission. If the Council does not modify the application, or does not disapprove of the application within that time period, the Council is deemed to have approved the decision of the City Planning Commission. On November 13, 2012, the City Council approved both plans with the modifications. Fortunately, this vote was held just before the 50-day review period was set to expire. What would have happened had Hurricane Sandy prevented the Council from modifying these plans? (more…)