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De Blasio seeking to rezone Garment District
A change could relax rules that protect the fashion industry
The city is taking another crack at rezoning the Garment District, a move that will likely rollback rules that require landlords to lease a portion of their building to the fashion industry.
The possible rezoning is connected to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plans to build a new manufacturing campus in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, Crain’s reported. The Made in New York campus is expected to span 200,000 feet and open in 2020. During his State of the City address earlier this month, he said the campus would become “the new center of garment manufacturing.”
The Bloomberg administration tried to rezone the Garment District in 2009, but scrapped the plan amid opposition.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer wants the de Blasio administration to hold off on introducing a zoning proposal until more details are worked out.
“This is not a well thought out Made in New York strategy,” Brewer told Crain’s. “There are so many unknowns, and we could make a big mistake here if it isn’t done properly.” [Crain’s]— Kathryn Brenzel