Monday, February 23, 2015

DeBlasio believes key to affordable housing is bigger buildings

Housing New York: Zoning for Quality and Affordability


From Crains:

The city released a sweeping proposal Friday that would dramatically alter the way buildings look in New York City, possibly ushering in a new generation of buildings that look more like the varied structures of yore while making it easier and cheaper to create affordable housing units. The changes will allow developers to build several stories taller than current norms in some cases, as long as the overall square footage is held steady. In others, the new rules would give developers more flexibility with the shape of a property's façade, all while maintaining existing square-footage limits.

The proposal, which must go through the labyrinthine public review process, is one of the biggest shifts to zoning laws that govern the shape of buildings since 1987, when the code was last updated. The guiding idea is to give developers more flexibility on what their building will look like and what they can put in it, rather than literally forcing them into a box.

The problem that the city is hoping to resolve is that as construction methods have changed, zoning regulations have not kept pace. And it has become more difficult for architects and developers to squeeze all of the residential square footage they are allowed into a building’s shape, which is strictly governed by these laws. As a result, architects have been forced to shrink ceiling heights or excise entire floors from the designs. In many cases, developers end up building monolithic boxes to ensure everything fits.

And in situations where developers are given the option to build bigger if affordable apartments are included, the height restrictions have been too short to fit everything into the building, and have caused many to turn down the deal and build only market-rate.

The added height in many neighborhoods is sure to rankle anti-development groups across the city. In mid- to high-density areas, the additional allowance will usher in a generation of buildings up to 15 feet taller than previous limits.

What's more, in cases where developers are allowed to build bigger buildings in return for providing affordable or senior housing, the allowances could lead to as much as four stories of extra height in high-density neighborhoods.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

"And it has become more difficult for architects and developers to squeeze all of the residential square footage they are allowed into a building’s shape, which is strictly governed by these laws. As a result, architects have been forced to shrink ceiling heights"

What a f'ing crock. the problem is that pay too much for these sites and plan to build for a market that won't buy into the 8 ft ceilings that have been typical of post WW2 construction.

"the additional allowance will usher in a generation of buildings up to 15 feet taller than previous limits."

How innocent sounding. Take a one block walk with me to Madison or Park avenues, look south and you'll see what they really have in-mind.

Anonymous said...

Big Bird needs a big house.

Anonymous said...

Impeach DeBlasio. He's proven to be a one term failure from the get go! Get rid of him now before he really screws up NYC!

Anonymous said...

Good! Then he should rezone his Park Slope neighborhood for increased density. You say it's a historic district and they cannot? There ya go...he's protected and the rest of us get screwed.

Anonymous said...

The Bible's book of Genesis chapter 11, verse 4:
"Come, let us built a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven....."

Anonymous said...

DeBlasio's Vision:

http://www.midwinter.com/~koreth/russia/peter/apartments.jpg

Anonymous said...

I reject all the premises of this proposal, including the idea that New York City needs a higher population.

Anonymous said...

The subways will be packed like sardine cans...wait they already are.

Anonymous said...

If we just started deporting like we should be then maybe we can make more room in this damn city.

Anonymous said...

If we just started deporting like we should be then maybe we can make more room in this damn city.

Then who would the white lib racists be able to hire for nannies, cooks and other gofers? They would be forced to hire blacks. Which being racists is the last thing they want to do.

Anonymous said...

Impeach his Majesty Duhblaz?? But all you Bloomberg-cop haters voted him and Charlene, and Al Sharpton in, right? He's what you all wanted, right? How confusing.

Anonymous said...

Deporting, impeaching — hysterical!

Are you unaware of just how left-wing this city's government is?

The only moderates in the entire City Council are the three Republicans and apparently, Paul Vallone, and most posters here seem to hate him more than any communist.

Sorry, but if you want something that looks like America, you'll have to go elsewhere. You're simply outnumbered by the loons.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Impeach his Majesty Duhblaz?? But all you Bloomberg-cop haters voted him and Charlene, and Al Sharpton in, right? He's what you all wanted, right? How confusing.
--------------------------------------------------------

I think you're confused. I didn't support or vote for "Duhblaz". I think your head is stuck too far up your arse.

Hell Gate Kid said...

Take a one block walk with me to Madison or Park avenues, look south and you'll see what they really have in-mind.

Amazing who you meet here!

Anonymous said...

Kaiser Vilhelm De Blasio sez, "Acthtung! Mine kinder volk, ve needen to squeezin more people's in der city. Isht eine liberal ting to do. Mine a frau agrees vid me. She is der real fuehrer. I vas just following her orders".

Unknown said...

No the key is linoleum floors smaller apartments and 1 or 1 1/2 baths so much space is wasted by 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths..

People today dont have as much stuff as 10 years ago..

Parking can be solved by having some underground parking and then have a zip car location there and residents get 1/3-1/2 off and use the whole lot for the building.

Anonymous said...

I notice most morons that use zip cars have limited driving skills.

Anonymous said...

Hell Gate Kid said...

Amazing who you meet here!

----------------

Here is what I'm talking about:

http://architizer.com/blog/stalagmites-take-manhattan-the-unrecognizable-future-new-york-city/

Some of which is visible already.

Anonymous said...

Big Bird is clueless and belongs back in Cuba.