Moments ago, the full City Council voted unanimously to approve the land use application for the Seward Park redevelopment site. It was a moment the Lower East Side community had been waiting for for 45 years. Speaker Christine Quinn praised Council member Margaret Chin for “driving a hard bargain” and pushing the plan through. Numerous community leaders were in Council chambers for the momentous vote, including at least one former site tenant. The plan calls for creating 1000 apartments, half if them affordable, plus commercial spaces and possibly a new public market. City officials will brief Community Board 3 regarding next steps next week. The mayor has five days to sign off on the plan. The city hopes to issue a request for proposals from developers in January. More to come…
I’m assuming they’re planning a handicapped accessible bridge over Delancey to the new Essex Street Market. And that the MTA is planning elevators from the street to the trains, with the addition of four thousand residents.