520 w 41st street
DESCRIPTION
Draft scope work for what will be tallest residential building in ManhattanTRANSCRIPT
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520 West 41stStreeDRAFT SCOPE OF WORKfor anENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
CEQR No. 14DCP192M
Lead Agency:NYC Department of City Planning
Prepared by:Philip Habib Associates
June 27, 2014
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1
520West41stStreet
DRAFTSCOPEOFWORKFOR
ANENVIRONMENTALIMPACTSTATEMENT
CEQRNO.14DCP192M
June27,2014
A. INTRODUCTION
Thisscopeofworkoutlinesthetechnicalareastobeanalyzed inthepreparationofanEnvironmental
ImpactStatement (EIS) for the520West41stStreetdevelopment.SilversteinDevelopmentCorp. (the
applicant) is requesting a zoning text amendment to facilitate a proposal to redevelop an
approximately2acre
site
in
Manhattan
Community
District
4.
The
site
is
generally
bounded
by
Eleventh
Avenuetothewest,West41stStreettothenorth,CardinalStepinacPlace(LincolnTunnelApproach)to
theeast,andWest40thStreettothesouth(seeFigure1),andcomprisesBlock1069,Lot1(theproject
site).Theproposedactionwouldfacilitatethedevelopmentofanapproximately1,100foottallmixed
useresidentialandcommercialbuildingontheprojectsite,withuptoapproximately1,400residential
units, approximately 300,000 gross square feet (gsf) of retail, and approximately 175,000 gsf of
commercial space that would be occupied by up to 175 corporate apartments (Use Group 5) (the
proposed project), for a total of approximately 1.7 million gsf of development. In addition, the
proposedprojectmayincludea200spaceaccessoryparkinggaragelocatedbelowgradeandacovered
publiclyaccessibleopenspace,orplaza,alongWest41stStreet.
This
document
provides
a
description
of
the
proposed
project,
and
includes
task
categories
for
all
technicalareastobeanalyzedintheEIS.
B. REQUIREDAPPROVALSANDREVIEWPROCEDURES
TheapplicantisrequestingazoningtextamendmenttocreateanewsubareawithintheSpecialHudson
YardsDistrict(SHYD)thatwouldallowmoreoftheoverallpermittedfloorareaontheprojectsitetobe
allocated to residential use (froma maximum residentialFloorArea Ratio (FAR)of6 FAR ascurrently
permittedto12FAR),withnoincreaseinthemaximumtotalFARof20permittedbycurrentzoning.The
proposed new subarea (Subarea A6 of the LargeScale Plan Subdistrict A), as shown Figure 2, would
encompass the project site only, due to the sites unique characteristics (discussed below). All other
sitesin
the
SHYD,
including
the
office
development
sites
to
the
south,
would
be
unaffected
and
would
remainsubjecttoexistingzoningregulations.TheproposedzoningtextamendmentwouldaffectZoning
ResolutionSection9321:FloorAreaRegulations intheLargeScalePlanSubdistrictA.Theapplicant
also intends to seek in the future (prior to obtaining building permits) two CPC Chairpersons
certifications,onepursuanttoZRSection9331toincreasetheFARpermittedontheprojectsitefroma
basicmaximumFARof10to17throughacontributiontotheDistrictImprovementBonusandasecond
pursuant to ZR 9382 to allow up to 200 accessory parking spaces on the site. The CPC Chairperson
certificationsareministerialinnatureandnotsubjecttoCEQR.Theproposedzoningtextamendmentis
adiscretionaryactionsubjecttoCEQRreview.
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520 West 41st Street
11
AV
10
AV
W
41
ST
W
40
ST
W42ST
W
39
ST
W43ST
W
38ST
ST
CARDINAL
STE
PINAC
PL
LINCOLNTNLAP
L
TUNNELINCOLN
711
710
1071
1070
1069
1089
1088
685
680
1072
737709
1090
0 100 200 300 400
Feet
JAVITS
CENTER
NYCT/MTA
MICHAELJ.QUILL
BUSDEPOT
SILVER
TOWERS
THE
VICTORY
STS. CYRIL
& METHODUS
& ST. RAPHAELS
CATHOLIC
CHURCH
FEDEX
FEDEX
CON
EDISON
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520 West 41st Street Figur
Appendix A to Special Hudson Yards District: Ma
Existing Subdistricts and Subareas and Proposed New Subarea
LEGEND
EXISTING
PROPOSED
A
Project Site
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520West41stStreet DraftScopeofWorkforanEIS
2
CityEnvironmentalQualityReview(CEQR)andScoping
TheproposedprojectrequiresenvironmentalreviewpursuanttoCEQRprocedures.AnEnvironmental
AssessmentStatement (EAS)wascompletedonJune27,2014.TheNewYorkCityDepartmentofCity
Planning(NYCDCP),actingasleadagencyonbehalfoftheCityPlanningCommission(CPC),determined
that
the
proposed
project
may
potentially
result
in
significant
adverse
environmental
impacts,
thus
requiringthatanEISbeprepared.
TheCEQRscopingprocess is intended to focus theEISon those issuesthataremostpertinent tothe
proposedproject.Theprocessalsoallowsotheragenciesandthepublicavoiceinframingthescopeof
the EIS. This scoping document sets forth the analyses and methodologies which will be utilized to
preparetheEIS.Duringtheperiodforscoping,thoseinterestedinreviewingtheDraftScopemaydoso
and give their comments to the lead agency. The public, interested agencies, Manhattan Community
Board4,andelectedofficialsareinvitedtocommentontheDraftScope,eitherinwritingororally,ata
public scoping session to be held on Thursday July 31, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the New York City
Department of City Planning, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York, 10007. Comments
received during the public scoping session, and written comments received up to 10 days after the
session(until
5:00
P.M.
on
August
11,
2014),
will
be
considered
and
incorporated
as
appropriate
into
a
finalscopeofwork.TheleadagencywilloverseepreparationofaFinalScopeofWork,whichwillrevise
the extent or methodologies of the studies, as appropriate, in response to comments made during
scoping.ThedraftEIS(DEIS)willbepreparedinaccordancewiththeFinalScopeofWorkforanEIS.
Once the lead agency is satisfied that the DEIS is complete, the document will be made available for
publicreviewandcomment. It isanticipatedthattheDEISwillaccompanythe landuseapplicationfor
thezoningtextamendment.PublicationoftheDEISandissuanceoftheNoticeofCompletionsignalthe
start of the public review period. During this time the public may review and comment on the DEIS,
either in writing and/or at a public hearing that is convened for the purpose of receiving such
comments.ApublichearingwillbeheldontheDEIStoaffordall interestedpartiestheopportunityto
submit
oral
and
written
comments.
The
record
will
remain
open
for
10
days
after
the
public
hearing
to
allow additional written comments on the DEIS. At the close of the public review period, a Final EIS
(FEIS)willbepreparedthatwillincorporateallsubstantivecommentsmadeontheDEIS,alongwithany
revisionstothetechnicalanalysisnecessarytorespondtothosecomments.TheFEISwillthenbeused
bythedecisionmakerstoevaluateproject impactsandproposedmitigationmeasuresbeforedeciding
whethertoapprove,modifyordisapprovetherequesteddiscretionaryactions.
C. DESCRIPTIONOFPROPOSEDPROJECT
BackgroundSpecialHudsonYardsDistrict
In January 2005, the City Council approved a set of actions to facilitate the transformation of an
underutilized area on the far west sideof Manhattan into a densemixeduse district to be known as
HudsonYardsthatwouldbeaccessedbyanextensionoftheNo.7subwayline.Theplanrezonedlow
densitymanufacturingdistrictstohighdensitycommercialandresidentialdistricts.Itestablishedanew
specialzoningdistrictwithdetaileduseandbulkcontrolstoaccommodatelargeClassAofficebuildings
along an Lshaped corridor running west from Pennsylvania Station and then north on the blocks
betweenTenthandEleventhAvenues.TheremainderoftheHudsonYardsarealocatedfurtherfromthe
extension of the No. 7 subway line was rezoned to facilitate predominantly residential highdensity
development.TheHudsonYardsplanwasmodified in2008andagain in2009toaddressanumberof
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3
issuesthatwereraisedduringtheinitialimplementationoftheplan.In2010,theplanwasmodifiedfor
athirdtimetoeliminatetherequirementforoffstreetparkingandtosignificantlylimittheamountof
newparkingthatcanbeprovidedinthearea.Thisuniqueparkingregulationwascraftedasaresponse
totheStipulationandOrderofSettlementinHellsKitchenNeighborhoodAssociationv.Bloomberg.1
The final generic environmental impact statement for the No. 7 Subway extension and Hudson Yards
rezoningand
development
prepared
in
2004
(the
HY
FGEIS)
assessed
environmental
conditions
in
the
Hudson Yards area with the extension of the No. 7 subway line and the proposed Hudson Yards
rezoning.AtthetimetheHYFGEISwasprepared,itwasassumedthatthethenproposedextensionof
theNo.7subway line into theareawould include twonewsubwaystations:an IntermediateStation
beneathWest41stStreetandTenthAvenueandaTerminalStationbetweenWest34thStreet/West33rd
Street and Eleventh Avenue. The HY FGEIS projected a likely 30year (i.e., 2035) time frame for the
developmentgeneratedbythesubwaylineextensionandrezoning,butstatedthatitwoulduse2025as
theanalysisyear forpurposesof the technicalanalysis ofenvironmental impacts,as a conservative
measure.TheHYFGEISanalyzedtensofmillionsofgrosssquarefeetofnewcommercialdevelopmentin
the area and thousands of new residential units at dozens of redevelopment locations that were
identified as likely to be redeveloped as a result of the subway line extension and rezoning. The HY
FGEISidentified
520
West
41st
Street
(the
project
site)
as
one
of
these
projected
re
development
sites;
it
is labeled as Projected Development Site 46 in HY FGEIS Appendix A.2b. This appendix, which sets
forth RWCDS Summary Tables, assumed that the Hudson Yards rezoning could result in the
constructionofalargeofficebuildingatthesite,comprisingapproximately1.7millionsfofofficefloor
areaand25,000sfofretailfloorarea.
