These warn of threats to Fulton Fish Market and also to Landmarks around Grand Central.
Let me see if I can find a story about either of these on the net since I had not heard about any of these until I just saw these posters on the street...
OK, I find this a little confusing, because they have already moved the fish market to the Bronx (where another row is taking place-- read this --
Star chefs fight to preserve old Fulton Fish Market
Boldface names like Daniel Boulud want to rezone area to keep Fulton foodie and city-owned buildings away from developers' bulldozers.
Updated:
Some of the city's biggest name chefs, including Daniel Boulud,
Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Bill Telepan, are throwing their clout
behind an effort to preserve the old Fulton Fish Market at the South
Street Seaport to prevent developers from tearing it down. The land and
buildings there are owned by the city.
The chefs, 10 of whom appear in a video expressing support for a public food market, say they would like to see the fish market's Tin Building and New Market Building transformed into a food bazaar where they could shop for their restaurants and the public could shop, too. The fish market itself moved to the Bronx in 2005.
A grassroots organization, Save our Seaport, and the New Amsterdam Market, which operates a seasonal weekly food market at the Seaport, have launched a petition they will submit to the City Council later this month.
"We are requesting of the City Council that the rezoning of the area preserve the fish market as a public market site," said Robert LaValva, founder and president of New Amsterdam Market.
Mr. LaValva enlisted the help of a prominent restaurant public relations firm, Bullfrog & Baum, which is working pro bono for the group and produced the video of 10 celebrity chefs, which appears on New Amsterdam Market's website.
The chefs encourage the public to sign the petition, for which Mr. LaValva hopes to secure 10,000 signatures by the end of the month.
The petition is a backlash against plans by the operator of the Pier 17 mall to redevelop the South Street Seaport and surrounding areas, including the old Fulton Fish Market next door. Howard Hughes Corp. is in the process of clearing Pier 17 of its tenants in anticipation of redeveloping the site this summer.
But before it can begin construction on the pier it needs to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure to have its plans approved by community groups and city officials. The final stage of the process ends with the City Council, which is expected to hold a hearing on the matter this month.
In anticipation of City Council approval, Howard Hughes is moving forward with its plan to tear down the Pier 17 mall. Retailers there are notifying their employees about plans to close their stores. A spokesman for Howard Hughes said the company's contract with the city requires it to begin Pier 17 construction by July 1. Tenants of the mall must vacate by April 30.
"This advance notice is intended to provide ample opportunity for them to relocate their businesses," the spokesman said.
The company, though, has been vague about its plans for the Fulton Fish Market. The developer has until June 30, 2013, to submit a development proposal for the Fulton Fish Market, EDC officials say, but the city agency has not yet received one. Howard Hughes apparently wants to expand its footprint to include the Tin Building and the New Market Building in the old Fulton Fish Market—and it is these plans that are the target of the petition that will be submitted to the City Council later this month.
Clarification: Public relations firm Bullfrog & Baum is working pro bono for the New Amsterdam Market. That fact was not clear in an earlier version of this article, published March 5, 2013.
As to the threat to landmarks like the Yale Club around Grand Central, let me see what I can find
Well, this from Crain's New York from 2012
The chefs, 10 of whom appear in a video expressing support for a public food market, say they would like to see the fish market's Tin Building and New Market Building transformed into a food bazaar where they could shop for their restaurants and the public could shop, too. The fish market itself moved to the Bronx in 2005.
A grassroots organization, Save our Seaport, and the New Amsterdam Market, which operates a seasonal weekly food market at the Seaport, have launched a petition they will submit to the City Council later this month.
"We are requesting of the City Council that the rezoning of the area preserve the fish market as a public market site," said Robert LaValva, founder and president of New Amsterdam Market.
Mr. LaValva enlisted the help of a prominent restaurant public relations firm, Bullfrog & Baum, which is working pro bono for the group and produced the video of 10 celebrity chefs, which appears on New Amsterdam Market's website.
The chefs encourage the public to sign the petition, for which Mr. LaValva hopes to secure 10,000 signatures by the end of the month.
The petition is a backlash against plans by the operator of the Pier 17 mall to redevelop the South Street Seaport and surrounding areas, including the old Fulton Fish Market next door. Howard Hughes Corp. is in the process of clearing Pier 17 of its tenants in anticipation of redeveloping the site this summer.
But before it can begin construction on the pier it needs to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure to have its plans approved by community groups and city officials. The final stage of the process ends with the City Council, which is expected to hold a hearing on the matter this month.
In anticipation of City Council approval, Howard Hughes is moving forward with its plan to tear down the Pier 17 mall. Retailers there are notifying their employees about plans to close their stores. A spokesman for Howard Hughes said the company's contract with the city requires it to begin Pier 17 construction by July 1. Tenants of the mall must vacate by April 30.
"This advance notice is intended to provide ample opportunity for them to relocate their businesses," the spokesman said.
The company, though, has been vague about its plans for the Fulton Fish Market. The developer has until June 30, 2013, to submit a development proposal for the Fulton Fish Market, EDC officials say, but the city agency has not yet received one. Howard Hughes apparently wants to expand its footprint to include the Tin Building and the New Market Building in the old Fulton Fish Market—and it is these plans that are the target of the petition that will be submitted to the City Council later this month.
