Carol Greitzer is in so many ways the embodiment of a true New Yorker and Greenwich Villager. Born January 3, 1925, in Manhattan—on 15th Street, in a long-gone hospital—Greitzer grew up in the North Bronx, attended Hunter College after high school, received her master’s degree in English Literature from NYU, and went on to serve […]
Hard-Fought-For Changes Will Blunt Some of Worst Elements of Plan, which Remains Giant Real Estate Giveaway Late yesterday the City Council voted 43 to 5 to approve the revised version of the Mayor’s SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning + Displacement plan. As we previously reported, after months of fighting, the plan was modified to eliminate or lessen some […]
The City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee will vote on the Mayor’s SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning+Displacement plan as early as this Thursday, setting the stage for the final decision by the full City Council. It’s critical that Councilmembers hear from you NOW! Call your councilmember and tell them to vote NO. Tell them changes aren’t enough, the plan needs […]
The City Council’s sole public hearing on the massive and disastrous proposed upzoning of SoHo, NoHo, and parts of Chinatown will be Tuesday, November 9, in the Zoning Subcommittee of the City Council. The virtual meeting begins at 10 am, but this is the fourth and final agenda item, so this item’s hearing is not […]
Virtual and In-Person Testimony Allowed Borough President Holds Five-Hour Public Hearing, Withholds Recommendation Opponents Including Incoming and Past Councilmembers Urge Rejection The City Planning Commission will hold its sole public hearing on the massive SoHo/NoHo Upzoning plan this Thursday beginning at 10 am. Virtual and in-person testimony at 120 Broadway’s basement concourse hearing room will […]
Village Preservation has just completed a series of forums with candidates for the three City Council districts that overlap with our neighborhoods. We’ve also sent detailed questionnaires to candidates for each of these offices, asking their views and positions on important local and citywide issues connected to preservation, development, and small businesses. We’ve also been […]
Next Wednesday, September 9th, a City Council hearing will be held on a bill that will drastically change NYC landmarks preservation protections. Intro. 775, if passed, would give those opposed to historic preservation a new tool to remove historic structures from our city. Read this Gotham Gazette editorial published today by GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman: “Intro. […]
On Wednesday, September 9, a bill will be introduced to the City Council that, if approved, will deal a devastating blow to the cause of historic preservation. The bill, Intro 775, would impose strict, unfair deadlines and rigid timeframes to the landmarks application process, potentially enabling the demolition of historically or culturally significant properties. This […]
Last week’s news that the First Department Panel of the Appellate Division struck down Supreme Court Justice Donna Mills’ ruling halting much of the NYU expansion plan was disappointing to say the least. But, as we have reminded people, it is not the end of the story by any means. Working with our co-plaintiffs and […]
GVSHP has gotten many inquiries about exactly what the City Council vote last week on the Hudson Square rezoning, and the announcements regarding the proposed South Village Historic District, means for our neighborhood. To help answer those, we have put together a “Frequently Asked Questions” about the Hudson Square rezoning deal below which we hope […]
Yesterday, in anticipation of the vote on the Hudson Square rezoning, we took a look at some of the sites currently threatened or recently lost in the South Village. Today, we thought we’d take a look at some of the wonderful buildings which still survive in the area of the South Village not yet landmarked, […]
Well, we’ve been waiting for years — though certainly not waiting patiently or quietly — for the long-promised landmark designation of the South Village. Today we found out that it will be yet another couple of days until we find out about the historic neighborhood’s fate. The City Council met this morning for what was […]
After many delays and revisions, the New York City Districting Commission has presented its final proposed new City Council district map to the City Council for approval. Every ten years, the City Council’s lines, like those of every legislative body in the country, must be changed to reflect changes in population as determined by the […]
From The Villager Newspaper, February 14, 2013 Op-Ed: Quinn Holds the Cards on Hudson Square Rezoning and South Village Landmarking http://www.thevillager.com/?p=10221 By Andrew Berman, Katy Bordonaro, Zack Winestine, Micki McGee, Richard Blodgett, Carl Rosenstein and Silvia Beam The Hudson Square rezoning currently before the City Council presents a rare case where a win-win is possible. Done […]
Today we note the passing of Edward I. Koch, Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989 and former Greenwich Village Congressman, City Councilmember, and Democratic District leader. A resident of Greenwich Village since the 1950’s, for the last several decades Koch lived in an apartment overlooking Washington Square Park at No. 2 Fifth […]
From the January 31, 2013 issue of The Villager. Noho and Soho’s firewall against N.Y.U. is at risk http://www.thevillager.com/?p=10030 By Andrew Berman, Executive Director, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation The mantra from the New York University administration throughout the public approval process for the school’s massive expansion proposal was “We’re making our plans transparent […]
On Wednesday the City Planning Commission voted to approve the proposed Hudson Square Rezoning with some minor modifications, sending it to the City Council. The Council now has fifty days to hold a public hearing and make a final decision as to whether or not the rezoning will be approved, denied, or modified. While GVSHP […]
Yesterday’s Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) hearing on NYU’s variance application for 730 Broadway was revealing in several ways. GVSHP urged the board to reject NYU’s application (read our testimony HERE) as did Community Board #2, the NoHo Neighborhood Association (NNA), and a representative of Assemblymember Deborah Glick. NNA and Assemblymember Glick are, by […]
Just prior to Sandy’s devastation, we reported the disappointing news that the City Council had agreed to approve the upzoning of Chelsea Market and allow a developer to construct two large additions atop the historic complex. The deal, brokered by City Council Speaker Quinn and approved by the Council’s Land Use Committee, was headed to […]
We hope you can join us for tonight’s critical public hearing on the proposed Hudson Square rezoning at 6:30 pm at the Fire Museum, 278 Spring Street (Varick/Hudson Streets), 3rd floor. This meeting will focus on the zoning impacts of the plan. It’s critical that we have a strong turnout tonight (we’ll be ready with […]
On Wednesday the City Council voted 44-1 in favor of the NYU 2031 Plan. Since the very beginning GVSHP has advocated for a rejection of this plan and instead suggested that the University, the community, and the city of New York would be better served if the University pursued an alternative plan of locating new […]
Today the City Council chose to ignore thousands of New Yorkers and by far the majority of NYU faculty, staff, and workers who had called upon them to reject the plan. GVSHP had offered several alternative approaches which both the university and the City Council refused to consider. As you have seen in previous Off […]
Start spreading the news — the City Council’s public hearing on NYU’s massive proposed Village expansion plan has been set for Friday, June 29th at 9:30 am in the Council Chambers, at City Hall. This is likely the ONLY public hearing the City Council will hold on the plan before a vote takes place in […]