Rezoning and text amendment will facilitate construction of affordable units. On February 11, 2009, the City Council approved Phipps Houses’ plan to construct two nine-story buildings along the north side of East 25th Street within the Henry Phipps Plaza South complex in Kips Bay, Manhattan. The complex already houses a 33-story, mixed-use tower at 444 Second Avenue and a 14-story building that faces East 26th Street. The proposed buildings would add 83-90 dwelling units to the complex. One building would replace an unused basketball court while the other would supplant a sitting area near two apartment buildings that face East 25th Street. In addition to the new buildings, Phipps’ plan seeks to improve the streetscape by converting accessory parking space along the Second Avenue frontage of 444 Second Avenue to retail use.

Phipps’ plan includes rezoning portions of C1-8 and R8 districts to a C1-9 district. The new C1-9 district is located in an area generally bounded by East 26th Street to the north, Second Avenue to the west, midway between East 23rd and East 24th Streets to the south, and a line 125 ft. east of Second Avenue to the east. Phipps’ zoning lot straddles the boundary between the new C1-9 district and the unchanged R8 district to the east. (read more…)