City Planning Commission OKs tech hub for Union Square

[Tech hub endering via RAL Development]

The City Planning Commission unanimously voted yesterday in favor of the City's proposal to create a tech hub on 14th Street.

This was the latest stop in the approval process tour — the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). In March, CB3 voted in favor of a resolution supporting site specific rezoning and a special permit to allow the development, which, as Curbed noted yesterday, is now officially known as the Union Square Tech Training Center.

The project next heads to City Council for a vote that would allow for the 21-floor building to rise on the current site of the now-former PC Richard complex on 14th Street at Irving Place.

Plans for the 240,000-square-foot Tech Training Center include educational facilities, with scholarships "to make the tech industry more accessible to a wide range of New Yorkers." The building would also include space for fledgling companies as well as market-rate offices "to attract established, industry-leading corporations to the ecosystem," per a release from the city's Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which is lobbying for the tech hub. (Read more from them here.)

And the EDC released this new video on the Tech Training Center yesterday...



This zoning change concerns some area residents and preservationists, who fear a massive overdevelopment south of Union Square along Broadway, University Place and Fourth Avenue. While CB3 did vote for the tech hub, they also included an amendment in their resolution calling for zoning protection.

And as Patch noted yesterday:

[I]t is worth noting that newly elected Councilwoman Carlina Rivera expressed support for the tech hub during her campaign – only if the city agrees to the rezoning.

As the local councilmember, Rivera has a large say in the outcome of the project.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

Preservationists: City schedules next public hearing on tech hub without any public notice

Preservationists: City schedules next public hearing on tech hub without any public notice

[Tech hub endering via RAL Development]

The proposed tech hub at the site of the now-former PC Richard complex on 14th Street at Irving Place is making its way through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. Back on Friday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer's office released her recommendation (see more on that below).

The application now moves to the City Planning Commission before a deciding vote by City Council later this year.

As previously reported, the 21-story building would house a digital skills training center, flex-office space for startups, market-rate office space and a food hall, among other things.

To make this happen, the site/area needs to be upzoned. This zoning change is of particular concern to some area residents and preservationists, who have stressed that the fabric of the neighborhood could be lost with a large number of out-of-context new developments south of Union Square along Broadway, University Place and Fourth Avenue.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has been leading the efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements.

Now GVSHP officials have just learned that the city scheduled the next public hearing for tomorrow afternoon — without any actual public notice.

Here's an email via the GVSHP:

Last Friday, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer released her recommendation on the proposed 14th Street Tech Hub, as part of the required public approval process. Brewer initially pledged not to include the need for neighborhood protections to accompany Tech Hub as part of her recommendation, as GVSHP and many others have called for, calling them “unrelated.”

However, GVSHP worked hard to persuade the Borough President that the Tech Hub without neighborhood protections would accelerate rampant overdevelopment in the University Place, Broadway, and 3rd and 4th Avenue corridors, as did thousands of neighborhood residents who wrote or called her. Following this, Brewer issued her recommendation (read the PDF here) including mention of the potential impacts upon the adjacent Greenwich Village and East Village neighborhoods and the need for neighborhood protections, as GVSHP has proposed and called for.

Outrageously, directly following this, the City scheduled the sole City Planning Commission public hearing on this matter for this Wednesday, May 9 with virtually no public notification (as of this morning, the city’s own Land Use Tracking System had still not shown that the City Planning Commission hearing had even been scheduled). Adding insult to injury, this item is scheduled as the LAST item on a long agenda for the day, making it virtually impossible to say how late in the day this item will be heard.

DON'T LET THE MAYOR CUT YOU OUT OF THE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING THE FATE OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

You can read more here.

In late February, CB3 approved a land use application to create the tech hub. In doing so, CB3 also included an amendment in their resolution calling for zoning protection.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

Report: CB3 OKs proposal for Union Square tech hub; calls for zoning protections

Report: CB3 OKs proposal for Union Square tech hub; calls for zoning protections

[Photo via GVSHP]

News out of the Community Board 3 meeting on Tuesday night: The full Board approved a land use application to create the tech hub on 14th Street. In doing so, CB3 also included an amendment in their resolution calling for zoning protection, per published reports:

“Consistent with previous board support for rezoning the Third and Fourth Avenue corridor, including the December 2017 board resolution, CB3 urges the city to commence the process of rezoning this area as well as incentivize affordable housing and exclude certain use groups such as hotels and big box stores.”