ItisapparentfromthetextoftheHYFGEISthatthisreasonableworstcasedevelopmentscenariofor
520West41stStreetwasbaseduponitsproximitytothethenplannedIntermediateStationfortheNo.
7subway lineat41stStreetandTenthAvenue.SeeHYFGEIS,p.23 (Newofficedevelopmentwould
alsobe locatedwithinexistingcommercialneighborhoods,wheretherearebothexistingandplanned
publictransportation infrastructure,andsufficiently largedevelopmentsites.Theseareas includesites
near
the
planned
location
of
a
new
intermediate
subway
station
for
the
No.
7
Subway
Extension
at
Tenth Avenue and West 41st Street.). After publication of the HY FGEIS, the plan to build the
IntermediateStationwasputonholdbytheMetropolitanTransportationAuthority (MTA) indefinitely
duetolackoffunding.
TheSpecialHudsonYardsDistrictmandatesavarietyofuse,bulk,andurbandesigncontrolsapplicable
tosixsubdistricts(theapplicantsprojectsiteislocatedwithinSubareaA5ofLargeScalePlanSubdistrict
A).Incertainzoningdistricts,themaximumfloorarearatiosoftheunderlyingdistrictsmaybeincreased
througha District Improvement Bonusmechanism (alone or in tandem with the Inclusionary Housing
designatedareasprogram) thatwouldsupport financingofspecificcapital improvements in thearea.
TransfersoffloorareafromtheEasternRailYardsarealsopermittedfortheprojectsiteundercertain
conditions. Mandated improvements include retail use on major corridors, street wall continuity,
pedestrian
circulation
space,
plantings,
subway
entrance
easements,
and
screened
or
belowgrade
parking.Asreferencedabove,thedistrictalsohasuniqueoffstreetparkingregulationsasaresultofthe
StipulationandOrderofSettlement inHellsKitchenNeighborhoodAssociationv.Bloomberg,withthe
exceptionofSubdistrictF, inwhichtheprovisionsofArticle I,Chapter3oftheNYCZoningResolution
apply(ComprehensiveOffStreetParkingandLoadingRegulationsintheManhattanCore).Theparking
regulationslimitthetotalamountofparkingthatcanbeconstructedinthedistrictasitisdeveloped.
1StipulationandOrderofSettlementinHellsKitchenNeighborhoodAssociation,etal.v.Bloomberg,etal.,Case
1:05cv04806SHS(U.S.D.C.S.D.N.Y.).
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ExistingConditions
ProjectSite
TheprojectsiteconsistsofBlock1069,Lot1,whichiscontrolledbytheapplicant.Thesiteisboundedby
Eleventh
Avenue
to
the
west,
West
41
st
Street
to
the
north,
Cardinal
Stepinac
Place
(Lincoln
Tunnel
Approach)totheeast,andWest40thStreettothesouth(seeFigure1).Theprojectsitehasalotareaof
approximately 91,856 sf, and is currently occupied by a one to threestory commercial building that
formerlyaccommodatedanautodealership,butiscurrentlyvacant.Theexistingbuildinghasafootprint
ofapproximately62,212sf,anestimated162,300sfofbuiltfloorarea,andthesitehasabuiltFARof
approximately1.77.Theremainderoftheprojectsite isapavedparking lot.Theprojectsitehasbeen
accepted into the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Brownfield
Cleanup Program (BCP), and all cleanup and remedial activities on the site are expected to be
completed,withorwithouttheproposedaction,asearlyas2015andwellbefore2020.
The project site that would be affected by the proposed zoning text amendment is located on the
northwesternedge of the established HudsonYards SpecialDistrict,within SubareaA5ofLargeScale
PlanSubdistrict
A
(see
Figure
2above).
The
project
site
is
located
in
aC6
4district
within
the
Special
HudsonYardsDistrict,whichallows10.0FARasofrightandupto20.0FARviatheDistrictImprovement
Bonus(8.0FAR)andtransferofdevelopmentrights(TDRs)fromtheEasternRailYards(2.0FAR).
SurroundingAreaandContext
Theareawithinaradiusofapproximately400feetoftheprojectsiteaccommodatesavarietyof land
uses, including residential, commercial, mixeduse, industrial/manufacturing, transportation/utility,
public facilities and institutions, parking facilities, and vacant land. Much of the area in the northern
portionof the400foot radius hasbeen redeveloped with tall, new residentialbuildingswith ground
floor retail (refer to aerial photo in Figure 3). Examples include the twin 60story Silver Towers
(approximately
653
feet
tall)
to
the
northwest
of
the
project
site,
located
on
Eleventh
Avenue
between
West 41st and West 42nd Streets, and the Victory, a 45story (approximately 462 feet tall) residential
building northeast of the project site, located on the corner of Tenth Avenue and West 41st Street.
Additionally,anapproximately60storyresidential tower is intheprocessofbeingconstructedtothe
east of the project site on Tenth Avenue between West 40th and West 41st Streets and another
approximately 60story residential tower is being constructed to the northwest of the project site on
Eleventh Avenue and West 42nd Street. The only known open space resource within an approximate
400footradiusoftheprojectsiteisRiverPlacePlaza,aquarteracrefacilitythatisprivatelycontrolled
and maintained but is open to the public, which is located along West 41st and west 42nd streets
betweenEleventhAvenueandtheWestSideHighway.Thatopenspace includesadogrun,childrens
playarea,afountain,tables,chairs,openlawns,andtrees.
In
addition
to
the
Victory,
the
eastern
portion
of
the
block
immediately
north
of
the
project
site
accommodateslowrisemixeduseandcommercialbuildingsaswellasthefourstoryNYPDManhattan
SouthTaskForcebuilding.Thewesternportionoftheblockincludestransportation/utilitybuildingsand
parkingfacilities,similartothemakeupofblockswestandsouthoftheprojectsite, includingaFedEx
ShipCenterandaccessoryparking lots,andaConEdisonelectricalsubstation facility. Immediately to
theeastoftheConEdisonfacilityisthe101roomOUTNYChotel,afourstoryurbanresortwithaspa,
restaurant,andnightclub,whichwascompletedin2012.TotheeastoftheprojectsiteacrossCardinal
StepinacPlace (LincolnTunnelApproach) istheSaintsCyril&MethodiusandSaintRaphaelsCroatian
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520 West 41st Street
Aerial view looking northwest
West41stStreet
West40thStreet
Eleve
nth
Ave
nue
West42ndStreet
Tenth
AvenueC
ardinalS
tepina
cPl
ace
West39thStreet
Project Site
Silver Towers
Saints Cyril&
Raphaels Cr
Michael J. Quill Bus Depot Con Edison Transfer Station
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5
CatholicChurch,whichiseligiblefordesignationasaNewYorkCityLandmark(NYCL)andlistingonthe
State/NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces(S/NR)2andtheNikolaTavelicCroatianCenter.
Immediatelysouthoftheprojectsite,acrossWest40thStreet,aretheLincolnTunnelapproachramps.
Ventsforthetunnelare located inthesouthernandsouthwesternsectionsofthe400footradius.To
thewest of theprojectsite is the MTA/NYCT Michael J.Quill BusDepotand to thesouthwest of the
projectsite
is
the
Javits
Center,
which
extends
from
West
34th
to
West
40th
Streets
between
Eleventh
AvenueandtheWestSideHighway,andaccessoryparking lots.Theblock immediatelytothesouthof
theLincolnTunnelentrance/exitaccommodatesparkingfacilitiesandlowriseindustrial/manufacturing
buildings, includingaVerizonparkinglot,generalautomotiverepairshops,andaDHL/GothamStorage
building.
PurposeandNeedforProposedAction
Theproposedactionwouldapplyonlytotheprojectsiteduetoitsuniquelocationandsiteconditions.
AllothersitesintheSHYD,includingtheofficedevelopmentsitestothesouth,closertothenew7line
subwaystation,wouldbeunaffectedandwouldremainsubjecttoexistingzoningregulations.
TheproposedzoningtextamendmentwouldincreasetheresidentialFARpermittedontheprojectsite
from6to12FAR. Itwouldalsopermitresidentialusetobedevelopedontheprojectsitewithoutthe
requirementcontainedinZR9321,thatthenonresidentialfloorareaoftheprojectsitemustbe14FAR
prior to the development of any residential floor area.3 However, the overall permitted FAR would
remainunchangedat20FAR,andtheallowableuseswouldalsoremainunchanged.Theretailusesthat
would be a key element of the proposed project are permitted by current zoning. The corporate
apartments are alsopermitted bycurrentzoning. As discussed below, the applicant believes that the
proposedzoningtextchangesto facilitatetheresidentialdevelopmentatthesiteareappropriateand
necessary, as the project site has unique qualities and characteristics that make it more suitable for
residential development while at the same time unsuitable for large scale office development as was
originallycontemplated
under
the
HY
FGEIS.
The project site is uniquely situated directly northof the outbound Lincoln Tunnel approaches and is
thereforephysicallycutofffromtherestofthefutureHudsonYardscommercialcorridortothesouth.
ThesephysicalbarriersbetweentheprojectsiteandtherestoftheHudsonYardsdistricttothesouth
makeitmorenaturallyanextensionoftheClintonresidentialareatothenorthandtheWest42ndStreet
residentialcorridorratherthanthefuturecommercialareatothesouth(refertoFigure3).
Theapplicantbelievesthattheproposedincreaseinresidentialuseontheprojectsitefrom6FARto12
FAR isappropriatebecause much of thesurroundingareaalready allows high density residential use.
