All three affected community boards have now voted to reject the Mayor’s proposed hotel special requirement for the area south of Union Square. Village Preservation has spoken out strongly against the plan for doing nothing to protect Greenwich Village and the East Village from the growing tide of out-of-scale and out-of-character development affecting the area, especially following the Mayor and City Council’s approval of the 14th Street Tech Hub last year. This provision is part of the deal struck between Councilmember Carlina Rivera and Mayor de Blasio to earn her support for the Tech Hub, which she promised not to do unless comprehensive neighborhood protections were included. We believe this provides no protections.
The next stop in the process is Borough President Brewer, who must issue a recommendation. Village Preservation has written the Borough President about the lack of any help this proposal offers to our neighborhoods, and the need to provide real zoning and landmark protections for the area.
After the Borough President’s vote, there will be hearings at the City Planning Commission and City Council (not yet scheduled). Ultimately the decision about whether or not this provision is adopted will likely come down to Councilmember Carlina Rivera.
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