Rendering of First Proposed Lenox Terrace Development Image Credit: City Planning

Modifications leave community and Council Member Perkins still unconvinced. On February 26, 2020, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted to disapprove an application by the Olnick Organization to rezone and redevelop a superblock in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, containing the Lenox Terrace apartments. The 12 acre superblock is located between 135th Street to the north, 132nd street to the south, 5th Avenue to the east, and Malcom X Boulevard to the west. The application was approved by City Planning with modifications on February 3, 2020. To read CityLand’s prior coverage and the applicant’s earlier proposal click here.

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Rendering of Proposed La Hermosa Building with Modifications/Image Credit: Department of City Planning/CPC

The proposed building would house the redeveloped La Hermosa Church, community facilities, and residential units. On October 15, 2019, the City Planning Commission voted to approve an application to develop a new 29-story tower-on-a-base mixed-use building at 5 West 110th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. The site is currently occupied by La Hermosa Church, a three-story brick throughway building, and the church’s parking lot. To facilitate the new 226,000 square feet development, the applicants would propose to demolish the existing church building. The project would redevelop La Hermosa Church and build a music hall, music school, and approximately 160 housing units. The Church is the project applicant and site owner.

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Historic Districts Council’s annual preservation conference celebrated City history, identified priorities, and looked forward to new battles and a new administration. The Historic Districts Council hosted its 19th Annual Preservation Conference over three days from March 1 to 3, 2013. The conference featured receptions, guest speakers, panel discussions, and walking tours. The American Institute of Architects also provided continuing education credits. New York Law School hosted the conference on Saturday, March 2nd. Participants from various fields spoke on panels regarding preservation campaigns in the public and private sector. Panelists presented individual talks on preservation issues and took questions from the audience and panel moderators. The event attracted people actively engaged in preservation advocacy and sought to strengthen connections between disparate groups pursuing a common cause. In her introduction, HDC President Francoise Bollack called the preservation of historic architecture “a collective endeavor.” Panelists and speakers repeatedly criticized the Bloomberg Administration and City Planning Commission Chair Amanda Burden for their perceived lack of consideration of preservation issues.

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Commission approves iconic design for 518-foot mixed-use development in Harlem. On September 8, 2004, the City Planning Commission approved a 493,646-square-foot mixed-use development containing 230 hotel rooms, 100 residential units, office space, retail space, and a 369-space public parking garage. To achieve the size and design, the developer, 1800 Park Avenue LLC, sought a rezoning of the project site to allow the hotel and an increased floor area as well as two special permits to allow the parking garage and modify height and setback. Marriott International would lease the hotel component.

The project site, on the west side of Park Avenue at East 125th Street, is at a vital axis point of the Central and East Harlem neighborhoods and is immediately adjacent to the MTA MetroNorth 125th Street station. The area is primarily residential with mostly four to six-story residential buildings. The tallest building is 33-stories, located at 3rd Avenue and 123rd Street. (more…)