Though it got shot down under the Bloomberg administration, the controversial proposal to allow taller buildings in a 70-ish block area around Grand Central Terminal is starting to get resurrected. But there's a catch. The plan currently includes a concession to hotel unions that basically states any hotel planned for the Grand Central neighborhood has to earn a special permit from both City Planning and the City Council, which would prolong the approval process for hotel owners and potentially make it harder to build. The city would rather see office buildings rise, while union workers fear an influx of new hotels would lower their wages. [WSJ; previously]
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