Gregg Singer

In response to developer Gregg Singer's removal of the terra-cotta facade on P.S. 64 on Ninth Street in the East Village, the East Village Community Coalition is holding a rally, in about a half an hour, to express its ire at the developer's actions. This has been a long, convoluted battle between the two camps. Recently in The Villager, Community Board 3 chair David McWater questioned Mr. Singer's motives for removing the facade: "Why? Just to be spiteful?" Before adding, "Just childish."

RALLY TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF P.S. 64! Monday, July 31, Noon, 10 St. at Ave. B (next to the school) We need YOU to tell the owner of P.S. 64 (formerly CHARAS) that he must not continue to destroy a city landmark! Please join US Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, NYC Councilmember Rosie Mendez, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, NYS Senator Martin Connor, NYS Assemblymember Sylvia Friedman, and Community Board 3 Chair Dave McWater. Show your support!

See previous coverage here and here.

-Matthew Grace

While one-quarter of The Real Estate was down south swigging mescal and speaking pidgin Spanglish, the lords of landmarking, the L.P.C., did not rest. So we're a little late in announcing these designations, but hold strong .... We'd feel remiss if we just let them pass by without comment.

P.S. 64, at 605 East Ninth Street, was built in 1906 by Charles B.J. Snyder, and it's an example of the H-plan building that was a popular design for public schools in the last 100 years. This particular building is at the center of an ugly fight between developer Gregg Singer and the surrounding community. He wants to tear it down; the community wants it as is. The L.P.C. designation means it's probably going to stay up, although Mr. Singer has vowed to go to court if the L.P.C. does what it did. See our previous coverage here. Also, The Village Voice reports that Mr. Singer might lose up to $20 million in tax breaks if he removes the building's terra-cotta trim (he's allowed to in spite of the landmarks designation because it was approved three years ago).  read more »

The Villager (you have to wait till tomorrow for the article to go online) reports today that the Landmarks Preservation Commission's Tuesday hearing was once again a face-off between supporters and opponents of developer Gregg Singer and his plan to convert the old P.S. 64, on East Ninth Street near Tompkins Square Park, to a school dorm.
After much debate and ado, the L.P.C. extended a standstill agreement until June 21, when it would convene once again to discuss the future of the building.
The Real Estate had a chat with Mr. Singer today, who wanted to clear up some misconceptions about his project. According to Mr. Singer, there's been a misunderstanding regarding the allowable floor-area ratio (F.A.R.) of the building. It's been reported that he's seeking a larger F.A.R. of 6.5 through a community-facility-use bonus. But, according to Mr. Singer, a deed restriction mandates that the property be developed for community use (such as the planned dorm), and the F.A.R. is 6.5 as of right. Whew! Everybody understand that? We've got a call out to the Department of City Planning right now to confirm that. Check back later for updates.
We took the occasion to ask Mr. Singer about his Article 78 and seperate $100 million civil lawsuit against the city, and he said he's confident that he'll prevail in both. "We think we're going to win that, and so does the city, so they're trying to stop it" through landmarking, he said.
Mr. Singer said that the city's conspired to pressure schools to not commit to using his planned dorm. As Mr. Singer said, schools that might need cooperation from the D.C.P. or Board of Standards and Appeals for future projects will not cross the Mayor on this particular project. But, he said, he's confident that the dorm will be used once--and if--it's built. Possible candidates include N.Y.U., the New School and S.V.A. Asked what would happen if no school agreed to use the dorm after it's built, Mr. Singer said that it would be "our financial loss--eventually the lenders would take over."
Mr. Singer also cautioned against what he said would be a bad legal precedent if the push for landmarking P.S. 64 went through. He insists that he has a legal right to build the dorm, and if activists stop his project, the door will be open to the capricious whims of activists to stop projects that on paper a developer has every right pursue.
See our earlier coversage of P.S. 64 here.
-Matthew Grace

... Oh yes he did.

Embattled developer Gregg Singer filed a $100 million lawsuit against the city last week, says The Villager. As we reported earlier, Mr. Singer claims that Mayor Bloomberg and former Councilmember Margarita Lopez worked out a backroom deal to quash his plans for P.S. 64 on East Ninth Street. Mr. Singer claims that the Mayor guaranteed Ms. Lopez a position in his administration and his cooperation in stopping Mr. Singer's school-dorm plan at the site in exchange for Ms. Lopez splitting the Latino vote in the last Mayoral election.

Now Mr. Singer is claiming that his civil rights have been violated (specifically, his rights to due process under the Fifth and 14th Amendments to the Constitution), according to The Villager, and he's suing the Mayor, the Department of Buildings, the Board of Standards and Appeals and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Councilmember Rosie Mendez, who holds Ms. Lopez's previous spot on the Council, provides the money quote: "I can't speak for Margarita, but ... he's a liar." Snap!

-Matthew Grace