NYC Council Delays Crucial Vote on Rezoning of NY Blood Center’s UES Bldg

By: Jared Evan

The NY Blood Center has been seeking rezoning approval to build a 16-story, $750 million commercial tower in place of its current, four-story office on East 67th Street — last renovated in the 1960s, and this has become a hot button issue.

The City Council’s committee on land use has delayed a crucial vote on whether to rezone the building housing the New York Blood Center on the day it was scheduled for, as proponents of the rezoning work to ensure they have sufficient votes to pass it over the objections of the council member whose district is home to the center, NY 1 reported.

The NY Blood Center supplies about 90% of the city’s blood supply, according to NY 1.

The backlash to this proposed new building has been intense as thew NY Times pointed out recently:

“Community groups mounted opposition. Nearly every local politician, including the City Council member who represents the neighborhood, joined in. It would be too big on a low-rise residential block, they said, and cast shadows on a park across the street”.

The NY Times points out that this opposition reflects a deepening anti-development movement across the city over projects believed to offer few community benefits, particularly in its most politically active neighborhoods. Where once such fights were largely concentrated in more upscale neighborhoods, they have now spread citywide the NY Times writes.

Those who are in favor of the new Blood Center building note voting against the project would be taking away job opportunities at companies that would be attracted to the new development. Meanwhile, labor unions lobbied members, stressing that the project would create jobs for an ailing construction industry during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the NY Post pointed out Mayor de Blasio’s connections to the project, by noting The Kramer Levin law firm is representing the Blood Center in the rezoning effort and they also represented the mayor in a probe into his fundraising activities. De Blasio still owes the firm an estimated $435,000.

PR firm Berlin Rosen is also working for the Blood Center. The firm’s co-founder, Jonathan Rosen, has been one of the mayor’s closest advisers, the Post Noted.

One of the outspoken opponents of the project is Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, according to the NY Post. The brother of perverted and deceased sex trafficker is upset the new building will block his precious views.

Mark Epstein says he fears the non-profit Blood Center’s new facility will “kill the views” from the notorious property he owns nearby on 66th Street. This property is known as a location where Jeffrey Epstein housed his victims.

City Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. is in favor of the new Blood Center, and he has been at odds with fellow Council member Ben Kallos, who has joined with some local residents in opposing it. They have argued that the tower would block sunlight to a local school and a park and bring excessive traffic to a largely residential block.