Community District
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Manhattan CD09 Projects
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Manhattan Community District 09
565 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212.864.6200
Fax: 212.662.7396
Email: nyc-cb9m@juno.com
Quick Links
Property Shark-125th Street Study Map
2006 City Roundtable - Harlem in Our Eyes (PDF)
Frederick Douglass Boulevard Rezoning Proposal
Great Streets - American Planning Association
The Indypendent's Timeline of Redevelopment of 125th Street
Municipal Arts Society of NY comments on Draft Scope for EIS
125th Street Corridor
The Department of City Planning has initiated a rezoning of 125th Street in Harlem. The River-to-River study was designed to "generate a development framework for the entire 125th Street corridor between the Harlem and Hudson Rivers. The street, also known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, boasts a unique character and many distinct assets upon which to build. It offers a multitude of cultural, religious and institutional resources, and is well-served by public transportation." (From DCP's web page) DCP's stated intention is to encourage development of the corridor that respects the character and scale of existing buildings. Central to this goal is the creation of new zones that encourage mixed-use development, which will allow for residential, commercial, and cultural uses.
DCP completed the DEIS on the rezoning in September 2007 and certified the proposal as complete on October 1, 2007. The plan was approved by the City Council on April 30, 2008 by a vote of 47-2. Before the plan was considered by the City Council, it first appeared before Manhattan Community Boards 9, 10, and 11, as well as before the Manhattan Borough President, Scott Stringer. While Community Boards 9 and 11 approved the plan, provided certain modifications were made, Board 10 unanimously disapproved the plan and urged changes to the proposal. Borough President Scott Stringer also disapproved the plan and has sought changes to the proposal. The modifications sought by the Community Boards and Borough President generally centered around creating more affordable housing, providing assistance to local business owners that may feel pressure from larger national chains, and modifying the zoning requirements to help preserve the current culture of the neighborhood.
Supporters of the plan, including the DCP Chair Amanda Burden, believe that the rezoning will promote a more mixed-use community that still protects the neighborhood’s unique character. Opponents of the plan, however, believe that if the plan is approved as it is, it will push many residents out of the area and force the closure of many locally-owned businesses. Especially prominent in the opposition to the rezoning plan is a group called Voices of the Everyday People (VOTE People). Among other tactics, the group is promoting a petition among neighborhood residents urging the City Council to disapprove the rezoning. If the petition is signed by 20% of area residents, the City Council would have to approve the rezoning by a supermajority.
The rezoning proposal comes at a time when many projects are already underway in the area. Construction has already started on the new Harlem piers on the Hudson River between St. Clair Place and 135th Street. The old piers, located at the western end of 125th Street, were demolished fifty years ago, but the new $18.7 million piers will be completed by 2007. One of the two piers will be used for boating, while the other will be reserved for recreation.
Harlem Park is another project that is being considered. The 380-foot tall, mixed-use tower at 125th and Park Avenue is supposed to be the tallest structure in the area and connect East and West Harlem. With room for a Marriott Courtyard Hotel, office, retail and residential space, the project was supposed to break ground in early 2005 but is currently held up due to legal issues concerning the developer.
Finally, the rezoning of Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) is also part of this project affecting a 44-block area of south-central Harlem. The city has approved the upzoning of this corridor to introduce stores, restaurants, theaters and other amenities to the neighborhood.
Recent headlines
City Council Approves Harlem Rezoning
April 30, 2008
WCBS TV
Coalition to Save Harlem Protesting 125th Street Rezoning Vote
April 30, 2008
New York Observer
Vornado Seeks Macy’s As Tenant In Harlem Park Tower
April 22, 2008
The Real Deal
Quick Links
NYC EDC 2002 West Harlem Plan (PDF)
Columbia's Site on the Expansion
2006 City Roundtable - Harlem in Our Eyes (PDF)
Coalition to Preserve Community
Columbia University Expansion
Over the next fifteen to twenty years, Columbia University plans to develop about 17 additional acres near its 36-acre campus in order to meet a pressing need for space. In order to proceed, Columbia University requested a zoning change for the area, which was granted by the City Council in December 2007. In addition, Columbia is seeking to acquire all of the land on which it plans to build, possibly through the use of eminent domain, which would be exercised by the State.
Project supporters argue that Columbia University has much less space per student than its peer universities and must expand; that the expansion creates many more jobs than it displaces; and that the university has pursued the project with the community's interests in mind. Project opponents argue that the project will eliminate or displace key manufacturing jobs in Manhattanville; that the up-zoning will ruin the scale of the Manhattanville neighborhood; and that the university is working with the state to condemn private property that it cannot acquire on the market.
To help advocate for additional benefits to the community from the proposed development, the community formed the West Harlem Development Corporation, a Local Development Corporation, to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with Columbia. The two parties have not yet reached on a comprehensive agreement, however, they have agreed on an outline for a CBA. The outline commits Columbia to spending $150 million over the next 12 years. Portions of that funding would go towards a community-based school run by Teachers College, as well as funding for affordable housing and legal aid services. In addition to the CBA, Columbia is still negotiating with three landowners in the area regarding the sale of property on which the University plans to build.
Before the City Council approved the rezoning, Manhattan’s Community Board 9 rejected the proposal, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer approved the proposal. The City Planning Commission also approved Columbia’s proposal, while at the same time approving Manhattan Community Board 9’s 197a community planning proposal. On the same day that the City Council approved Columbia’s rezoning request, the Council also approved CB9’s 197a plan. The rezoning plan has the force of law, while the 197a does not.
Recent headlines
Columbia Site Considered Blighted by ESDC
July 17, 2008
New York Times
Court Orders ESDC to Release Documents Relating to Columbia Expansion
July 15, 2008
New York Times
Columbia Purchases Property in Footprint of Expansion
July 11, 2008
The Real Deal