NEW YORK | City plans BIG rezoning of Midtown

[NYguy]

The parade of idiots continues...


http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/2013...rezoning-fight

Downtown and Long Island City Join East Midtown Rezoning Fight


March 18, 2013
By Alan Neuhauser

The Financial District and Long Island City may leap into a fracas about overhauling the Midtown East business district, sources said.

Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan is expected to vote Wednesday to join boards 4, 5 and 6 on a multi-board task force offering local reaction to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to rezone a 78-block swath of Midtown to allow newer and far larger skyscrapers.

Board 1's borders end nearly 50 blocks south of the proposed redevelopment zone, but board chairwoman Catherine McVay Hughes insisted that "what happens in Midtown impacts what will happen in downtown."

"There's already an overcrowding of the Lexington Avenue subway line down here, and it's crowded also in Midtown," she said. "So until there's more of an infrastructure in place, it's only going to get more crowded."

Moreover, Midtown and Downtown are also inherently linked in their competition for business tenants seeking so-called Class-A offices, said Wally Rubin, district manager of Community Board 5 in central Midtown, which invited Board 1 to join the task force.

"Board 1 has a big stake in what happens with any new Class-A office space," he said. "Board 1 is concerned about the present and future of Lower Manhattan, so there's a natural interest in what happens — what the plans are for East Midtown — that might draw away business."

Community Board 2 in Long Island City, meanwhile, has not yet taken any formal action on whether to join the Tri-Board Task Force, Rubin said.

Still, in meetings with task force representatives, Board 2 members expressed interest in joining, sources said.

"Long Island City…has long been thought to be another potential business district. One of the contingents that we have certainly talked about is a need for a citywide strategy for business districts, whether it be East Midtown, Downtown Brooklyn, 125th Street or Long Island City," he said.

[Dac150]

Overcrowded transit is a 'lame' excuse for an element of opposition. The big picture of this initiative continues to be missed, and I think conveniently so. The point of this initiative is to position Midtown for future capability. As is over time property developed so is transit enhanced accordingly to accommodate the added demand.

[10023]

Well they do have a point. It's taking 20 years to build the Second Ave subway, which is necessary for the amount of office space in east Midtown currently. They're going to have to build another subway line after that one before they can up the zoning by a third.

[Eidolon]

Midtown East's Future in Nine Neighbor-Calming Sketches
Hana R. Alberts
March 28, 2013

The array of scribbles (above) was intended to be "conceptual," specifically focusing on how public space could change for the better if the proposal passed. Measures taken include increasing the number of trees, plantings, benches, curb extensions, and lighting, widening sidewalks, and pushing building entrances further back from the curb. Vanderbilt Avenue, just west of Grand Central, is conceived as a pedestrian-only plaza. Public space is all well and good, but the major fights in this rezoning battle have thus far been waged over buildings (like these... and these... oh, and these). Bloomberg wants to get the ball rolling in April, and it's doubtful that some pretty illustrations will placate die-hard opponents or architectural critics until there are more concrete plans on the (drawing) table.

[scalziand]

Originally Posted by 10023

Well they do have a point. It's taking 20 years to build the Second Ave subway, which is necessary for the amount of office space in east Midtown currently. They're going to have to build another subway line after that one before they can up the zoning by a third.

That's true, the 2nd ave line should've been done 80 years ago. There's been demand for it for nearly a century, ever since the El was torn down.

[Crawford]

They're projecting a 5-10% net increase in office space. I hardly see why that warrants an entirely new subway line, when they're already building one (Second Avenue Subway), and massively increasing Grand Central capacity (East Side Access).

And any increases in office space will mean more funds for improving existing transit infrastructure. The developers will be required to fund transit improvements (such as lengthened subway platforms and additional commuter rail-to-subway connections).

[ardecila]

The city could bond against the increases in property taxes to build more subway, just as they did for the 7 extension. I don't know what you'd build, though. They could speed up the Second Ave subway through Midtown, or link Penn and Grand Central.

The trend internationally, in cities that are already subway-dense, is to build regional lines through the core that pull riders from places farther away, or offer an express trip at higher cost to outer-city residents.

