By Hadassa Kalatizadeh

The de Blasio administration is ripe to claim a victory in the controversial SoHo/ NoHo rezoning.

As reported by Crain’s NY, the city council voted in favor of a modified plan for the rezoning, virtually assuring the deal will reach fruition, even as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s term in office ends.  On Thursday, the City Council committee voted almost unanimously to approve the proposal which would convert some 56 blocks in the neighborhoods mostly zoned for manufacturing to create more affordable housing and retail space.  The Land Use Committee voted  15-1 in favor and the Zoning and Franchise Subcommittee supported the proposal unanimously.  The full council vote will take place this week, and Mayor de Blasio is expected to sign it into law before Jan. 1.

There were several modifications made from the October version, in a last minute intense negotiation.  “After receiving a scope of work that fell short of what we in the community wanted. We began a rigorous series of tough negotiations and internal reviews so that we could do our best by the neighborhood,” said Noho Councilmember and Speaker candidate Carlina Rivera.

The changes included: lowering the maximum permitted commercial floor area ratio in much of the rezoning area; limiting the square footage for eating and drinking establishments; reducing heights in multiple locations; requiring deeper level of affordability by lowering required number of units;  restricting dorm and college university usage; and requiring a special permit for retail uses larger than 25,000 sq. ft.

As per AM NY, the plan’s supporters believe the rezoning will add much needed housing, while trying to preserve the historical districts.  City Planning officials estimate the addition of 3,500 housing units, some 900 of them being earmarked as affordable units. “It marks a critical change to the city’s historic practice of focusing neighborhood rezoning on communities of color, moving us toward a more equitable future where all neighborhoods contribute their fair share to our ongoing housing crisis facing New York City,” said Rivera.

Critics for the plan have long argued that the estimates are drastically over-exaggerated.   “Study after study showed that the plan is likely to produce little if any affordable housing, and is almost surgically designed to discourage the construction of affordable housing, and the modifications made by the City Council will do little to change that,” said Andrew Berman, the executive director of Village Preservation.