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Hudson Yards Plan Creates an Exclusive Neighborhood, West Siders Say

By Serena Solomon | November 24, 2009 4:37pm
The current plan for the Western Rail Yards.
The current plan for the Western Rail Yards.
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New York Department of City Planning

By Serena Solomon

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

CITY HALL — Community groups and local officials from Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea say a plan to develop the MTA's West Side railyards creates an exclusive neighborhood for the rich while stashing necessary affordable housing elsewhere.

In order for Hudson Yards project to qualify for tax-exempt financing, mega-developer Related Cos. had tentatively set aside 20 percent of rental apartments in the plan — which creates residential, commercial, retail and green space, plus a school — for affordable housing. But because the site will have a mixture of high-rise co-ops, condos and rental units, the percentage of total housing on the site that's affordable would actually be 8 percent.

The footprint of the proposed Western Rail Yards development.
The footprint of the proposed Western Rail Yards development.
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New York Department of City Planning

As a result, at a Monday hearing of the City Council's subcommittee on zoning and franchises, Related proposed creating more low-cost housing at two separate sites in Hell's Kitchen, and having those projects lumped into the Hudson Yards project.

The groups, however, said the Council should reject that idea.

"The plan proposes to put a small token of affordable units on site and puts the rest away in another neighborhood," wrote local Assemblyman Richard Gottfried in testimony read by his community liaison, Jeffrey LeFrancois.

"New York City is known for ethnic and religious diversity that lives side by side as one big community," said Deley Gazinelli, a public member of CB4 who spoke at the hearing. "This City Council will be the first one to create the most privileged, exclusive and segregated enclave in our city."

Related did not address the request for more affordable housing at the hearing or return calls for comment.

The subcommittee did not vote on the rezoning that would make way for Related's plan. They are required to vote by Dec. 11.