Breaking! City Council Passes 25-foot Limit to Uncounted Mechanical Void Spaces
FRIENDS is pleased to offer this extremely limited opportunity to venture behind the scenes at Central Park’s center stage: the Delacorte Theater.
A Victory in the Fight Against Zoning Loopholes
The Department of Buildings (DOB) has filed an Intent to Revoke its prior approval for a 39-story, 775 foot tall tower at 50 West 66th Street. Extell, the developer, first filed for a 25-story, 260 foot mixed-use structure back in 2015.
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: 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
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
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.
FRIENDS’ Fight Against Overdevelopment in the News!
FRIENDS recently joined State Senator Liz Krueger, Council Member Ben Kallos, and Carnegie Hill Neighbors in filing a lawsuit in New York County Supreme Court contesting the City’s approval of 180 East 88th Street, which is currently under construction.
FRIENDS’ Fight in the Public Eye!
Last week, FRIENDS’ Executive Director Rachel Levy was quoted in Crain’s New York Business! Click the link below to read the full article about the fight against supertall towers in residential neighborhoods.
The Upper East Side Has a New Landmark!
The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted on Tuesday, December 13th to designate the wooden house at 412 East 85th Street as the newest individual landmark on the Upper East Side.
FRIENDS Introduces New Technology to Rediscover Old Buildings
SMARTPHONES MAKE SMART FRIENDS!! On May 9th, over 125 Yorkville enthusiasts joined us for an awesome adventure, using an interactive web application to explore the history of our neighborhood. Players raced around Yorkville accomplishing photo challenges to identify architectural details, replicate historic photos, and imitate ornamental building features. They made