We had heard rumors for some time that Extell's plans for gigantic buildings in its planned Riverside Center development were threatened by the plumes from the Con Edison steam plant that is adjacent to the site. Now we know that there was something to the rumors.
I'm no expert in building, but anyone who looks at the site with the tall smokestack right next door ... why would you even think of building really tall buildings right next to the smoke stack of a working power plant? I guess that's what happens when you're Extell and used to getting your way, and you're backed by the Carlyle Group's billions of dollars. You just plow ahead and assume that the "common people" will make way; after all, they usually do.
The wonderful people at the Coalition for a Livable West Side put out a notice saying that, prodded by the Coalition, City Planning talked with Extell about the plume problem, and Extell has actually responded by revising their plans, reducing (so it is said) the planned height of some of the buildings!
Based on Extell's track record of building as much as they possibly can, it's hard to believe that they will actually reduce the total planned floor space. The space chopped off from the tops of buildings may well show up again lower down.
That is the purpose of a meeting at 6:30pm on Wednesday March 17 at Community Board 7, 250 West 87th St (between Broadway and WEA). Extell will be there, and will show its revised plan. The public (that means you!) is welcome to attend. Please do, and post your reactions as comments.
The real credit for this development belongs to the City's Department of Environmental Protection, which dictated the standards for the air quality portion of the required environmental study.
Posted by: p | 03/12/2010 at 02:02 PM