Landmarks Gives Thumbs Sideways to Gansevoort Project
Last Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission met to discuss and review the proposal for demolition, new construction and large-scale additions at 46-74 Gansevoort Street. The public was allowed to observe but not speak, following the public hearing in November.
 The Commissioners had many criticisms of the project, including aspects of the design of the proposed new buildings as well as their scale, and indicated changes would need to be made. However, they also indicated that they would approve the proposed demolition of two buildings and their replacement with substantially larger ones, albeit somewhat reduced in size from what the developer proposed. They also indicated they would allow large scale additions to the two-story buildings at 60-68 Gansevoort Street, though here again at a somewhat reduced scale as compared to what the developer proposed. And they asked for a reduction in the size of the proposed new building at 50 Gansevoort Street. It is now up to the developer to come up with a revised proposal in response to the Commissioner’s feedback. Se video of the meeting and the Commissioner’s comments here.
We were disappointed by the Commission’s willingness to accommodate the proposed demolitions and to allow new construction and additions of the scale they indicated they would accept. But we were also gratified that our and the public’s pushback helped lead to some significant reductions in the size of the proposed developments. GVSHP is working with our allies at Save Gansevoort to supply the Commission with historically accurate information about the height and size of buildings previously located on these sites and those which the Commissioners cited as appropriate precedent for the height of the new buildings to ensure they are no larger than they should be.
More information about the proposed development and the landmarks review process for them can be found here. For more information on preservation efforts in Gansevoort Market/the Meatpacking District, click here.
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