Residentialuseat12FARispermittedonportionsof16blocksthroughoutHudsonYards,includingthe
sitedirectlytotheeastoftheprojectsiteonTenthAvenuebetweenWest40thandWest41stStreets,
where an approximately 60story residential tower is being constructed. Similarly, the blocks to thenorth of the development site within the West 42nd Street residential corridor allow residential
developmentataFARof12,andasdiscussedabove inSurroundingAreaandContext,several large
2 Source:No.7SubwayExtensionHudsonYardsRezoningandDevelopmentProgramFGEIS,2005;Table91.
3 PursuanttoZR93122,however,residentialusemaybepermittedonazoninglotwithalotareainexcessof
69,000sfthatdoesnotcontainaminimumof14FARofcommercialuseuponcertificationthataplanhasbeen
submittedwhereby,amongotherthings,oneormoreregularlyshapedportionsofthezoninglotwithaminimum
areaof50,000sfisreservedforfuturedevelopmentofcommercialfloorarea.
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6
residentialbuildingshaverecentlybeenbuiltorareunderconstruction inthisarea (refertoFigure3)
furthersubstantiatingtheviabilityofthisresidentialneighborhood.
Theproposedprojectwouldincludeuptoapproximately1,400newresidentialunits,introducinganew
residential population that is intended to help carry the vibrancy and character of the Clinton
neighborhoodandWest42ndStreetresidentialcorridorsouth intothisadjoiningareaofHudsonYards.
Additionally,the
proposed
project
would
include
asignificant
amount
of
destination
retail,
potentially
drawingmorepeopletothearea.Newresidentsandshoppersonthedevelopmentsitecouldprovide
thecriticalmassnecessarytomaketheareaamorevibrantNewYorkCityneighborhood.
The assumed office development on this site that was studied in the HY FGEIS was predicated on a
TenthAvenue/West41stStreetstationfortheNo.7subwaylineextension,whichwouldhaveplacedan
entranceeitherdirectlyontheprojectsiteorjustacrossthestreet.Convenientaccesstothesubwayisa
keycomponentofattractingofficetenantsanddevelopersofofficebuildings.However in2007,after
theenactmentoftheHudsonYardsrezoning,theplantoconstructtheTenthAvenue/West41stStreet
subwaystationwasplacedonholdbytheMTAduetoalackoffunding.Whilesomeeffortshavebeen
made since then to secure the necessary funding for the subway station, these efforts have not
succeeded.At
this
time
there
is
no
projected
source
for
the
roughly
$1
billion
needed
to
complete
the
station.ThepossibilitythattheTenthAvenue/West41stStreetstationwouldbebuiltinthenearfuture
appearstobeunlikely.
The applicant also believes the development site is less attractive for office development due to the
presenceofeasements forboth theNo.7subwayextensionandAmtrakdirectlybeneath theproject
site(refertoFigure4).Theeasementscrossinthecenterofthesite,makingitextremelydifficult(ifnot
impossible) to locate a commercial building core for a large floorplate office building on the site, as
commercial buildings require substantially more vertical circulation than residential buildings due to
theirhigherpopulationdensities. Additionally, the twoeasementspreclude thedevelopment of large
amounts of belowgrade space, which typically provide the mechanical and backofhouse services
criticaltosupportlargeofficebuildings.
Furthermore,theapplicantbelievestheprojectsiteissignificantlylessattractiveforofficedevelopment
thanother largesites intheHudsonYardsareadueto its locationdirectlyadjacenttotheentranceto
theLincolnTunnel.TheTunnelapproachseparatesthesitefromtherestoftheHudsonYardsareato
thesouth,andthesurroundingtrafficmakesthesitelessattractivetopotentialofficetenants.
Consequently,theapplicantbelievestherewillbelittleifanydemandforofficespaceontheprojectsite
and furthermore, that it is also very unlikely that the project site would be fully developed in the
absence of a zoning text amendment. Without the zoning text change, the project site would likely
remain underutilized for many years to come, neither contributing to the Hudson Yards District
ImprovementFundortheCity'staxbasenormitigatingthephysicalbarrierbetweentheHudsonYards
districtto
the
south
and
the
Clinton
neighborhood
to
the
north.
Indeed,
a2011
report
by
Cushman
&
WakefieldcommissionedbytheCitypresumesthattheprojectsitewillnotbedevelopedbefore2041,
whichisthelastyearcontemplatedbythereport.4 Incontrast,theproposedactionwouldresultinthe
site's development in 2017 and occupancy in 2020, bringing needed revenue into the District
ImprovementFund,newCitytaxrevenues,andprovidingtemporaryandpermanentjobs.
4HudsonYardsDemandandDevelopmentReport,Cushman&Wakefield,Inc.;August2011;commissioneddirectly
bytheCityaspartoftheHudsonYardsInfrastructureCorporation(HYIC)bondoffering.
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Courtesy of Silverstein Properties
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DescriptionofTheProposedProject
The applicant is proposing a mixeduse residential and commercial building on the project site. The
proposed project would consist of an approximately 1,100foot tall building with 1.14 million gsf of
residential space and 475,000 gsf of commercial space (refer to Table 1 below). The proposed
development
would
comply
with
existing
bulk
regulations
applicable
to
the
project
site
and
no
bulk
waiversarebeingsought.Thereareavarietyofbuildingformsthatwouldcomplywiththeapplicable
bulk regulations; thus, the building shown in Figures 5 through 8 is provided for illustrative purposes
only. The proposed building would have a base of five floors covering most of the lot, and an
approximately 100story tower located in the easternmost third of the lot (see Figures 5 and 6). As
showninFigure5,thebuildingwouldincludeapproximately300,000gsfofretailspaceonthefirstfive
floors.Althoughthespecificretailmixhasnotyetbeendetermined,theretailcomponentisanticipated
toconsistofpredominantlydestinationretailuses.
Theretailbasewouldbetoppedwitheightfloors(approximately175,000gsf)ofcorporateapartment
space(UseGroup5),whichwouldincludeupto175corporateapartments.5Theremainderofthetower
wouldaccommodateupto1,400dwellingunits(DUs).Althoughsomeoftheseunitsmaybeaffordable
(i.e.,
low
to
moderateincome
units),
the
specific
unit
mix
has
not
been
determined
at
this
time.
Additionally, the proposed project may include a 200space underground accessory parking garage
(approximately38,000gsf),andanapproximately10,000sfcoveredpubliclyaccessibleopenspace,or
plaza,alongWest41stStreet.Figure7showsanillustrativerenderingoftheproposedproject.
TABLE1
ProposedDevelopmentProgram
As
shown
in
the
preliminary
site
plan
in
Figure
8,
the
residential
tower
entrance
and
interior
lobby
would be located in the easternmost portion of the lot fronting West 41st Street. Entrances to the
groundlevel retail spaces would be located along West 41st Street as well as Eleventh Avenue. The
plaza, if provided, may be located midblock on West 41st Street and is anticipated to accommodate
passive uses, typical of comparable urban plazas (seating, plantings, etc.). Trees would be planted
around the building on the sidewalks of West 41st Street, Cardinal Stepinac Place (Lincoln Tunnel
Approach),West40thStreet,andEleventhAvenue,perzoningrequirements.Boththeentrancetothe
belowgrade parking garage, if built, and the loading dock would be located midblock on West 40th
Street.
AsresidentialusesonthissitearelimitedtoanFARof6,theproposedprojectwouldonlyoccurinthe
future
with
the
proposed
action,
where
permitted
residential
FAR
would
be
increased
to
12.
5Theapplicantanticipatesthatapproximately75%ofthe175,000gsfwouldbeeffectivelyavailableforthe175
plannedcorporateapartmentunits,resultinginanaveragesizeof750usablesfperunit.Duetotheextendedstay
natureoftheseunits,theywouldbelargerthantraditionalhotelroomsandincludeamixofstudio,1and2
bedrooms.Theother25%ofthe175,000gsfofspacewouldbeallocatedtothelobby,reception,elevators,
hallways,mechanicalequipment,managersoffice,storageandbackofhousespace.
LotSize
(SF)
GSFAbove
Grade
GSFBelow
Grade
TotalGSF
(IncludingParking)
Commercial
GSF
Residential
GSF
#ofResidential
Units
#ofAccessory
ParkingSpaces
Accessory
ParkingGSF
Building
Height(ft)
91,856 1,615,000 70,000 1,685,000 475,000 1,140,000 upto1,400 200 38,000 1,100
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520 West 41st Street
FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
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520 West 41st Street
Proposed De
+140
+1100
+100
LACE
INACP
L
EPI
CARDINALST
HA
V
V
ENUE
TH
11T
+140
+100
+40
TH
AVE
NU
T
U
11T
1
T
T 41ST STREET
NORTH ELEVATION - 41ST STREET SOUTH ELEVATION - 40TH STREET
Courtesy of Silverstein Properties FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
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Street view from southwest looking northeast
FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
520 West 41st Street Figur
Proposed Development - Illustrative Renderin
Future residential buildingat 500 West 41st Street
(currently underconstruction by others)
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520 West 41st Street
W 40TH STREET
11TH AVENUE
W 41ST STREET
13'-0"
5'-0"
192'-6"
12'-0"
12'-6"
11'-6"
12'-0"
5'-0"10'-0" 125'-0" 12'-0" 175'-0" 12'-0" 112'-0"
436'-7"
84'-0"
70'-0"
10'-4"
5 '- 0" 1 0' -0 " 125'-0" 12'-0" 80'-0" 70'-3" 36'-9" 95'-0"
50'-0"
12'-0"
7'-0"
13'-0"
5'-0"
30'-0"25'-0"
8'-0"
10'-0"
55'-0"
43'-6"
451'-0"
36'-0"
218'-4"
RetailCore
Lobby Access
Parking
PUBLIC PLAZA
Service Corridor
BicycleStorage
Parking
DOWN
Ramp
Residential and Corporate BO
Reception
Retail Retail
Retail
RetailLoading Dock
Residential Lob
FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY
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8
D. ANALYSISFRAMEWORKFORENVIRONMENTALREVIEW
BuildYear
The project site has been accepted into NYSDECs Brownfield Cleanup Program, and all cleanup and
remedialactivities
are
expected
to
be
completed,
with
or
without
the
proposed
action,
as
early
as
2015
and well before 2020. As part of the BCP, the existing building on the project site will need to be
demolishedtoallowforexcavationandcleanuponthesite;thedemolition,excavationandcleanupwill
proceedunderNYSDECsdirectionundertheBCPwithorwithouttheproposedaction.Asthiscleanupis
ongoing,andisbeingcarriedoutirrespectiveoftherequestedapprovals,theprojectsiteisexpectedto
befullyremediated,vacant,andreadyforredevelopment.