According to GlobeSt.com, more than 200 people turned out for the meeting at P.S. 20 on Essex to discuss the proposed 21-floor building that would rise on the current site of the now-former PC Richard complex on 14th Street at Irving Place.

As previously reported, the new building would house a digital skills training center, flex-office space for startups, market rate office space and a food hall. (You can read the city's official release on the project from 2017 here.) City officials say the hub itself would create 600 jobs.

CB3’s vote Tuesday night was the first step in the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. Next stops for the application: Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer's office and the City Planning Commission ... before a vote by the New York City Council later this year.

Following the meeting, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, who has led the efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements, issued a statement:

"This sends an important message to Mayor de Blasio and developers that we do not want the East Village and Greenwich Village transformed into Silicon Alley or Midtown South. A Tech Hub on 14th Street which provides training and services to New Yorkers and small start-ups can be a valuable addition to our city; but it must be accompanied by zoning protections for the surrounding residential neighborhood which ensures that tech and other development doesn't push out longtime residents and businesses, or fundamentally change the character of these neighborhoods.

What we are proposing is a win-win – the Tech Hub proceeds on 14th Street, and the Mayor lives up to his rhetoric about preserving and promoting affordable housing by advancing this rezoning for the surrounding area that would prevent out of scale development and encourage affordable housing development and preservation. So far he has adamantly refused, only supporting the zoning changes for the Tech Hub, which is to be developed by his campaign donors. We hope he will now listen."

You can read a lot more via coverage at The Lo-Down ... Patch ... and GlobeSt.com.

Updated noon:

Here's a news release from RAL Development Services, one of the partners in the project, via the EVG inbox:

On Tuesday evening, Community Board 3 voted unanimously in favor of a resolution supporting site specific rezoning and a special permit to allow the development of the proposed tech training center at 124 East 14th Street, the former P.C. Richard site, by RAL Companies to proceed.

Community Board approval of the 124 East 14th Street development was not conditioned upon any broader rezoning being enacted. The final text of the Community Board resolution requested the City to consider a broader rezoning in the area, but did not connect that process to the approval of 124 East 14th Street.

“We’re thrilled to receive the Community Board’s unanimous support for our proposal, which is designed to fit within the City’s broader plan to expand and diversify the tech workforce,” said Josh Wein, Financial Director of RAL Companies. “We look forward to proceeding through the ULURP process and are thankful for the opportunity to develop this exciting project with its full community benefit intact.”

124 East 14th Street will be a training and education center for all New Yorkers regardless of race, gender, age, or immigration status. It will establish a new model for inclusive community and economic impact, one that embraces and interacts with its local community, and supports emerging and existing local entrepreneurs and industries, in the heart of New York City at Union Square. The 240,000 gross square foot, multi-level project will include a Public Food Hall, Civic Hall — a communal and collaborative workspace for social change-, an Event Space, a Digital Skills Training Center, Step Up Office Space, and Modern Class-A Office Space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

Reminders: CB3 votes on the mayor's proposed tech hub tomorrow night

Community Board 3 is expected to make its final vote tomorrow (Tuesday!) night regarding the Mayor's plans for a tech hub.

Earlier this month, CB3's Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee voted in favor of creating a "workforce development and digital skills training center" at the former P.C. Richard site on 14th Street at Irving Place.

The mayor's 20-floor project requires several zoning changes, and faces many hurdles before getting the final OK. After the full CB3 board, the Manhattan borough president and the City Planning Commission will weigh in before the issue comes before City Council for a vote later this year.

Back on Friday, amNew York explored the ramifications of the proposal in an article headlined Village residents worry proposed Tech Hub could speed neighborhood’s transformation into ‘midtown south’

The CB3 meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at PS 20, 166 Essex St. just south of Houston. Tomorrow's CB3 meeting will be streamed live on YouTube, as the Lo-Down noted.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

Report: Tech Hub receives CB3 committee support

On Wednesday night, CB3's Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee voted in favor of creating a "workforce development and digital skills training center" at the P.C. Richard site on 14th Street at Irving Place.

As the Lo-Down reported, committee members "rejected calls to require zoning protections in the area as a condition of approval."

The full CB3 board vote will take place on Feb. 27. Expect more debate between now and then — and especially during that meeting.

