City officials unveiled a massive rezoning last night for East Harlem, where the administration hopes to encourage towers as tall as 30 stories, less parking for new buildings, and more ground floor retail.
New York City’s hospitals are struggling. St. Vincent’s Hospital in the West Village shut its doors in 2010 and sold most of its property to condo developers. Beth Israel Hospital is planning to close and sell off some of its buildings in the East Village, eventually demolishing the 825-bed hospital and developing a newer, smaller facility.
Developers would like to convert a century-old East Harlem building that once served as a brewery into housing and workspace for artists.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has released preliminary plans, ahead of a presentation set to be given later in September, to develop a 1.1-million-square-foot mixed-use project at 2460 Second Avenue, in northern East Harlem. The city-owned property, currently a vacant 105,000-square-foot former bus depot, was the site of a church and a slave burial ground during the 17th century, Commercial Observer reported. The redevelopment would include a 15,000-square-foot living memorial and cultural center in honor those who were buried there. The rest of the project could include 730 rental apartments, half of which would rent at below-market rates. In addition, the plan calls for 315,000 square feet of commercial space, including retail and offices, and 30,000 square feet for community facilities. It would be accommodated by a 300-car parking garage and 18,000 square feet of outdoor space. Since the site is city-owned, the project must be approved through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). Completion is tentatively set for 2022. The block-encompassing site is located between East 126th and 127th streets.
East Harlem may be experiencing a renaissance, but the stretch of Park Avenue covered by the elevated Metro-North Railroad tracks remains inhospitable and littered with vacant lots. Now, development may be coming to a barren stretch at 1516 Park Avenue, between 110th and 111th streets.
