Today the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) voted to UPHOLD the City's ruling that the Trump SoHo Condo-Hotel is permissible under New York City zoning. While this is deeply disappointing, it is not unexpected, given that the BSA is composed entirely of Mayoral appointees, and they very rarely rule against fellow Mayoral agencies (such as the Department of Buildings in this case).
The good news is this means the case can finally be appealed to an independent court now that the BSA has ruled, and our allies at the SoHo Alliance are planning to file such an appeal in NY State Supreme Court shortly. While the structure is already partly built, a successful legal challenge can both have an impact on the final form of this building as well as prevent similar buildings from being constructed in the future.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who have supported the appeal thus far and to all the groups and elected officials who urged the BSA to overturn the Trump approval: City Council Zoning Subcommittee Chair Tony Avella, the Municipal Art Society, the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, the New York Industrial Retention Network, the Garment Center Industrial Development Corporation, the East Williamsburg Industrial Development Corporation, the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center, the Council of Chelsea Block Associations, the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association, the Tribeca Community Association, the Greenwich Village Community Task Force, and Community Boards 1 & 5, Manhattan.
Read coverage of the BSA decision regarding the Trump SoHo 'Condo-Hotel' from City Realty.
