Current Initiatives
Second Avenue Subway
East Harlem Rezoning
Community Facilities
Bridge the Gap: A Pedestrian Bridge to Randall's Island
Mount Sinai Medical Center Tower
583 Park Avenue
Bus Rapid Transit
Newsrack Enforcement
125th Street River to River Study
Manhattan Solid Waste Management
New Construction/Unwelcome Towers
Green Building Resources
Air Quality Forum
Second Avenue Subway
CIVITAS is a long time and vocal supporter of the Second Avenue subway's completion. Since construction began in 2007, issues have arisen with the MTA's planning process and the construction's impact on the community. CIVITAS is meeting with stakeholders to address the numerous closings among retail businesses in construction zones. CIVITAS has also met with elected officials, community representatives, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority to address concerns about the design of utilitarian ancillary structures, the placement of station entrance locations within the already narrow sidewalks of Second Avenue and the side streets. CIVITAS has hired BFJ Planning to research and prepare alternatives to the problematic station entraces and an action plan for Second Avenue businesses.
UPDATED: A Review of Entrances and Ancillary Buildings of the Second Avenue Subway: a presentation prepared by BJF Planning
CIVITAS presented this information at the Community Board 8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force meeting on June 29, 2009. Visit www.cb8m.com for location details.
To read the Supplemental Environmental Assessment to the Second Avenue Subway Final Environmental Impact Statement:
72nd and 86th Street Station Entrance Alternatives, go to http://www.mta.info/capconstr/sas/ea.htm. This document was released by the Federal Transit Administration and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on June 1, 2009.
CIVITAS' Statement at June 18, 2009 MTA Hearing
East Harlem Rezoning
CIVITAS is participating in a community coalition of Community Board 11, the Department of City Planning and East Harlem stakeholders to evaluate the need to rezone the district between 120th and 142nd Street, west of Lexington Avenue. Among the primary concerns of the rezoning effort are: contextual development, particularly in low-rise mid-blocks, encouraging neighborhood-scale retail and commercial uses on Madison Avenue, and expanding affordable housing opportunities.
In 2002 CIVITAS produced the booklet 
New Zoning for East Harlem as an educational resource about land use and zoning needs in East Harlem.
Community Facilities
CIVITAS is a vocal advocate for reform of allowable bulk for rear yard encroachment for community facilities. A zoning amendment to bring the Upper East Side in line with what is allowed in other neighborhoods is awaiting certification by the Department of City Planning. CIVITAS sponsored an educational forum in 2003 on zoning for community facilities and is working with Community Board 8 to pursue changes to benefit residential mid-blocks, particularly with respect to protecting existing rear yards.
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Bridge the Gap: A Pedestrian
Bridge to Randall’s Island
Access to the river esplanade for the residents of East Harlem is sparse, difficult, and even dangerous. Randall’s Island, which for land use purposes is deemed part of East Harlem, is being developed as a first-class sports and recreation facility. Yet there is no access to Randall’s Island from East Harlem north of 102nd Street. (That narrow pedestrian bridge actually lands in Ward’s Island). A feasibility study was commissioned by CIVITAS in conjunction with the State of New York to determine the best location for a pedestrian bridge mid-way between 102nd and 125th Streets that would provide access to the Manhattan waterfront and would open up Randall’s Island to much greater use by East Harlem residents. The final report, issued in May 2006, recommends two alternate sites for a pedestrian bridge to Randall’s Island: 116th Street and 120th Street. CIVITAS is meeting with elected officials, community leaders and various potential user organizations (schools, athletic leagues, etc.) to promote the concept.
For more information about the Bridge the Gap project, click here.
Bridge the Gap: Connecting Manhattan and Randall's Island - an engineering study prepared by RBA and co-sponsored by Manhattan Borough President's Office, CIVITAS Citizens, and Department of State Division of Coastal Resources
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Mount Sinai Medical Center Tower
CIVITAS led a coalition of neighbors and advocacy groups to urge denial of permits and to raise public awareness regarding Mount Sinai Medical Center's proposed research lab and 540-foot residential tower (equivalent to 54 stories) to loom over Central Park. Constructed as joined buildings with shared mechanical systems, the mid-block tower would be the tallest building north of 60th Street. The Board of Standards and Appeals approved the variances in 2008, clearing the way for the tower construction.
August 8, 2008 Response to Written Objections, prepared by Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
April 22, 2008 CIVITAS Letter to Community Board 11
July 15, 2008 Testimony at Board of Standards and Appeals
September 8, 2008 CIVITAS Letter to the Board of Standards and Appeals
September 18, 2008 CIVITAS Letter to the Board of Standards and Appeals
583 Park Avenue
A catering operation that will use the church building at 583 Park Avenue to host large gala events five days a week threatens the distinctively residential character of Park Avenue in the 60s. CIVITAS is actively supporting the coalition of residential buildings in the surrounding neighborhood to stop what amounts to a blatant violation of the zoning law.
April 1, 2009 CIVITAS Letter to Community Board 8
Bus Rapid Transit
CIVITAS has long supported a Second Avenue Subway, but recognizes that realization may be years off in the future. To meet urgent transportation needs, in the meantime, CIVITAS is promoting improved rapid bus service on First and Second Avenues, employing novel concepts introduced in other cities, such as pre-boarding fare payment, reserved traffic lanes, and no steps at entry/exit points. MTA and the City selected the M15 route, favored by CIVITAS, for BRT service. We are working to urge early implementation.
125th Street River to River Study
CIVITAS participated actively in the work of the multi-agency task force, led by the Department of City Planning and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which is planning the revitalization of 125th Street, River-to-River. Members of our Zoning Committee attended meetings, prepared commentary and sought out community input. The Department of City Planning unveiled the final proposal for 125th Street in 2007 and CIVITAS has submitted its comments on the proposed Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Manhattan Solid Waste Management
CIVITAS is concerned with disposal of the large volume of solid waste generated on the East Side of Manhattan, both residential and commercial, and how it affects air pollution levels, congestion and impact on residential areas. The East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station in Manhattan, now closed, is the subject of a proposal for reactivation and expansion. CIVITAS testified in support of the Mayor’s comprehensive solid waste management plan (“SWMP”), and with respect to the East 91st Street site is pressing to insure there will be no queuing of trucks on York Avenue, that noxious odors and emissions are curtailed and that operations are restricted to reasonable hours.
New Construction / Unwelcome Towers
CIVITAS is concerned with the scale of projects recently being proposed in East Harlem and in the Upper East Side Historic District. One such site is at Park Avenue and 125th Street. Initially proposed as a 55-story tower, it was scaled back to 45 stories, in part due to CIVITAS’ opposition. It is still too tall. The original developer has backed out and its successor has presented a slightly revised plan.
Another troubling project is Uptown NY, a proposed two-and-a-half block development between 125th and 127th Streets stretching from Third to Second Avenues. CIVITAS protested the scale of this project, which included a 450-foot tower – 45 stories – and urged that the project, which is to provide for 1,500 residential units, be redesigned to blend better with the context of the neighborhood. A lower and less dense alternative with provisions for affordable housing has been proposed in its place.
In the Upper East Side Historic District CIVITAS filed its opposition to a proposed 330-foot glass tower atop the Park-Bernet Golbries on Madison Avenue. In January 2007 the Landmarks Preservation commission rejected the proposal.
Lurking on the horizon is a proposal by the Mount Sinai Medical Center to erect a high-rise apartment tower – to be sold to a developer – above a new laboratory and scientific research building. The apartment tower would loom over Central Park and alter the look of that skyscape. Approval by the Board of Standards and Appeals is required for a zoning variance.