[NYguy]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/busines...oYRIdybkYZYb2K

Midtown, Landmark ho!

By LOIS WEISS
April 12, 2013

Eight Midtown office buildings and hotels are being considered for landmarking status.

“The owners have received a letter from city Landmarks stating that the buildings are being considered for landmark designation, and requesting a meeting with the owners,” spokeswoman Lisi de Bourbon said.

The landmarking efforts were prompted by the proposed East Midtown Rezoning that will affect the core of Midtown around Grand Central Terminal and as far north as 57th Street. Outdated properties in the up-zoning district could be torn down and enlarged beyond their current square footage.

De Bourbon said the office buildings include: JPMorgan Chase’s 1958 1.5 million-square-foot tower at 270 Park Ave.; 125 Park Ave. developed on E. 42nd Street in 1923; the 1927-era Graybar Building at 420 Lexington; the white 445 Park Ave. at E. 57th Street built in 1947; and the green glass 151,000-square-foot former Girl Scouts building at 830 Third Ave. developed in 1958.

In addition, three hotels along Lexington are under consideration: the Radisson Lexington at 509; the New York Marriott East Side at No. 525 that was once known as The Shelton; and the Benjamin at No. 557.

[alex1]

meh. Not a huge fan of this. The only thing that I somewhat like about Midtown is that there are at least some buildings that are so old that they have no choice but to offer lower rents. It's what makes the city more diverse, IMO. But whatever, if the goal is continually push the creative fields and other businesses that require lower rents to the outer boroughs, then so be it. It's part of the trend that has made Brooklyn a much more interesting place in recent years (and Manhattan less so).

[TransitEngr]

Originally Posted by 10023

Well they do have a point. It's taking 20 years to build the Second Ave subway, which is necessary for the amount of office space in east Midtown currently. They're going to have to build another subway line after that one before they can up the zoning by a third.

2nd Ave + East Side access will more than handle the capacity/transportation needs of the rezoning. East Side access track capacity will be realized in increments just like 2nd Ave will be built in segments.

It's also going to take private developers 20+ years to snatch up land (or consolidate ownership), demolish existing structures, design, build, and move tenants in.... to up zoning by a third.

These things like 2nd Ave Subway and the re-zoning are MEGA projects/plans.... they will take more than one generation to make into reality..... so the iterative fighting process on the government level needs to start now. Or else NYC loses out to Shanghai, Beijing, London, Paris and Tokyo in the future.... plain and simple.

[10023]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The trend internationally, in cities that are already subway-dense, is to build regional lines through the core that pull riders from places farther away, or offer an express trip at higher cost to outer-city residents.

I don't think zone pricing would ever fly in NYC. The MTA would be accused by outer borough city council members of gouging the "most financially vulnerable" commuters before the press release went out.

New York does at least have express trains. I really wish the London tube had been built with that in mind.

[Barbarossa]

What do you think is the chance that this building could be demolished in the rezoning plan? I heard it was not land-marked. It would be terrible to see it demolished.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/re...ealestate&_r=0

525 Lexington Avenue Hotel (Marriott)

[mhays]

The hotel looks pretty valuable. As long as the renovation costs don't get too high I'd guess it'll stick around. Just a wild guess from the left coast.

As for landmarking, they're calling stuff from the 50s "landmarks"?! Even time I hear "midcentury" I lose some affinity for the preservation movement.

[Robertpuant]

That building would be landmarked in any other city on this continent. Only in New-York!..

[NYguy]

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article...oreUserAgent=1

City bends to rezoning pressure

By DANIEL GEIGER
Jul 18, 2013

The city's planning department released an amended version of its sweeping midtown east rezoning plan on Thursday in an effort to address some of the concerns of a growing number of critics.

Prominent among the changes, is a proposal to allow residential units to take up to 20% of the space in the new generation of state-of-the-art office skyscrapers that the rezoning plan is designed to entice developers to erect. Developers could add even more residential units to a project, up to 40% of the new space that is built on a site, if they receive a special permit. The opportunity to build housing units will likely be an alluring option for developers of a new wave of major mixed-use towers on what have been predominantly commercial avenues.

