SAVING THE LOWER WEST SIDE
The Bloomberg Administration plans to spend a half billion dollars on a 120' high sanitation parking and maintenance facility on Spring and Washington Streets. They intend to consolidate 3 districts into the facility, despite the Fair Share provisions of the City Charter. Across the street, they plan to build a 75' H salt shed that is (a) near residential buildings, posing a health risk to residents and a property risk to new construction that was only built there after the implicit promise of rezoning (on which the administration is now reneging), (b) immediately adjacent to the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers, which will suck in the most corrosive natural substance on earth, salt; and (c) across the street from two parks (Canal and Hudson River), the plantings in which will be killed by airborne salt.
The DSNY states it "has to" consolidate because they propose to purchase extensive air rights from UPS -- but the horrible irony is that these sorts of garages are typically no taller than 1 storey because of the size of the trucks and their outsize turning radii, which require 40' wide ramps! Thus, 44% of the space is for ramps only -- that is, empty space -- which means that 44% of this half billion dollar investment is wasted!
MORE CRITICALLY, this plan will put an end to 30 years of redevelopment along the west side waterfront, from Battery Park City to the High Line. The area that this facility will fill is the last 4 un- or under-developed blocks. It is a profound waste of the City's most vital natural resource, its waterfront.
The Community has proposed an alternative called HUDSON RISE, which would house TWO districts and integrate open, green space into the development -- and would save over $37 million. It would also have the fortuitous ability, because of the design, to transfer excess FAR that could be used for affordable housing.
This is both an issue AND a big idea on which Mark Green should become a leader.
Go to realizehudsonrise.blogspot.com to learn more. I have attached one rendering, but can supply extensive briefing materials.
We need help from a strong leader!