NEW YORK | Hudson Yards Phase 2 | 1,376 - 1,189 - 1,180 FT | 80/80/74 FLOORS

[NYguy]

https://w42st.com/post/western-rail-...ousing-pledge/

Western Rail Yards Plan Faces Scrutiny at City Council Hearing Despite Developer’s Last-Minute Housing Pledge





by Dashiell Allen
4/29/2025

Despite the unanimous vote of the local Community board against the proposal, supporters from across New York City attended the hearing to advocate for the project — particularly the casino and its benefits. More than 70 members of the public signed up to testify in-person at the hearing, both in favor and against the plan.

Among the proponents was Winston Majed, executive director of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, who emphasized, “This is exactly the kind of development that the greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce is excited to see come to Manhattan. The plan ensures neighborhoods get a stake, workers get a shot through 1,000s of new jobs, and families get a future.”

Jake Dixon, a Chelsea resident and owner of Dixon’s Farmstand Meats butcher shop and restaurant in Chelsea Market, also supported the proposal, arguing it would attract new customers to the neighborhood.

“It would be a huge missed opportunity to let this project land elsewhere, especially when the alternative is that this would remain an undeveloped rail yard,” he said.

Frank Clark, director of government relations at the New York Building Congress testified, “This project will serve as a blueprint for forward-thinking development shaped by public need. It will also help us achieve our combined goal of fostering a more prosperous and resilient future for the building and construction industry and its workers.”

Other speakers remained unconvinced. Sally Greenspan, former president of the Council of Chelsea Block Associations, welcomed the additional housing — but expressed doubt about the revised proposal. “I don’t know what this new plan really looks like,” she said, noting that while Related announced a commitment to build up to 4,000 units, it is unclear what the minimum number would be.

Paul Devlin, co-chair of Manhattan Community Board 4’s (MCB4) Clinton-Hell’s Kitchen Land Use Committee also wasn’t convinced by Related’s last-minute revisions.

“This proposal brought forward to us three days ago should have started years ago,” he contended, arguing that the process is being rushed forward in order for Related to submit a casino application by the State Gaming Commission’s deadline. “If Mr. Blau is correct in saying that this has nothing to do with the casino, then [Related would] be happy to withdraw this application today and continue to work with the community, to build a project on this prime land that would work for all of us.”

MCB4 member Joe Restuccia echoed those concerns, stating, “We need a plan, not a press release three days before a public hearing.”

Friends of the High Line executive director Alan van Capelle, a vocal critic of Related’s proposal, warned that the park “would become windier and darker, and the Hallmark sensation of floating within the city would be lost. View corridors would be blocked by an unprecedented 200 foot high building podium.”

He described the addition of more housing in the proposal as an “unvetted public financing scheme brought at the 11th hour and 59 minutes,” and criticized the financial burden being shifted to taxpayers.

“They are asking the city to absorb the financial risk of their casino-based project, and taxpayers should not be rolling the dice on this scheme,” he said.

The additional housing would be financed through a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) tax break program, which Related used when building the existing eastern portion of Hudson Yards.

“Importantly, this plan for additional housing and PILOT funding works with or without the gaming resort,” Related CEO Jeff Blau said, “and your decision on this application is intended to set up the site for long-term development, regardless of the future decision by the state gaming commission.”

.....Blau responded that the revenue from the originally proposed commercial tower would have matched what the PILOT would generate, and that the change was made in response to community requests for more housing.

The City Council has not yet scheduled a vote on Related’s proposal, which is expected to happen before the late June deadline for casino license applications.

[NYguy]

CASINO dropped from the proposal.



https://www.crainsnewyork.com/politi...nces-deal-city

Related and Wynn drop casino bid, Hudson Yards buildout advances in deal


NICK GARBER
May 19, 2025

The Related Cos. is abandoning its proposal to build a casino on the undeveloped western half of Hudson Yards, but will instead build a mostly-residential megaproject on the same site under a deal struck with the City Council.

