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Manhattan CD03 Projects
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Manhattan Community District 03
59 East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212.533.5300
Fax: 212.533.3659
Email: info@cb3manhattan.org
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2nd Avenue Subway
Plans for a subway line along Second Avenue date back to 1929. In fact, a plan developed in the 1960s resulted in the construction of several tunnel segments before work was suspended due to the city's financial crisis. In 1995, MTA began the Manhattan East Side Alternatives (MESA) Study. The project's goal was to recommend a course of action to reduce overcrowding and delays on the Lexington Avenue line, and to improve transit accessibility for residents on the Far East Side of Manhattan.
On April 12, 2007, ground was broken on the new subway line's first phase, which will run down Second Avenue from 96th Street to 63rd Street. The plan for ultimate build out of the line calls for the subway to run north to 125th Street and south to Hanover Square in the Financial District. The first phase of construction is estimated to cost $3.8 billion while construction of the entire project is estimated to cost around $13 billion. The first phase of what is now also known as the “T” line is scheduled to be completed in 2013 but there is no timetable for the rest of the project.
In November 2005, New York State voters approved the Transportation Bond Act, which contained $450 million for the project. This is in addition to the $1.05 billion the State has committed to the project and the anticipated federal commitment of at least $1.3 billion.
There are several sources of concern about the project. Some local residents are concerned about the relocation of residents in 60 residential buildings along the planned route. Partnership for New York City, a group of business executives, has published a study that, while not opposing the new subway, found that other projects, including a $6 billion rail link from lower Manhattan to Kennedy Airport, or the $2.1 billion No. 7 subway extension, would bring greater economic development. In addition, questions remain regarding financing of much of the rest of the line after the first phase is complete with full build out estimated to cost another $10 billion.
Recent headlines
Environmental Review Will Delay Components of 2nd Ave Subway Construction
July 31, 2008
NY1
U.S. Senate Provides $250 Million for Second Avenue Subway
July 11, 2008
NY1
Major Projects on Hold As Cement Truck Drivers Strike
July 2, 2008
New York Times
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NYC Department of City Planning
Property Shark- East River Waterfront Study Map
New York City Economic Development Corporation Project Description
East River Waterfront
In 2003, the Mayor's Office, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the Department of City Planning, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation began the East River Waterfront project. After completing a one-year study on the area, DCP and EDC released the Concept Plan for the project in 2005. The plan details a series of short-term projects and long-term strategies that aim to reconnect the financial district, the South Street Seaport, Chinatown and the Lower East Side neighborhoods to the East River waterfront. Improvements will include enhanced access to the water, new amenities and uses, and increased open spaces for visitors along a two-mile stretch of waterfront. The projects, which are to be funded by $150 million of federal money administered by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, are slated to be completed in segments between 2010 and 2015.
On February 26, 2007, the City Planning Commission certified the ULURP application for site selection and disposition of city property, actions deemed necessary to implement the waterfront plans. The planning process has not been without controversy, with local Community Boards voicing concern over the disposition of land and provision of adequate park space.
SHoP Architects and Ken Smith Landscape Architects – who were involved in the development of the concept plan, have been retained by EDC to work on detailed designs for the esplanade and piers project. To date they have released preliminary plans for the redevelopment of Pier 15, which were received with mixed reviews. Mayor Bloomberg recently announced plans for the New York City Waterfalls public art project to be installed in the area. The $15 million project, to be paid for with money from private donations, is expected to bring $55 million in tourism.
Recent headlines
East River Waterfront Plans Move Forward with Revised Pier Design
August 8, 2008
The Tribeca Trib
Updated Plans for East River Waterfront Released
July 24, 2008
Downtown Express
Public Art Project, Waterfalls, Set to Open Tomorrow
June 25, 2008
Gothamist
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Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation page
Proposed rezoning map [PDF file]
EV rezoning discussion paper [PDF]
Lower East Side Rezoning
On November 6th, 2006, the Department of City Planning presented its plan to guide future development of the Lower East side in anticipation of the area's first rezoning since 1961. After more discussion with the community and completion of the draft Environmental Review Statement, DCP hopes to push a finalized plan through the city's land use review process, ULURP, this year. The vast majority of the area, encompassing more than 100 city blocks, would be rezoned with a height cap of 80 feet. The zoning would also end a height exemption available for most community facilities, like dorms or hospitals, and would require new developments to build flush to the street line, preventing "tower-in-park" buildings that soar high above the low-rise neighborhoods. However, areas along East Houston, Delancey, and Christie Streets, and stretches of Second Avenue and Avenue D will be rezoned to allow buildings up to 12 stories high, if developers agree to set aside 20 percent of their projects as affordable housing in accordance with the city’s expanding Inclusionary Housing Program.
Opponents of the plan fear that increased development will transform the neighborhood's character, increasing traffic, displacing longtime residents and unleashing scores of rats. They further fear that existing, lower-rise buildings will be razed to make way for new developments built up to the height limit. Residents also argue that the plan doesn't provide enough affordable housing. On the other hand, developers also oppose the existing plan as too restrictive of development. Proponents of the plan say it strikes a good balance between preserving the area's existing character with more restrictive zoning and creating corridors for increased housing density and incentives for affordable housing.
Presently the Department of City Planning is preparing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) as the first phase of the environmental review process showing the impacts of development on the neighborhood. On June 25, 2007, DCP held a public meeting to discuss and get input on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), the first phase of the environmental review process showing the impacts of development on the neighborhood. The meeting discussed what will be addressed in the DEIS, how it be implemented and what can be done to solve potential site issues. Public commentary will be incorporated as the DCP moves forward in the process. Once the DEIS is complete the project can move into ULURP; this is scheduled to take place in the spring of 2008.
