Appellate court clears the way for Gansevoort project

A state appellate division has cleared the way for Aurora Capital Associates and William Gottlieb Real Estate’s controversial Gansevoort Street project.

In a decision released on Tuesday, a panel of judges ruled in favor of the developers, finding that the Landmarks Preservation Commission acted “rationally” when it issued a certificate of appropriateness for 60-74 Gansevoort Street. According to the decision, Landmarks acted with “due regard for the historical and architectural styles in the district.”

“Only after the developer presented a suitably tailored proposal did the Commission issue a COA for alteration and demolition,” the decision states.

A local preservation group, Save Gansevoort, had sued Landmarks and the developers in October 2016, claiming that commission improperly approved part of the project. The group argued that Landmarks wrongly relied on a historic period that predated the area’s identity as a meat market district when it approved 60-74 Gansevoort Street.

The full project, at 46-74 Gansevoort Street, is expected to feature roughly 100,000 square feet of retail space.

Save Gansevoort’s lawsuit was dismissed in March, but the group appealed the decision. The appeal held up the project for several months. In August, the court halted all exterior work on the development until a decision was issued in the appeal.

Representatives for Save Gansevoort and Landmarks didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment. The developers declined to comment on the decision.