Planning commission approves East Harlem zone change

Real Estate Weekly, May 14, 2003

City Planning Commission Chair Amanda M. Burden announced that the City Planning Commission unanimously approved the Department of City Planning's proposal to rezone 57 blocks in East Harlem. It is the first comprehensive revision of East Harlem zoning since the Zoning Resolution was adopted in 1961. The department's zoning strategy for East Harlem encourages growth on First, Second and Third Avenues from 99th Street to 122nd Street, while preserving the character of midblocks. This proposal will foster new opportunities for residential development and ensure that future development is consistent with neighborhood character.

Amanda M. Burden, director of the Department of City Planning and chair of the City Planning Commission said, "I am pleased to announce the commission's approval of this rezoning which will help East Harlem accommodate its growing population through new housing development, while at the same time ensuring that its unique brownstone character is preserved. I would like to thank Community Board 11 and CIVITAS, whose collaborative efforts with the Department helped conceive and advance this important proposal."

The rezoning area is within the central portion of Manhattan Community District 11 and is bounded generally by East 122nd Street on the north, Pleasant and First avenues on the east, a point 100 feet east of Lexington Avenue on the west and East 99th Street on the south. The proposal seeks to increase housing opportunities in this growing community while preserving its character. It specifically recommends the mapping of contextual zoning districts, with increases in the permitted residential development densities targeted for First, Second, and Third avenues, and certain midblocks where housing development opportunities are greatest.

By amending the zoning map, the proposal would satisfy the need for housing in this growing neighborhood, by permitting larger buildings up to 12 stories high at appropriate locations. In addition, it will ensure that ensure that new development results in building forms that are consistent with the prevailing character of East Harlem. Contextual zoning corrects the current zoning, which encourages tall towers set back from the Street, a building form inconsistent with the prevailing character of East Harlem.

In December, the mayor announced his plan for New York City's 21st Century Neighborhoods, in which East Harlem was named as one of many communities where a targeted rezoning could catalyze increased housing development and economic vitality. The proposal has been referred to the City Council for review.