DOT's Weidenhoff presents major concession overview and expansion area
The DOT applicant panel is sworn in. Emily Weidenhoff, Assistant Commissioner of Public Realm at DOT, presents the major concession ULURP application with the Flatiron NoMad Partnership. She explains the expansion from 38,500 square feet to 162,345 square feet, allowing the BID to fully maintain plazas, shared streets, and pedestrian spaces, with revenue cycling back into maintenance and operations.
I now call the applicant panel for this proposal, which consists of Emily Weidenhoff.
Oh, yes.
And Kyle Gorman.
Thank you.
Could you please raise your right hand?
Thank you.
Good morning.
Do you swear to tell nothing but the truth in your testimony this morning and in response to council member questions?
Thank you.
You may begin your testimony, which is limited to 10 minutes, and you should start to conclude your presentation at about eight minutes.
When you begin your presentation, please restate your name and your agency.
You may begin.
Oh, we've also been joined by Minority Leader Carr.
Good morning.
Good morning, everyone.
My name is Emily Weidenhoff, and I'm Assistant Commissioner of Public Realm at the New York City Department of Transportation.
We're excited to present our proposal for a major concession ULURP this morning.
If we go to the first slide in our presentation, New York City Department of Transportation is the applicant, along with our plaza partner, the Flatiron Nomad Partnership.
The action here today is a major concession, which pursuant to the rules of New York City, any
area that is over 42,000 square feet needs to go through this additional land use review.
Most recently, we've gone through a similar ULURP application for Times Square Plaza just north of here.
This location is in Manhattan Community Board 5 in Council Districts 2 and 3.
If we go to the next slide, you can see here the area in blue represents the existing concession agreement that we have with the Flatiron Nomad Partnership.
And this in large part represents the original public spaces that were created.
Almost 10 years ago now.
And as we have worked with the community, with our partners, with elected officials, we have worked to expand
pedestrian and cycling priority along the corridor.
And so the application today is really recognizing all of that transformation of street as public space.
And so we're going from the original 38,500 square feet, expanding all that additional area in red, and that's where you see additional plazas, shared streets, pedestrian space,
to now the application of 162,345 square feet that will essentially allow the bid to fully maintain this area.
And any of the revenue that they generate as part of their concession agreement with New York City DOT will be able to go back into the maintenance, management, and operations now of this large area.
And we feel like this is really important to give them the tools that they need to really manage this public space comprehensively in partnership with the city.