Proposed development site bordered in red. Image credit: New York Botanical Garden

The request seeks proposals that incorporate a hotel, residential units, and retail space.  On January 19, 2016, the New York Botanical Garden issued a request for proposals to construct a mixed-use development on an “acre-plus parcel” of land that sits at the south-east corner of Webster Avenue and Bedford Park Boulevard, which is directly adjacent to the Botanical Garden’s parking garage.  The development would be part of a larger district-wide transformation that has been underway since 2011.

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Community Board ZQA & MIH Vote Tracker. Image credit: CityLand

CityLand creates comprehensive chart tracking every vote taken by community boards citywide on the ZQA and MIH text amendments. On September 21, 2015, the City Planning Commission referred for public review the Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) citywide text amendments. Since the public review process has begun, community boards across the city have met to discuss and vote on each of the two proposals. All 59 New York City Community Boards have until November 30th to vote on two citywide text amendments.

CityLand has created a comprehensive citywide chart that is tracking every community board action taken on ZQA and MIH. CityLand will continue to update this chart as we receive more detailed information. To date, we have attempted to contact every Board in the City at least twice. We ask readers to please contact us at nycitylaw@nyls.edu with new information to keep the chart up to date. To view and download the chart click on the adjacent picture or click here. (Last Update:  December 10th at 11:45 A.M.) (read more…)

Borinquen Court’s Main Entrance. Image credit: West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc.

West Side Federation will build new units adjacent to an existing, low-income residential building and add additional community and commercial space.  On August 13, 2015, the City Council approved West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application to build a development around the pre-existing Borinquen Court building, which is a low-income residential building geared towards senior citizens and physically-disabled individuals.  The development would be located in Council District 8—represented by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito—on property bounded by Third Avenue, Alexander Avenue, 138th Street, and 139th Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx.  The additions would yield a three-winged structure with Borinquen Court at the center, a 122-unit building attached to its west end, and a 56-unit building attached to its east end.

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Nicole Clare of the Settlement Housing Fund testifies before the City Planning Commission. Image credit: CPC

The building will be targeted to low-income and homeless individuals or families.  On April 1, 2015 the City Planning Commission voted to approve an application by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development facilitating construction of a new affordable housing building in The Bronx.  The building will be located at 1561 Walton Avenue in West Concourse, and feature sixty units of rental housing for low-income and homeless individuals and families.

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Rendering of the new causeway design of City Island Bridge. Image credit: DOT.

New causeway design for City Island Bridge applauded by community and local elected officials. On May 21, 2014, the City Planning Commission unanimously approved an application by the New York City Department of Transportation and Department of Parks and Recreation for a city map amendment to facilitate the construction of a new City Island Bridge in the Bronx. City Island Bridge, which connects City Island to Rodman’s Neck, was built in 1901 and was determined in 2002 to be in a state of serious deterioration.  The new bridge would be located in the same footprint as the existing bridge, but will now be approximately 68 feet wide, 17 feet wider than the existing bridge. The wider bridge would allow three standard-width traffic lanes and two 6-foot wide bicycle lanes with two 7-foot wide pedestrian walkways, one on each side of the bridge. (read more…)

THE CENTER FOR NEW YORK CITY LAW BREAKFAST

honoring

NEW YORK CITY’S FIVE BOROUGH PRESIDENTS:

Eric Adams – Brooklyn
Gale Brewer – Manhattan
Leroy Comrie (Deputy) – Queens
Ruben Diaz Jr. – Bronx
James Oddo – Staten Island

in a panel discussion on 

BOROUGH PRIORITIES

Pictured from left to right: Eric Adams, Gale Brewer, Leroy Comrie, Ruben Diaz Jr., James Oddo

On Friday February 7, 2014, the Center for New York City Law, Dean Anthony W. Crowell, and Professor Ross Sandler honored New York City’s five Borough Presidents in a panel discussion on borough priorities. Borough Presidents Eric Adams (Brooklyn), Gale Brewer (Manhattan), Ruben Diaz Jr. (Bronx), James Oddo (Staten Island), and Deputy Borough President Leroy Comrie (Queens) participated at the panel. The panel was moderated by Errol Louis of NY1.

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