That amendment would allow developers to put those apartments atop their new buildings along the area's major arteries including Park and Madison avenues. Given the current robust strength of the city's housing market, the existence of a residential option will likely add considerable fuel to developers' willingness to build new towers. City Planning officials said the new residential allowance would come with its own class of air rights whose price will be set in the coming months.

The inclusion of reidential space could net more money for the city, which plans to sell the development rights that would allow developers to build bigger in order to pay for infrastructure and transit improvements in and around Grand Central Terminal. The city announced in the spring that it will aim to charge $250 per square foot for commercial development rights it sells. But residential space is far more valuable currently, and City Planning staff said those development rights would be priced at a higher number in the coming months.

[easy as pie]

man, i'm on the upper west right now, like i get rezoning east midtown and the far west side, but like i think the answer surely lies in intelligent spot zoning to selectively densify. one of the major problems with the bloomberg plan is that nearly all of the consolidated/large lots already house some genius old buildings. like, part of what makes midtown great is the mix of spaces on offing, everything from aaa to gritty closet. it's rare for me, but i actually totally disagree with this one, just seems too blunt an instrument.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by 10023

I don't think zone pricing would ever fly in NYC. The MTA would be accused by outer borough city council members of gouging the "most financially vulnerable" commuters before the press release went out.

New York does at least have express trains. I really wish the London tube had been built with that in mind.

Not talking about zone pricing for the subway, I'm talking about offering outer-borough residents a faster trip to Midtown via LIRR or Metro-North. In some cases (Riverdale, Forest Hills, Flushing) this already happens.

Commuter/regional systems would be a more attractive option for outer-borough residents, winning out over the subway, if LIRR and Metro-North had multiple Midtown stops. This is what would happen if Penn and GCT are connected.

[LSyd]

bottom line: is NYC going to look like the 5th element after this has run its course?

-

[chris08876]

City Sweetens Midtown Plan

New York City will pay for transit and open-space improvements as part of a rezoning of Midtown East, officials said on Wednesday, making a concession to community groups that nonetheless raises questions whether the city could be on the hook for millions of dollars.

The Bloomberg administration is proposing to rezone the area around Grand Central Terminal to allow developers to build about a dozen new office towers larger than allowed under current zoning. It has said that selling those additional development rights could help pay for improvements for subway stations and public space.

But in an op-ed article published Wednesday in the New York Daily News, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the city would instead pay for those improvements upfront, while developers would pay back that money over time as new buildings move forward.

Real-estate brokers have said that building new towers under the proposed new rezoning would be onerous as developers would need to empty current buildings of tenants first in order to tear down the towers.

"The answer is there will be development," Mr. Spinola said. "I think the city is looking at this as a 20-year plan. Once you start getting the first couple of buildings, then more people will take a look at this and start planning to empty out building in order to tear it down" and develop a new one, he said.

=================================
LAURA KUSISTO and TED MANN, The Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...185895732.html

[NYguy]

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article...TATE/130809991

Stringer backs midtown east rezoning
A day after Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a key concession agreeing to provide upfront funding for needed transit and other improvements in area, Borough President Scott Stringer announced he will now support the plan.

By Daniel Geiger
August 1, 2013

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer announced Thursday he will support the city's big midtown east rezoning plan, giving a much-needed boost to the proposal, which had taken months of fire from a host of factions.

In a statement, Mr. Stringer, who is locked in a tough race against former Gov. Eliot Spitzer for city comptroller, said he would support the plan. The announcement came after the city pledged to him that it would provide upfront funding for transit improvements to the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 subway lines at Grand Central Terminal.

Those improvements, which Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced in an op-ed in the Daily News on Wednesday, address one of the leading criticisms of the rezoning plan. Originally, the city had proposed funding those transit improvements with the proceeds of the sale of air rights that would allow giant new state-of-the-art office skyscrapers to sprout on Park Avenue and neighboring boulevards.

Mr. Bloomberg's new plan would have the city pay for improvements to Grand Central now and recoup that expense in the coming years as it sells the development rights, which the mayor said could reap $500 million.