Council Committee OKs Hudson rezoning

Last Wednesday, the City Council voted in committee to approve the proposed Hudson Square rezoning with a commitment from the Landmarks Preservation Commission to hear and vote upon part of the proposed South Village Historic District before the end of this year ? the area north of Houston Street, or just over half the area preservationists have been advocating for landmark protection. Preservation groups are urging the council to reconsider and include a larger area for preservation consideration. "This is extremely important progress in our very long fight to preserve our neighborhood," said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, in a statement. "The commitment to landmark part of the proposed South Village Historic District will help protect this endangered neighborhood from overwhelming development pressure, which has increased greatly due to the Hudson Square rezoning. However, we are very concerned about the lack of commitment to protect the southern part of this neighborhood, which we will continue to fight to preserve." The City Council did not reduce the maximum allowable size and height of new development in Hudson Square as called for by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, the local Community Board, and Assemblymember Deborah Glick, among many others. The rezoning allows new construction in Hudson Square well in excess of the height of most of the existing buildings, with one building allowed to reach over 430 feet in height near Duarte Square at the southern end of the district. The vote had the support of Speaker Christine Quinn, who represents the area, and thus is expected to pass the full Council later this month.