updates from elected officials & Community Boards
AssemblyMember Linda Rosenthal: Bill A09961/S08002 Ensures zoning lot mergers do not create any new non-compliance with applicable, pre-existing zoning regulations for multiple dwellings in a city having a population of five million or more.
November, 2020 Read more.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer: Letter urges Governor to change Executive Order such that all construction is not considered essential work
March 26, 2020 Read more.
Brooklyn paper: MAYOR SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT POISED TO DEVASTATE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
February 10, 2020 Read more.
Senator Robert jackson urges colleagues to support Legislation (S.3820-A/A.5026-A),to Close Mechanical Voids Loophole | January 30, 2020
Read here.
Board of Standards & Appeals’ Tie Vote on “Supertall” Continues to Sell Out Community, Say Upper West Side Officials | January 30, 2020
In an unusual 2-2 tie vote on Tuesday, the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) failed to approve a community effort to overturn the Department of Buildings (DOB) approval of Extell Development’s application to erect a 775-foot-high “supertall” building at 50 West 66th Street. The elected officials representing the area vowed to continue to fight alongside the community. The officials called on the DOB to justify its granting of the permit, including the developer’s “mechanical deductions” for four full floors. Read here.
Statement From Senator Brad Hoylman On BSA's Vote Allowing Supertall Tower On West 66th To Proceed | January 28, 2020
“Today’s split decision at the BSA shows how extreme Extell’s plans are and the danger mechanical voids can pose to other neighborhoods that could soon be blighted by super-tall buildings. It’s shameful that the BSA is allowing this project to still move forward.
Read here.
Joint letter From Assemblymember Gottfried, Congressman Nadler, Senator Hoylman, Comptroller Stringer, Borough President Brewer, and Council Member Rosenthal urges the BSA to revoke Extell's permits for 36 West 66th Street | September 13, 2019
Read here.
Community to Get Advance Notice in Fight Against Overdevelopment Under Proposal from Council Member Kallos | September 12, 2019
The legislation is introduced in conjunction with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and co-sponsored by Council Members Helen Rosenthal, Antonio Reynoso, Mark Levine, and Keith Powers.
Read here.
Testimony of Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal Before the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals in Support of Landmark West’s Zoning Challenge of the Validity of the Building Permit at 36 West 66th Street | September 10, 2019
Read here.
assembly member richard n. gottfried testimony before the new york board of standard and appeals in support of Revoking the Building Permit for 36 West 66 Street(a/k/a 50 west 66 street) | september 10, 2019
Read here.
Testimony of Senator Brad Hoylman Before the New York City Board of Standards RE: 36 WEST 66TH STREET | September 10, 2019
Read here.
Testimony of Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer Before the New York City Board of Standards |
September 10, 2019
Read here.
TESTIMONY OF NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER'S OFFiCE TESTIMONY TO THE BOARD OF STANDARDS AND APPEALS REGARDING 50 WEST 66th STREET |
September 10, 2019
Read here.
Statement from District 6 Council Member Helen Rosenthal At the Board of Standards and Appeals Regarding 36 W. 66th Street | September 10, 2019
Read here.
Community Board 7: ABC site: Impact of possible development on daylight |summer 2019
What is daylight? How does daylight differ from shadows? How does building form impact daylight? Read here.
Residential Tower Mechanical Voids Text Amendment (phase 1)Approved |
May 29, 2019
The City Council adopted the Residential Tower Mechanical Voids Text Amendment with modifications. The text amendment is now in effect. Read here.
Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Senator Robert Jackson, Elected Officials and Advocates Rally as City Council Committee Votes on Weak Mechanical Void Proposal, Calling for Passage of State Solution | May 16, 2019
Read here.
Fighting Over-Development and Winning: How-To with the Experts in Support of Ben Kallos
Panel experts with leaders featured in the New York Times and Bloomberg.
Michael Hiller - Community-side Land Use Attorney
Lisa Mercurio - East River Fifties Alliance Founding Leader
George Janes - Urban Planner
Wednesday, May 22nd, 6:30PM-8PM
(6:30PM Wine, 7PM Panel, 7:45 Q&A)
New York Society for Ethical Culture
2 West 64th Street, New York, NY
City Council Must Make Mechanical Voids Rules Stronger After City Planning Vote Says Council Member Kallos
“We need more affordable housing for low-income New Yorkers, not more super tall towers for billionaires propped up on empty mechanical voids.
“I am deeply disappointed that after every Community Board and nearly a dozen elected officials in Manhattan spoke out for fewer and shorter mechanical voids, that the City Planning Commission would disregard the community, evidence from their own experts at the Department of City Planning, and vote in favor of taller buildings for billionaires. Read more here.
JOINT STATEMENT OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER LINDA B. ROSENTHAL AND STATE SENATOR ROBERT JACKSON IN RESPONSE TO NEW YORK City Planning Release of Weakened Mechanical Voids Text Amendment | April, 2019
Read here.
JOINT STATEMENT OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER LINDA B. ROSENTHAL AND STATE SENATOR ROBERT JACKSON IN RESPONSE TO NEW YORK CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON MECHANICAL VOIDS LOOPHOLE | March, 2019
Read here.
Community Board 7 Resolutions in Response to DCP's Text Amendment| March, 2019
This resolution is in response to the Department of City Planning Text Amendment for Residential Tower Mechanical Voids distributed for comment on January 28, 2019. While this text amendment is commendable, it is inadequate to fully and effectively address the problem and the accompanying diagrams show weaknesses in the suggested vertical distance in the placement of the mechanical voids that do little to reduce overall height and are likely unnecessary to support mechanical equipment at such interval frequency. This resolution includes nine essential areas that need reconsideration to alleviate misuse or misinterpretation of excessive mechanical voids used principally to increase building height. Read more here.
Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried Community Update | February 2019
City Revokes Permits for "Supertall" Building, Proposes Zoning Amendment to Limit "Mechanical Void" Loophole. Read more here.
linda b. Rosenthal, Assembly-member, Announces Introduction of Legislation to Close Super tower Mechanical Voids Loophole | Feb. 2019
Announced the introduction of state legislation (A.5026) to close the mechanical void loophole. Read more here.
Manhattan Borough President
Gale Brewer newsletter
Big win Against Supertall tower developers| feb. 2019
Luxury condo developers are taking advantage of a zoning loophole... Read more here.
Helen Rosenthal, Council Member, newsletter | feb. 2019
For the last two years, my office has highlighted developer tactics such as voids which are used to create extraordinarily tall buildings and circumvent the intent of the Zoning Resolution. I strongly believe that any undermining of the Zoning Resolution in order to maximize profits requires immediate action. Read more here.
ben kallos, council member, newsletter | feb. 2019
We're saying no to empty buildings filled with mechanical voids simply to give the 1% better views while leaving the rest of us in their shadow. Read more here.
Manhattan Delegation & Borough President Call on City to Address Excessive Void Spaces & "SuperTalls" Across Manhattan | Jan. 10,2019
... expressing deep concern about the growing number of out of-context buildings under development across Manhattan which exploit loopholes in the city's Zoning Resolution. Read letter to DOB and DCP here.
linda b. Rosenthal, Assembly-member | winter 2018
Taking on Supertall Towers. Read more here.
Community Board 7 Resolution on Too-Talls | Sept. 2018
Recommendation on Contextual Zoning with Height Limits. Read more here.
city council & MBP Letter to city planning re: loopholes | aug. 16, 2018