L.E.S. Zoning Set for Vote
November 19th, 2008
Despite widespread community opposition, including charges that the city’s proposal is racist and discriminatory, the City Council is set to approve a rezoning plan for the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
The plan would cap building heights at 80 feet and include set asides for affordable housing. In certain areas of the rezoning, which includes more than 110 blocks, affordable housing would make up 20 percent of the building. Both council members that represent the district, Rosie Mendez and Alan Gerson, support the plan.
At a press conference just now, Council Speaker Christine Quinn said the rezoning plan was initiated by the community in an attempt to protect the character of the quickly gentrifying neighborhood. The plan, council members added, preserves the diverse population.
Much of the opposition was from populations in surrounding communities, like Chinatown, who feared gentrification would spill over onto their streets once the Lower East Side had height restrictions. Gerson said the deal with the administration would include funding to protect those communities from developer harassment and fast-track rezonings for their own streets.
This is the latest rezoning of more than 90 that the Bloomberg administration has put forth since taking office.
More to come later. (See the full story here)
By Courtney Gross on November 19, 2008, 2:10 pmIn category: Gotham City, Land Use
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