Designanddevelopmentfortheproposedprojectwouldoccurinonephaseandcommenceassoonas
allnecessaryapprovalsaregranted.AccountingforNYCDCPPreApplicationandPreCertificationreview
time, and public review under Section 200 of the City Charter (approximately seven months),
constructionoftheproposedprojectisanticipatedtostartinearly2017.Constructionwouldoccurover
an
approximately
three
year
period,
beginning
in
2017,
with
all
components
complete
and
fully
operationalbytheyear2020.Astheproposedprojectwouldbeoperationalin2020,itsenvironmental
setting isnot the currentenvironment,but the futureenvironment.Therefore, the technicalanalyses
and consideration of alternatives assess current conditions and forecast these conditions to the
expectedBuildYearof2020forthepurposesofdeterminingpotentialimpacts.Accordingly,theRWCDS
willusea2020BuildYearforanalysispurposes.
ReasonableWorstCaseDevelopmentScenario(RWCDS)
Inorder toassess thepossibleeffects oftheproposedproject,a reasonableworstcase development
scenario (RWCDS) was established for both the future without the proposed action (NoAction or
NoBuild)
and
the
future
with
the
proposed
action
(With
Action
or
Build)
for
an
analysis
year,
or
Build
year,of2020.TheincrementaldifferencebetweentheNoActionandWithActionconditionswillserve
asthebasisofthe impactcategoryanalyses.Theproposedprojectdiscussedabovewillbeanalyzed in
theEISastheRWCDSfortheBuildyearof2020.
The applicant expects to record a restrictive declaration against the project site requiring that the
proposedprojectsdevelopmentprogrambewithinthescopeoftheRWCDSanalyzedintheEIS.
TheFutureWithouttheProposedProject(NoActionCondition)
Theprojectsiteiscurrentlyoccupiedbyavacantbuildingthatwasformerlyusedasanautodealership.
However,asdiscussedabove,aspartoftheongoingremediationactivitiesassociatedwiththeBCP,the
existing
building
on
the
project
site
will
need
to
be
demolished
to
allow
for
excavation
and
cleanup
activitiesontheprojectsite,whichareexpectedtobecompleted,withorwithouttheproposedaction,
asearlyas2015andwellbefore2020.Asthiscleanupisongoing,andisbeingcarriedoutirrespectiveof
the requested approvals, the project site is expected to be fully remediated, vacant, and ready for
redevelopment.
In the absence of the proposed action (NoAction), the proposed zoning text amendment would not
occur,andtheresidentialFARontheprojectsitewouldbelimitedto6.0.Althoughthesiteiszonedfor
amaximumFARof20,withupto20permittedcommercialFAR,asdiscussedinthePurposeandNeed
for Proposed Action section above, there is no current or perceived future demand for commercial
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9
officedevelopmentontheprojectsite.Inaddition,givenitsdistancefrompublictransit,theprojectsite
isalsonot idealforastandaloneretaildevelopment,astherewouldnotbesufficientcriticalmasson
thealreadyconstrainedprojectsitetopromotethenecessaryfoottrafficthatwouldmakealargescale
standaloneretaildevelopmenteconomicallyviable.
Assuch,althoughacommercialdevelopmentwithupto20FARwouldbeallowedasofrightintheNo
Action,the
RWCDS
conservatively
assumes
that
such
adevelopment
would
not
occur
by
the
analysis
year of 2020. Instead, for RWCDS purposes, it is anticipated that in the future without the proposed
actionanewonestoryautodealershipwouldbedevelopedontheprojectsite.Suchause(automobile
showrooms with no repair services or preparation for delivery (Use Group 9)) is allowed asofright
pursuanttocurrentzoning,andwouldentailminimal investmentin infrastructureandconstruction.In
addition, there has been interest in such a use on this site. Therefore, the RWCDS assumes that the
project site would accommodate a singlestory, approximately 83,000 gsf auto showroom building
(approximately0.9FAR)intheNoActioncondition.ThebuildingwouldbebuiltouttoWest41stStreet,
Eleventh Avenue, and West 40th Street, with a main entrance midblock on West 41st Street. Existing
curbcutsonWest41stStreetwouldprovidevehicularaccesstothesite.
TheFuture
with
the
Proposed
Project
(With
Action
Condition)
By2020underWithActionconditions,therequestedzoningtextamendmenttoallowmorepermitted
residentialfloorareawouldbegranted,anditisexpectedthattheapplicantwouldhavedemolishedthe
existing building on the project site, the required NYSDEC BCP site remediation would be completed,
andtheproposedapproximately100storymixeduseresidentialandcommercialtowerontheproject
sitewouldbeconstructedandoccupied.AsdetailedintheabovesectionDescriptionoftheProposed
Project and shown in Table 1 above, the WithAction condition would result in the construction of
approximately 1.14 million gsf of residential space and 475,000 gsf of commercial space (including
300,000 gsf of retail and up to 175 corporate apartments). The proposed project may also include a
200spaceundergroundparkinggarageandanapproximately10,000sfcoveredpubliclyaccessibleopen
space,
or
plaza,
along
West
41
st
Street.
Itshouldbenotedthat inthe futurewiththeproposedaction, theproposedprojectwouldmaximize
theresidentialFARof12.0resultingfromtheproposedaction.TheWithActionconditionalsoassumes
commercialFARwouldnotexceed5FARasthisdensitymaximizesthereasonablesizeoftheretailand
corporate apartmentcomponents. Commercial office space, asoutlined previously, is not likely tobe
developedonthesite.Addingothercommercialusessuchasahotel,inasecondtowerabovetheretail
podium,wouldseverely impacttheviabilityoftheverticalretailspacebecauseasecondtowerwould
requireaseparateentrance lobby,elevatorcoreandverticalcirculationthatwouldbreakuptheretail
floorplatesmakingthemvirtuallyunusable.Thesuccessfulintegrationandplacementofasecondtower
isalsogreatly impacted by the unique below grade easements for the Amtrak rail spurand the No.7
subwaytunnelsthataffectlocationofthetowercoreandstructuralelements.
Theapplicantintendstoincorporatea200accessoryparkingspacesintotheproposedprojectthrough
theapplicationoftheexistingparkingregulationsapplicabletotheSpecialHudsonYardsDistrict.
PossibleEffectsoftheProposedAction
Based on the RWCDS for NoAction and WithAction conditions identified above, the net incremental
change indevelopmentthatwouldoccurasaresultoftheproposedaction is identified inTable2.As
showninTable2,underWithActionconditions,inthe2020BuildYeartheproposedactionwouldresult
in a net incremental increaseofapproximately1.6million gsf, includingan increase of approximately
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10
392,000gsfofcommercialspace,approximately1.14milliongsfofresidentialspace,andanincreaseof
approximately38,000 gsfofparking. However, if theproposedparkingspaces for the projectarenot
availableundertheSpecialHudsonYardsDistrictparkingregulationsinthefuture,theapplicantwould
utilizethe38,000gsfthatwouldhavebeenoccupiedbybelowgradeparkingforcommercialretailuse
instead.This noparking garage scenario wouldbeanalyzed asan alternative in the EIS (see Task 20:
Alternatives).
Table2alsoprovidesacomparisonofthenumberofresidentsandworkersontheprojectsiteunder
NoActionand WithAction conditions.Asshown in the table, the proposedactionunderWithAction
conditionswouldresultinanetincreaseofuptoapproximately2,310residents,935employeesandup
to350occupantsofcorporateapartmentsontheprojectsiteascomparedtoNoActionconditions.
TABLE2 ComparisonofNoActionandWithActionConditions
Use NoActionCondition WithActionCondition Increment
Residential 0 1,140,000gsf(upto1,400DUs) 1,140,000gsf(upto1,400DUs)
CommercialUses
AutoShowroom 83,000gsf 0 83,000gsf
Retail
0
300,000
gsf
300,000
gsf
CorporateApartments 0 175,000gsf(upto175units) 175,000gsf(upto175units)
TotalCommercialSF 83,000gsf 475,000gsf 392,000gsf
AccessoryParking 0 200spaces(38,000gsf) 200spaces(38,000gsf)
TOTALGSF(including
belowgradespaces)83,000gsf 1,685,000gsf 1,602,000gsf
Population/Employment* NoActionCondition WithActionCondition Increment
Residents 0 upto2,310residents upto2,310residents
Workers 83workers 1,018workers 935workers
CorporateApts.Occupants 0 upto350occupantsofcorporate
apts.
upto350occupants(corporate
apts.)
*CalculationsforresidentsarebasedontheManhattanCommunityDistrict4ratioof1.65residentsperoccupiedunit(Source:Demographic
Profile, NYCDCP; 2010 Census). Number of workers estimated based on an assumption of 1 employee per 1,000 sf of auto showroom; 3
employeesper1,000sfofretail;1employeeper3corporateapartments(assumedtobeequivalenttohotelrooms),1workerper25DUs;and
1employeeper50parkingspaces.Estimateofcorporateapartmentoccupantsisbasedonanassumptionofanaverageof2.0occupantsper
corporateunit.
