Subcommittee Passes Rezoning Grand Central Area

By ALVARO BLANCO

The City Council Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee unanimously passed a $220 million investment proposal to rezone Grand Central area, to allow more commercial space after a compromise was reached between lawmakers and proponents of development.

“We are here today to say that East Midtown is back,” said City Councilman Daniel R. Garodnick on the steps of City Hall.

The controversial proposal, similar to Mayor Bloomberg’s 2013 proposed Midtown plan, found itself under attack lacking community amenities and the excessive height of the new building.

The project includes a new 1,500 feet-high skyscraper to replace the current office building at 1 Vanderbilt Ave., with updated office space and 6,500 square feet for commercial use, some of which has already been leased by a branch of TD Bank.

The commercial space and other changes were included after months of negotiations between Councilman Garodnick, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and SL Green Realty Corp.

Some of the other changes to the original proposal include new underground tunnels that will connect Grand Central Station to its commercial district, running throughout the nearly five blocks of Vanderbilt Avenue.

The tunnels were expected to alleviate the severe commuter congestion of the Grand Central Area. Nearly 1.2 million public transportation riders would be affected, not counting those from the MTA’s Eastside Access project.

“We must create an environment, where New Yorkers wanna be, not one where they feel like sardines on a crowded subway and sidewalk,” said Manhattan Borough president Gale A. Brewer.

Another change is the addition of a new three-story public transit entrance, Garodnick’s most important contribution to the new plan.

 

Garodnick said the proposal was expected to generate 5,200 construction jobs and 190 permanent union jobs, as well as doubling the number of workers currently employed. He also said city tax revenues were expected to begin from $8 million up to $50 million per year.

The proposal goes to the Zoning Committee next week and the full Council by the end of the month. The proposal was expected to be passed by the council and mayor.