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Zoning Update Trump Decision According to the courts, the zoning law is so arcane and convoluted that it must be delegated exclusively to the so-called "experts," a self-appointed group of elitists to whom the people of New York, not to mention the court system, must kowtow. This is dangerous precedent indeed. While the Coalition for Responsible Development intends to pursue the issue to the highest judicial body in the state, the Court of Appeals, its chances of even being heard there are dim. The Court of Appeals seldom will consider a case in which the Appellate Division has ruled, as it has here, unanimously. In the meantime, Trump World Tower has "topped out" at 861 feet; its dreary shrouding is more than 50 floors high. It is visible from a distance of 15 miles, lording it over the East Side skyline and humbling the United Nations and Turtle Bay. Trump expects the first occupants to take up residency in January 2001. Unified Bulk Zoning Architectural esthetics are highly subjective whereas zoning supposedly is objective; the two do not mix. Who is to determine what is good architecture? Certainly not the New York City architectural community, which has produced an abundance of meretricious buildings. Only a precious few of the past generation of new buildings might in anybody's mind be deemed "great." Architects utter fancy words with little sub-stance. As a case in point, one architect has proclaimed his work to be of cinnamon color and inspired by the great Seagram Building. That worthy is the man who designed Trump World Tower. So much for the idea of architects evaluating their own colleagues' work. Should we defer to these so-called "experts," as the Appellate Court would wish us to do, given their dubious track record here in New York? TBA says NO! Unified Bulk is, in general, good for the city; the waiver for good design must be stricken from it forthwith. Turtle Bay members are urged, even exhorted, to write their councilmembers (Moskowitz and Miller) to make their views known. (Eva Moskowitz: 370 Lexington Ave., Suite 2001A, NYC 10017; Gifford Miller: 336 East 73rd St., Suite C, NYC 10021.) Plans for the United Nations Since it is in international territory, the United Nations is not required to comply with zoning regulations. Whether it will heed, let alone hear, some input from the community (such as the Turtle Bay Association) remains to be seen. Additionally, the United States Department of State has announced
it will replace the existing U. S. Mission to the United Nations
(the only such facility on American soil!) with a newer and, presumably,
taller building.
The Turtle Bay Association is a nonprofit (501c3) community organization.
224 East 47th Street, New York City 10017 |
