Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn) today joined with other elected officials, as well as community members in the Greenwich Village part of his district to oppose efforts to change the zoning designation at 600 Washington Street to accommodate a large residential and commercial development.  The undeveloped site, formerly the site of Yellow Freight, is zoned for manufacturing use.

“The developer’s request for variance for zoning of this site is seriously deficient,” said Rep. Nadler.  “The application does not meet the legal standard to support variance, nor have any real environmental impact studies been done on this request.  The request should be denied until there is a complete review, because if there is not, it sets up the dangerous precedent for developers to come in and get these sorts of ‘spot zoning’ changes based on the flimsiest of speculation.”

Community Board #2's Zoning Board opposed the application, which is now up for a vote by the whole Community Board.  Besides the lack of statistical support to support any such zoning change, the coalition opposing the zoning change point to the size and proposed use for the site as being contradictory to the traditional aesthetics and practical uses of buildings in the Village.

“The last thing this part of the City needs is some monolith that would destroy one of the last parts of Manhattan that has a great combination of mixed incomes, and a balance of housing, business, and manufacturing,” said Rep. Nadler.  “To grant this zoning change is to say it is alright to upset that balance through elimination of the manufacturing base in favor of high-
cost housing or commercial center.  I think that is an unwise and shortsighted position to take.”

Rep. Nadler has served in Congress since 1992.  He represents the 8th Congressional District of New York which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, including Greenwich Village.