SPURA and a calendar: two things that have not ever gone together. Which is why we were especially weirded out to see some dates attached to the project?which will bring affordable housing and retail to a swath of undeveloped Lower East Side parking lots that have been empty for 40 years?after a Community Board 3 committee meeting last night. The Lo-Down was on the scene, and officials from the city's Economic Development Corporation outlined the "maximum" plan the city will consider during its environmental review of the project. That's where the dates come in: the draft "scoping document" for the project will be issued late next month, and the environmental review will last through 2012. Once the review's done, the city and community board will put together a master plan, go through the ULURP process, and take proposals from developers. Going by this timeline, we probably won't see any real SPURA action until 2013?but given how long we've waited, the months will probably fly by!
The "maximum" project that the EDC will be considering is a good refresher for what might happen on the site. And that is? Nine parcels' worth of development, 60 percent of it residential, for a total of 900 units. Half of that would be affordable housing. The project could include up to 10,000 square feet of green space and a public market, and underground garages would be built to replace the current SPURA lots. Any bets on what'll actually get built?
· City, CB3 Begin to Plan for SPURA Environmental Review [The Lo-Down]
· SPURA coverage [Curbed]
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