City Council majority denounces Willets Point plan
The seven-month review process for the 61-acre redevelopment of Willets Point got off to a rocky start last month, as 29 New York City Council members formally denounced the plan as “deeply flawed.” In a letter to Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Robert Lieber, the Council members cited the displacement of 250 businesses and the lack of affordable housing as unacceptable. “If the plan does not meet basic standards of public benefit, there can be no justification for this broad use of public authority and funds, and we will not allow the redevelopment to take place,” the letter read.
Lawsuit targets Brown Harris Stevens over rentals
Renters last month filed a class-action lawsuit against Brown Harris Stevens for discouraging families with children to lease certain properties, in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Brown Harris brokers allegedly claimed that homes were not fit for children because of lead paint and refused to show them on that basis.
Greenwich, Conn. sees foreclosures spike
Foreclosures in Greenwich, Conn., one of the richest towns in the tri-state area, have increased recently, the New York Times reported. Foreclosure notices were up to 34 there in January, from an average of six in previous months, according to data from RealtyTrac. Sales are down too, with 160 condos, co-ops and single-family homes sold through April 23 this year, compared to 240 over the same period in 2007.
City evictions, possessions reach 10-year high
Evictions and possessions in New York hit a 10-year high, according to new figures reported in an annual housing survey by the New York City Rent Guidelines Board. The numbers do not appear to be driven up by the city’s wave of foreclosures, but by an increase in city marshals, who enforce evictions, said Ken Kelly, executive director of the New York City Marshals Association. The increase in evictions could be tied to aggressive landlords seeking higher rents, according to experts.
Harlem’s 125th Street rezoning wins key vote
The rezoning of Harlem’s 125th Street commercial corridor appears headed toward approval, after the City Council’s influential land use subcommittee on zoning and franchises last month voted 9-1 to approve a modified plan. Tony Avella, a Queens Democrat and chair of the subcommittee, cast the lone opposing vote. Critics say the zoning to allow more building would lead to small businesses being displaced.
Tudor City residents fight Solow’s plans
The residents of 5 Tudor City Place announced a lawsuit against the City Planning Commission to stop Sheldon Solow’s $4 billion development of the former Con Edison site, AM New York reported. The suit alleges that in approving Solow’s plans, the City Council and Planning Commission ignored the wishes of the local community board, which expressed fears the project will cause noise and pollution during construction and overshadow Tudor City once it is built. Solow’s plans call for 3,000 apartments and 1 million square feet of commercial space on First Avenue between 35th and 41st streets.
Nouvel’s MoMA tower panned at hearing
At a Landmarks Preservation Commission meeting last month, opponents slammed the Tower Verre, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and planned for 53 West 53rd Street. The 75-story tower would include apartments, a hotel and gallery space for the Museum of Modern Art. At 1,155 feet high, the tower would be about 100 feet taller than the Chrysler Building. The local community board called on the commission to reject what it called an “eccentric, asymmetrical tower.” State Senator Liz Krueger said that the tower “would be grossly out of scale with the other buildings in the area,” the Times reported.