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.” (read more…)