The Department of City Planning today certified a rezoning proposal for the Hudson Square neighborhood that paves the way for residential development, Crain’s reported. The plan was spearheaded by Trinity Real Estate, the largest landlord in the area bounded by the Hudson River, Sixth Avenue, Houston and Canal streets, in an effort to make the neighborhood a more mixed-use one.
Hudson Square is currently zoned for manufacturing, and the rezoning is meant to preserve some of the existing structures, encourage more open space, while bringing schools and housing to the neighborhood. The goal is to allow for residential development without stifling the influx of tech and new media businesses to the area’s loft-style office space, according to the New York Observer.Proponents of the plan hope retailers would follow the new residents to the neighborhood and help create a 24-hour mixed-use community. At the same time, the zoning would establish building height limits where none exist today.
Today’s certification kicks off the seven-month land-use review process. It will be reviewed by Community Board 2, which is expected to sign off on the plan, in October and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer before the City Council votes on it.
If passed, the rezoning would allow Edison Properties to move forward with a 230-unit residential tower it plans at 270 Spring Street.
In a statement to The Real Deal, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation took issue with the height limits, which Andrew Berman, the group’s director, said were not strict enough. Berman also expressed frustration with with the fact that the city is again prioritizing rezoning efforts brought forward by developers, as it did with New York University, over those introduced by community advocates. GVSHP is pushing for protection of the South Village Historic District that sits just to the north of Hudson Square. [Crain’s] and [NYO] — Adam Fusfeld