A coalition of local elected officials has urged New York University to halt its plans to redevelop Kips Bay Plaza, demanding a meeting before further action is taken. The university acquired the retail strip last year and is reportedly pushing to evict tenants like AMC Theatres and Fairway Market to expand its medical facilities, bypassing community input. Legal and zoning hurdles remain, including the need for city approval and objections from neighboring property owners who oppose vertical construction. Advocacy groups are rallying against the move, arguing transparency and public consultation are essential before any changes proceed.
Reposting for a friend involved in the effort. Quick recap: NYU quietly bought the Kips Bay Plaza strip a year ago and is evicting the AMC (and likely the Fairway) to expand its medical footprint, without engaging the community or the city. New this week: Powers, Maloney, Epstein, Gonzalez, Nadler, Lasher, and Borough President Hoylman-Sigal signed a letter to NYU demanding a meeting. NYU would need rezoning approval (City Council + BP) to convert the retail to medical use, and the neighboring apartment complex owns the air rights and has said no to vertical construction, so this isn't a done deal. savekipsbay.org submitted by /u/edc1591 [link] [comments]
