The New York City Council has voted to rezone Hudson Square in order to allow more residential and retail space in the area.
Though the vote was expected, the New York Observer reported, it also represents the culmination of a five-year process that could bring 3,000 new apartment units and an elementary school to the neighborhood. Developer Trinity Real Estate, a venture of the Episcopal Church, owns about 40 percent of the neighborhood and spearheaded the rezoning, according to the report.
DNAinfo New York added that a condition of the council’s approval is that Trinity donate $5.6 million that will go toward Pier 40, the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center, and toward recreation space at Sixth Avenue and Canal.
Specifically, Downtown Express reported, the school is slated to be located in the base of a residential tower, and Trinity will build sports and activity space for public use during non-school hours. The report quoted Community Board 2 chairman David Gruber saying that the plan is for a third party to operate those recreation spaces.
There was some token opposition to the rezoning. Downtown Express noted that General Assembly member Deborah Glick, whose district covers the area, lobbied to delay the rezoning until after the city’s landmarks commission addressed certain issues, but the council instead got a promise from the landmarks commission to study and vote on those issues by the end of this year.
Staff, New York Business Journal.