Clarification: Public relations firm Bullfrog & Baum is working pro bono for the New Amsterdam Market. That fact was not clear in an earlier version of this article, published March 5, 2013.
As to the threat to landmarks like the Yale Club around Grand Central, let me see what I can find
Well, this from Crain's New York from 2012
17 midtown buildings labeled as endangered
The city's proposal to usher in a new generation of bigger, state of the art office towers in the Grand Central area could threaten buildings that some consider landmarks.
The Municipal Arts Society (MAS) has identified 17 buildings in midtown
that it says are in danger of being torn down as a result of the city's
rezoning proposal for that neighborhood.
The buildings, including major office towers such as the Graybar Building, 125 Park Ave. and 270 Park Ave., could be prime victims in the city's plan. The city seeks to change zoning in the area around Grand Central Terminal to permit the construction of larger skyscrapers. MAS also identifies several less prominent properties that may be in danger, including 5 E. 48th St., 17 E. 47th St. and 661 Lexington Ave.
MAS wants to see the buildings preserved for their historic significance or architectural flair. For instance, 270 Park Ave., though similar to several other glass and steel towers in the area, is emblematic of an era when corporate America first began constructing modern headquarters towers in the city.
"City Planning's proposed east midtown re-zoning has the potential to dramatically change the area and threaten the mix of old and new buildings that define the neighborhood as uniquely 'New York'," said MAS President Vin Cipolla.
Some city landlords, a group usually wary of landmarking because of the increased maintenance costs the designation thrusts on an owner, conceded that the MAS's concerns were well-founded.
"Once midtown is up-zoned the odds are 100% that these old buildings will be torn down if they're not protected," Michael Cohen, president of Colliers International and an owner of several office properties in the city, said. "They may not see the wrecking ball tomorrow but landlords are incredibly patient and assemblages and redevelopment plans will occur even if takes several years."
Some other landlords, however, questioned whether the buildings identified by MAS were really targets for redevelopment, and whether landmarking in those cases would only serve to saddle the landowner with additional upkeep costs.
"SL Green really doesn't have any plans to redevelop 125 Park Ave. or the Graybar Building," a person familiar with those buildings said.
250 Park Ave., a 500,000 square foot building included as one of the MAS' 17 selections, also is not likely to be redeveloped anytime soon, a source said. According to that person, the property sits on stilts over train tracks below servicing Grand Central and would require substantial work and logistics to convert its site into a larger office tower.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission said it was evaluating the 17 buildings and others in the neighborhood.
If the building are landmarked, it could be a blow to the city's rezoning plan for the area known as midtown east. Several of the properties, like 270 Park Ave., would be prime sites for new construction under the city's proposal, which requires a site to have a footprint of 25,000 square feet or more and at least 200 feet of avenue frontage to qualify for additional air rights.
The buildings, including major office towers such as the Graybar Building, 125 Park Ave. and 270 Park Ave., could be prime victims in the city's plan. The city seeks to change zoning in the area around Grand Central Terminal to permit the construction of larger skyscrapers. MAS also identifies several less prominent properties that may be in danger, including 5 E. 48th St., 17 E. 47th St. and 661 Lexington Ave.
MAS wants to see the buildings preserved for their historic significance or architectural flair. For instance, 270 Park Ave., though similar to several other glass and steel towers in the area, is emblematic of an era when corporate America first began constructing modern headquarters towers in the city.
"City Planning's proposed east midtown re-zoning has the potential to dramatically change the area and threaten the mix of old and new buildings that define the neighborhood as uniquely 'New York'," said MAS President Vin Cipolla.
Some city landlords, a group usually wary of landmarking because of the increased maintenance costs the designation thrusts on an owner, conceded that the MAS's concerns were well-founded.
"Once midtown is up-zoned the odds are 100% that these old buildings will be torn down if they're not protected," Michael Cohen, president of Colliers International and an owner of several office properties in the city, said. "They may not see the wrecking ball tomorrow but landlords are incredibly patient and assemblages and redevelopment plans will occur even if takes several years."
Some other landlords, however, questioned whether the buildings identified by MAS were really targets for redevelopment, and whether landmarking in those cases would only serve to saddle the landowner with additional upkeep costs.
"SL Green really doesn't have any plans to redevelop 125 Park Ave. or the Graybar Building," a person familiar with those buildings said.
250 Park Ave., a 500,000 square foot building included as one of the MAS' 17 selections, also is not likely to be redeveloped anytime soon, a source said. According to that person, the property sits on stilts over train tracks below servicing Grand Central and would require substantial work and logistics to convert its site into a larger office tower.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission said it was evaluating the 17 buildings and others in the neighborhood.
If the building are landmarked, it could be a blow to the city's rezoning plan for the area known as midtown east. Several of the properties, like 270 Park Ave., would be prime sites for new construction under the city's proposal, which requires a site to have a footprint of 25,000 square feet or more and at least 200 feet of avenue frontage to qualify for additional air rights.
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