In a surprising turn of events, the developers of the planned 12-story building at 420 42nd Street on Saturday revealed their intention to play ball with the politicians and neighborhood activists who have been calling for a more contextual proposal. At a ceremony hosted by Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez (at left), William Chiu (at center, with pen), a spokesman for the developer, agreed to cap the building at six stories or 60 feet and to consult with the Councilwoman on any future projects. (Complete text of agreement on the jump.) I am pleased to see that the developers listened to the community message and brought down the size of the building, proving that responsible development can also be profitable, said Randy Peers, Chair of CB 7. Members of the Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors (SPAN), clearly gratified at the success of their first cause, annouced that the planned protest on Sunday (yesterday) would be turned into a celebration instead. Ivette Cabrera, the leader of SPAN, also made reference to working with Gonzalez to rezone Sunset Park. Anyone know any details about this plan? This obviously sounds like good news, but we wish we knew what Gonzalez had to give up in the back-room horse-trading. From the bullet points of the agreement, it sounds like she’s going to throw the developers a few fat bones to build affordable housing in the area. It had to be something attractive because you can be sure these guys aren’t cutting this project in half out of the goodness of their hearts.
420 42nd Street and the Rule of Law [Brownstoner]
420 42nd Street: This One Could Get Ugly [Brownstoner]

In the interest of being good neighbors and fostering good will in the neighborhood, the following memo outlines the commitments of the 420 42nd Street LLC to the community of Sunset Park:

* The structure at 420 42nd Street will now be downsized to no higher than 6 stories – not more than 60 feet.
* There will be a parking garage on premises
* Residential units will be made available to all eligible applicants
* The first floor will be designated for community use facilities
* We commit to working inthe future with Council Member Sara M. Gonzalez to examine affordable housing in Council District 38, in conjunction with the City of New York.
* It is agreed the developers and their representatives will consult with Councilwoman Gonzalez and the community on any future projects envisioned in Council District 38.