Riverside Center Gets Go-Ahead
After countless revisions and changes, the Riverside Center development unanimously passed the City Council Dec. 20, clearing the way for a project to be built on the last parcel of undeveloped land on the Upper West Side.
The final agreement on the massive project was hammered out after intense negotiations between Extell Development Corporation, Council Member Gale Brewer, members of Community Board 7 and the Speaker’s Staff. Read more
Riverside Center Clears Hurdle
By Dan Rivoli
Extell Development Co. cleared the last major hurdle in approval of its Riverside Center development after two days of intense negotiations with Council Member Gale Brewer, Community Board 7 staff and the Speaker’s staff. Read more
MET PLANS RENOVATION
By Laura Shin
Across Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art recently announced it is in the early design stages of a complete overhaul of its famous Fifth Avenue plaza. Read more
City Planning Commission Praises Riverside Center
By Dan Rivoli
Members of the City Planning Commission approved the Riverside Center development at a meeting Oct. 27, praising the project as vibrant and beneficial addition to the Upper West Side.
The commission came to a near unanimous 12 to 1 vote in favor of the five-building, 3-million-square-foot residential and commercial development planned for West 59th Street to West 72nd Street, from West End Avenue to the river. Read more
CHANGES TO COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS
By Dan Rivoli
A city task force has announced recommendations to public benefit agreements, in which a developer does something positive for the neighborhood in exchange for the ability to build larger or get a subsidy.
Comptroller John Liu, who convened the task force, believes these agreements can be unenforceable and are often done on a project-by-project basis. Read more
‘Vision 2020’ Calls For Easier Waterfront Access
A West Side with easier waterfront access as well as more dedicated bike and pedestrian paths along the Hudson River, are just two of the recommendations in Vision 2020: The New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, released last week by the Department of City Planning. Read more
BREWER’S EARLY STANCE ON RIVERSIDE CENTER
By Dan Rivoli
Council Member Gale Brewer reiterated her strong support of changing the Riverside Center development at the City Planning Commission’s Sept. 15 public meeting.
Brewer testified that the commission should heed the recommendations offered in a comprehensive report that Community Board 7 issued in July. Read more
Another Landmark Proposal Advances on West Side
By Dan Rivoli
The Landmark Preservation Commission will talk to property owners in Morningside Heights about a potential historic district in the area Monday Sept. 20.
Riverside Center Reservations
Why I issued a conditional disapproval of the UWS project
Recently I released my recommendation for Riverside Center as part of the ULURP process. Like many members of the community, I believe that Riverside Center has the potential to enliven the neighborhood. However, during my review period it became apparent that despite my strong desire to see positive development on the Upper West Side, the proposed project failed to fully integrate with the neighborhood and would result in significant impacts on local infrastructure. I was therefore compelled to issue a conditional disapproval of the project. Read more
Stringer Pans Riverside Plans
By Dan Rivoli
Borough President Scott Stringer rejected Extell Development’s plans for the Riverside Center development Aug. 30.
The proposed five-building, 3-million-square-foot development would create too much burden on the Upper West Side, the borough president’s report concludes. Stringer likened it to the Riverside South plan, which laid out the blueprints for the redevelopment of the land between West 59th Street and West 72nd Street, from West End Avenue to the river. Riverside Center is the last undeveloped parcel of land in Riverside South. Read more
