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Land Use, Housing & Zoning
1633 Broadway Tower, L.P. - application for a second modification of a previously approved special permit that granted an increase in the permitted FAR in exchange for two new theaters pursuant to former ZR Section 81-06
WHEREAS, 1633 Broadway, also known as The Paramount Building, is a 48-story commercial tower containing two legitimate theaters (The Gershwin and Circle In The Square), and a privately-owned public space, constructed pursuant to a special permit approved in 1968 that permitted an increase in the permitted floor area from 15.0 to 20.8 due to the provision of the two legitimate theaters; and
WHEREAS, One of the conditions of the 1968 special permit was that the site include certain non-bonused pedestrian and vehicular circulation improvements, a through-block arcade/driveway at the theater entrances, widened sidewalks along both West 50th and West 51st Streets, and a non-bonused open space of approximately 16,694 square feet along Broadway that serves as primary access to the building, houses retail facilities, and provides direct access to the 50th Street subway station; and
WHEREAS, The open space on Broadway was constructed to include two below-grade public spaces, accessible from the street by stairways; the southern one including entrances to the subway and an Equinox Fitness Center, and the northern space having a currently unoccupied retail space; and
WHEREAS, In 1990 the City Planning Commission approved a minor modification to the special permit that permitted the addition of a flagpole and addition seating in the non-bonused open space; and
WHEREAS, The property owner now wishes to modify the special permit again to allow the decking over of the northern below grade space to create an at-grade open space as well as a glass entry pavilion to new retail space below in order to make the retail space more economically viable, improve the quality and utility of the public area, and bring the street wall more in line with the current zoning standards; and
WHEREAS, In addition to reconfiguring the northern space so to make it more accessible for public use and improve pedestrian circulation, the owner will increase seating from the current 370 linear feet to 506 linear feet, a 37% increase; increase planting and landscaping from the current 1,472 square feet to 1,638 square feet; an 11% increase; improve lighting; and add POP signage, all of which will meet or exceed the current standards for public plazas; and therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application CPC Application No. M890860(A) ZSM by PGREF/1633 Broadway Tower, L.P. for a second modification of a previously approved special permit that granted a modification of height and setback regulations pursuant to former ZR Section 74-72 and an increase in the permitted FAR in exchange for two new theaters pursuant to former ZR Section 81-06 .
The above resolution passed by a vote of 39 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstaining.