50-02 39th Avenue

City Moving Forward with Public Park Plans at 50-02 39th Avenue, Sunnyside

The city’s Parks Department is planning to move forward with transforming the vacant lot at 50-02 39th Avenue, located on the of 50th Street in Sunnyside, into a public park. The city recently designated $3 million to acquire the property from its owner, DBH Associates, DNAinfo reported. DBH acquired the plot in 2007 for $1.45 million and is open to selling the property. The owner attempted to built a two-story, eight-unit apartment building at the site, but the Landmarks Preservation Commission disapproved the plans in 2014. The site is located within the Sunnyside Gardens Historic District, which means the design of the park (and its structural elements) will have to be approved by the LPC.

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14th Street in Palisades Park

17-Story, 154-Unit Residential Tower Proposed at End of 14th Street, Palisades Park, New Jersey

The Texas-based Limestone Hills Corporation is proposing a 17-story, 154-unit residential tower in the Bergen County, New Jersey borough of Palisades Park. It would be located in between the two current section of 14th Street. The developer is currently seeking a variance from the borough’s Zoning Board to build a tower six stories taller than currently allowed, NorthJersey.com reports. The proposed project would include one- and two-bedroom apartments and a 165-car, six-level parking garage, three levels of which would be underground. There would also be a surface parking lot along 14th Street. The 6.5-acre site was acquired for $1.8 million in 2011 via a bankruptcy court order. The swath of land is currently approved for an eight-story, 64-unit residential building. The plans are expected to be presented to the board this week.

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A packed house listens during DCP's meeting on the Bay Street corridor rezoning.

Staten Island’s North Shore Fights Building Heights and Parking for Rezoning on Bay Street

Staten Island has long been the city’s slowest-growing borough, but the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing it to develop more housing. Last Wednesday, the Department of City Planning organized a public forum on the mayor’s plan to rezone Bay Street, an industrial swath of Staten Island’s north shore, in order to encourage new apartments and retail.

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