On Wednesday April 21st, 2021 LANDMARK WEST! publicly released its proposal for a Zoning Map Change during a presentation to Manhattan Community Board 7’s Land Use Committee.

VIEW RECORDED PRESENTATION.  (Item Begins at 1:28:10) or examine the PRESENTATION SLIDES.

Our proposal involves extending the boundary of the existing Lincoln Square Special District (LSSD), as shown in the progression below. 

This special zoning district, whose full text may be found HERE was created in order to:

preserve and enhance the area surrounding Lincoln Center as an international center for the performing arts. In order to encourage desirable urban design, buildings along Broadway must be set at the street line although arcades are permitted. To attract a balanced cluster of activities, the district also regulates the types of street level uses and limits commercial development. Floor area bonuses are available by special permit from the City Planning Commission for developments that include subway improvements or affordable housing as set forth in the Inclusionary Housing R10 Program.

LANDMARK WEST! examined the history of the LSSD, its history and intent.  Conspicuously, block 1119 in Manhattan, largely occupied by the American Broadcasting Company’s Corporate Headquarters and studio buildings was omitted from the LSSD in order to give them flexibility in their operations.  Given their presence on the block from the nascent days of television starting as early as 1948, this was a reasonable zoning choice.  Now that the purpose for this decision (ABC) is vacating, we believe that the underlying zoning should conform to the immediate adjacent neighborhood, and not simply run with the land.  This is a proactive effort to reintegrate this block into the community.

Landmark West! engaged Zoning Expert George Janes after the sale of the 2.4 acres owned by ABC at their Manhattan corporate campus.  Exploring options, we were advised to pursue a Zoning Map Change.  In order to do this, LW! is responsible for applying to the City Planning Commission to consider extending the Lincoln Square Special District to incorporate the vacated campus.

Several lots in this campus are already protected from within the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District.

For the purposes of this application, these were considered existing and to remain as-is with the four other sites, all designed by Kohn Pederson Fox Architects, deemed fungible.

The image at left shows these fungible sites replaced with a series of four tower-on base constructions as a reasonable scenario “with action” if our proposal is adopted.

It is important to note that this is not a rendering nor intended to be an architectural representation but rather a massing study of what could be possible should the extension of the special district be adopted.

This tower-on-base scenario rises above an 85-foot tall, 8-story base to an ultimate bulkhead height of 421′ but rises 33 livable stories which set the main height of the occupiable volume at 381-feet tall.  For reference, this is akin to the Mormon Church tower, 22 West 66th Street or 10 West 66th Street due south.

Pursuing this scenario yields significant construction, but would still buffer the landmark blocks of the Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District from the more mixed use Lincoln Square neighborhood.

What does this mean?  Likely more neighbors, and more contextual buildings than if we take no action.

The existing underlying zoning of the site is for standard towers.  Modelling our scenario after typical recent residential constructions in standard tower districts, George Janes & Associates created a potential scenario of what could be built as-of-right with no special permit nor community involvement.

The 75’x90′ floor plates mimic similar towers recently completed or under construction such as 111 West 57th Street and 432 Park Avenue, and envision full floor, 360-degree views for each unit.  The two tower scheme will allow for oblique views of the park from both towers.

Envisioned in two phases, the “east” tower would cap out at the engineering limits of construction and elevator technology rising over 1600-feet with 14-foot standard floor to floor heights, and the “west” tower would cap out at over 1200-feet tall, with the same 14-foot standard floor to floor heights.  For reference, the tallest building currently constructed on the Upper West Side (as of April 2021) is 200 Amsterdam Avenue capped at 668-feet tall.  This would mean each tower could be nearly twice as tall.

In the diagram, yellow represents residential floors, and gray are presumed mechanical floors.  These are represented as 25′ voids which complies with the current zoned limit but repeats them at 20-floor intervals.  Should a developer wish, these could repeat every 75-feet of occupiable space, or with 14-foot tall floors, every 5-6 floors rather than every 20.

As with the earlier “with action” scenario above, this is our “Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario” (RWCDS) without action.  Again, it is important to note that this is not a rendering nor intended to be an architectural representation but rather a massing study of what could be possible should no extension of the special district be adopted.

In both scenarios the developer retains all available Floor Area Ratio and does not loose a square inch of development potential.  This action would only further direct the form of the building complying with similar neighborhood tower-on-base buildings such as 1965 Broadway (The Raymour & Flanigan/Pottery Barn building) or 1930 Broadway (The Bed, Bath & Beyond/Lululemon building).  These scenarios require a specific percentage of floor area be realized below a height of 150-feet.  This action still DOES NOT set a height limit.