Take the New St. Vincent’s Community Survey
We have two very important updates for you regarding the enormous, precedent-setting St. Vincent’s Hospital/Rudin Luxury Condo development proposal:
1) State Senator Tom Duane has posted an on-line survey for the public to respond to about the proposed St. Vincent’s/Rudin development. I strongly urge you to take this survey as soon as possible — Senator Duane says that the results will help guide his direction as he anticipates “negotiating for concessions” on the plan.
The survey asks for feedback about many of the issues raised by GVSHP and included in the “Community Alternative Plan” (see testimony here) — the size and height of the proposed hospital building and large new proposed residential building on 7th Avenue, traffic, construction issues, public space at the Triangle site, and impact upon schools, among other issues.
However, one very important issue the survey asks about which might easily be overlooked is “How important to you is preserving the Smith-Raskob, Nurses Residence, Reiss and Spellman buildings?” These are the historic, landmarked buildings which St. Vincent’s development partner the Rudins want to demolish to make way for a huge new luxury condo complex, whereas GVSHP has urged these buildings be retained and reused. Retaining these historic buildings will not only preserve the integrity of our landmarks regulations and of our neighborhood’s character, but it will limit the amount of demolition and new construction, and eliminate the huge proposed 265-ft. tall luxury condo apartment building planned for the east side of 7th Avenue. I therefore strongly urge you to rank this as “very important” (question #1) and a “top priority” (questions #3-5). Please also be sure to list other issues about the height and bulk of the planned new developments as “very important” and a “top priority.”
Additionally, the survey asks in question #2 if you have other concerns which were not included. I strongly urge you to add that “there should be no upzoning, and no increase in overall density, on these sites.” These sites are already some of the most densely developed in all of Greenwich Village, which was allowed to accommodate the hospital, a public health facility. The proposed plan turns most of the hospital’s land over for luxury condo development, and yet asks that the overall density of development be increased through a significant upzoning, which would set a very troubling precedent for our neighborhood.
The survey can be found at here or by going to www.tomduane.com and clicking on “Latest Updates: Community Survey on St. Vincent’s Redevelopment” on the right hand side.
Please not only fill out the survey, but pass it along with these instructions to friends, family, and neighbors to fill out as well.
2) Please come to the next Community Board #2 public hearing on the St. Vincent’s/Rudin proposal, on Monday, February 25th at 6:30 pm at P.S. 41, 116 West 11th Street. It is critical that we again have a large turnout calling for significant changes to the proposed plan. Please plan to get there early to sign in to speak and stay late in order to get an opportunity to be heard. The enormous turnout at the last hearing made a very big impression, but we must continue to show big numbers if we are going to affect changes to this plan.
Next: 02/19/08
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