Asnotedabove,although theapplicantanticipates thatsomeof proposedup to1,400dwellingunits
may be affordable (i.e., low to moderateincome units), the specific unit mix has not yet been
determined at this time. For environmental analysis purposes, the RWCDS analyzed in the EIS will
assumethat20%oftheproposedprojectstotalresidentialfloorarea,orapproximately280units,could
beaffordable.
E. PROPOSEDSCOPEOFWORKFORTHEEIS
Because theproposedprojectwouldaffectvariousareasofenvironmentalconcernandwas found to
have the potential for significant adverse impacts, pursuant to the EAS and Positive Declaration, an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the proposed action that will analyze all
technicalareasofconcern.
The EIS will be prepared in conformance with all applicable laws and regulations, including SEQRA
(Article 8 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law) and its implementing regulations
foundat6NYCRRPart617,NewYorkCityExecutiveOrderNo.91of1977,asamended,andtheRulesof
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520West41stStreet DraftScopeofWorkforanEIS
11
ProcedureforCEQR,foundatTitle62,Chapter5oftheRulesoftheCityofNewYork.TheEISwillfollow
theguidanceofthe2014CEQRTechnicalManual,andwillcontain:
Adescriptionoftheproposedprojectanditsenvironmentalsetting; Astatementoftheenvironmentalimpactsoftheproposedproject,includingitsshortandlongterm
effectsandtypicalassociatedenvironmentaleffects;
An identification of any adverse environmental effects that cannot be avoided if the proposedprojectisimplemented;
Adiscussionofreasonablealternativestotheproposedproject; Anidentificationofirreversibleandirretrievablecommitmentsofresourcesthatwouldbeinvolved
intheproposedprojectshoulditbeimplemented;and
A description of mitigation measures proposed to eliminate or minimize any significant adverseenvironmentalimpacts.
BasedonthepreliminaryscreeningassessmentsoutlinedintheCEQRTechnicalManualanddetailedin
the EAS document, the following environmental areas would not require detailed analysis in the EIS:
natural resources and energy. The specific areas to be included in the EIS, as well as their respective
tasks,are
described
below.
TASK1. PROJECTDESCRIPTION
ThefirstchapteroftheEISintroducesthereadertotheproposedprojectandsetsthecontextinwhich
to assess impacts. The chapter contains a description of the proposed project: its location; the
background and/or history of the project; a statement of the purpose and need; key planning
considerations thathaveshapedthecurrentproposal;adetaileddescriptionof theproposedproject;
and discussion of the approvals required, procedures to be followed, and the role of the EIS in the
process.
TASK2. LANDUSE,ZONING,ANDPUBLICPOLICY
Thischapterwillanalyzethepotential impactsoftheproposedprojecton landuse,zoning,andpublic
policy. The proposed action consists of a zoning text amendment that would modify the regulations
affecting a site within the Special Hudson Yards District. However, as the project site is not located
withintheboundariesoftheCitysCoastalZone,noassessmentoftheproposedprojectsconsistency
withtheCitysWaterfrontRevitalizationProgram(WRP) iswarranted.The landuse,zoningandpublic
policyanalysiswillbeconsistentwith themethodologiespresented in theCEQRTechnicalManual. In
completingthefollowingsubtasks,thelandusestudyareawillconsistoftheprojectsite,wheretheland
use impacts will be straightforward and direct (reflecting the proposed project), and the neighboring
areaswhereindirect
impacts
may
be
felt.
For
the
purpose
of
environmental
analysis,
the
study
area
will
extendapproximatelymilefromtheboundariesoftheprojectsite,asillustratedinFigure9.Subtasks
willincludethefollowing:
Provideabriefdevelopmenthistoryoftheprojectsiteandsurroundingstudyarea. Provideadescriptionandmapofexistinglandusesinthestudyarea. Describepredominantlandusepatternsinthestudyarea,includingrecentdevelopmenttrends.
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520 West 41st Street
11AV
W39ST
W41ST
W42ST
W37STW36ST
W34ST W35STW33ST
JOEDIM
AGGIO
HY
LINCOLN
TUNNEL
Legend
Project Site
Quarter-Mile
Radius
Land
Use
One
&
Two
Family
Buildings
Multi-Family
Walkup
Buildings
Multi-Family
Elevator
Buildings
Mixed Commercial/Residential Buildings
Commercial/Office Buildings
Industrial/Manufacturing
Transportation/Utility
Public Facilities & Institutions
Open Space
Parking Facilities
Vacant Land
All Others or No Data
0 200 400 600 800Feet
HUDSON
RIVER
JAVITS
CENTER
Multi-Family with Ground Floor Retail*
*
* *
*
*
*
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Provide a zoning map and discuss existing zoning and recent zoning actions in the study area,including the Special Hudson Yards District, the Special Clinton District and the Manhattan Core
parkingtextamendment.
Describe any public policies that apply to the project site and the study area, including specificdevelopment projects and plans for public improvements. Public policies that apply to the study
areainclude
PlaNYC.
Prepare a list of future development projects in the study area that would be expected to beconstructed by the 2020 analysis year and may influence future land use trends in the future
withouttheproposedaction.Also,identifypendingzoningactions(includingthoseassociatedwith
the identified NoBuild projects) or other public policy actions that couldaffect land use patterns
andtrendsinthestudyareaastheyrelatetotheproposedproject.Basedontheseplannedprojects
andinitiatives,assessfutureconditionsinthelanduseandzoningstudyareainthefuturewithout
theproposedaction(NoActioncondition).
Describe proposed zoning text changes, and the potential land use changes resulting from theproposedproject.
Assess the potential impacts of the proposed action and resultant development on land use andlandusetrends,zoning,andpublicpolicy.Discusstheproposedactionspotentialeffectsrelatedtoissues of compatibility with surrounding land use, the consistency with zoning and other public
policies,andtheeffectoftheproposedactiononongoingdevelopmenttrendsandconditionsinthe
studyarea.
TASK3. SOCIOECONOMICCONDITIONS
The socioeconomic character of an area includes its population, housing, and economic activity.
Socioeconomicchangesmayoccurwhenaprojectdirectlyorindirectlychangesanyoftheseelements.
AlthoughsocioeconomicchangesmaynotresultinimpactsunderCEQR,theyaredisclosediftheywould
affectland
use
patterns,
low
income
populations,
the
availability
of
goods
and
services,
or
economic
investment in a way that changes the socioeconomic character of the area. According to the CEQR
Technical Manual, the five principal issues of concern with respect to socioeconomic conditions are
whether a proposed action would result in significant adverse impacts due to: (1) direct residential
displacement; (2) direct business displacement; (3) indirect residential displacement; (4) indirect
businessdisplacement;and(5)adverseeffectsonspecificindustries.Asdiscussedbelow,theproposed
project warrants an assessment of socioeconomic conditions with respect to indirect residential
displacement,andindirectbusinessdisplacement.
According to theCEQRTechnicalManual,direct displacement of fewer than 500 residents would not
typically be expected to alter the socioeconomic characteristics of a neighborhood. As there are no
residential
uses
currently
on
the
project
site,
the
proposed
project
would
not
directly
displace
anyexistingresidents,andtherefore,theproposedprojectwouldnotresult insignificantadverse impacts
due todirectresidentialdisplacement.Similarly,according to theCEQRTechnicalManual, ifaproject
would directly displace more than 100 employees, a preliminary assessment of direct business
displacement is appropriate. As the structure on the project site is currently vacant, the proposed
projectwouldnotdirectlydisplaceanybusinessesoremployees,andthereforeanassessmentofdirect
businessdisplacementwouldnotbewarrantedfortheproposedproject.
In addition, the CEQR Technical Manual indicates that an assessment is appropriate if a project is
expectedtoaffectconditionswithinaspecific industry.Thiscouldaffectsocioeconomicconditions ifa
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13
substantialnumberofworkersorresidentsdependonthegoodsorservicesprovidedbytheaffected
businesses, or if the project would result in the loss or substantial diminishment of a particularly
important product or service within the city. As noted above, the structure on the project site is
currently vacant, and therefore the proposed project would not directly displace any businesses or
employees.Moreover,theproposedactionissitespecific,anddoesnotincludeanycitywideregulatory
change that would adversely affect the economic and operational conditions of certain types of
businessesorprocesses.Therefore,theproposedactionwouldnotresult insignificantadverseeffects
onspecificindustries,andnofurtherassessmentiswarranted.
InconformancewiththeCEQRTechnicalManualguidelines,theassessmentofthetworemainingareas
of concern will begin with a preliminary assessment to determine whether a detailed analysis is
necessary. Detailed analyses will be conducted for those areas in which the preliminary assessment
cannot definitively rule out the potential for significant adverse impacts. The detailed assessments
would be framed in the context of existing conditions and evaluations of the future NoAction and
WithActionconditions in2020, includinganypopulationandemploymentchangesanticipatedtotake
placebytheanalysisyearfortheproposedaction.
IndirectResidentialDisplacement
The indirectresidentialdisplacementanalysiswillusethemostrecentavailableU.S.Censusdata,New
YorkCityDepartmentofFinancesRealPropertyAssessmentData(RPAD)database,aswellascurrent
realestatemarketdata,topresentdemographicandresidentialmarkettrendsandconditionsforthe
milestudyarea.PursuanttoCEQRTechnicalManualguidelines,thisstudyareawouldbeincreasedtoa
mile radius if the preliminary analysis reveals that the increase in population resulting from the
proposedprojectwouldexceed5percentinthemilestudyareacomparedtotheexpectedNoAction
population. The presentation of study area characteristics will include population, housing value and
rent,estimatesof thenumberofhousingunitsnotsubject to rentprotection,andmedianhousehold
income. Following CEQR Technical Manual guidelines, the preliminary assessment will perform the
followingstep
by
step
evaluation:
Step 1: Determine if the proposed project would add substantial new population with differentincomeascomparedwiththeincomeofthestudyareapopulation.Iftheexpectedaverageincomes
ofthenewpopulationwouldbesimilar totheaverage incomesofthestudyareapopulations,no
furtheranalysisisnecessary.Iftheexpectedaverageincomesofthenewpopulationwouldexceed
theaverageincomesofthestudyareapopulations,thenStep2oftheanalysiswillbeconducted.
