Brazen tactics, including voids, will not stand!
Honorable Judge Arthur F. Engoron rules in favor of City Club and a common sense reading of the zoning resolution.
The judge has recognized that the Special Lincoln Square District (SLSD) was created in 1993 to limit the height of the buildings. The tactics and rationale used by the developer have an absurd result.
The Judge clearly points our that our system of City planning should not “allow developers to do an end-run around height limits by including gargantuan mechanical spaces that may not even contain mechanical equipment and have no purpose other than to augment height beyond otherwise legal limits.”
The judgement further declares that
- The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) and the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) acted arbitrarily and capriciously in approving the permit for the Extell tower at 36 West 66th!
- “Mechanical voids,” meaning space in a building denoted as “mechanical” but without mechanical equipment or a mechanical purpose, or vastly larger than necessary for any mechanical purpose, are illegal!
- Extell's building permit on West 66th Street is voided!
To read the decision in full click here It's the best thing we've read since the pandemic started!
This is a win for Central Park and a promising citywide precedent!
- Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal tweeted on hearing the news, “Now, we must pass my bill closing void loophole + tell developers across City: profits don't trump zoning.”
Share this petition in support of the legislation sponsored by Linda B. Rosenthal in the Assembly and Robert Jackson in the Senate.
Let’s keep the momentum going. The law needs to be changed to protect residential neighborhoods!
Out of Context and 25% Empty is egregious when housing is desperately needed. WE THE PEOPLE must vote for a Mayor, City Council and Legislators that support what is good, fair and right! Those that are not beholden to special interests.