The demise of the Related-Wynn Resorts bid is especially notable since observers had considered it among the most formidable of the contenders for one of three downstate casino licenses — given its sheer size and job-creating potential. It shortens the list of contenders for a downstate casino license to nine, weeks before applications are set to open.

Local Councilman Erik Bottcher announced the agreement on Monday, saying he had decided to reject the developer’s initial casino-centered development because it “did not meet the high bar of community support that such a consequential project demands.”

….. Related had agreed to reduce the height of the towers’ podiums, build a one-acre lawn next to the High Line that resembles the original 2009 plan, and increase the share of affordable units from 324 to 400 if the developers can use the state’s 485-x tax break. The former planned casino site will now be slated for an office tower, some residential units and possibly a hotel, said Related spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz.

The agreement appears to pave the way for a development that will rank among New York City’s largest in recent decades.

As part of the deal, the council will approve Related’s last-minute request to make payments in lieu of taxes to help pay for the $2 billion platform it will build atop the train yard. That PILOT scheme, which effectively lowers the developer’s property taxes in the short term, resembles the financing scheme used to build the first half of Hudson Yards.

“The totality of these changes mean that we can move forward with a plan that will create critically needed housing at all income levels, provide tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs for working men and women, create a now-6.6-acre public park with activated spaces, and still deliver more than $2 billion in revenue for the MTA and our subway systems,” Related CEO Jeff Blau said in a statement.

Minutes before the deal was announced, Wynn Resorts announced it was withdrawing as Related’s gaming partner for the project. The Las Vegas-based casino operator said in its own statement that “the recent rezoning process has made it clear to us that there are uses for our capital more accretive to our shareholders, such as investment in our existing and upcoming developments and stock buy backs, than investing in an area in which we, or any casino operator, will face years of persistent opposition despite our willingness to employ 5,000 New Yorkers.”

[ChiND]

While I’m disappointed, it appears that the city agreed to conditions that will permit the construction of the platform. I hope that work on the platform starts soon and does not wait until a tenant is found for the office building.

[NYguy]

While I am happy the project will move forward, this is nothing but an embarrassment for the City and State. While the NIMBYs technically aren’t to blame, they are the major factor, same as the Amazon debacle. This is not the way.

[DCReid]

It seems that HY has a strong demand for offices anyway. I am surprised that the bid is dropped as I thought it was one of the stronger ones. I hope Coney Island gets it now.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by DCReid

It seems that HY has a strong demand for offices anyway. I am surprised that the bid is dropped as I thought it was one of the stronger ones. I hope Coney Island gets it now.

It does. Which is why reverting to a mostly luxury condo development isn’t the best choice. The office tower here will be almost the size as the one dropped earlier in the casinovprocess a couple of weeks ago.

Also, raising the amount of affordable units from 324 to 400 out of over 4,000 luxury units is ridiculous. Hudson Yards is already the most expensive neighborhood in the city, yet they will call this a win. That’s because thevpeople most affected by this or in need are apathetic to the development process.

[NYguy]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/n...son-yards.html

In a statement, a Wynn spokesman, Michael Weaver, said the company had better uses for its capital “than investing in an area in which we, or any casino operator, will face years of persistent opposition despite our willingness to employ 5,000 New Yorkers.”

The casino proposal was part of a mixed-use development that would have included apartments, office space and a school. The deal the developers have struck with Mr. Bottcher eliminates the casino, adds more apartments than would have been built under the original casino proposal and allows for more office development than the original deal that Related Companies struck with the city in 2009. The earlier casino plan included 1,500 housing units, but Related recently offered to build up to 4,000 residences, in an effort to appease critics.

Related faced rising costs to build a platform over the rail yard, which would have been required before the construction of buildings could begin. The price doubled from an earlier estimate of $1 billion, and Related officials believed that the initial vision of the property was no longer economically feasible.

The new plan would use revenues generated by the new buildings to help pay for the platform; a similar finance structure was used on the first half of Hudson Yards, including to help pay for an extension of a subway line to the neighborhood.

https://gothamist.com/news/a-casino-...-housing-units

Upon hearing of the deal, Friends of the High Line, a community group that has opposed the rezoning effort, sent out a text blast on Monday, warning of “very troubling news,” signaling the group wasn't happy with the latest turn of events either.

