Notice Details

PUBLIC NOTICE OF A SCOPING MEETING

DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

(CEQR No. 14DCP019M)

 

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Section 5-07 of the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Review (CEQR) AND 6 NYCRR 617.8 (State Environmental Quality Review) that the New York City Department of City Planning, acting on behalf of the City Planning Commission as CEQR lead agency, has determined that a draft environmental impact statement is to be prepared for the proposed actions related to the redevelopment of Rockefeller University Expansion, CEQR Number 14DCP019M.  The SEQRA classification for this proposal is Type I.

 

A public scoping meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2013 and will be held in Spector Hall, at the New York City Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, New York, NY 10007.  The meeting will begin at 10:00AM. Written comments will be accepted by the lead agency until the close of business on Monday, October 7, 2013.

 

The applicant, Rockefeller University, is proposing a modification to an existing Large Scale Community Facility Development (LSCFD), an amendment to the city map, a special permit, and other approvals, collectively referred to as the “proposed actions,” affecting all or portions of a superblock located in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, Community District 8. The affected area coincides with the boundaries of the existing LSCFD (which extends from East 62nd Street to the centerline of demapped East 68th Street between York Avenue and the bulkhead east of the FDR Drive) and includes the Rockefeller University campus in its entirety (Block 1480, Lots 10 and 9010; Block 1475, Lots 5 and 9005). The proposed discretionary actions, which are subject to environmental review, include:

 

1. A special permit pursuant to Section 74-682 ZR for construction in air space over the FDR Drive and rear yard waivers.
2. An amendment to the City Map pursuant to the New York City Charter to eliminate, discontinue, and close portions of the FDR Drive right-of-way and the disposition of real property related thereto, to allow for the placement of columns and footings in the East River Esplanade and on the west side of the FDR Drive associated with the construction of the proposed laboratory building.
3. Modification of Rockefeller University’s previously-approved LSCFD (C821257 ZAM).
4. Approval of building and column locations in and over the FDR Drive and East River Esplanade pursuant to Article 12A of an existing agreement between Rockefeller University, New York Hospital and Hospital for Special Surgery with the City of New York (the “1973 Agreement”), as amended in 1993 by Article 13 of the Third Amendment to the 1973 Agreement.
5. Approval by the Director of City Planning pursuant to Article 12B of the 1973 Agreement of landscaping, security, and lighting plans in accordance with Article 11, a ventilation plan and a noise quality plan, plans for closing the FDR Drive and East River Esplanade in accordance with Article 7.
6. Determination of consistency with Waterfront Revitalization Program CPC, acting as City Coastal Commission.

The proposal would also require discretionary actions from state and national agencies. An Authorization under the Ports and Waterways Safety Act (33 USC 1225(a)(2)(C)), as well as a Notice to Mariners, would be required from the U.S. Coast Guard (UCG); an Approval under Nationwide Permit 33 would be required from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE); and a Section 401 Water Quality Certification, a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and a NY-2C Discharge Permit related to dewatering during construction, would be required from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).  

 

The proposed actions would facilitate a proposal by the applicant to develop three new buildings containing institutional and support uses on two development sites within the Rockefeller University LSCFD.  The proposed buildings, which total approximately 165,000 gross square feet (gsf) include: (1) a two-story, approximately 154,314-gsf laboratory building complex, including two one-story pavilions (housing dining hall and support spaces); (2) a one-story approximately 3,235-gsf conference and meeting pavilion; and (3) a new 20,498-gsf one-story fitness center. The laboratory building complex and conference and meeting pavilion would be constructed on a platform structure occupying air space that spans a portion of the FDR Drive (between demapped East 68th Street and East 64th Street). Approximately 450 sf of the western portion of the East River Esplanade (immediately adjacent to the affected portion of the FDR Drive) would be demapped to create room for 10 structural columns and footings supporting the platform structure. The proposed new fitness center would be constructed on the northwest corner of the Rockefeller University campus, at the corner of York Avenue and the demapped East 68^th Street. The development of these new structures in the Rockefeller University campus would raise the total floor area of the existing LSCFD from approximately 2,039,214 gsf to 2,204,157 gsf.

 

The affected area is currently developed with the Rockefeller University campus, which comprises approximately 1,415,960 gsf of institutional and support uses. The development facilitated by the proposed actions would not be expected to increase the number of residents, users or workers within the Rockefeller University campus, but would rather provide new institutional and support facilities for existing students, faculty staff and other workers. 

 

The Rockefeller University LSCFD was designated in 1983 in accordance with provisions incorporated in the New York City Zoning Resolution. The LSCFD designation makes the campus a “superblock,” allowing the University flexibility in utilizing its development rights, provided that the aggregate of all development does not exceed a maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 10. The underlying zoning designations on the LSCFD are R9 and R10. The maximum permitted zoning floor area in the LSCFD is 6,051,090 zoning square feet (zsf). The proposed project would require modifications to the LSCFD to reflect the proposed floor area and lot coverage.  

 

Since the building program, as proposed, is identified in the LSCFD as part of the land use application for the above-referenced projected, the proposed development is considered to be the reasonable worst-case development scenario for the purpose of analyzing the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project.

Absent the proposed actions, the Rockefeller University campus would remove an existing temporary structure housing university offices and support uses (the “IT Pavilion”) located within University’s campus (at East 66th Street and York Avenue), and replace it with landscaping. Otherwise, the entire affected area would remain as in its existing conditions.

The proposed project is expected to be completed by 2019.

Copies of the Draft Scope of Work and the Environmental Assessment Statement may be obtained from the Environmental Assessment and Review Division, New York City Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, 4E, New York, New York 10007, Robert Dobruskin, AICP, Director (212) 720-3423; or from the Office of Environmental Coordination, 100 Gold Street, 2^nd Floor, New York, New York 10038, Robert Kulikowski, Ph.D., Director (212) 788-2937. The Draft Scope of Work and scoping protocol will also be made available for download at www.nyc.gov/planning.

 

Public comments are requested with respect to issues to be addressed in the draft environmental impact statement.