2008 rezoning, still misunderstood

Fifteen years after implementation, the 2008 East Village-Lower East Side Rezoning is still misunderstood. Apparently, no one reads the actual texts of rezonings or maybe the relevant parties don't want to admit to what the Department of City Planning dealt them. 

Simply stated, the EV was upzoned, not downzoned. And a large swath of the LES was downzoned, except the wide streets (Houston, Delancey, Chrystie) which were upzoned. 

Big picture: EV upzoned, LES downzoned. 

Prior to the rezoning, the EV had a very restrictive zoning allowance. The only means of

A footnote to the History below of LESA and CWG

 A footnote on my role in CWG.

Why I attend CWG

I attended CWG meetings for two reasons: 1) because

The history of the Lower East Side Alliance, the EV/LES rezoning and the Chinatown Working Group, in 34 posts. Post 1: the origins

 A history of the Lower East Side Alliance, the EV/LES rezoning, the CWG and BAN

Post 2: The encounter with the Community Board District Manager

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

At our meeting, Shelly explained in brief our concern: What could the CB do to curtail the spread of nightlife? Bars tend to have a high cash flow which means

Post 3: The formation of the Lower East Side Alliance and the town hall on bar proliferation

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Another resource emerged quickly at

Post 4: A movement begins and succeeds

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

In the audience was a Bleeker Street resident and local activist Zephyr (I've altered her name)

Post 5: A lesson on legislation and how ignorance rules

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

One of the means by which the new commissioner increased the flow of bars was a piece of legislation he drafted

Post 6: The end of LESA

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The dissolution of the LESA

Post 7: Lessons for activists from the history of LESA

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

If there is a problem that immediately impacts a local demographic, it’s possible, even easy, to bring people together

Post 8: The rezoning of the East Village and Lower East Side: the background

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The background of the EV/LES rezoning was far more complex than the formation of the LESA,

Post 9: The new CB chair, the EVCC, and the Task Force

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The new CB chair, David (the multiple bar owner) took a different, practical approach to rezoning.

Post 10: Reality overtakes anticipation: the zoning as it really was

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

It should not have been surprising at all, and that it was a surprise indicates just how narrow local interests are and how uninformed.

Post 11: The origin of this blog, Save the Lower East Side

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Early in the process, when the Task Force had formulated its principles, I asked David, the chair,

Post 12: DCP's first town hall and its consequences, AAFE's support for upzoning in Chinatown

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

At the town hall, a variety of concerns were voiced. Present was

Post 13: Political alliances in Community District 3

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Policy-making in Community District 3 cannot be understood without knowing the close political alliances within it. At the heart of CD3 is

Post 14: Anti-gentrificationist vs affordable housing non profits and the city's strategy that divides them

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Housing activism divides between anti-displacement, the attempt to keep residents in their affordable homes, and affordable housing creation that provides new homes for those who cannot afford housing the market offers. Displacement is

Post 15: Astroturf: LESCAZ

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

 The CB chair shielded himself from criticism with the claim that

Poat 16: A digression: the alternative to our current dysfunctional model of affordable housing

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history. 

There are models of affordable housing that do work -- and are working -- in places like

Post 17: Enter Chinese Staff and Workers Association

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

After DCP had presented its plan

Post 18: An angry hearing

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

A rezoning process must go through the city's Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP), which

Post 19: The origin of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The other community excluded from the rezoning was the Bowery. Maria, the long-time resident

Post 20: The Chinatown Working Group's first formation

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

I was not present at the first mention and coining of the name "Chinatown Working Group". For the history of that first discussion

Post 21: CWG initial success and troubles

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Jay (I've altered the name), the CWG co-chair and meeting moderator, was neither Chinese nor a member of the Chinatown community,

Post 22: The second formation of the Chinatown Working Group

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

When the smoke cleared from Jay's decision and the angry response it met,

Post 23: The CWG first public town hall and the Coalition

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Prior to the restructuring, the CWG arranged a town hall meeting in P.S.124. The event was poorly planned

Post 24: The property owners, false worries

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

 Late in the process, after the first restructuring of CWG, local property owners joined CWG. They were concerned initially that

Post 25: Pratt hired, reports, Victor pushes forward, property owners defect, CAAAV proposes options

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

After restructuring, the CWG set about the task of hiring a consultant.

Post 26: Submission to CB's 1, 2 and 3, the crippling quorum

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The CAPZ committee considered and voted on the Pratt options one by one,

Post 27: Dysfunction and a warning

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Once all the options had been transmitted to the community boards, it was the task of CWG, according to the plan that Jay had set out for us seven years prior, to press our plan forward with action. Instead, CWG handed the future of the plan to the CB's, especially CB3 which covers the lions' share of Chinatown and all of the LES areas in the CWG plan. 

Post 29: Continued dysfunction and collapse

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Having completed a plan, Victor and Maurice

Post 30: Coalition's meeting with DCP

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Whether the CWG members were exhausted by the internal divisions described in the last post or

Post 31: Revitalization, second restructuring and the role of CB3 and its chair

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Margaret Fung, whom I cannot praise enough for her work, emailed me some six months or so after the CWG meeting pause,

Post 32: The Towers

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

Three meetings before the pause, when Victor and Maurice were resigning and CWG was finishing up its work on the plan itself, Travis (I've altered the name) began attending. He'd wait

Post 33: All or nothing at all

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

The waterfront towers presented a wedge issue for the essential CWG program.

Post 34: Where we are now and persistent misconceptions

As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.

A rezoning takes a long time, as does a law suit. During the wait,

Highbar installation

Posted for the benefit of the City Parks and Recreation Department. View it after the jump.

A new calisthenics park for the East River Park?

Also for the benefit of the City Department of Parks and Recreation.

AltBank at Left Forum 2017

Left Forum panel 2016