Here's a quick recap from the Lo-Down:

Project supporters believe the center would bring desperately needed (free and low-cost) career training services to low-income youth on the Lower East Side. Critics, however, are worried that the glossy commercial complex would be a catalyst for rampant over-development in the blocks to the south of 14th Street. While Community Board 3 has already endorsed a protective zoning proposal for the Third and Fourth Avenue corridors, preservation activists want CB3 to go a step further — withholding support for the tech center unless the city agrees to a rezoning.

Read their full article here.

Patch had a reporter at the meeting as well. Find that article here.

The mayor's project requires several zoning changes, and faces many hurdles before getting the final OK. The full CB3 board, the Manhattan borough president and the City Planning Commission will still weigh in before the issue comes before City Council for a vote later this year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

Reminders: CB3 committees to hear more about the Union Square tech hub tonight

[Rendering via RAL Development]

As noted back on Jan. 25, CB3's Joint Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will hear more about the Mayor's proposed 20-story tech hub on 14th Street during its meeting tonight. (It takes place at 6:30 at the Henry Street Settlement, Youth Services Gymnasium, 301 Henry St.)

Mayor de Blasio is proposing to turning the city-owned P.C. Richard site on 14th Street at Irving Place into a "workforce development and digital skills training center," among other things.

Here's more about the proposed 240,000 square-foot facility via Crain's:

Civic Hall, a nonprofit that promotes collaboration to solve civic problems with technology, would operate six floors of the building. Half the space would be used for co-working and meetings for the city’s philanthropy, business and tech sectors. The other half is slated to be occupied by five organizations offering tech training. General Assembly, for example, hosts intense coding courses. Per Scholas, a national nonprofit, offers its free tech training to underserved populations that, on average, make less than $20,000 per year before enrolling in and roughly double that income after graduating.

To make this happen, the site/area needs to be upzoned. This zoning change is of particular concern to some area residents and preservationists, who have stressed that the fabric of the neighborhood could be lost with a rash of new developments south of Union Square along Broadway, University Place and Fourth Avenue. (The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has been leading the efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements. The group makes their case here.)

On Jan. 29, the Economic Development Corporation, the city agency overseeing the hub's development, presented the proposal to the Planning Commission, the first step in the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), as Curbed reported.

The tech-hub project will eventually need Planning Commission and City Council approval. The public-review process is expected to take about around seven months. Crain's lays out here why the hub faces "a thorny approval process."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

P.C. Richard puts up the moving signs on 14th Street; more Tech Hub debate to come

[Photo via EVG reader Shiv]

Signage is now up at the P.C. Richard on 14th Street at Irving Place announcing their upcoming move to 23rd Street. (It seems as if this location has been going out of business the past three years.)

As you likely know, the city owns this site, and there are plans to turn the property into a "workforce development and digital skills training center" — aka tech hub.

In February 2017, the de Blasio administration unveiled the renderings for Civic Hall featuring "a tech-focused work and event space" that will anchor the 20-plus story building.

Per the city's news release on Civic Hall:

“This new hub will be the front-door for tech in New York City. People searching for jobs, training or the resources to start a company will have a place to come to connect and get support. No other city in the nation has anything like it. It represents this City’s commitment to a strong and inclusive tech ecosystem,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

[Rendering via NYCEDC]

CB3's Joint Economic Development Committee and Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee will be discussing the matter during its meeting on Feb. 7. (We'll have more on this closer to the time — 6:30 p.m. at the Henry Street Settlement, Youth Services Gymnasium, 301 Henry St.)

The tech-hub project will eventually need Planning Commission and City Council approval.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has been leading efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements. GVSHP officials make their case here.

CB3 committees to hear update from city on proposed 14th Street tech hub

[Rendering via NYCEDC]

Tomorrow (Wednesday) night, there's a joint meeting between two Community Board 3 committees to hear an update from the city on the "proposed workforce development and digital skills training center" at 124 E. 14th St.

This is the so-called tech hub at the city-owned site that P.C. Richard currently leases on 14th Street at Irving Place.

Last February, the de Blasio administration unveiled the renderings for Civic Hall featuring "a tech-focused work and event space" that will anchor the 20-plus story building.

