A Cool Reception to Building Higher on Varick Street

 By Carl Glassman

Four blocks in north Tribeca that are targeted for rezoning to allow high-rise development got most of Community Board 1's attention-and alarm-last month. But the board's Tribeca Committee also took its first look at another rezoning proposal that is brewing.

It was an informal presentation and there was no action to be taken. But the board members were not happy with what they saw.


The property that would be affected is now a block-long parking lot fronting onto Varick Street, from North Moore Street to Beach Street. The lot's owner is John Calicchio, chairman of Argo International Corp., a marine supply company located a block away on Franklin Street. He wants to see the site rezoned for a bigger building than is currently allowed, or than would be permitted under CB1's proposal for a comprehensive zoning plan for all of northern Tribeca. Calicchio also owns a parking lot nearby, at the corner of North Moore Street and West Broadway, and he intends to develop that site as well.

Last month Calicchio's architect, Harry Kendall, and his real estate lawyer, Frank Angelino, made a presentation on the proposed rezoning to CB1's Tribeca Committee. They had no building design to show, but argued for a zoning designation with an FAR (floor area ratio)

of 6 that would allow a "tower-like element" of 12 or 13 stories that would wrap around the corner of Varick and Beach Streets. The building would be shorter on the North Moore Street side and the southern portion of Varick Street.

The smaller site at West Broadway and North Moore Street would remain a 5 FAR under their proposal, and would contain a four- to six-story building.

Most of Tribeca below North Moore Street is a 5 FAR-which is also CB1's proposed zoning for northern Tribeca. But Kendall and Angelino argued that other tall buildings front onto the Holland Tunnel rotary and that the site's catty-corner proximity to the rotary makes a taller building appropriate.

"It's been a tenet of New York City zoning since 1916 that recognizes that higher density is more appropriate where it faces a large open space, like an avenue, or a large open space like the Holland Tunnel rotary," said Angelino. "We can say we don't like it but we have to recognize that it exists."

"It has the ability to define that space," said Kendall. "It gets better as it gets taller."

"You're insulting my intelligence when you tell me that taller is better," responded board member Paul Sipos. "You know what, I like sky myself. I don't know that building tall buildings necessarily defines a space or makes it better."

The board members mostly objected to the plan because it did not conform to the zoning they want to see throughout northern Tribeca.

Said committee member Rick Landman: "We don't want to have one little area of spot zoning in the middle that breaks up our whole concept."Angelino later said the development team was "digesting" the feedback. "We want to keep the dialogue open," he said.