Chilly reception for Union Sq. hotel permits
BY GABE HERMAN
The city’s proposed plan to require
special permits for hotels below
Union Square “misses the mark,”
according to locals.
The plan, which was presented at a
Community Board 2 meeting on Nov.
13, was met with criticism and skepticism
from the committee and members
of the public.
The plan would require special permits
for new hotels to be approved by
both the City Planning Commission and
City Council, between East Ninth Street
to East 14th Street, and Third Avenue
to Fifth Avenue. Matthew Pietrus, a city
planner at the Department of City Planning
(DCP) showed photos of the area
and said it had a mixed-use character.
Pietrus said in his presentation that
because the area is relatively small and
does not have much vacancy, “we don’t
think there would be an undue increase
in commercial development.”
Andrew Berman, the executive director
of Village Preservation, blasted the
plan when it was released last month
and said that even if big hotels aren’t
approved in the new process, the plan
would still allow for new offi ce towers
to be built.
The committee asked Pietrus about a
Nov. 12 letter from Berman, addressed
to City Planning, Landmarks Preservation
Commission (LPC), Councilmember
Carlina Rivera and Mayor Bill de
Blasio, which argued that there were
fl aws in the city’s Environmental Assessment
Some people at the meeting held up signs against the special hotel
permit plan.
Statement for the plan, including
missing and inaccurate information
about the historic signifi cance of buildings
in the area.
Several committee members noted
that although Pietrus said there is currently
little vacancy in the area, the recently
opened Moxy Hotel was built after
tearing down several old buildings,
which had rent-stabilized apartments.
Former CB2 Chair Tobi Bergman
urged the committee to reject the proposal.
“It misses the mark in terms of
what this community needs,” he said.
Berman argued that many small businesses
PHOTO BY GABE HERMAN
and stores had been wiped out
from previous destruction of buildings.
While there is nothing wrong in itself
with a special permit for hotels, Bergman
stated, the plan would kick the can
down the road for what is really needed
to protect the neighborhood, and allow
it to lose its character.
“The real threat is expansion of
Midtown, through Union Square and
Broadway, into Tribeca,” Bergman said,
to applause from most of the people in
attendance.
Andrew Berman spoke at the meeting,
saying the plan gave the community
none of what it wants. “It’s not half a
loaf, it’s no loaf whatsoever,” he said.
Berman reiterated that the city’s own
analysis of the plan said that even if new
hotels aren’t approved, it would pave
the way for offi ce buildings of equal size
to be built.
“They’re willfully ignoring what this
neighborhood wants and what it needs,”
Berman said. “What you need to come
back to us with is real protections for
the neighborhood.”
Rivera has been supportive of the city
plan, telling this paper in October when
it was announced, “We’re glad that the
Department of City Planning listened to
the calls from the community and our
offi ce and is fi nally enacting solutions
to address out-of-scale commercial developments,
in this case with a hotel
special permit.”
At the CB2 meeting, Berman said
of the plan, “We say to DCP this does
nothing for us. We need landmarking
now.”
When Committee Co-Chair Frederica
Sigel asked how many people in
the room agreed with Berman, nearly
everyone’s hand went up. The room
was asked if anyone disagreed with Berman,
and one woman spoke, saying the
city has an increasing population, and
while landmarking is important, every
neighborhood should do its share to add
some development. She added that everything
can’t be landmarked.
The Land Use Committee voted
unanimously at the meeting to reject
the proposed plan.
LES school raises funds to help feed the hungry
BY GABE HERMAN
The Lower East Side school P.S.
140 Nathan Straus is holding its
annual fundraiser to feed families
at the school during Thanksgiving
time.
The Turkey Drive is being done
through the school’s PTA, with an online
donation page organized by PTA
President William Bray. So far, the campaign
has raised over $2,700, nearing its
goal of $3,300. The page can be found
at gofundme.com/f/ps140turkeydrive.
“As Thanksgiving approaches we are
hoping to once again help our families
in need with your support,” Bray wrote
on the donation page. “Last November,
as our last donation rolled in, I looked
up at my wife and started to cry. I was
truly touched by the outpouring of support
for our families and school. I knew
what we had accomplished together, as
a community, was going to warm many
hearts and feed many people within our
circle.”
Last year’s campaign was able to
From the 2018 P.S. 140 Turkey Drive.
feed 100 families at the school, which
is at 123 Ridge St. Local business owners
further donated canned goods and
other dishes to provide full Thanksgiving
meals.
“This year, with your support, we
hope to double those numbers and feed
200 families,” Bray wrote, “not only
PHOTO : WILLIAM BRAY
feeding the families of our school, but
also the families in our surrounding
neighborhood who are in need, most especially
during the holiday season.”
Schneps Media November 21, 2019 3
/ps140turkeydrive