[chris08876]

Upper West Side's tallest tower back on track
Department of Buildings clears 668-foot project after work temporarily stopped over community objections

The city gave the green light Tuesday to developers of a 668-foot apartment tower that is set to be the tallest on the Upper West Side. The project, being built by a partnership between SJP Properties and Mitsui Fudosan America, had faced challenges from neighborhood groups over its scale.

Opponents had argued that the project violated the building code and filed an objection with the Department of Buildings, which agreed to look into one of the gripes regarding required open space. As a result, the department shut down the site in July until the developers could provide information to resolve the issue. As Crain's reported this spring, the tower's scale is only possible thanks to a complex combination of air rights from around the block.

On Tuesday, the department said it had received information addressing its concerns, though the submission did not involve structural changes to the building itself. With the audit wrapped up, the developers will need to refile for new permits, which they are likely to do as quickly as possible, especially since two elected officials have since joined in opposition to the plan.

City Council members have recently shown an increased willingness to go after projects that are outside their traditional purview, including as-of-right developments and projects that require minor approvals from the Department of City Planning.

"I continue to believe that this project is out of scale, out of context, and runs counter to existing zoning regulations," said City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal. "I will continue to work with community groups to push that case, and will explore all available options to do so."

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http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article..._medium=social