[NYguy]

If you’ve never heard of anything needing approval to get built, then this article is for you...


https://mercury.bloomberg.com/news/Q5P2F5DWLU6D

Macy’s Herald Square Skyscraper Project Faces Tough Road Ahead
The proposed 1.5-million-sq.-ft. office tower requires zoning changes that would have to be approved by the city.

Bloomberg
Feb 14, 2020

Macy’s Inc. faces a difficult road as it dives into New York City real estate development.

The struggling retailer, trying to generate cash off prime real estate in midtown Manhattan, recently unveiled plans for a 1.5 million-square-foot building atop its iconic store in Manhattan’s Herald Square. But the proposed office tower requires zoning changes that have to be approved by the city, a potentially thorny political process that can delay, or even quash, the project.

“There are projects on individual buildings that have been going on for decades because of political issues,” said Noah Kazis, a legal fellow at NYU’s Furman Center. “Whether you move relatively quickly or get dragged out for years and years and years -- that’s the question about the politics of this project.”

The city council had “periodic” discussions with Macy’s about the project last year but was not briefed before the plan was unveiled recently, according to a city council spokesman.

Douglas Sesler, who oversees real estate for Macy’s, said recently that the company continues to work with the city to obtain the necessary permits and that the process may continue until the end of 2021.

“It’s certainly a process that requires a lot of stakeholder input,” said Keith Powers, a city councilman in Manhattan. “It could take years to get it to final conclusion.”

Before approving a zoning changes, the city could ask Macy’s for concessions, like transit upgrades at the busy Herald Square subway station. That could delay the project, according to Caroline Harris, a New York City land use attorney.

Macy’s Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gennette has acknowledged that the company proposed a “massive project” that would include making improvements around Herald Square, but declined to share specifics about discussions with the city.

“We’re being very respectful of our partners,” Gennette said. “They have a strong point of view and they should. This is an important project for everybody so we’re going to do it carefully.”

“We’re excited about this project in large part because of location,” Sesler said. “The center of gravity in midtown Manhattan has clearly shifted to the southwest.”