The message urged community members to “please call Erik Bottcher right now and tell him to not be fooled.”

[NYguy]

Updated site plan.









Original 2009 plan…

[Zapatan]

Not a huge deal if the hotel tower that was supposed to be on top of it could still get built and be a supertall.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

Not a huge deal if the hotel tower that was supposed to be on top of it could still get built and be a supertall.

I doubt they have any final designs for this version, except the previously revealed Site A residential tower, and maybe some thrown together renderings.

For Related (and us) it was more about getting this phase built. All of this still has to be approved. But as far as the casino siting process goes, it’s a shame Related never got to bid, this being one of the more viable and lucrative locations for the city and state, in terms if what that represents. They aren’t opening casinos just for the sake of opening casinos.

But Related says this can begin as soon as next year, assuming approvals are finalized.

[Crawford]

I'm glad the platform is moving forward. Will be fine with an office tower instead of a casino.

I bet you this means the Metropolitan Park proposal is guaranteed a license. They have, by far, the biggest pockets and grandest ambitions of the remaining contenders, and basically no NIMBY opposition. The other two licenses prolly go to the two existing casinos, with maybe the Coney proposal as a dark horse if one falters.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Crawford

I'm glad the platform is moving forward. Will be fine with an office tower instead of a casino.

I bet you this means the Metropolitan Park proposal is guaranteed a license. They have, by far, the biggest pockets and grandest ambitions of the remaining contenders, and basically no NIMBY opposition.

They have a lot of NIMBY opposition at that site, the difference is in the politicians. That proposal, like all others, would still need to undergo the approvals process, which hasn't begun yet. It would need to survive the 6 member committee that will recommend proposals to the board (that will make the ultimate decision), and can only afford to lose 2 of those votes, with one being a guaranteed no. But should it survive that, economic development being the strongest factor in who gets a license, that's a big one. That's why Related's proposal was almost guaranteed, if they were given the chance to bid. It's interesting that Wynn dropped out completely, and didn't decide to take up Sands's bid on Long Island after Sands dropped out.

Meanwhile, Related's site plan now reverts to the alternative scenario, which is basically this version with some minor changes (swap out site B with residential). It's what's working through approvals now that the casino is dropped.

[The New York Lion]

So we are getting 6 hopefully reasonably tall towers?

I can live with that.

Hopefully the office is a supertall.

[mrnyc]

the cost of the deck has at least doubled. if they think they can build out anyway with a pilot deal and without a casino that's interesting. i'll wait to see it happen.

[BK1985]

Looking forward to seeing some fresh renderings. Wondering if the height for tower A will be bumped back up.

[NYguy]

This will all have to be spelled out very soon, as they are nearing the end of the approval process. Not a defense of the NIMBYs, but it’s a shame the blame is being laid at their doorstep. In truth, it’s about the politicians, who couldn’t understand or explain what the “site plan” was. The changes fell into what was agreed with, as far as the residential/commercial ratio goes.

[NYguy]

Evolution of a plan...


The site plan as it is now...








The reason the platform and the development will get built now is because of the deal made with the City Council, the last leg of the ULURP (approval) process. Technically, it's the mayor, but they're never against anything. They may send it back to City Planning for a revised approval, but it's basically a done deal if the council approves it.


1



2




3



4




This is the closest to what the final plan is now...


5




6



7



8



9



10



11

[Sky88]

I am sorry that Related has abandoned the Casino project. Perhaps they should have waited for the arrival of the new mayor and the new administration before deciding. As for the new project, I have to say that I do not like it. Is it possible that the office tower cannot reach 1,350ft? Is it that complicated? For the rest, it seems more designed to fill the space on the platform above the railway yard, than a true innovative study. It could have been done better...

[DCReid]

Since adding additional housing appeared to be a concession to support the casino plan, I wonder if they will drop the additional housing and go back to the original plan.

[Crawford]

This is exhausting. At least the platform financing and construction seem imminent.