Recent headlines
CPC Rezonings Hearing Draws Protests
August 13, 2008
New York Times
Community Supporters for LES Rezoning Emerge
August 7, 2008
New York Times
Borough President Receives Petition Against LES Rezoning
July 16, 2008
Metro New York
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Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Community Task Force on NYU Development
NYU Office of Strategic Assessment, Planning, and Design -- History of NYU
NYU Development
Founded in 1831, NYU has grown from an inaugural class of 158 students to become the largest private university in the country, with almost 40,000 students enrolled in its 14 schools and colleges. NYU also numbers among the largest employers in New York City, with over 16,000 staff and faculty members on its payroll. Originally housed in a four-story building at the corner of Beekman and Nassau, NYU has undergone continual and significant expansion to accommodate the needs of an ever-growing university community and now maintains roughly 15 million square feet of space in Manhattan. The bulk of that development has occurred in and around Greenwich Village, particularly since NYU sold its University Heights campus in the Bronx to the city in 1973. NYU now owns over 100 buildings in the Village but continues to confront need for new space.
Some area residents oppose NYU’s growing footprint, concerned with the impact of large facilities that they feel are out of context with the predominately low-rise architecture of the Village. Various NYU construction projects have sparked controversy over the years, ranging from the law school’s Vanderbilt Hall, which displaced a group of popular local artists from their tenements along Washington Square South in 1947; to I.M. Pei’s University Village towers, which were developed as part of the city’s widely criticized urban renewal efforts of the 1960s; to the 2001 Kimmel Center for Student Life, which opponents argued would cast a shadow over Washington Square Park and block southbound views through its historic arch. Most recently, in 2007 NYU moved forward on a plan to build a 26-story dorm on the former site of St. Ann Catholic Church on East 12th Street despite significant community opposition. A lawsuit was filed against the developer of the dorm because of concern over a transfer of air rights from the United States Post Office. The plaintiffs argued that, since the federal government is not bound by city zoning laws and the Post Office could later disregard its agreement with the developer and construct a second skyscraper with impunity, the transfer should be considered invalid. A judge subsequently dismissed the suit on a technicality (ruling that the plaintiffs should have first applied to the Board of Standards and Appeals to stop construction) but also criticized the plaintiffs’ central argument as a “highly questionable contention.” Dubbed the “mega-dorm” by local community groups opposed to its construction, the building will be the tallest in the East Village.
In May 2007, NYU hired an outside consulting firm, SMWM, to help develop the university’s long-term growth plan. Throughout the planning process, NYU sought to engage a variety of community stakeholders in the discussions. The Community Task Force on NYU Development, formed by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer in Fall 2006, brought elected officials, government agencies, and community groups together with NYU president John Sexton and the SMWM team in a series of meetings and open houses intended to set development on a course that would benefit both the university and its neighbors. After nine months of feedback, SMWM presented its final recommendations in April 2008. The resulting draft plan, called “NYU Plans 2031,” is focused on the following guiding principles, which were endorsed by Borough President Stringer and the Community Task Force:
• maintain the campus core in the Washington Square Park area for academic and student-services uses;
• better utilize existing resources and assets;
• respect the historic and cultural character of nearby neighborhoods;
• have public interaction and take public input on the plans;
• develop mixed-use spaces;
• protect natural and historic resources in the area;
• use high quality urban design and architecture;
• promote sustainability;
• and develop new public green spaces.
NYU expects that it will need to add up to 6 million square feet of residential and classroom space to accommodate the needs of the university in 2031. Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, has advocated that NYU explore the possibility of satellite campuses around the city instead of solely focusing on acquiring space in the Village. Berman’s position was echoed in resolutions passed by Community Boards 2 and 3 in 2006 that praised NYU’s “positive contributions to our communities” but expressed “deep and genuine concern that NYU, through its continued expansion, will cease being an important part in the make-up of our neighborhoods and instead become a dominating and overwhelming presence.” Recently, NYU signed a lease for new housing in Brooklyn Heights and purchased land for faculty housing on Roosevelt Island. Other areas for expansion suggested in the SMWM report include Downtown Brooklyn (NYU’s recent merger with Brooklyn Polytechnic could move some class space to this area), the Health Corridor in the East 20s and 30s (where NYU’s Medical Center and Dental College are already located and where NYU recently placed a bid to acquire Hunter College’s Brookdale campus) and the largely undeveloped Governor’s Island.
Nonetheless, a significant portion of NYU’s future expansion will likely occur within its “core campus” around Washington Square Park and dialogue with its neighbors will be ongoing. Already in the few months since the unveiling of SMWM’s recommendations, two NYU development projects have sparked extensive negotiations with community groups and government officials: the university’s decision to build a new co-generation plant on Mercer Street, which will power 30 buildings as part of its Green Action Plan, and its proposal to build a new research facility for the law school above and around the historic Provincetown Playhouse on MacDougal Street. Both projects were ultimately approved by Community Board 2.
Recent headlines
NYU Strives to “Be a Good Neighbor” as it Plans Expansion
July 13, 2008
New York Magazine
Community Board Permits NYU to Demolish Buildings near Playhouse
June 20, 2008
The Real Deal
NYU Pledges Transparency and Community Input on Plans for Provincetown Theater
April 30, 2008
New York Times