• Site 1: 2293-95 Third Avenue, a/k/a 200-210 East 125th Street (Block 1789, Lot 46), Lot 46 is he corner lot on the southeast corner of Third Avenue and East 125 Street;
  
  
• Site 2: 2307-19 Third Avenue, a/k/a 201-251 East 125th Street, a/k/a 2445-59 Second Avenue a/k/a/ 200-242 East 126th Street (Block 1790, Lots 1, 101, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 40, 41, 44, 45, 46 and 49). Block 1790 is bounded north and south by 125th Street and 126th Street and east and west by Second Avenue and Third Avenue; and
  
  
• Site 3: 2323-27 Third Avenue, a/k/a 201-253 East 126th Street, a/k/a 2461-75 Second Avenue, a/k/a 208-230 East 127th Street (Block 1791, Lots 1, 25 and 34). Block 1791 is bounded north and south by 126th Street and 127th Street and east and west by Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Lot 44, on the northwest corner of Block 1791, is not part of the Uptown NY action and would not be developed.

REQUIRED APPROVALS

The development of Uptown NY Sites 1, 2, and 3 requires several public approvals in order to be implemented to allow the residential and retail uses on a large scale. Anticipated required approvals, all of which will be subject to the requirements of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), are as follows:

• Zoning map changes and zoning text changes for the following zoning sections:
• Rezoning of Block 1790, Lots 6812132024252627282930314041444546 and 49, and Block 1791 Lots 25 and 34, from M1-1 to C4-6
• Rezoning of Block 1791, Lot 1 from R7-2 to C4-6;
• General Large-Scale Development Special Permit pursuant to Section 74-74 of the Zoning Resolution to permit modifications of applicable bulk regulations including regulations governing building height, setback, and rear yards, loading and parking, transfer of floor area from one zoning lot to another, and modification of the text to permit the MTA bus garage in a C4-6 zoning district;
• Disposition of the City-owned property from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to EDC for disposition to and development by a private entity;
• Special Permit(s) pursuant to Section 74-52 of the Zoning Resolution to permit a public parking garage on the site;
• Amending the Harlem-East Harlem Urban Renewal Plan (URP) to change the land use on URP Sites 8A, 9 and 12 from residential to residential and commercial; to include two Q parcels (Block 1790 Lots 8 and 46) to URP Site 12; to reaffirm the properties to be acquired (Block 1790, Lots 1, 5, 12, 220 24, 28 and 44 and Block 1971, Lot 34) to remove URP Sites 8A and 9 from the Large-Scale Residential Development Plan; and to remove URP Sites 8A. 9 and 12 from additional Building Bulk and Parking controls as specified in the Plan.
• Modification of signage requirements.

LAND USE, REZONING AND PULIC POLICY

According to the City Environment Quality Review Technical Manual ("CEQR Technical Manual"), a detailed assessment of land use, zoning and public policy is appropriate if an action would be expected to result in a significant change in land use. In addition, a land use analysis characterizes the uses and development trends in the area that may be affected by a proposed action. The analysis also considers the action's compliance with and effect on the area's zoning and other applicable public policies. Even when there is little potential for an action to be inconsistent with or affect land use, zoning, or public policy, a description of these issues is usually appropriate to establish conditions and provide information for use in other technical areas. A detailed assessment of land use is appropriate if the action would result in a significant change in land use or would substantially affect zoning regulations or policies governing land use.

Uptown NY consists of the redevelopment of several sites arrayed on the east side of Third Avenue between 124th and 127th Streets. The lots that make up the three development sites are privately and publicly owned, mainly comprised of retail and commercial uses and vacant property. One lot is owned by the metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and is used as a bus storage facility.

The project site when completed would contain approximately 2,711,494 total square feet, including approximately 696,364 square feet of commercial/retail floor area and approximately 1,551,937 square feet for residential use. Accessory parking will be provided for the residential and retail uses of the development with approximately 700 underground and 300 above-ground parking spaces that total approximately 346,694 square feet. The design of the development will incorporate a separate underground bus storage facility for approximately 80 buses (totaling approximately 116,498 square feet with air shafts) for use by the (MTA). Included as part of the proposed development would be a space for community facility occupied by a local cultural group.

