Pols push bill to curb construction near schools

Legislation looks to halt Upper West Side nursing home project

Rendering of JHL's planned nursing home
Rendering of JHL's planned nursing home

Upper West Side pols are pushing for a new law that would require developers get City Council approval in order to build within 50 feet of a public school.

The effort comes just ahead of the state’s final ruling on a controversial nursing home development next to An Elementary School On West 97th Street at Amsterdam Avenue, and local politicians hope a bill will pass in time to lessen the project’s impact on the school or stop it altogether.

The 20-story nursing home, developed by Jewish Home Lifecare, will dig up harmful lead and generate traffic, noise and dust, they argue. The state Department of Health is to review testimony and will then release a final Environmental Impact Statement determining whether the project can go forward.

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“We believe that the plan we have developed … will minimize noise, dust and traffic, ensure the safe removal and/or treatment of contaminated soil and maximize the safety of the construction site and surrounding areas,” JHL said in a statement to DNAinfo.

The project is slated to kick off construction in the late fall if approved, JHL spokesperson Ethan Geto told the website. [DNAinfo]Julie Strickland