CITY PLANNING COMMISSION October 24, 2001/Calendar No. 24 C 010511 ZMM IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Museum for African Art, and the Edison Schools, Inc. pursuant to Sections 197-c and 201 of the New York City Charter for an amendment to the Zoning Map, Section No 6b, changing from an R9 District to a C4-6 District property bounded by East 109' Street, Fifth Avenue, East 110th Street and a line 150 feet easterly of Fifth Avenue, in the-Spo6ia1-Park Improvement District, within the Milbank Frawley Circle-East Urban Renewal Area, as shown on a diagram (for illustrative purposes only) dated May 7, 2001, Borough of Manhattan, Community District 11. The application for an ainendment of the Zoning Map was filed by Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Edison Schools, Inc. and the Museum for African Art on March 21, 2001, to rezone a site within the Special Park Improvement District, bounded by Fifth Avenue, East 109th Street, East 110th Street and a line 150 feet east of Fifth Avenue, from an R9 district to a C4-6 district. The proposed action would facilitate the construction of the Edison Schools/ Museum for African Art project, a mixed-use development to be located on the northern portion of Fifth Avenue's Museum Mile in East Harlem, Manhattan Community District 11. RELATED ACTIONS In addition to the application for the zoning map amendment which is the subject of this report (C 010511 ZMM), implementation of the proposed development also requires action by the City Planning Commission on the following applications which are being considered concurrently with this application: N 010510 ZRM: Zoning Text Amendment to the Special Park Improvement District regulations (Section 92-00 of the Zoning Resolution) related to bulk and use. C 010513 HDM: Disposition of city-owned property (Block 1615, Lots 5, 7, 66, and 68) N 010509 HCM: Minor Modification to the Milbank Frawley Circle-East Urban Renewal Plan, to redesignate Site 24R to Site 24. BACKGROUND Edison Schools, Inc. is a leading private manager of public schools, which it operates under contract with local school districts and charter boards throughout the country. At present, approximately 57,000 students are enrolled in 113 Edison-managed schools in 21 states and the District of Columbia. The Museum for African Art is recognized worldwide as a pre-eminent organizer of exhibitions and catalogues that explore Africa's artistic, traditional and cultural heritage. The Museum's exhibitions have traveled to more than 60 national and international museums and have been viewed by millions of people worldwide. Edison Schools, Inc., in partnership with the Museum for African Art, propose to develop a joint educational and cultural facility in East Harlem. The proposed Edison Schools/Museum for African Art project will enable the museum to move from its present location in SoHo to a larger, more modern facility and provide a new corporate headquarters and school facility for Edison. The applicants seek approval of a zoning map amendment to facilitate the development of the Edison Schools/ Museum for African Art project. The Edison Schools/Museum for African Art project site is located on the east side of Fifth Avenue between East 109th and East 110th streets, and a point 172.6 feet east of Fifth Avenue, in East Harlem. The area to be rezoned is located 2 C 010511 ZMM within the Special Park Improvement District and is currently zoned R9 and R7-2. The proposed action would rezone the project site, to a point 150 feet east of Fifth Avenue, to a C4-6 district. Site and Neighborhood Description The project site (Block 1615, Lots 1, 5, 7, 66 and 68) comprises a vacant land assemblage totaling approximately 25,000 square feet of lot area. Lot 1 (10,000 square feet) is owned by Edison; the remaining lots are city-owned. City-owned Lots 66 and 68 are community gardens (i.e., La Nueva Esperanza garden); however, they are not well maintained. The proposed project site also comprises two designated urban renewal sites within the Milbank Frawley Circle-East Urban Renewal Area. Lots 1, 66 and 68 are included in Site 24B. Lots 5 and 7 are part of Site 24. Both sites are designated for residential/commercial/public and semi-public use. The project site is zoned R9/R7-2. The R9 district extends 150 feet east of Fifth Avenue. The remaining 22.6 linear feet of the site is within an R7-2 zoning district. Both zoning districts allow residential and community facility uses; commercial uses are not permitted. The R9 residential districts allow residential buildings that range from 0.99 to 7.52 FAR. The higher FAR typically produces a 17-story building with low lot coverage that is set back from the street. Community facilities can achieve an FAR of 10. R7-2 districts are medium density residential districts that allow residential buildings that range from 0.87 - 3.44 FAR. The higher FAR typically produces 14-story buildings with low coverage that are set back from the street. In an R7-2 zoning district, community facilities can achieve an FAR of 6.5. 