The proposed project would require zoning map and text changes; an amendment of the Harlem-East harlem Urban Renewal Plan; a General Large-Scale Development Special Permit pursuant to Section 74-74 of the Zoning Resolution; disposition of the City-owned property; Special Permit(s) pursuant to Section 74-52 of the Zoning Resolution to permit a public parking garage on the site; and modification of signage requirements.

As the Uptown NY project would change existing land uses, zoning districts and an urban renewal plan, the proposed actions could potentially result in land use, zoning and public policy significant impacts and a detailed assessment is warranted.

SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS

According to the CEQR Technical Manual, a socioeconomic assessment should be conducted if a proposed action may reasonably be expected to create substantial socioeconomic changes within the area affected by the action that would not occur in the absence of the action. Actions that would trigger a CEQR analysis include the following:

• Direct residential displacement - the direct displacement of a residential population so that the socioeconomic profile of the neighborhood would be substantially altered;
• Direct business displacement - the direct displacement of substantial numbers of businesses or employees or the direct displacement of a business or institution that is unusually important because of the following reasons: It has a critical social or economic role in the community and would have unusual difficulty in relocating successfully; it is of a type or in a location that makes it the subject of other regulations or publicly adopted plans aimed at its preservation; it serves a population uniquely dependent on its services in its present location; or it is particularly important to neighborhood character.
• Indirect residential and business displacement - the introduction of substantial new development that is markedly different from existing uses, development, and activities within the neighborhood. Such an action could lead to indirect displacement. The SEQR Technical Manual additionally states that residential development of 200 units or less or commercial development of 200,000 square feet or less would typically not result in significant socioeconomic impacts.

Direct Residential Displacement: Two existing buildings on the Uptown NY project site potentially have residential units on the upper floors: the five-story building on Block 1791, Lot 25 and the four-story building on Block 1790, Lot 12. Multiple field visits to these sites have not been able to rule out residential uses on the upper floors of the building. It is estimated that the two buildings have three total dwelling units and seven potential residents. The potential residents would be directly displaced as a result of the proposed project. However, the displacement of the potential residents is not expected to have a significant adverse socioeconomic impact, as it would not substantially alter the neighborhood profile.

Direct Business Displacement: Nine existing businesses on the Uptown NY project site are expected to be directly displaced as a result of the proposed actions including the following: one carpet store, one dry cleaner, one photo shop, two automotive repair garages, one gasoline service station, a truck parking lot, an antique store and a store specializing in stove parts. It is estimated that 65 employees work at these businesses and would be directly displaced as well. The direct displacement of businesses and employees as a result of the proposed actions would not necessarily result in a significant adverse socioeconomic impact. The nine existing businesses expected to be directly displaced are not types that are considered to be unusually important to the social or economic role of the community. The nine business types listed above expected to be directly displaced as a result of the Uptown NY project do not serve a population uniquely dependent on its services at the present location and it is not expected that the businesses would experience unusual difficulty in relocating successfully.

Indirect Residential and Business Displacement: The proposed Uptown NY project would introduce 1,500 new residential units. This exceeds the CEQR threshold of 200 residential units and a detailed assessment of significant adverse socioeconomic impacts from potential indirect residential displacement is warranted for the proposed actions. In addition, the Uptown NY project would introduce approximately 696,364 square feet of retail floor area, which exceeds the CEQR threshold of 200,000 square feet of commercial development. A detailed assessment of significant adverse socioeconomic impacts from the indirect business displacement as a result of the proposed actions is warranted.

No concentration of specific industries exists on the three sites that make up the Uptown NY development. However, specific industries in the area surrounding the site may potentially be affected by the proposed actions. As the Uptown NY proposed development will include approximately 696,364 square feet of retail floor area, there is potential for the re tail and service industries in the surrounding area of the project site to be adversely affected by the proposed actions and a detailed assessment of whether retail and service businesses will be specifically affected by the proposed actions is necessary.