[NYguy]

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/politi...nother-setback

Related’s casino gets thumbs-down from borough president in another setback





Nick Garber
February 14, 2025

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine will oppose the zoning changes the Related Cos. needs to build its Hudson Yards casino complex – another setback for the megaproject as it contends with well-funded opposition from the nearby High Line.

Levine, who shared his decision exclusively with Crain’s, emphasized that he supports development on the Western Rail Yards — the 13-acre train yard to the west of Hudson Yards. But he opposes Related’s current plan because it would reduce the amount of housing that Related had committed to building under a 2009 deal with the city. He also echoed the objections of Friends of the High Line, which says the bulky buildings would block views and cast shadows over the linear park.

While mostly symbolic, Levine’s rejection could put pressure on local City Councilman Erik Bottcher, who may control the fate of the rezoning when it faces final approval by the council this spring. It also carries weight for other reasons: Levine is one of the local officials who will appoint members to the six-person committees that will hold binding votes on every casino plan this summer, and if his appointee votes no, Related could have a tough time getting the four votes it will need to advance to the final round.

In his recommendation, Levine suggested Related could win his support by adding more housing to conform with the 2009 plan, or by simply adding more affordable units. He also said the developer may need to reduce the size of the podium containing the hotel-casino, which would sit near the High Line’s northern terminus.

But Natalie Ravitz, a Related spokeswoman, called Levine’s suggestions unfeasible, saying that it would not earn enough money by adding residential units to pay for the costly platform Related needs to build over the existing train yard.

“There is no getting around the fact that the site cannot be developed without first paying for the $2 billion platform over the rail yards, and unfortunately it is simply not viable to pay for the platform with housing,” Ravitz said. “The housing units removed from the plan were multi-million dollar, luxury condos that the west side does not need and the market does not support.”

Related says it has met with Friends of the High Line 10 times and has made four changes to its plan in response to the group’s concerns, including changing the shape of the casino podium, rotating the base of a residential tower to preserve views from the High Line, and reducing the frontage of an office tower

Related, despite its hurdles, is still seen as a leading contender given the sheer size of its plan, which has endeared it to powerful labor unions.

https://nypost.com/2025/02/14/us-new...ng-opposition/

By Carl Campanile
Feb. 14, 2025

Community Board 4 — which represents the Hudson Yards neighborhood — voted unanimously last month against approving a zoning change to allow the project by Related Companies and Wynn to proceed, saying it would be bad for the neighborhood.

Friends of the High Line said dangling money won’t win support for the project.

“The fact that Related and Wynn are now trying to buy our community off shows just how out of touch they are. They need to scrap this plan and do what they should have done in the first place — work with the community to develop the Western Rail Yards in a way that increases housing, creates new jobs and protects the High Line,” said Friends of the High Line executive director Alan Van Capelle.

Under the city’s Uniformed Land Use Procedure, the local board has a right to weigh in on the zoning change, though the vote is only a recommendation.

Ultimately, the City Council must sign off along with city planners in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.