Plans have been filed for a 538-ft.-tall, 36-unit luxury condo development at 5 West 13th Street/8-12 West 14th Street, just west of Fifth Avenue. The developer claims these plans conform to Mayor Adams’ new “City of Yes” zoning regulations, which if true, would legally require the City to approve the plan and issue permits. After a long and careful examination of the regulations that govern the site, Village Preservation is challenging the plans, arguing that they do not conform to applicable zoning rules, and calling for them to be rejected. 

The planned tower would be almost twice the height of the next tallest building currently in the neighborhood, and more than double the height of the very large 80 Fifth Avenue, which sits on the corner of 14th Street just to its east. The planned development would only include super-luxury apartments and no affordable housing, and would be dramatically out-of-scale for the neighborhood. 

The City is required by law to respond to zoning challenges such as these and to the issues they raise. While we await their response, we are reaching out to elected officials to seek their support for the challenge.