Demand an End to Real Estate Loopholes in New York!

State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and State Senator Robert Jackson have introduced Bills A5026A/S3820A to set limits on mechanical space with the goal of avoiding scenarios like developer Extell’s 161-foot proposed void at 50 West 66th Street. If passed, this legislation will amend the Multiple Dwelling Law (MDL) to give a three-dimensional value to Floor Area Ratio (FAR), the means by which the number of occupiable floors are counted within NYC Zoning since 1961.

The plain language sets a standard floor to floor height at 12 feet for upper floors and 25 feet for street level floors (to accommodate truck loading bays).  Should a developer desire a higher ceiling height, they can still build it, but the height would now count against their allotted FAR.

The legislative session is set to resume in January 2020.  By signing on now, you are reminding legislators on the State Housing Committee of the bill’s importance and increasing awareness so this bill (likely to be assigned new numbers as of January 2020) can be calendared for a vote.  Save Central Park NYC has launched a petition to make sure this legislation is voted on in the 2020 session.  Please sign on to help this necessary legislation move forward.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION ON CHANGE.ORG  (Linked)

This legislation aims to ensure developers are building within the intention of the Multiple Dwelling Law by closing existing loopholes. It will impose restrictions on the size of allowable mechanical voids, set a ceiling height cap of 12 feet for a given floor’s area to only be counted once and ensures that balconies and terraces will be counted towards a building’s total floor area. Through this added specificity, communities across the state will be able to better control the scale of new development.

CALL & BE HEARD!

Brian Kavanagh, Chair, State Senate Housing Committee: 518-455-2625  Kavanagh@nysenate.gov

Steven Cymbrowitz, Chair, Assembly Housing Committee: 518-455-5214  CymbrowitzS@nyassembly.gov

Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Senate Majority Leader: 518-455-2585  SCousins@nysenate.gov

Carl Heastie, Speaker of the New York State Assembly: 518-455-3791  Speaker@nyassembly.gov

Sample Calling Script:

Hello. My name is ____ and I am calling about State Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and State Senator Robert Jackson’s Bills A5026A/S3820A. These bills are critical for protecting our community from outrageous development. Currently, a developer is attempting to construct the tallest building in our neighborhood by accounting for over 30% of its height with improperly deducted mechanical space. This mechanical void space is essentially the same as an empty 24-story building inside that building, serving no purpose except to steal light, block views, harm Central Park and help the exceedingly high condos sell for more money. These simple bills will give a three-dimensional value to Floor Area Ratio (FAR), the means by which the number of occupiable floors have been counted within NYC Zoning since 1961. Under these bills, standard floor-to-floor heights will be set at 12 feet for upper floors and 25 feet for street level floors for lobbies, deliveries and businesses. Owners who want to build their ceilings higher than this can do so, but the extra height would count against their allotted FAR. Can we count on you to co-sponsor these bills and do the right thing for New York? Thank you for your time.