The Municipal Arts Society, one of the vocal opponents to the uber-controversial Midtown East rezoning plan, commissioned a study (warning: PDF!) of rendered images that depict what the area would look like should new office towers rise in certain places. The FAR (floor area ratio, don'tcha know) allowed by the final plan will ultimately determine how high developers can build, and so the Environmental Simulation Center has envisioned the topography of the neighborhood with various FARs. Logically, when the FAR is bigger, and the imagined new highrises get taller, more of the surrounding buildings are blocked or obscured.
The most striking set of before-and-after images? The ones from 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue looking east. Because if the FAR is 30?meaning that new buildings could have 30 times the square footage of its zoning lot, or footprint?the Chrysler Building could be completely blocked from street-level sightlines. The rezoning plan has a few months, and more than a few governmental tiers, to push through before it's passed, so critics and supporters, make your voices heard now.
· Midtown East Rezoning Kicks Off [Curbed]
· Midtown East rezoning coverage [Curbed]
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