South Village Updates, Billboards, St. Vincent's and DoB Rules
From our friends at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic PreservationSouth Village Faces Increasing Threats GVSHP has documented an increasing number of threats facing the historic South Village neighborhood, and has been pushing the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to move ahead with landmarking the area as soon as possible. GVSHP first approached the LPC about designation of the South Village in 2002, and at the end of 2006 submitted a formal proposal for designation of the district* authored by one of our city’s foremost architectural historians, along with documentation of the history of each of nearly 800 buildings in the district to buttress that proposal. Since the proposal was submitted, the LPC has indicated that they are considering the first section of the proposed district west of 6th Avenue, but has not yet taken any formal action. Meanwhile, GVSHP has found an increasing number of historic sites within the proposed district that have been demolished, compromised, or threatened during this time in all parts of the neighborhood. This includes the Provincetown Playhouse and Apartments, and in just the last few weeks an 1835 rowhouse and an 1861 rowhouse. Citing these ongoing and increasing threats, GVSHP is calling upon the LPC to act right away to protect the threatened South Village. HOW TO HELP Send a letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission urging them to designate the South Village Historic District as soon as possible |
| Proponents Push Billboard Scaffolding BillSupporters of the City Council’s Intro. 623, which would for the first time allow billboards on sidewalk sheds (scaffoldings), continue to argue for the the bill’s passage, claiming that tough economic times call for measures like this which will generate revenue for the City through a licensing fee mechanism. What this argument neglects to mention is that the proliferation of sidewalk sheds which the bill encourages will also have a devastating impact upon small businesses, which are particularly vulnerable in the current economic climate. An op-ed by GVSHP was recently published in The Villager newspaper and Chelsea Now to argue this point. The damage such a measure could do to small businesses, as well as the recent downturn in the market for billboards in New York, belies supporters’ claims that Intro. 623 will actually help the cash-strapped city.
In spite of this, a majority of members of the City Council are currently sponsors of Intro. 623, and a vote on the bill could come any day. HOW TO HELP Write to your own City Councilmember urging them to oppose Intro. 623 |
| Landmarks Approves St. Vincent’s Hospital TowerLast Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted 8 to 3 to approve St. Vincent’s revised plans for a new hospital tower on the site of the O’Toole building at 13th Street and 7th Avenue. Last spring the LPC voted unanimously that it was not “appropriate” to allow demolition of the O’Toole building and four other hospital buildings, but this fall voted 6 to 4 to allow demolition of the O’Toole building in response to St. Vincent’s hardship application. St. Vincent’s initial planned a 329 ft. tall hospital tower on the O’Toole site which was reduced to 299 feet this fall. At Tuesday’s LPC meeting St. Vincent’s presented a further revised plan with the height reduced to 286 feet (St. Vincent’s said it would be a “visible” height of 279 feet, because the uppermost floor would be set back and invisible) and some minor changes to the facade. The LPC’s quick vote to approve was highly unusual in that the public had been given no prior opportunity to view the revised plan, and the new design was not made available to the public through St. Vincent’s website (as prior iterations had been) or any other means even after the approval. Curbed.com did get images of the revised design, which can be viewed here. See coverage of the vote in the New York Times, NY1 and on Globe Street.
The LPC also approved a plan for the triangular site across the street from O’Toole where a new materials handling facility would be built and a small public space would be designed by St. Vincent’s as per an agreement with local elected officials and Community Board #2. GVSHP has consistently supported the ability of St. Vincent’s hospital to modernize and update its facilities. However, we have also expressed serious concerns about the basis of its hardship claim and the precedent it would set for all historic districts throughout New York City, as well as taking issue with several key aspects of the Rudin condo development plan attached to the new hospital plan. While the LPC has now approved the O’Toole demolition and new hospital tower, the Rudin condo plan still requires LPC approval, and both require the approval of the City Planning Commission and the City Council. A lawsuit has also been filed challenging the basis for the hardship approval. CLICK HERE for more information on the St. Vincent’s and Rudin plans >> |
| Implementation of Controversial New Development Rule DelayedLast Friday New Yorkers packed a Department of Buildings (DOB) hearing on a proposed change to rules governing how developments alleged to violate zoning rules can be challenged by the public. Nearly every speaker expressed at least some very serious concerns about the new rules, which would limit to 30 days the period during which such challenges could be considered. GVSHP questioned several aspects of the proposed rule changes and urged that several substantial changes be made. For more details on the hearing, read coverage in The Villager newspaper.
The rules were originally supposed to go into effect the Monday after the hearing – just one business day later. Following complaints by GVSHP and Councilmembers Rosie Mendez and Tony Avella (among many others), DOB has pushed back the implementation date by 30 days, thus allowing the public a greater opportunity to comment. HOW TO HELP |