Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Christine Quinn

Quinn Deal Reduces Parking — and Housing — at St. Vincent’s Site

A birds-eye view of the St. Vincent's site redevelopment. Under a deal struck by Christine Quinn's office, the number of parking spaces at the site will be reduced by a third. Image: Rudin Management via DNAinfo.

Responding to requests from the community board and advocacy groups, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn did what neither the City Planning Commission nor Borough President Scott Stringer would: reduce the excessive number of parking spaces planned for the Rudin family's redevelopment of the St. Vincent's Hospital site.

Originally, Rudin proposed building 152 spaces for 450 luxury apartments. That far exceeded the parking maximums in the Village, which would have allowed only 98 spaces. The local community board unanimously recommended that no garage be built at the site, noting that the entrance would be the fourth on a single block, unprecedented for the area. If parking had to be built, they said, there certainly shouldn't be any more than allowed by law.

Afterward the community board weighed in, however, officials still supported the Rudin bid for extra parking spaces. Stringer, relying on Rudin's environmental analysis, argued that without spaces of their own, the development's residents would put too much pressure on nearby parking garages, even though they would not fill them. Then the City Planning Commission approved the special permit needed to build the extra parking, even though the developers failed to show that they needed to exceed the city's parking maximums.

Final approval for any zoning change has to go through the City Council. In this case, Christine Quinn, both the Speaker and the local representative, could dictate the outcome. The project was seen as a political challenge for Quinn as she runs for mayor, forcing her to placate both her traditional political base in the Village and the big real estate interests she has courted more recently.

As part of a deal struck Wednesday, the number of parking spaces at the new development will drop from 152 to 95. The number of apartments will also be lowered, however, from 450 to 350, while the total square footage will remain the same. Even with the decrease in housing units, the parking ratio for the project falls from 34 percent to 27 percent. But the smaller parking ratio is still more than allowed for regular developments in the Village.

A spokesperson for Quinn's office said the parking reduction came in response to the community board's request but did not speak to Quinn's position on parking policy more generally.

The Municipal Art Society, which advocated against allowing excess parking at the St. Vincent's site, applauded the change. "Normally, the Council is reluctant to step in," said MAS Director of Planning Raju Mann. "Hopefully, this signals some indication on the part of the Speaker's office that this is an issue they care about and are willing to make changes on high-profile developments for."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Adams Considering Letting Midtown Business Group Issue Parking Tickets So NYPD Can Tackle ‘More Serious Issues’

The Department of Finance retracted its proposal to allow the 34th Street Partnership to be the first business improvement district empowered to enforce city parking rules after we started asking about it.

December 5, 2024

Could ChatGPT Make America More Walkable?

No, generative AI shouldn't plan a whole city — but a new study argues it could help identify gaps in our sidewalk networks, tree canopies, and more.

December 5, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: The Case of the Misidentified Getaway Bike Edition

Wednesday's wall-to-wall coverage of a Midtown assassination had a small transportation angle. Plus more news.

December 5, 2024

City Scales Back Hugely Popular Fifth Ave. Holiday Open Street Despite Sales Boosts

Mayor Adams is the Grinch who stole his own car-free Christmas shopping spree!

December 4, 2024

The ‘Instacart Loophole’: Council Seeks To Expand Minimum Wage to Grocery Deliveristas

City pols want to close a loophole that is allowing grocery delivery app companies like Instacart to get around paying their workers the deliverista minimum.

December 4, 2024
See all posts