3 C 010511 ZMM The project site is also located within the Special Park Improvement District (SPID). The SPID is mapped along Fifth Avenue from East 59th Street to East 110th streets, to a depth of 150 feet. SPID regulations require streetwalls to rise to a height of 125 to 150 feet before setback, to a maximum height of 19 stories or 210 feet, whichever is less. The surrounding area is residentially zoned (R7-2 and R9) and predominantly residential in character with community facility uses along Fifth Avenue. Neighboring uses include the Schomberg Plaza housing complex, located on East 110th Street, opposite the site. Schomberg Plaza contains two 35-story towers and one 11-story building along Madison Avenue between East 110th and East 111th streets. Schomberg Plaza is zoned C1-9, which allows residential uses up to 10 FAR, and commercial uses up to 2 FAR. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) manages several public housing developments that range in height from 18- to 20- stories, on neighboring blocks. Central Park, and the recently completed Duke Ellington Statue, are located on Fifth Avenue and Duke Ellington Circle, respectively, opposite the proposed project site. Additionally, HPD has invested $100 million in public and private funds to develop approximately 1,000 units of middle income and market rate housing within a half-mile radius of the project site. Major institutional uses on neighboring blocks include the Museum of the City of New York, El Museo Del Barrio, located five blocks south along Fifth Avenue, and the Dana Discovery Center, which is adjacent to the Harlem Meer in Central Park. Three public schools are located within a three-block radius of the proposed project site: P.S. 108 - located one block south of the site, P.S. 4 C 010511 ZMM 101 - located two blocks northeast of the site, and P.S. 185, which is located two blocks northwest of the site, in Central Harlem. Project Description The Edison Schools/ Museum for African Art project would develop three uses in two adjoining buildings. The uses include a museum along Fifth Avenue with 60,000 square feet of floor area (Block 1615, Lot 1); an elementary school with 75,000 square feet of floor area, and a commercial office space totaling 84,403 square feet of floor area (Block 1615, Lots 5, 7, 66 and 68). All three uses will comprise one zoning lot and in total, the proposed project would provide approximately 219,403 square feet of floor area (8.83 FAR). The proposed elementary school and commercial office space, which will serve as the corporate headquarters for Edison, will be placed in the same building, to be located on East 109th and East 110th streets. It would rise to an elevation of 193 feet or approximately 14 stories. The proposed elementary school would occupy the cellar, first through sixth floors, and accommodate approximately 720 students, from kindergarten to the fifth grade. The proposed commercial space will comprise floors seven through 14. Additionally, the proposed elementary school/commercial office building will have separate entrances for each use. The main school entrance will be located on East 110th Street, with loading and school drop-off areas on East 109th Street. The primary access to Edison Schools' 5 C 010511 ZMM headquarters is on East 110" Street. The proposed museum would rise to a height of approximately 110 feet (six stories) without set back along Fifth Avenue, East 109" and East 110' streets. The pedestrian entrances to the Museum would be on Fifth Avenue and Duke Ellington Circle. Proposed Zoning Map Amendment Edison Schools, the Museum for African Art and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development seek approval of a Zoning Map amendment (C 010511 ZMM) to rezone the project site, which is located within the Special Park Improvement District to a C4-6 district. The proposed C4-6 rezoning area includes an area bounded by Fifth Avenue, East 109th and East 110th streets, and a line 150 feet east of Fifth Avenue. The site's current zoning permits residential and community facility uses; commercial uses are not permitted. The site is primarily located within an R9 district, which extends 150 feet into the site from Fifth Avenue; the remaining 22.6 linear feet of the site are located within an R7-2 zoning district. R9 districts allow residential development up to 7.5 FAR and community facility uses up to 10 FAR.