| Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

Oppose the Air Rights Transfer ULURP for the 3 St. Mark's Place Office Tower

Recipients

Council Council District 37
Councilmember Adrienne Adams
Councilmember Diana Ayala
Councilmember Inez Barron
Councilmember Margaret Chin
Councilmember Costa Constantinides
Councilmember Robert Cornegy Jr.
Councilmember Laurie Cumbo
Councilmember Rubin Diaz
Councilmember Daniel Dromm
Councilmember Chaim Duetsch
Councilmember Mathieu Eugene
Councilmember Mark Gjonaj
Councilmember Barry Grodenchik
Councilmember Marian Guerra
Councilmember Robert Holden
Speaker Corey Johnson
Councilmember Ben Kallos
Councilmember Andy King
Councilmember Peter Koo
Councilmember Karen Koslowitz
Department of City Planning Chair Marisa Lago
Councilmember Rory Lancman
Councilmember Brad Lander
Councilmember Stephen Levin
Councilmember Mark Levine
Councilmember Alan Maisel
Councilmember Carlos Menchaca
Councilmember I. Daneek Miller
Councilmember Francisco Moya
Councilmember Bill Perkins
Councilmember Antonio Reynoso
Councilmember Deborah Rose
Councilmember Helen Rosenthal
Councilmember Rafael Salamanca
Councilmember Alicka Ampry Samuel
Councilmember Ritchie Torres
Councilmember Mark Treyger
Councilmember Eric Uhlrich
Councilmember Paul Vallone
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Councilmember Kalman Yeger
Mayor Bill de Blasio

Message

I strongly urge you to oppose the ULURP for the air rights transfer from 4 St. Mark's Place for the office tower at 3 St. Mark's

Dear [Decision Maker],

I am very opposed to the ULURP application for an air rights transfer from 4 St. Mark's Place, which would make the planned office tower at 3 St. Mark's Place 20% larger. This is part of a trend on the part of the City to transform this part of the East Village and Greenwich Village into an extension of "Silicon Alley" and "Midtown South" by encouraging office tower development here. It is resulting in the demolition of low-rise, historic, residential buildings and their replacement with high-rise office towers. The approval of the 14th Street Tech Hub last year is accelerating this disturbing trend.

* Personalize your message

This proposed air rights transfer is not in the public interest, and would harm the character of the East Village neighborhood in which it is located.

The meager 5% of the proceeds from the sale of the air rights that would go towards maintenance of the landmarked house shows that this proposed transfer offers relatively little benefit to the public, and little true "preservation purpose." Instead, the purpose of the planned transfer seems largely to be to line the pockets of two developers. That landmarked house is in good condition and does not need an air rights transfer to fund its maintenance.

Most distressingly, the air rights transfer would increase the size of the planned office tower at 3 St. Mark's Place by 20%. An office tower does not belong on St. Mark's Place, and increasing the size of this out-of-character development by 20% only adds insult to injury. The City should instead extend real landmark and zoning protections to this area, but has consistently refused to do so.

I urge you not to approve this air rights transfer.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

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