Quantcast

Gansevoort beef

The move by the late Bill Gottlieb’s real estate firm to remove the 15-year-old restrictions on three properties on Gansevoort St. remained in limbo last week after the City Council Land-Use Committee amended the move to settle fears by preservation advocates of over-development in the anticipated Gansevoort Market Historic District.

The Gottlieb firm went to the City Planning Commission earlier this year to cancel a restrictive declaration that the three low-rise buildings on the south side of Gansevoort St. between Greenwich and Washington Sts. may be used only for meatpacking or other heavy industrial uses.

The firm told the Commission it couldn’t find tenants who would accept such restrictions, which the previous owners, the Rockrose organization, accepted in 1985 for permission to build the West Coast Apartments in the manufacturing zone on Horatio St. between Washington and West Sts.

The firm asked that use from Group 6 in the zoning code, such as restaurants, bars, retail stores and offices be allowed. Community Board 2 agreed with preservationists that Group 6 uses would help accelerate the change in character of the old meatpacking district. Preservationists, though, feared the change would encourage construction of 10-story office buildings.

Councilmember Chris Quinn proposed the Land-Use Committee eliminate office use from the application, which now goes back to Planning to rule on the amendments. The ruling is expected at the end of this month. The full Council will make a final decision in December.