“Fix Our Zoning Rules,” Say Manhattan Borough President and City Council Speaker
Last week, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Council Speaker Corey Johnson wrote a letter, supported by the entire Manhattan delegation of the City Council, to Department of City Planning Chair Marisa Lago to encourage the agency to address and prevent the suite of loopholes being exploited by developers.
ADVOCACY ALERT: We need your support to save Marx Brothers Playground
Dear Friend, When the City agrees to give away the public’s parkland to a private developer with deep pockets, you know we’re in trouble.
Great News! LPC Announces Second Public Hearing for Rules Changes!
The Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted to calendar a second Public Hearing in October to allow the public to comment on the amended proposal for revised LPC Rules.
180 East 88th Street Has First Board of Standards and Appeals Public Hearing
This week FRIENDS, along with other New Yorkers concerned with the impact of megatowers on our city, has been advocating full force for the City to make good on its promises to enforce the misuse of zoning loopholes.
ADVOCACY ALERT: Next Tuesday, East and West Side Megatowers to be Heard at Board of Standards and Appeals
Next Tuesday, July 17th, will be a big day for New Yorkers concerned with the impact of megatowers on our city as two high profile projects on the Upper East and Upper West Sides will have their day at the Board of Standards and Appeals.
ADVOCACY ALERT: Manhattan Electeds and Advocates Call on City for Immediate Reform
In advance of Tuesday’s hearing, FRIENDS will join with elected officials and colleagues on the steps of City Hall to raise these issues to the citywide stage. The ability to freely sculpt zoning lots, as at 180 East 88th Street and 200 Amsterdam Avenue, that serve no purpose beyond circumventing zoning requirements has serious policy implications for New York City.
NYS Appellate Division Rules in Favor of LPC in First Avenue Estate Hardship Case!
Last spring FRIENDS led the effort of local and national preservation groups, along with elected officials, to file an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the City of New York in the ongoing battle to stop the demolition of two historic buildings, part of the City and Suburban Homes First Avenue Estate.
Thoughtful Preservation Advocacy WORKS! LPC Announces Plans to Amend Initial Proposal for Rules Changes!
This week’s public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission included an update regarding the agency’s proposed rules amendments, which were reviewed at a public hearing on March 27, 2018.
The Frick Collection Expansion: Upcoming Opportunities to Learn More and Weigh In
In April, the Frick Collection announced new designs by Selldorf Architects to upgrade and expand the museum’s facilities.
ADVOCACY ALERT: New York State Tries AGAIN to Remove Building Density Cap
This week, the New York State Senate Rules Committee passed a bill including language that would remove the statewide cap on the density of residential buildings that has been in place for nearly 60 years.