Step2:Determine iftheproposedprojectpopulation is largeenough toaffect realestatemarketconditionsinthestudyarea.Ifthepopulationincreaseisgreaterthan5percentinthestudyareaas
awhole,thenStep3willbeconducted.Ifthepopulationincreaseisgreaterthan10percentinthe
studyareasasawhole,thenadetailedanalysisisrequired.
Step3:Considerwhetherthestudyareahasalreadyexperiencedareadilyobservabletrendtowardincreasingrentsandthe likelyeffectoftheactiononsuchtrends.Thisevaluationwillconsiderthe
following:
a. If the vast majority of the study area has already experienced a readily observable trendtoward increasing rents and new market development, further analysis is not necessary.
However, if such trends could be considered inconsistent and not sustained, a detailed
analysismaybewarranted.
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14
b. Ifnosuchtrendexistseitherwithinornearthestudyarea,theactioncouldbeexpectedtohave a stabilizing effect on the housing market within the study area by allowing limited
newhousingopportunitiesandinvestment,andnofurtheranalysisisnecessary.
c. Ifthosetrendsdoexistneartoorwithinsmallerportionsofthestudyarea,theactioncouldhavethepotentialtoaccelerateanexistingtrend. Inthiscircumstance,adetailedanalysis
willbe
conducted.
Ifthepreliminaryassessmentfindsthattheproposedprojectwouldintroduceatrendoracceleratean
existing trend of changing socioeconomic conditions that may have the potential to displace a
residential population and substantially change the socioeconomic character of the neighborhood, a
detailed analysis will be conducted. The detailed analysis would utilize more indepth demographic
analysis and field surveys to characterize existing conditions of residents and housing, identify
populations at risk of displacement, assess current and future socioeconomic trends that may affect
thesepopulations,andexaminetheeffectsoftheproposedactiononprevailingsocioeconomictrends
and,thus,impactsontheidentifiedpopulationatrisk.
IndirectBusinessDisplacement
The indirect business displacement analysis is to determine whether the proposed project may
introducetrendsthatmakeitdifficultforthosebusinessesthatprovideproductsorservicesessentialto
the localeconomy,or thosesubject to regulationsorpubliclyadoptedplanstopreserve,enhance,or
otherwise protect them, to remain in the area. The purpose of the preliminary assessment is to
determine whether a proposed action has potential to introduce such a trend. The proposed project
would introduce over 200,000 square feet of new commercial uses to the area, which is the CEQR
threshold for substantial new development warranting a preliminary assessment.Moreover, as the
proposedprojectwouldincludearetailcomponentinexcessof200,000squarefeetonasinglesite,and
theproposedretailusesmaynotprimarilyservethelocalpopulation,anassessmentofindirectbusiness
displacementduetomarketsaturationisappropriate.
Theanalysiswilldescribeandcharacterizeconditionsandtrendsinemploymentandbusinesseswithin
thestudyareausingthemostrecentavailabledatafrompublicandprivatesourcessuchasNewYork
State Department of Labor and/or the U.S. Census Bureau, and ESRI, as well as field surveys and
discussions with local real estate brokers as necessary. This information will be used in a preliminary
assessmenttoconsider:
Whethertheproposedprojectwouldintroduceenoughofaneweconomicactivitytoalterexistingeconomicpatterns;
Whether the proposed project would add to the concentration of a particular sector of the localeconomyenoughtoalteroraccelerateexistingeconomicpatterns;
Whether the proposed project would directly displace uses of any type that directly supportbusinesses intheareaorbringpeopletotheareathat formacustomerbase for localbusinesses;
and
Whether the proposed project would directly or indirectly displace residents, workers, or visitorswhoformthecustomerbaseofexistingbusinessesinthearea.
If the preliminary assessment finds that the proposed project could introduce trends that make it
difficultforbusinessesthatareessentialtothelocaleconomytoremaininthearea,adetailedanalysis
will be conducted. The detailed analysis would follow the CEQR Technical Manual guidelines to
determinewhethertheproposedprojectwould increasepropertyvaluesandthus increaserentsfora
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15
potentially vulnerable category of businesses and whether relocation opportunities exist for those
businesses.
PotentialIndirectBusinessDisplacementduetoRetailMarketSaturation
Asdescribed in theCEQRTechnicalManual,occasionally,developmentactivitymaycreate retail uses
thatdraw
substantial
sales
from
existing
businesses.
While
these
economic
pressures
do
not
necessarily
generate environmental concerns, they become an environmental concern when they have the
potential to result in increased and prolonged vacancy leading to disinvestment. Such a change may
affect the land use patterns and economic viability of the neighborhood. According to the CEQR
TechnicalManual,projectsresulting in lessthan200,000squarefeetofretailonasingledevelopment
site,orlessthan200,000squarefeetofregionalservingretailonmultiplesiteslocatedacrossaproject
area,wouldnottypicallyresult insocioeconomic impacts.Forprojectsexceedingthesethresholds,an
assessmentoftheindirectbusinessdisplacementduetomarketsaturationisappropriate.
As the proposed project may introduce retail in excess of the 200,000squarefoot threshold, a
preliminary assessment of indirect business displacement due to retail market saturation will be
undertaken.Thepurposeofthepreliminaryanalysis istodeterminewhethertheprojectmaycapture
the retail sales in a particular category of goods to the extent that the market for such goods would
become saturated as a result, potentially leading to vacancies and disinvestment on neighborhood
commercial streets. If the preliminary assessment cannot definitively rule out the potential forsignificant adverse impacts, then a detailed analysis would be conducted in accordance with CEQR
TechnicalManualmethodologies.
TASK4. COMMUNITYFACILITIES
Theproposedactionwouldnotdisplaceanyexistingcommunityfacilitiesorservices,norwoulditaffect
the physical operations of or access to and from any police or fire stations. As such, the proposed
projectwould
not
result
in
any
direct
effects
on
community
facilities.
The demand for community facilities and services is directly related to the type and size of the new
populationgeneratedbydevelopmentresultingfromtheproposedaction.Theproposedprojectwould
addup toapproximately 1,400new residential units to the area.Although the proposed project may
include an affordable housing component, the specific unit mix has not yet been determined at this
time.Therefore, forenvironmentalanalysispurposes, theRWCDS forWithActionconditionsassumes
that 20% of the proposed projects total residential floor area, or approximately 280 units, could be
affordable.
If an action introduces less than 50 elementary and middle school age children, or 150 high school
students,
an
assessment
of
school
facilities
is
not
required.
As
disclosed
in
the
EAS,
the
proposed
project
would result in an increase of approximately 224 new elementary and middle school students, and
approximately84highschoolstudentsinthearea,therebyexceedingtheCEQRscreeningthresholdfor
elementaryandmiddleschoolsonly.For libraries,theCEQRscreeningthreshold isthe introductionof
901 residential units in Manhattan, which would represent a 5 percent increase in dwelling units per
branch.Astheproposedprojectwouldresultintheadditionofuptoapproximately1,400dwellingunits
tothestudyarea,itexceedstheCEQRscreeningthreshold.Forchildcare,theCEQRscreeningthreshold
inManhattan istheintroductionof170ormoreaffordablehousingunits,whichwouldgenerate20or
moreeligiblechildrenunderagesix.Asnotedabove,although thespecificunitmixhasnotyetbeen
determinedatthistime,theRWCDSassumesthat20%oftheproposedprojectstotalresidentialfloor
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area, or approximately 280 units, could be affordable, which would exceed the CEQR screening
threshold for analysis of publicly funded child care centers. Therefore, the proposed project would
trigger analyses of potential impacts on public elementary and middle schools, libraries, and publicly
fundedchildcarecenters.Noanalysisofpublichighschoolsiswarranted.
AccordingtotheCEQRTechnicalManual,adetailedanalysisofpoliceandfireprotectionservicesand
healthcare
facilities
is
required
if
aproposed
action
would
(a)
introduce
asizeable
new
neighborhood
whereonehasnotpreviouslyexisted,or(b)woulddisplaceoralterahospitalorpublichealthclinic,fire
protection services facility, or police station. As the proposed action would not result in any of the
above,nosignificantadverseimpactswouldbeexpectedtooccur,andadetailedanalysisofpolice/fire
servicesandhealthcarefacilitiesisnotwarranted.
PublicSchools
AccordingtotheCEQRTechnicalManual,theprimarystudyareafortheanalysisofelementaryandintermediateschoolsshouldbetheschooldistrictssubdistrictinwhichtheprojectislocated.The
project site is located within subdistrict 3 of Community School District 2. This subdistrict will
constitutethestudyarea.
Identifyand locatethepublicelementaryand intermediateschoolsservingthestudyareadefinedabove.Existingcapacity,enrollment,andutilizationdataforallpublicelementaryandintermediate
schoolswithinsubdistrict3ofCommunitySchoolDistrict2willbeprovidedforthecurrentormost
recentschoolyear,notinganyspecificshortagesofschoolcapacity.
Identifyconditionsthatwouldexistinthefuturewithouttheproposedaction(NoActioncondition),taking into consideration projected changes in future enrollment, including those associated with
other developments in the vicinity of the project site, and plans to alter school capacity either
throughadministrativeactionson thepartof theNewYorkCityDepartment ofEducationorasa
resultoftheconstructionofnewschoolspace.PlannednewcapacityprojectsfromtheDOEsFive
Year
Capital
Plan
will
not
be
included
in
the
quantitative
analysis
unless
the
projects
havecommencedsitepreparationand/orconstruction.Theymay,however,be included inaqualitative
discussion.
