By Nicole Breskin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WEST VILLAGE – The area between Greenwich and Washington streets and West 12th and West 10th streets may only be six blocks, but local residents and activists worried it was a potential hotbed for condo and commercial high-rise developments out of sync with the neighborhood.
But now the city has agreed to rezone the far West Village, limiting the height of what can be built there, in what's viewed as a victory for activists who want to preserve the look and feel of the area.
“The far West Village has such a distinctive character that is predominately residential, low-scale and historic,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. “The zoning was so at odds and anomalous with the character.”
The previous zoning – which has existed for more than 50 years, back to when the area was a manufacturing hub – did not impose a height limit on buildings. It also gave bonuses to community and commercial builders.
The new plans will limit building heights to 40 to 65 feet at the street wall, with an overall height of 80 feet. No bonuses will be doled out. Developers will also have to request approval for buildings from the Landmarks Preservation Commission because the area is within a historic district.
The rezoning push has been in the works for at least a year. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation held a town-hall rally in April to promote the cause and sent a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, dated Sept. 30, 2009, decrying the lack of response from City Planning.
The Department of City Planning will hold hearings before the zoning change goes through. The process can take six months to a year.
Berman said he began rezoning to curtail a highly-publicized boutique hotel by Madison Equities on 145 Perry Street. But it may be too late to limit that project if building commences before the new zoning takes effect.
A spokeswoman for Madison Equities said the rezoning will not alter building plans for the site. The developer intends to go ahead to build 7 floors with 58 rooms.
“Madison Equities will begin breaking ground in three months,” she said. “The rezoning ruling will not come in time to directly alter what they’re doing.”
Berman said he knew of at least a dozen other sites for potential development.
Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, state Sen. Thomas Duane and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick have all rallied to promote the cause.
They wrote in a joint statement released on Wednesday that the change will "complement" previous rezoning in the area in 2005 that neglected the far West Village.
