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    City Planning Holds Hearing on Skyscraper East Harlem Development [UPDATE: Application Found to be Appropriate]

    ULURP  •  East Harlem, Manhattan

    Rendering of proposed development in East Harlem, Manhattan. Image Credit: Perkins Eastman Architects

    UPDATE: On June 21, 2017, the City Planning Commission the application from the New York City Education Construction Fund and AvalonBay Communities to redevelop a city block in East Harlem to be appropriate. The proposed development would shift the Marx Brothers Playground to the center of the block and facilitate the construction of two buildings at either end. The eastern building would rise eight stories and contain two public high school relocated from other sites. The western building would rise 63 stories and contain over one million square-feet of residential floor area and the Co-op Tech vocational school.

    In its report, the Planning Commission noted the need for new public schools citywide and acknowledged that finding adequate sites and securing funding are major obstacles to addressing that need. The Commission stated that the new high schools would “increase the capacity of the existing overcrowded and outdated schools, allowing more students access to their programs.”

    The Commission acknowledged public concern over height and uses of the proposed development. The applicant responded to these concerns by lower the proposed height of the skyscraper from 68 stories to 63 stories. The report noted that the School Construction Fund preferred buildings for new schools be five stories tall, and that the height of the tower would allow the eastern building to be at a height in line with that preference. The Commission also wrote that “there is ample light and air around the block . . . providing the site and neighboring properties with unobstructed light and air from the east.” (read more…)

    Tags : East Harlem, Goldman Harris LLC, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Marx Brothers Playground, New York City Educational Construction Fund, Second Avenue Subway
    Date:07/05/2017
    Category : City Planning Commission
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    Mixed public school/ residential development approved

    Rezoning/Special Permit  •  Upper East Side, Manhattan

    New public school will be among first built since 1970s without City funding; school construction program amended to increase flexibility. The City Council’s Land Use Committee voted yes on two applications that would enable private development of a 520-seat City middle school on the Upper East Side at no cost to the City.

    In 1966, the City created the New York City Educational Construction Fund, a public benefit corporation, to allow the leasing of City property to private developers who would construct a new school and use the balance of the site for a private development. As part of this program, a separate zoning amendment passed allowing ECF projects to obtain a special permit to transfer unused floor area to the private development from the school lot and obtain height and setback waivers to afford needed flexibility. In the 1970s, ECF developed over 17,000 school seats at no capital cost to the City along with 4,500 residential units and 1.2 million sq.ft. of office space. (read more…)

    Tags : Manhattan Community Board 8, New York City Educational Construction Fund
    Date:06/15/2006
    Category : City Council
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