47 Years Later, Lower East Side Revamp Moves Forward

NEW YORK CITY-A plan to redevelop nine city-owned sites on Manhattan’s Lower East Side won conditional approval from Community Board 3 earlier this week, marking a successful first stop on the lengthy Uniform Land Use Review Procedure route. It’s a beginning that’s been a long time coming: the impetus to develop the area known as Seward Park began 47 years and seven mayors ago.

The Seward Park Mixed-Use Development Project would bring about 1.65 million square feet of housing, retail and other commercial space to a site just south of the Williamsburg Bridge. If CB 3 has its way, though, that retail space will not include big-box stores; the board has maintained that position since voting in favor of guidelines for the project last year.