Open Space Oversight Organization

NYU has filed for 501c3 status for the organization that will direct the future of the open spaces in the two superblocks bounded by West Third, Mercer, Houston, and La Guardia Place: the Open Space Oversight Organization or OSOO. The nominating members of the OSOO have appointed the following representatives:

• Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has nominated Lin Zeng, Deputy Director of Land Use, Planning & Development, to serve as his office’s representative.
  
• Council Member Margaret Chin has nominated Matthew Viggiano, Director of Land Use & Planning, to serve as her office’s representative.
  
• Community Board 2 and Chair David Gruber have nominated Terri Cude, CB2 Arts & Institutions Committee Chair, to serve as the Board’s representative.
  
• New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation has nominated William Castro, Manhattan Borough Commissioner, to serve as the department’s representative.
  
• NYU has nominated Arthur Tannenbaum, faculty and senate member, to serve as the University’s representative. 

The official announcement can be read at http://caan2031.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/OSOOappointments.pdf or at http://www.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu/govCommunAffairs/documents/superblocks/2013-01-10-OSOO-Appointments-Memo-Web.pdf.

(HT: CAAN 2031)

Contact Information for Elected & Appointed Officials

New Resources:

Contact Information for City Council 

Contact Information for Mayor's Office, BPs, and State & Fed Elected Officials 

TOMORROW: City Planning Commission Hearing on NYU 2031

NYU Expansion on North and South blocks (in gray) courtesy of GVSHP (source)

The New York City Planning Commission will hold ITS ONLY PUBLIC HEARING on the NYU Expansion Plan TOMORROW Wednesday, April 25th at 10 a.m. at the National Museum of the American Indian at 1 Bowling Green. More information is available at http://www.gvshp.org/_gvshp/preservation/nyu/nyu-04-09-12.htm.

Borough President Stringer Issues Conditional Approval for NYU 2031lan

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer released his conditional approval for NYU 2031 this morning.  According to a press release, "Stringer secured major commitments to and mitigations for the project, which include a significant overall density reduction; designation and preservation of public-strips as parkland; elimination of a temporary gymnasium on the site of two community playgrounds;

April 10: NYU Downsizes Expansion Plans

WNYC reported that NYU agreed to modify the size of its proposed expansion plan.  Read the coverage at http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2012/apr/10/nyu-downsizes-expansion-plans/.

The New York Times also reported that NYU has "agreed to reduce the scale of its plans for four tall buildings in Greenwich Village by almost a fifth."  Read the entire article at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/nyregion/nyu-to-scale-back-expansion-plans-in-village.html?ref=nyregion.  

Video: Vote NO on NYU 2031 City Hall Press Conference

The "Vote NO on NYU 2031" City Hall Press Conference held on March 22, 2012 is available on the GVSHP YouTube channel in two parts:

City Hall Press Conference - March 22, 2012 - Part One

Stringer Press Conference March 22, 2012 Part Two

GVSHP also recorded the Town Hall meeting held on January 4, 2012.  Those videos and more can be viewed on the GVSHP channel.

Rally + Press Conference: BP Stringer Vote 'NO' on the NYU Expansion Plan

On Thursday, March 22 at 12 noon on the steps of City Hall, join the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), community and preservation groups, NYU faculty and students, and tenants of the North and South Blocks for a Rally and Press Conference to Request from Borough President Stringer a Public Hearing and a Vote "No" on NYU's Expansion Plan. 

Learn more at the GVSHP website. To help, the GVSHP recommends the following actions:

Template for Letter to Scott Stringer

Dear Neighbor:

By now you’re probably aware that NYU is planning to turn your backyard—and all of Greenwich Village—into a massive construction site.

What this means for all of us: 18 years of dust, smoke, cranes, debris, late-night and early-morning truck deliveries, and jackhammers. The university’s 2031 plan will also destroy public parks, playgrounds, dog runs, beloved community gardens, and our local grocery store.

It’s not too late to stop this awful plan. But we need your help. Please take a moment to write a letter and mail it to Borough President Scott Stringer. We’ve included a sample letter to give you some ideas, but please make it your own.

Every letter counts: Stringer wants to be mayor. If we ALL just take a moment of our time, we can save our homes and neighborhood for the next 18 years.

Thank you!

A template has been included below -- please feel free to write your own reasons for wanting to save our neighborhood (“I want a safe playground for my children,” or “I like trees and birds”).  Also, you can download the letter template here.

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Media Coverage of NYU 2031-related Events

Community Board 2 hosted a round of hearings in February on NYU 2031 and the board unanimously voted against the NYU 2031 ULURP Applications on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. The community board's rejection of the plan was covered The Epoch Times, Washington Square News, NY1, Fox 5 News, Globe St.com, The Local East Village  (NYU Journalism Institute + NY Times), and The New School Free Press.

NYU President John Sexton led a Town Hall Meeting for NYU students on Feb. 28, 2012 and that meeting was covered here (Capital New York).

The next step is a vote from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Mr. Stringer will begin deliberating the NYU plan on March 11th and must vote by April 11th (he will submit his recommendation to the City Planning Commission). Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, NYU Graduate Workers Union, Downtown Independent Democrats, and Chelsea Council of Block Associations have asked Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to schedule a public hearing during his deliberation period. This request was reported on by The Local East Village.

For previous media coverage of the NYU 2031 ULURP see Press Coverage of Jan. 2012 CB2 Hearings on NYU 2031 and Press Coverage of the Jan. 4, 2012 Community United Town Hall.  If we have omitted any coverage, please let us know by leaving a comment.

ULURP Timeline for NYU 2031

NYU 2031 ULURP Timeline courtesy of Assemblymember Deborah Glick

Assemblymember Deborah Glick's office has prepared a ULURP timeline for the NYU plan.  The first official step in the ULURP occurred on February 23rd with the (unanimous NO vote) of Community Board 2.  The next step is a vote from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.  Mr. Stringer will begin deliberating the NYU plan on March 11th and must vote by April 11th (he will submit his recommendation to the City Planning Commission).

CB2 Denies NYU Core Project ULURP Applications

On Thursday, February 23rd, Community Board 2 of Manhattan unanimously voted "No" on the NYU Core Project ULURP Applications.  Thank you CB2!  Here is an excerpt from the CB2 Resolution:

CB2, after extensive review and discussions with stakeholders throughout the area, strongly opposes the NYU 2031 Plan. Its effects would forever change the character of this historic neighborhood, dramatically increase built-upon land at the expense of the light, air and recreation opportunities of existing open space, convert city-owned land to largely private use even if access is permitted, imperil affordable housing stock, significantly reduce residents’ quality of life, have adverse effects on local infrastructure and subject residents to decades of construction and its effects.