City Council Public Hearing on Chelsea Market Upzoning Plan October 23rd
 Next Tuesday the City Council will hold its only public hearing on the proposal to upzone Chelsea Market, to allow two large towers to be erected atop the complex. This will be followed shortly after by the City Council’s vote, which is the FINAL step in the public approval process for this plan. THEREFORE THIS FINAL PUBLIC HEARING IS CRITICAL.
International developers Jamestown Properties is seeking to change the zoning for the Chelsea Market block so they can add several hundred thousand square feet of office and hotel space above the historic complex. As enticement, a plan has been put forward to have the Chelsea Market development help pay for an affordable housing development in Chelsea which the City promised to provide in 2005 in return for a previous upzoning. That affordable housing development never materialized, as the City never provided the funds necessary for it. Now, however, they are saying that if a second upzoning is accepted, the affordable housing development promised the first time around will finally proceed.
GVSHP and a broad coalition of Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and affordable housing and tenant groups held a press conference in late September opposing the Chelsea Market development/upzoning plan, and condemning the proposal that the community to pay a second time for affordable housing promised in return for the last time this neighborhood was upzoned for luxury housing development – see coverage from NY 1, Fox 5 News, DNAinfo, and Chelsea Now.
HOW TO HELP:
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Come to the City Council Zoning Subcommittee hearing on the Chelsea Market Upzoning Plan on Tuesday, October 23rd at 9:30 am at City Hall (bring photo ID to enter). Sign up to testify. Bring 10 copies of your testimony, and expect no more than 2-3 minutes to speak. Use sample testimony HERE.
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Write to Speaker Christine Quinn – as the City Councilmember representing the area, she will largely decide whether or not the plan is approved. A sample letter can be found HERE (same as testimony).
More information on Chelsea Market and the effort to preserve it can be found HERE.
Next: 10/22/12
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