City Takes Action Against Illegal Billboards in Meatpacking District
Good news -- the City has finally begun to take enforcement action against illegal billboards in the Meatpacking District targeted and reported by GVSHP. GVSHP has been fighting the proliferation of illegal billboards in the Meatpacking District and elsewhere in our neighborhood for years, and after a long moratorium on action by the City our efforts seem to finally be bearing fruit.
At our urging, the Department of Buildings (DOB) has taken action against billboards at 22 Little West 12th Street (a billboard which DOB originally ruled legal, but based upon information provided by GVSHP has now found to be improperly permitted), 30 Gansevoort Street, 350 West 14th Street, and 807 Washington Street. Additionally, DOB will be taking action against the illegal south-facing billboard at 675 Hudson Street.
This is significant progress, though there is still much more to be done. Additionally, DOB has told GVSHP that as of today they are STILL investigating our contentions regarding the potential illegality of the Hotel Gansevoort's mega-billboards on Hudson Street and have not yet come to a conclusion. Regardless of whether or not the billboards turn out to be legal, GVSHP continues to work with a coalition of neighborhood and business leaders and elected officials to try to convince the Hotel Gansevoort and Van Wagner sign company to remove the billboards. Several restaurants have recently joined Pastis and 5 Ninth in refusing to accept reservations from the Hotel until they take down the billboards. GVSHP and State Senator Tom Duane have written to Van Wagner to urge that they remove the billboards, and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has recently joined GVSHP, Duane, and Assemblymember Deborah Glick in doing the same to the Hotel.
Next: 03/23/07
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