Analyze futureconditionswiththeproposedaction,addingstudents likelytobegeneratedbytheproposed project to the projections for the future NoAction condition. Project impacts will be
assessed based on the difference between the future WithAction projections and the future
NoActionprojections(attheschoolsubdistrict levelforelementaryand intermediateschools)for
enrollment,capacityandutilizationin2020.
Determinewhethertheproposedprojectwouldresult inasignificantadverse impact.Asignificantadverse impact may result, warranting consideration of mitigation, if the proposed project would
result in: (1) a collective utilization rate of the elementary and/or intermediate schools in the
subdistrict
study
area
that
is
equal
to
or
greater
than
100
percent
in
the
With
Action
condition;
and
(2)anincreaseoffivepercentormoreinthecollectiveutilizationratebetweentheNoActionand
WithActionconditions.
If significant adverse impacts are identified, mitigation measures to avoid or reduce potentialsignificantimpactswillbeidentified.
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Libraries
Identifythelocalpubliclibrarybranch(es)servingtheareawithinapproximatelythreequartersofamile from the project site, which is the distance that one might be expected to travel for such
services.Showtheidentifiedlocalpubliclibrarybranch(es)withinamileradiusonamap.
Describeexistinglibrarieswithinthestudyareaandtheirinformationservices,anduserpopulation.Informationregardingservicesprovidedbybranch(es)withinthestudyareawillincludecirculation,
holdings,levelofutilization,andotherrelevantexistingconditions.Detailsonlibraryoperationswill
be based on publicly available information and/or consultation with library officials. If applicable,
holdingsperresidentmaybeestimatedtoprovideaquantitativegaugeofavailableresourcesinthe
applicablebranchlibrariesinordertoformabaselinefortheanalysis.
For NoAction conditions, projections of population change in the area and information on anyplannedchangesinlibraryservicesorfacilitieswillbedescribedandtheeffectsofthesechangeson
libraryserviceswillbeassessed.Usingtheinformationgatheredfortheexistingconditions,holdings
perresidentintheNoActionconditionwillbeestimated.
Determinetheeffectsoftheadditionofthepopulationresultingfromtheproposedprojectonthestudy
area
libraries
ability
to
provide
information
services
to
their
users.
Holdings
per
resident
in
theWithActionconditionwillbeestimatedandcomparedtotheNoActionholdingsestimate.
Determinewhethertheproposedprojectwouldresultinasignificantadverseimpact.Accordingtothe CEQR Technical Manual, if the proposed project would increase the mile study area
populationbyfivepercentormoreoverNoActionlevels,anditisdetermined,inconsultationwith
theappropriatelibraryagency,thatthisincreasewouldimpairthedeliveryoflibraryservicesinthe
studyarea,asignificantimpactmayoccur,warrantingconsiderationofmitigation.
ChildCareCenters
Identify existing publicly funded child care facilities (including Head Start facilities) withinapproximately1.5milesoftheprojectsite.Describeeachfacilityintermsofitslocation,numberofslots (capacity), and enrollment (utilization). Information will be based on publicly available
information and/or consultation with the Administration for Childrens Services Division of Child
CareandHeadstart(CCHS).
For NoAction conditions, information will be obtained on any changes planned for child careprograms or facilities in the area, including closing or expansion of existing facilities and
establishmentofnewfacilities.Anyexpected increase inthepopulationofchildrenunder6within
theeligibilityincomelimitationswillbediscussedaspotentialadditionaldemand;andthepotential
effect of any population increases on demand for child care services in the study area will be
assessed.Theavailablecapacityorresultingdeficiencyinslotsandtheutilizationrateforthestudy
areawill
be
calculated
for
the
No
Action
condition.
ThepotentialeffectsoftheadditionaleligiblechildrenresultingfromtheRWCDSfortheproposedaction will be assessed by comparing the estimated demand over capacity to the demand over
capacityestimatedintheNoActioncondition.
Determinewhethertheproposedprojectwouldresultinasignificantadverseimpact.AccordingtotheCEQRTechnicalManual, a significant adverse impact may result, warranting consideration of
mitigation, iftheproposedprojectwouldresult inbothofthe following: (a)acollectiveutilization
rateofthegroupchildcare/HeadStartcentersinthestudyareathatisgreaterthan100percentin
theWithActioncondition;and (b)an increaseof fivepercentormore in thecollectiveutilization
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rateofthechildcare/HeadStartcentersinthestudyareabetweentheNoActionandWithAction
conditions.
If significant adverse impacts are identified, mitigation measures to avoid or reduce potentialsignificantimpactswillbeidentified.
TASK5. OPENSPACE
Under the CEQR Technical Manual, the threshold for an open space assessment applicable to the
proposedaction ismorethan200residentsand500employeesbecausetheprojectsite isnotlocated
within an underserved or wellserved area as defined in the CEQR TechnicalManual. The proposed
project,asdisclosedintheEAS,wouldgeneratemorethan200residentsand500employees;therefore,
bothresidentialandnonresidentialopenspaceassessmentswouldbewarrantedandwillbeprovided
intheEIS.
Theopenspaceanalysiswillconsiderbothpassiveandactiveopenspaceresources.Passiveopenspace
ratios will be assessed within a nonresidential (mile radius) study area and a residential (mile
radius)study
area.
Active
open
space
ratios
will
be
assessed
for
the
mile
residential
study
area
only.
AsrecommendedintheCEQRTechnicalManual,bothstudyareaswouldcompriseallcensustractsthat
have 50 percent of their area located within a mile radius and a mile radius of the project site,
respectively.TheopenspaceanalysisintheEISwillincludethefollowingsubtasks.
Determinecharacteristicsofthetwoopenspaceusergroups:residentsandworkers/daytimeusers.To determine the number of residents in the study areas, 2010 census data will be compiled for
census tracts comprising the nonresidential and residential open space study areas. Because the
studyareasincludeaworkforceanddaytimepopulationthatmayalsouseopenspaces,thenumber
of employees and daytime workers in the study areas will also be calculated, based on reverse
journeytoworkcensusdata.
Inventory existing active and passive open spaces within the two open space study areas. Thecondition andusage of existing facilities willbe described basedon the inventory and field visits.
Acreage of these facilities will be determined and total study area acreage calculated. The
percentageofactiveandpassiveopenspacewillalsobecalculated.Amapshowingthelocationsof
openspaceskeyedtotheinventorywillbeprovided.
Basedontheinventoryoffacilitiesandstudyareapopulations,openspaceratioswillbecalculatedfortheresidentialanddaytimepopulations,andcomparedtoCityguidelinestoassessadequacy.As
per the CEQR Technical Manual, open space ratios are expressed as the amount of open space
acreageper1,000userpopulation,andwillbecalculatedforactiveandpassiveopenspace,aswell
asfortheaggregateopenspace.
Assess expected changes in future levels of open space supply and demand in the 2020 analysisyear, based on other planned development projects within the open space study areas. Any new
openspaceorrecreationalfacilitiesthatareanticipatedtobeoperationalbytheanalysisyearwill
also be accounted for. Open space ratios will be calculated for future NoAction conditions and
comparedwithexistingratiostodeterminechangesinfuturelevelsofadequacy.
Assess the effects on open space supply and demand resulting from increased residential andworker populations added by the proposed project. All new publiclyaccessible open spaces that
maybeplannedaspartoftheproposedprojectwouldalsobetakenintoaccount.Theassessment
oftheproposedprojectsimpactswillbebasedonacomparisonofopenspaceratiosforthefuture
NoActionversusfutureWithActionconditions.Inadditiontothequantitativeanalysis,qualitative
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analysis will be performed to determine if the changes resulting from the proposed project
constituteasubstantialchange(positiveornegative)oranadverseeffecttoopenspaceconditions.
The qualitative analysis will assess whether or not the study area is sufficiently served by open
spaces,giventhetype(activevs.passive),capacity,condition,anddistributionofopenspace,and
theprofileofthestudyareapopulation.Anyaccessoryopenspacestobeprovidedaspartofthe
proposedprojectwouldbeincludedinthequalitativeassessment.
If the results of the impact analysis identify a potential for a significant adverse impact, discusspotentialmitigationmeasures.
TASK6. SHADOWS
Thischapterwillexaminetheproposedprojectspotentialforsignificantandadverseshadowsimpacts
pursuant toCEQRTechnicalManual criteria. Generally, thepotential for shadows impacts exists if an
action would result in new structures or additions to buildings resulting in structures over 50 feet in
height that could cast shadows on important natural features, publicly accessible open space, or on
historicfeaturesthataredependentonsunlight.Theproposedprojectwouldconsistofasinglebuilding
thatwould
have
amaximum
height
of
approximately
1,100
feet,
and
would
be
located
to
the
west
of
Saint Raphaels Croatian Catholic Church, a building that contains sunlight sensitive features, and in
vicinityofothersunlightsensitiveresources(e.g.,RiverPlacePlazatothenorthwestoftheprojectsite,
andportionsofHudsonRiverParkfurthertothewest).Therefore,apreliminaryassessmentofshadows
iswarrantedandwillbeprovidedintheEIS.Thepreliminaryassessmentwillincludethefollowingtasks:
Develop a base map illustrating the project site in relation to publicly accessible open spaces,historicresourceswithsunlightdependentfeatures,andnaturalfeaturesinthearea.
Perform a screening assessment to ascertain which seasons and times of day shadows from theproposedprojectcouldreachanysunlightsensitiveresources.
If
the
possibility
of
new
shadows
reaching
sunlightsensitive
resources
cannot
be
eliminated
in
the
preliminaryassessment,theEISwillincludeadetailedanalysis.Thiswillincludethefollowingtasks:
Develop a threedimensional computer model of the elements of the base map developed in thepreliminaryassessment.
DevelopthreedimensionalrepresentationsoftheNoActionshadowconditionsintheareaasoftheBuildYear.
