![]() Several years ago, residents of the neighborhood just south of Morningside Heights were outraged when two soaring glass towers were erected on Broadway and 99th Street. The character, fabric, and quality of middle-class neighborhood life deteriorates. New residents filling large towers place additional stress on community services (police, fire), transportation (subway crowding and overflowing platforms), and already neglected schools. A number of small Morningside Heights merchants are on month-to-month leases, and many storefronts are deliberately being kept empty. Owners of buildings that contain commercial space raise rents on small business owners or refuse to renew their leases in the hope of attracting higher-paying chain stores or banks. In turn, local landlords charge higher rents and may try to pressure rent-regulated tenants to leave. Its local businesses have served practical needs and engendered endless memories.Īside from casting shadows and blocking views and sunlight, when a luxury high-rise is built in a middle-class community, real estate taxes are eventually assessed at a higher rate for the entire area. Its cohesive grand scale along the avenues and drives, and its intimate scale along the cross streets gives it visual interest. Its European character evoked by Beaux-Arts style townhouses and prewar apartment buildings, many with Hudson views along Riverside Drive, have sheltered generations. The impact on Morningside Heights is especially frightening because the neighborhood, with its historic educational and religious institutions, is one of most beloved parts of New York City. Unfortunately, Mayor de Blasio’s “Mandatory Inclusionary Housing” law, which compels developers to provide affordable apartments when exceeding certain zoning restrictions, does not apply in an “as of right” zone where air rights are available for purchase. “As of right” means that developers can execute the unfettered purchase of what are known as air rights (allowing developers to build a larger building using the unused rights from an adjacent site) and greatly exceed the height limits set by zoning regulations dating to 1961 without seeking permission from the City Planning Commission, the City Council, or the local community. I paid a lot for the air rights, so that model just won’t work.” At that point, his associate interrupted with the obvious: “You know, it’s ‘as of right.’ ‘’ ![]() ![]() When asked if he could make some apartments affordable for lower-income families, the developer replied: “Not possible, or let’s say, not feasible. In other words, starter homes for millionaires. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |