Date: 10/11/2005 3:05:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From: aberman@gvshp.org
To: gvshp@lists.mayfirst.org
Sent from the Internet (Details)
* B R E A K I N G N E W S *
October 11, 2005
from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
www.gvshp.org
Double Victory!:
*FAR WEST VILLAGE REZONING PASSED and ENACTED INTO LAW BY CITY COUNCIL
with NO ROLLBACKS
*FAR WEST VILLAGE LANDMARK HEARING
SET FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18
REZONING PASSES: In an enormous victory for Far West Village preservation eforts, today the City Council voted OVERWHELMINGLY to enact the Far West Village rezoning plan, which takes effect immediately. No changes or "rollbacks" were made to the rezoning plan, in spite of 11th hour efforts by several developers to weaken the downzoning for their sites.
The rezoning, resulting from proposals submitted by GVSHP and the Greenwich Village Community Task Force in 2004 and a year-long campaign to fight for its passage, will substantially decrease the allowable height and bulk of new development in much of the Far West Village, preventing further out-of-scale high rise construction.
The 4 months from the plan's release in June to passage today is virtually record time. GVSHP and hundreds of supporters pushed hard for the speediest possible approval, and the City Council (taking its lead from Councilmember Quinn, who represents the area and pushed for the earliest possible vote and against any rollbalcks) and the the City Planning Commission deserve much credit for responding to the community's call and making this happen.
This swift passage seems likely to stop at least one development -- 393 West 12th Street -- from "beating the clock" and getting in under the older, less restrictive zoning. Other developments in process may be similarly stymied. GVSHP opposed efforts to "roll back"or weaken the rezoning because (among other reasons) changes to the plan would have required delaying today's vote, possibly allowing new developerments to slip in under the wire.
It must also be noted how rare downzonings -- even ones with some carve-outs for developers such as this one -- are in Manhattan. For more information on the provisions of the rezoning plan, go to www.gvshp.org/imagescity.htm. GVSHP continues to work to scale back the size of proposed developments on "carved out" sites like Superior Ink and Whitehall Storage (go to www.gvshp.org/SupInkBSAlet.htm to help with the Superior Ink development).
LANDMARKS HEARING SCHEDULED: In another stunning victory for Far West Village preservation efforts, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has scheduled its hearing on the proposed expansion of landmark district protections in the Far West Village for Tuesday, October 18, at 9:30 am, at the Municipal Building, One Centre Street (at Chambers Street), 9th floor.
This hearing, scheduled less than a month after the LPC calendared the district, is unusually swift and responds to GVSHP's call for the quickest possible consideration and enactment of these districts, given the intense pressure and danger the area faces. The two proposed historic districts (for maps, see www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/maps/gvexten.pdf and www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/maps/gvexten.pdf) now include three buildings originally excluded but added at the urging of GVSHP and hundreds of supporters. Thanks also go to Councilmember Quinn, who also pushed for the expansion and accelerated consideration of these districts (which were originally not supposed to be considered for several months).
It will be CRITICAL to have a large turnout in support of designation at the hearing, and also to urge the Commission to consider other immediately endangered sites in the area. It is HIGHLY UNUSUAL for the Commission to move so swiftly, to add buildings to a district proposal, and to consider THREE historic districts in a given area in just two years (the Gansevoort Market District was enacted in late 2003), and we should be sure the Commission knows that we recognize and appreciate this.
PLEASE HELP:
Write to the Landmarks Preservation Commission NOW to thank them for helping to preserve the Far West Village, and urging them to designate the proposed districts and other endangered sites in the area as soon as possible. Go to www.gvshp.org/FWVletters.htm for sample letters.
Come to the Far West Village landmarks hearing on October 18th at 9:30 am at the LPC, in the Municipal Building, One Centre Street (at Chambers), 9th floor. Use the letters at www.gvshp.org/FWVletters.htm as sample testimony too. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL BY SAYING "YES" IF YOU CAN ATTEND.
Spread the word to friends, family, and neighbors -- this is one hearing we need EVERYONE to come to.
For more information on the fight to save the Far West Village,
go to www.gvshp.org/protectingFWV.htm.
To join GVSHP or support its preservation efforts,
go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm.
Support for the efforts of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation to preserve the Far West Village comes from our members, the Kaplen Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the generous assistance of City Councilmember Christine Quinn, State Senator Tom Duane, and Assemblymember Deborah Glick.
Gvshp mailing list
Post: Gvshp@lists.mayfirst.org
List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/gvshp
To Unsubscribe
Send email to: Gvshp-unsubscribe@lists.mayfirst.org
No comments:
Post a Comment