January 22, 2003

Statement of the Historic Districts Council
City Planning Commission Hearing on the rezoning of the South Street Seaport area
Manhattan

The Historic Districts Council is the advocate for New York’s designated historic districts and neighborhoods meriting preservation. We are speaking today out of concern for the future of the South Street Seaport Historic District.

This historic district presents one of the most flagrant examples of the problems that occur when zoning is incompatible with the built environment that designation as an historic district is supposed to protect. The zoning of this area dates from 1961, sixteen years before the designation of the historic district. Ideally, at the time of designation, the zoning would have been adjusted to correspond to the historic district designation.

When the zoning does not correspond, the Landmarks Preservation Commission is put into the uncomfortable position of trying to approve as "appropriate," buildings that may be egregiously out of scale with the historic district at the same time they are "as of right" in terms of zoning. The re-zoning of the South Street Seaport as proposed by the community would correct the discrepancy between the built environment and what would be permitted by zoning.

Community Board 1 and the Seaport Community Coalition have requested a reasonable zoning change, from C6-4, 10 FAR to C6-2A, to contextual zoning of 6 or 6.5 FAR with a 120’ height cap, 24’ higher than the tallest existing building in the historic district. It has been demonstrated that a building of this size would yield a fair return. The proposed rezoning would permit appropriate development that would nevertheless maintain the scale and character of the historic district.

South Street Seaport is one of the oldest parts of New York City. Part of the charm of South Street Seaport and its value as an historic resource lies in the contrast between the low scale of the district, dating from its earliest development, and the skyscrapers that surround it. Tall buildings within the district would blur the differences between the district and its surroundings. In order for the area to thrive as an appealing destination for both the cultural tourist and those who want to live in an historic district its distinctive character should be reinforced, not diluted. One of the best ways to continue to enhance the economic success of the South Street Seaport Historic District as well as a to preserve its historic significance is to ensure that new construction does not overwhelm and overshadow (literally) the historic resources. Once an appropriate scale has been established by reasonable zoning, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, with public review, can judge the appropriateness of a proposed design much more effectively than it can when the scale is clearly wrong.

No one argues that housing is necessary and important and that the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan is a high priority for the City. Zoning of C6-2A does not preclude development, but would help to ensure that development would be an appropriate enhancement to the historic district, while providing a reasonable return for the developer. Large-scale housing is appropriate in many areas of Manhattan, but not in its relatively few low-rise, low-scale historic districts. Just as every use is not appropriate in every neighborhood, neither is every scale, nor every kind of development. South Street Seaport has long needed the contextual zoning that is being heard today. The Historic Districts Council strongly supports the request of Community Board 1 and the Seaport Coalition to rezone ten blocks of the South Street Seaport to the contextual category of C6-2A.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important issue.

 

 

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