Per the city's news release on Civic Hall:

“This new hub will be the front-door for tech in New York City. People searching for jobs, training or the resources to start a company will have a place to come to connect and get support. No other city in the nation has anything like it. It represents this City’s commitment to a strong and inclusive tech ecosystem,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

As you may recall, this announcement prompted another push by local residents who fear that the fabric of the neighborhood will be destroyed by a host of new developments south of Union Square along Broadway, University Place and Fourth Avenue. (And not to mention the Moxy hotel coming to 11th Street.)

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has been leading the efforts behind a rezoning of the area to enforce some height restrictions and affordable housing requirements. The GVSHP lays out their case here.

The tech-hub project needs Planning Commission and City Council approval.

Tomorrow's meeting of the Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee and Economic Development Committee starts at 6:30 p.m. This is listed as the first item to be discussed. The meeting takes place at the University Settlement, Speyer Hall, 184 Eldridge St. between Rivington and Delancey.

For more background, NY1 covered the story on Saturday here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

Speaking out against a 'Silicon Alley' in this neighborhood

A coalition of community groups and preservationists hosted a rally last evening titled "Don't Turn Our Neighborhood Into Silicon Alley" on on Third Avenue outside 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star ... and across the street from where a 7-story office building is in the works for the northeast corner of the Avenue at St. Mark's Place...



An estimated 50-75 residents turned out... as well as several elected local officials, such as State Sen. Brad Hoylman.
EVG contributor Peter Brownscombe shared these photos... Curbed has a recap of the rally here, which the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) organized ...

It’s the latest new development that’s destroying the fabric of these neighborhoods, local residents argued at the rally on Wednesday. While Greenwich and East Villagers, along with their outgoing City Council member, Rosie Mendez, have been demanding protections for this area for years, this latest push for rezoning was prompted by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s announcement of a new tech hub at the old P.C. Richard & Son on East 14th Street.

And...

GVSHP is encouraging the mayor to create height restrictions in the area, that would limit building heights to between 80 to 145 feet, and would have incentives for creating affordable housing. [GVSHP Executive Director Andrew] Berman said he wasn’t opposed to the tech hub per se, but was unable to get behind it without all the other neighborhood protections in place. The tech hub can only be approved through a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), and will ultimately come before the City Council for final approval. The incoming City Council member from the area, Carlina Rivera, also backs the zoning protections, so it remains to be seen how the Mayor’s project will fare.

Bedford + Bowery has coverage here.

State Assembly member Deborah Glick said preserving the residential, mixed-use character of the neighborhood was important to maintaining the vibrancy of the East Village and that she was disappointed in the proposed developments. “Seeing New York homogenized during the Bloomberg administration – we thought it would come to an end but it’s only getting worse,” she said. “I want to say to Bill de Blasio: Don’t turn yourself into Bloomberg 2.0. We deserve to keep our open skies, air and light – don’t suffocate us just for a quick buck from developer.”

There's a 'Don't Turn Our Neighborhood Into Silicon Alley' rally on Wednesday evening

As you may know, there are plans in the works to demolish the three-building assemblage on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place for a 7-story office building.

In addition, new office and residential buildings are going up or in development on parts of Broadway below 14th Street and University Place ... as well as the Moxy hotel on 11th Street. Not to mention Mayor de Blasio's plan for a 20-plus-story tech hub on 14th Street at Irving Place.

On Wednesday evening, a coalition of community groups and preservationists are hosting a rally titled "Don't Turn Our Neighborhood Into Silicon Alley" on St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue.

The Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has background on the developments:

Why is this happening? Because this area is lacking in good zoning or landmark protections that allow this kind of demolition and inappropriate development, and the tech industry sees this neighborhood as the hot new area for expansion, extending “Silicon Alley” down from Union Square and up from Astor Place. And now the Mayor and developers want approvals from the City Council for a huge new “Tech Hub” on 14th Street that will accelerate all these trends.

We’re demanding zoning and landmark protections that would preserve historic buildings, keep new development in scale, protect the residential character of this area, and promote affordable housing. But the Mayor OPPOSES this plan ...

GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman has an op-ed on the matter in the Gotham Gazette here.

Preservationists scored one victory along this corridor earlier this month when the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved a proposal to landmark the circa-1866 cast-iron buildings at 827-831 Broadway between 12th Street and 13th Street. There was a proposal to build a 14-story office building on the site. The developers are now seeking to add a four-story addition to the existing structure.

The rally is Wednesday evening at 5:30 on Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Behold Civic Hall, the high-tech future of Union Square — and NYC