April 17, 2008
Dear friend,
There are two very important meetings on Wednesday, April 23rd I wanted to urge you to attend -- one involves NYU's 25-Year expansion Plan, the other a developer-requested rezoning of the southern end of the Far West Village.
NYU Expansion Plan: On Wednesday the 23rd from 5 to 7 pm NYU will be holding an 'Open House' to display the final recommendations of their architects and consultants for options for the University's growth and development over the next 25 years. It is CRITICAL that you join GVSHP in attending this event to find out more about what NYU is planning, to provide NYU with feedback about their plans, and to ensure there is a strong turnout so that the university, government officials, and the press know how many people are concerned about NYU's expansion plans in our neighborhood.
Background: NYU has agreed to a set of "Planning Principles" with various elected officials, Community Boards, and community groups (such as GVSHP) to guide and limit their future growth in our neighborhood, and has begun a more transparent process for planning for their future. However, GVSHP is already very concerned about the direction NYU has been moving in and whether they are in fact honoring their commitments. Among the most important principles NYU agreed to are: prioritizing finding locations outside our neighborhood to accommodate future growth; attempting to re-use buildings rather than undertake new development; and sustaining local retail. And yet NYU is already limiting the locations outside our neighborhood they are considering for future growth, while they are rapidly moving ahead with plans for massive new development in our neighborhood, demolishing historic buildings, and displacing neighborhood retail. Additionally, while NYU has claimed that they expect their growth over the next 25 years in our neighborhood to be much more modest than in recent years, analysis by GVSHP shows that NYU's projected growth in our neighborhood over the next 25 years is equal to all of the new buildings they have added over the last 40 years COMBINED, or the equivalent of twenty more of the new 26-story dorms they have just built on East 12th Street.
HOW TO HELP:
Come to the 'NYU 2031' Open House next Wednesday the 23rd from 5 to 7 pm to Hemmerdinger Hall, 100 Washington Square East, and join GVSHP in letting NYU know that they MUST abide by the 'planning principles' they have agreed to, and they must limit their new development in our neighborhood, seek alternate locations, and preserve historic buildings and local retail.
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Far West Village South Rezoning: On Wednesday the 23rd at 10 am, the City Planning Commission will hold a hearing on a request by a developer to rezone five blocks between Barrow and Clarkson Street west of Husdson Street to allow additional kinds of development prohibited under the current zoning. GVSHP urges you to join us in opposing this developer-driven rezoning by testifying against it at the hearing and/or writing to the Commission in opposition. The rezoning must be approved by the City Planning Commission and the City Council to be enacted.
Background: The City tried to pass this rezoning in 2002, but a coalition of neighborhood groups including GVSHP opposed it and it was defeated at the City Council. Now a developer has resurrected the rezoning, which would allow new residential development of up to 125 feet in height without any special permits or approvals, although it is currently prohibited by the existing zoning. GVSHP opposes the rezoning proposal because there is no apparent benefit to the community and definite potential drawbacks in terms of inappropriate development and displacement of existing businesses. Even worse, directly south of the proposed rezoning is a zoning district which includes the Trump SoHo Condo-Hotel and which allows 45-story buildings; GVSHP has urged the City to undertake a desperately-needed rezoning of this area, and they have thus far refused. To allow a developer-driven rezoning which is not wanted by the community while refusing to move on a community-requested rezoning in an adjacent area is especially problematic.
HOW TO HELP:
Come to the hearing to testify AGAINST the proposed "Hudson Square North" rezoning on Wednesday, April 23rd at the City Planning Commission, 22 Reade Street (btw. Broadway and Lafayette, 1 block north of Chambers Street). Arrive at 10 am (the actual hearing of this item may not start until later). Click here for sample testimony.
Write to the City Planning Commission to let them know that you oppose the developer-driven "Hudson Square North" rezoning and that you instead urge the Commission to move on rezoning the area to the south which actually needs it -- click here for a sample letter (same as the sample testimony).
Spread the word! Please pass along this e-mail.
I hope to see you on the 23rd.
Andrew Berman, Executive Director
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
212/475-9585 x38
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm
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