|
Save the Far West Village
The multiplicity of problems around building, zoning, standards and appeals weres addressed next. AmandaBurden, City Planning Commissioner, said that the City is considering West Village rezoning and encouraginglow-rise development. Patricia Lancaster of the Department of Buildings added that DOB is working to enforce existing regulations. Complaints have increased from58,000 to 78,000 today. Mayor Bloomberg said that he believes that “whatever the law is, enforce it.”
(Left) Connie Fishman: President Hudson River Park Trust
(Below) View of panel.
Albert Bennett asked the Mayor to reign in the Board of Standards & Appeals; BSA variances often seem to fly in the face of the low-rise character of the Village.The Mayor answered that he has appointed a new BSA chair and that he “will be taking a look at the results.”
“ Lights Camera, Action,” Reaction
David Gruber complained about the multiple film shoots nearly simultaneously in the same vicinity. The Mayor replied that filming provides employment for 100,000 people. Katherine Oliver of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting, picked up that notion, saying that it is a $5-billion a year industry. Notwithstanding those figures, the film office processes film permits and admonishes producers about taking care in“people’s neighborhoods.” It gives 48 hour advance notifice to involved areas, spot checks tomonitor film crew activities, gives heavily used blocks like Bedford-Barrow-Commerce a “rest for awhile.”
 Commissioner Amanda Burden, Planning Commission
The Mayor said that zoning laws need to be changed (to wide applause) and asked, “Are you better off today than 10 years ago?” (a few boos this time). He responded to questions for more than an hour and reiterated the “no simple answer to complex issues” motto as he exited, gifted with a copy of The Maritime Mile and a box of Krispy Kreme donuts for his journey and to hearty applause .
Working Hard, Staying Late
The officials stayed on for further discussion. Jonathan Geballe quoted Jane Jacobs’ admonition that “If you want to destroy aneighborhood, run traffic through it as he alluded to traffic problems near the Holland Tunnel. Margaret Forgione explained that the tunnel isnot under DOT jurisdiction; she suggested that efforts are ongoing to make the neighborhood near it greener and be safer.
“The needs of area youth are not being addressed by the non-profit State agencies charged with outreach,”said David Posner of the Christopher St. Patrol and the GVBA Task Force on Prostitution and Unruly Street Behavior. Verna Eggleston , Human Resources Administration Director, responded that she is charged with getting a coordinated plan in place for outreach.Speaking of the Christopher St. situation, she noted that many young people were coming from New Jersey,which as a state is “behind in serving youth.” She believes that 14-year-olds “need to be in bed” at night,not cavorting in the Village. She added, “in bed alone.”
Motorcycle noise and the apparent lack of enforcement was the complaint of Jane Case Einbender. Deputy Inspector Fitzgerald responded that enforcement includes roadblocks, checkpoints and arrests/ticketing. He admitted that it is difficult to anticipate each area that motorcycle riders might pass through. Other concerns included the building destroyed by photographer Annie Liebowitz on W. 10th Street. Along with its neighbor, it was structurally damaged by careless and perhaps malicious work. Mr. Tierney agreed that it has taken a long time to sort out the matter, but that substantial interior progress has been made and that the“steel supports are coming down.” Harry Malikoff’s suggestion for a “residents only parking program” was discouraged by Ms.Forgione as involving “extremely difficult, costly paperwork.”
Next was a query about reviewing the communty facilities zoning bonus, Village Nursing Home is proposingan 8 story as-of-right development on Houston St.; many residents believe that it is inappropriate in an area of 4-5 story buildings. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation’s AndrewBerman asked for changes so that institutions could not automatically build larger than existing zoning laws permit.Ms.. Burden answered that the nursing home application has not yet been submitted, that it is a month longprocess; she is aware this is a “big issue and that many people are against it.
Town hall attendees enjoyed refreshments provided by Betty Rinckwitz. The GVBA thanks Mayor Michael Bloomberg for going “where others have feared to tread,” the agency representatives who addressed the audience so forthtightly, community members who stressed their concerns in a collegial productive manner and the Village Community School for making its beautiful auditorium available.
|
