Sports Center received 10-year extension; filed house ruled as-of-right. In 1995, Chelsea Piers, L.P., owner and developer of Chelsea Piers at Piers 59-62 between West 17th and West 23rd Streets in Manhattan, received a special permit from BSA to operate a gym and sports facility on an 181,781-square-foot portion of Pier 60 that eventually became the Chelsea Piers Sports Center and Fieldhouse. The Sports Center contains an 115,960-square-foot health club with a pool and facilities for weightlifting, yoga, aerobics, boxing and pilates. The 65,821-square-foot Fieldhouse provides gymnastics, soccer, basketball, floor hockey, baseball and dance.

When the permit expired, Chelsea Piers requested a 10-year extension for the Sports Complex, but asked that the Fieldhouse be excluded from the permit since the space’s use was now as-of-right. Since the Fieldhouse’s use was uncertain during Chelsea Piers’ development, the owner’s original special permit included it. The owners ultimately decided to operate the Fieldhouse as-of-right under a use definition allowing “gymnasiums used exclusively for basketball, handball, paddleball, racquetball, squash and tennis.”

After an October 31, 2006 hearing, BSA voted to extend the special permit for an additional 10 years and to exclude the Fieldhouse. BSA emphasized that the Department of Buildings, not BSA, was responsible for ensuring zoning compliance in areas of the complex not covered by the special permit.

Community Board 4 supported the special permit extension and amended plan.

BSA: Pier 60, 111B Eleventh Avenue (69- 95-BZ) (Nov. 21, 2006). CITYADMIN