GVSHP | Preservation | Superior Inks Building

GVSHP has received an increasing number of reports of unsafe construction work, and of course just a few weeks ago there was a fatal accident at the Trump site. If you see what you believe to be unsafe construction practices or conditions on any site, you can call 311 to report it, and call 911 if you see anything which you believe is an emergency. If you do report unsafe conditions, we strongly recommend you get a complaint number so you can be sure your complaint has been logged and the city's response can be tracked.

Superior Ink Tower Plan Redesigned: At last week’s Community Board #2 meeting, developers Related Companies unveiled their new design for a tower and townhouses to replace the Superior Inks factory, a building which GVSHP long fought to save. GVSHP also fought for changes to the design of the proposed development at the site, which originally called for a 210,000 sq. ft., 270 ft. tall curving glass tower (CLICK HERE for rendering). After pressure by GVSHP, community groups, and several elected officials, the size of the development was reduced by about 50,000 sq. ft. and 85 ft. in height. However, the design still included 10-story high glass walls and an inappropriate outward-bulging tower (see renderings HERE), and GVSHP called for removal of the enormous glass walls, a reduction in the size of the building, and a more appropriate design for the neighborhood (CLICK HERE for letter), while continuing to call for preservation of the existing building.

Early this year the City approved the size of the proposed new building and demolition of the existing building. However, earlier this month Related presented new designs for the planned development which eliminated some of the most objectionable elements of the prior plan. GVSHP objected strongly to the demolition of the Superior Inks factory and felt the new building should be smaller. For more information and pictures, CLICK HERE and HERE.

I thought you might be interested in this story appearing on NY 1 today regarding the beginning of demolition on the Superior Inks factory, the last remaining factory along the Greenwich Village waterfront. CLICK HERE for story; you can also see pictures of the factory’s smokestacks being dismantled HERE.

The loss of this historic building is a very sad occasion (CLICK HERE for building history and photo). GVSHP and many community groups fought hard to try to save this building from demolition, repeatedly calling upon the Landmarks Preservation Commission to landmark the building; State Senator Tom Duane and Assemblymember Deborah Glick also joined in that call. GVSHP and hundreds of neighbors and several of our elected officials were able to work with the City to get them to landmark and downzone a significant portion of this area between 2003 and 2006 (CLICK HERE for map of area); that progress continues today with the City’s consideration earlier this week of three more buildings for landmark designation in the Far West Village (CLICK HERE for more information). However, the City stubbornly refused to ever landmark Superior Ink, which had been purchased for development by well-connected developer Related Companies. In fact, over our protests, the City gave Related a very generous zoning change to allow them to build their planned residential high-rise at this site, which the prior zoning for this site did not allow.

There are a few brighter spots to this story. Related originally proposed a 270 ft. tall, 210,000 sq. ft. tall curving glass tower on the site (CLICK HERE for rendering). Working with other community groups, hundreds of neighbors and residents, and Congressman Nadler, State Senator Duane, City Councilmember Quinn, and Assemblymember Glick, we were able to get the height of the building reduced by almost 90 feet; the size of the building reduced by 50,000 sq. feet; and the curving glass design replaced by a more contextual masonry design. While it is still tragic that this wonderful piece of our history will be destroyed, at least its replacement will be significantly less destructive to the character of this neighborhood than it could have been.

Occasions such as this highlight the need to continue our fight to preserve the character and diversity of our neighborhoods. We have scored some incredible victories in the last few years, but we clearly have much more work to do. While losses like this can be discouraging, I am constantly spurred onward by imagining what our neighborhood would look like right now if we had not waged the many battles we have fought and won in the last few years.

SCALED-BACK TOWER APPROVED for SUPERIOR INKS SITE, but LANDMARKING BATTLE CONTINUES

SUPERIOR INKS DECISION: The Board of Standards and Appeals today voted to approve Related Companies' variance for a development on the Superior Inks site at Bethune and West Streets. After significant pressure, the plan has been scaled back considerably, to approximately 185 ft. tall and 160,000 sq. ft, from Related's original plan for a 270-ft tall, 210,000 sq. ft., curving reflective glass tower (CLICK HERE for image of original plan). But it is still too tall, its design is still inappropriate for the neighborhood, and the development would still result in the destruction of the historic Superior Inks factory.

In anticipation of the BSA's decision, yesterday GVSHP again urged the Landmarks Preservation Commission to landmark the Superior Inks factory, as well as to consider the other endangered industrial buildings in the area such as the 1856 former factory/stable at 389 West 12th Street (CLICK HERE for letter). We also intend to push Related to change the design of the building to eliminate such inappropriate elements as the 10-story high glass curtain walls on the north and south faces of the tower (for images of plan, CLICK HERE), and have reached out to our elected officials to help with this as well.

SUPERIOR INKS BATTLE: The Board of Standards and Appeals met on Tuesday to review the latest proposal by Related Companies for a variance for development of the Superior Inks site, and to hear public comment on the latest plan. This may be the final hearing, and a decision is expected in early January. GVSHP continued to push the Board on concerns about the size, scale, and design of any development on this site, and continues to fight for landmarking of the existing building.

The good news: Because of strong opposition, Related has dropped their request to make the building larger than the zoning for the site allows (in fact, the new plan is actually slightly smaller than they are allowed to build on the site), and the design is no longer a curving glass 270 ft. tall tower.

The bad news: At approx. 185 feet, the proposed building is still too tall, and with 10-story high glass-curtain walls, the design is still not appropriate for the neighborhood. CLICK HERE to view the plans.

While the Board of Standards and Appeals can only affect some aspects of the design and cannot stop the project, GVSHP is pushing to make the proposed building shorter and the design more appropriate for its context (CLICK HERE for GVSHP letter to the BSA). We also continue to push to get the historic Superior Inks factory landmarked, which would have the added benefit of blocking this development (see "landmarks" below). WITH THIS LAST HEARING OVER, THE FINAL FATE OF THIS SITE WILL LIKELY BE DECIDED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

CLICK HERE for sample letters to the Board of Standards and Appeals, urging that they make the project shorter, that they make the design more contextual to the neighborhood, and that they eliminate the glass-curtain walls.

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.

PRESERVATION UPDATE

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

*Huge Turnout at Sept. 28 BSA Superior Ink Hearing

UPDATE: A huge turnout of over 100 Villagers and supporters at September 28th’s Board of Standards and Appeals hearing on the variance application for a taller and larger tower on the Superior Ink site clearly put developer Related Companies on the defensive, and was marked by strong and skeptical questioning of Related by the Board. In fact, the Board seemingly concurred in their questioning with almost every issue GVSHP raised in its testimony (CLICK HERE for a copy). Thank you's to Councilmember Christine Quinn, Congressman Nadler, State Senator Duane, and Assemblymember Glick for their testimony at the hearing. The Board seemed to strongly indicate that they would decrease the size and height of Related's proposed development, but no final decision would come for several months. GVSHP URGES YOU TO KEEP ENCOURAGING THE BOARD TO REDUCE THE SIZE AND HEIGHT OF RELATED'S PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT – they are not expected to issue a decision on the case until at least November.

CLICK HERE for a sample letter you can send to the BSA NOW urging that they scale back Related's proposed development.