Develop a threedimensional representation of shadow conditions in the area with the proposedprojectasoftheBuildYear.
Determinetheextentanddurationofincrementalshadowsthatwouldbecastonsunlightsensitiveresources
as
aresult
of
the
proposed
project
on
four
representative
days
of
the
year.
Document the analysis with graphics comparing shadows resulting from the NoAction conditionwith shadows resulting from the proposed project, with incremental shadows highlighted in a
contrastingcolor.
Includeasummarytablelistingtheentryandexittimesandtotaldurationofincrementalshadowsoneachapplicablerepresentativedayforeachaffectedsunsensitiveresource.
Assessthesignificanceofanyshadowsimpactsonsunlightsensitiveresources(includingtheSaintsCyril&MethodiusandSaintRaphaelsCroatianCatholicChurch,anyotherhistoric resources,and
existing or planned parks). If potential significant adverse impacts are identified, the amount of
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remaining sunlight on those sensitive resources as well as the types of vegetation and or
recreationalactivitiesinvolvedwillbeconsideredinreachingimpactconclusions.
If any significant adverse shadow impacts are identified, identify and assess potential mitigationstrategies.
TASK7. HISTORICANDCULTURALRESOURCES
Historic and cultural resources are defined as districts, buildings, structures, sites, and objects of
historical, aesthetic, cultural, and archaeological importance. An assessment of architectural and
archaeologicalresourcesisusuallyneededforprojectsthatarelocatedadjacenttohistoricorlandmark
structures, within historic districts, and for developments that require inground disturbance, unless
such disturbance occurs in an area that has already been excavated. According to CEQR Technical
Manualguidelines,impactsonhistoricresourcesareconsideredonthosesitesaffectedbytheproposed
actionandintheareasurroundingidentifieddevelopmentsites.
ArchaeologicalResources
Although there would be subsurface disturbance on the project site, the New York City Landmarks
Preservation Commission (LPC) had previously determined that the project site is not sensitive for
archaeologicalresources6.LPCwillbeconsultedtoconfirmthispriordetermination.IfLPCconfirmsthat
the site is not sensitive for archaeological resources, then no further archaeological analysis will be
required. IfLPCdeterminesthatallorpartofthesitemaybesensitiveforarchaeologicalresources,a
Phase1AArchaeologicalDocumentaryStudyoftheaffectedareaswillbeprepared,inaccordancewith
CEQRTechnicalManualguidelines,and the conclusionsof thePhase1A wouldbe summarized in the
DEIS.
ArchitecturalResources
Whiletherearenodesignatedarchitecturalresourcesontheprojectsite,SaintsCyril&Methodiusand
SaintRaphaelsCroatianCatholicChurch,whichwaspreviouslydeterminedtobeeligiblefordesignation
asaNYCLandlistingontheS/NR,islocatednearby,anditispossiblethattheremaybeotherpotential
architecturalresourceswithinthestudyarea.ConsistentwiththeCEQRTechnicalManual,thehistoric
andculturalresourcesassessmentwillincludethefollowingtasks:
Selectthestudyareaforarchitecturalresources.Thisscopeofworkassumesthatthestudyareaforarchitecturalresourceswillbeapproximately400feetbeyondtheprojectsiteboundaries.
Submit the proposed project to LPC for their review and determination regarding architecturalresources,
and
request
a
preliminary
determination
of
designated
and/or
eligible
architecturalresourceswithinthestudyarea.
Mapandbrieflydescribedesignatedarchitecturalresources inthestudyarea.ConsistentwiththeguidanceoftheCEQRTechnicalManual,designatedarchitecturalresources include:NewYorkCity
Landmarks, Interior Landmarks, Scenic Landmarks, New York City Historic Districts; resources
calendaredforconsiderationasoneoftheabovebyLPC;resourceslistedonorformallydetermined
6LPCletterdatedOctober24,2003issuedinassociationwithNo.7SubwayExtension HudsonYardsRezoningand
DevelopmentProgramFinalGenericEnvironmentalImpactStatement(2004).
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eligibleforinclusionontheStateand/orNationalRegistersofHistoricPlaces,orcontainedwithina
districtlistedonorformallydeterminedeligibleforlistingontheRegisters;resourcesrecommended
bytheNewYorkStateBoardforlistingontheRegisters;andNationalHistoricLandmarks.
Assessthepotentialsignificantadverseimpactsoftheproposedprojectonarchitecturalresources,including visual and contextual changes as well as any direct physical impacts, on any designated
andpotential
architectural
resources.
Potential
effects
will
be
evaluated
through
acomparison
of
theNoActionconditionandthefuturewiththeproposedaction.
Ifapplicable,developmeasures toavoid,minimize,ormitigateanysignificantadverse impactsonhistoricandculturalresources,inconsultationwithLPC.
ThisscopeofworkassumestherewillbenostateorfederalactionsthatrequirereviewbytheNewYorkStateOfficeofParks,RecreationandHistoricPreservation(OPRHP).
TASK8. URBANDESIGNANDVISUALRESOURCES
TheCEQRTechnicalManual indicates that there is no need to conduct an urban design analysis if a
proposed
project
would
be
constructed
within
existing
zoning
envelopes,
and
would
not
result
in
physical changes beyond the bulk and form permitted asofright. The proposed project would not
resultinanincreaseinbuiltfloorareabeyondwhatwouldbeallowedasofright,norwoulditpermit
themodificationofyard,height,andsetbackrequirements.However,giventhescaleoftheproposed
project and the streetscape improvements that would be made to the pedestrian environment in
conjunction with the development, an assessment of urban design would be provided in the EIS. As
describedbelow,thestudyarea forthistaskwillbeconsistentwiththestudyarea fortheanalysisof
landuse,zoningandpublicpolicy.
Anareasvisual resourcesare itsuniqueor importantpublicviewcorridors,vistas,ornaturalorbuilt
features. For CEQR analysis purposes, this includes only views from public and publicly accessible
locations
and
does
not
include
private
residences
or
places
of
business.
Visual
resources
could
include
views of the waterfront, public parks, landmark structures and districts, or natural resources. The
projectsiteis locatedacrossthestreetfromtheSaintsCyril&MethodiusandSaintRaphaelsCroatian
Catholic Church, a building that is eligible for designation as a NYCL and listing on the S/NR,which is
consideredavisualresourceperCEQRguidelines.AsstatedintheEAS,apedestrianwindassessmentis
notwarrantedfortheproposedaction.
Therefore,anassessmentofurbandesignandvisualresourceswillbepresentedintheEIS,asdescribed
inthefollowingsubtasks:
Basedonfieldvisits,describetheprojectsiteandtheurbandesignandvisualresourcesofthesurroundingarea,usingtextandphotographsasappropriate.Thestudyareaforthepreliminary
assessmentof
urban
design
and
visual
resources
will
be
consistent
with
the
study
area
for
the
analysisoflanduse,zoningandpublicpolicy.Adescriptionofvisualresourcesinthestudyarea
andviewcorridors,ifany,willalsobeprovided.
Incoordinationwiththe landusetask,describethechangesexpected intheurbandesignandvisualcharacterof thestudyareadue toplanneddevelopmentprojects in the futurewithout
theproposedproject(NoActioncondition).
Describethepotentialchangesthatcouldoccurintheurbandesigncharacterofthestudyareaasaresultof theproposedproject (WithActioncondition).Photographsand/orothergraphic
materialwillbeutilized,whereapplicable,toassessthepotentialeffectsonurbandesignand
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visualresources, includingviewsof/toresourcesofvisualorhistoricsignificance(includingthe
Saints Cyril & Methodius and Saint Raphael's Croatian Catholic Church, any other historic
resources,andexistingorplannedparks).
TASK9. HAZARDOUSMATERIALS
Theprojectsitewasmappedwithan(E)designationforhazardousmaterialsaspartoftheNo.7Subway
Line Extension and Hudson Yards Rezoning FGEIS. The FGEIS indicated that the lot was historically
occupied by auto sales and service and other commercial developments, and there is potential for
petroleumcontaminationonthesite.Inaddition,theprojectsitehasbeenacceptedintotheNYSDECs
Brownfield Cleanup Program, and all cleanup and remedial activities on the site are expected to be
completed, with or without the proposed action, as early as 2015 and well before 2020. The BCP
contains investigationandcleanuprequirements,ensuringthatcleanupsprotectpublichealthandthe
environment. When NYSDEC certifies that these requirements have been met, the property can be
reusedorredevelopedfortheintendeduse.
Asthe
project
site
has
adocumented
history
of
hazardous
materials
conditions,
the
EIS
will
include
an
assessmentofhazardousmaterials.ThischapteroftheEISwillsummarizethepriorhazardousmaterials
studies conducted for the project site, and consider the potential for significant adverse impacts to
occur as a result of the proposed project. Conditions at the project site (resulting from previous and
existing uses of the site and the surrounding areas) have been studied extensively in prior studies,
including a July 1996 Subsurface Investigation Report, September 2007 Subsurface (Phase II)
Investigation Report, March 2011 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), and March 2012
SupplementalPhaseIIEnvironmentalSiteInvestigationReport.
As the proposed project would require excavation on the project site, the assessment in the EIS will
include adetailed description of measures (consistentwith the NYSDEC requirements under the BCP)
thatwouldbetakentoensurethatthepotentialforanyimpactswouldbeavoided.Themeasureswould
alsobesubjecttoreviewandapprovalbytheNewYorkCityDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(NYCDEP)reviewandapprovalpertheCEQRTechnicalManual.
TASK10. WATERANDSEWERINFRASTRUCTURE
The CEQR Technical Manual outlines thresholds for analysis of a projects water demand and its
generation of wastewater and stormwater. As discussed in detail in the EAS, although the proposed
projectwouldnotgenerateexceptionallylargedemandforwater(e.g.,morethan1milliongallonsper
day),theprojectsite is located inaRegulatedLowP