High Line transfer rights mulled
The Department of City Planning last month began public review of a proposal to allow the owners of land beneath and adjacent to the former High Line railway to transfer rights to nearby sites. The proposed Special West Chelsea District roughly encompasses the area bounded by West 17th and 30th streets between Tenth and Eleventh avenues. The plan would address the concerns of landowners that seek the former elevated freight rail line’s demolition, according to the city.
Waterfront park planned in Harlem
Groundbreaking could take place this spring on a sports and recreational space along the Hudson River from 123rd to 133rd streets. The blacktopped site will be transformed into a fishing pier, walkway, bike path and possibly a kayak launch site, the Post reported. Community Board 9 in Harlem and the city have been working on the project for three years.
West Side rezoning approved
The City Council approved the rezoning last month of 42 blocks of the far West Side for office towers, housing, parks and a new boulevard, in one of the largest rezonings in recent city history. The issue of a new stadium for the Jets will be considered separately.
Court rescues East Village landmark
In a legal first, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission won a ruling from a State Supreme Court judge ordering the owner of the broken-down Samuel Tredwell Skidmore House at 37 East Fourth Street to permanently repair and restore the exterior. City officials said the case was the first in which the landmarks commission sued to compel the owner of a historic property to maintain a building.
Tax-free apartment snafu
Thousands of city apartments are being kept off the tax rolls thanks to a glitch in the city’s Finance Department computer system. Tax-exempt apartments owned by low-income seniors and veterans were not restored to taxable status once they were sold, a mistake which has cost the city at least $15 million a year, the Post reported.
Building on Red Hook ship terminal begins
The city will begin construction this month on a $30 million passenger terminal for luxury ships at Piers 11 and 12 in Brooklyn’s Red Hook, as part of a $200 million effort by the Bloomberg administration to make the city friendlier to the booming luxury cruise industry.
Governor angers owners
Gov. Pataki’s proposal to build an $840 million West Street tunnel that would sink the six-lane highway under a landscaped median is angering some local property owners, especially a new plan to extend it two blocks north to Murray Street, at the foot of where Goldman Sachs plans to build a new headquarters building.
New tunnel to Jersey?
The directors of the Partnership for New York City, a powerful group of New York business leaders, would like to step up plans to build a $5 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River from New Jersey to a new train station under Macy’s on 34th Street.