* BREAKING NEWS *
from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
CITY AGREES TO GVSHP REQUEST FOR EARLIEST POSSIBLE VOTE DATE ON FAR WEST VILLAGE REZONING;
VARIANCE HEARING for SUPERIOR INK TOWER SET for SEPTEMBER 28
Following the HUGE turnout at yesterday's City Planning Commission hearing, GVSHP has just learned that the Commission has agreed to move up the vote date for the Far West Village rezoning to September 26th. This is significantly earlier than the October 19th date they could have voted and even earlier than the September 28th date we were originally told by the Commission was the earliest they could do it. We have also been told by Councilmember Quinn that this will allow the Council to schedule its hearing and vote on the plan at the earliest possible date, which she has requested. THIS IS ESPECIALLY GOOD NEWS BECAUSE THE SOONER THE PLAN IS ENACTED, THE LESS TIME DEVELOPERS WILL HAVE TO "BEAT THE CLOCK" AND BUILD BIGGER UNDER THE OLD ZONING.
Thank you again to everybody who attended yesterday's hearing and/or wrote to the Commission urging they vote as quickly as possible --
YOU HELPED MAKE THIS IMPORTANT VICTORY POSSIBLE!
Please write to the City Planning Commission NOW thanking them for listening to our call for the earliest vote possible on the rezoning, but continuing to urge them not to approve any "roll backs" in the plan's restrictions, and to help reduce the size of the planned Whitehall and Superior Ink developments.
We have also just learned that the hearing for Related Companies' variance for its proposed development on the Superior Ink site is now scheduled for Thursday, September 28th at 10 am at the Board of Standards and Appeals, 40 Rector Street. This will be an important opportunity to push to reduce the size and height of Related's proposed 195 ft. tall development. GVSHP will get you further details as they become available, but PLEASE put this date on your calendar as a big turnout --like at the City Planning hearing -- will be essential.
CLICK HERE for sample letters to the Landmarks Preservation urging they speed up and expand their Far West Village landmarking proposal.
For more information on the fight to save the Far West Village, CLICK HERE.
To join GVSHP or support its preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.
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NEWS from the
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
September 15, 2005
HUGE TURNOUT AT CITY's
FAR WEST VILLAGE REZONING HEARING SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE:
"DOWNZONE WITHOUT DELAY, WITHOUT ROLLBACKS, and WITHOUT CARVE-OUTS!"
A HUGE turnout of over 100 residents, supporters and preservationists yesterday at the City Planning Commission's hearing on the proposed rezoning of the Far West Village sent a loud and clear message: move ahead with the rezoning as soon as possible, but DO NOT roll back the restrictions in any way, and work with us to reduce the size of the developments planned for the Whitehall Storage and Superior Ink sites. For a copy of GVSHP's complete submission to the City Planning Commission today, CLICK HERE.
Thank you to everyone who came, and special thank you to State Senator Tom Duane, who personally testified today to call for these same measures, and Assemblymember Glick, whose representative did the same.
This message is critical now because several developers are seeking to "beat the clock" and build before the new zoning is passed, and others are seeking to "roll back" portions of the zoning plan to exempt them from the downzoning. And even though the City Planning Commission may have "locked in" the carve outs for the Whitehall Storage and Superior Ink sites into the plan, we must push them to find any way possible to require or convince these developers to further reduce the size of their developments.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO HELP?:
We must also keep fighting for the City to speed up and expand its landmarking plan for the Far West Village;only with a comprehensive downzoning AND landmarking plan can we hope to preserve this neighborhood. Several endangered buildings like the Superior Ink building, the Diane von Furstenberg building (389 Wst 12th Street), and the two low-rise buildings at 139 and 143 Charles/689 Washington Street are still not included in the City's current landmark plan, and even those which are included could be demolished or altered if the City doesn't speed up it's designation process (now slated to take about 9 months).
Additionally, the City PROMISED to calendar the first of the proposed landmark extensions in the Far West Village this summer; with summer almost over, we need to push them to keep their commitments and TAKE ACTION TO PRESERVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO HELP?:
For more information on the fight to save the Far West Village, go to www.gvshp.org/protectingFWV.htm.
To join GVSHP or support its preservation efforts,go to www.gvshp.org/membership.htm.