Notice2024-00090
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses Redevelopment Project in Manhattan, New York
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Published
January 8, 2024
Issuing agencies
Housing and Urban Development Department
Abstract
New York City, through the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HPD"), and the New York City Housing Authority ("NYCHA"), are providing Notice of Intent ("NOI") to prepare an EIS for the proposed Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses Redevelopment Project in Manhattan, New York. As part of the NYCHA Permanent Affordability Commitment Together ("PACT") Program, NYCHA intends to submit an application(s) to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") for: disposition of public housing, and conversion of Section 9 public housing subsidies to Section 8 Project Based Vouchers ("PBVs") under the HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration ("RAD") Program and Section 18 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 ("USHA") as amended. This NOI initiates the public scoping for the EIS, and provides project information on the proposed action, the proposed action's purpose and need, and the alternatives being considered for evaluation in the EIS. This NOI invites public comments on the environmental impacts that may be associated with the proposed action and alternatives.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 5 (Monday, January 8, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 933-936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00090]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-6437-N-01]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses Redevelopment Project in Manhattan,
New York
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
ACTION: Notice of Intent (``NOI'') to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (``EIS'').
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SUMMARY: New York City, through the New York City Department of Housing
Preservation and Development (``HPD''), and the New York City Housing
Authority (``NYCHA''), are providing Notice of Intent (``NOI'') to
prepare an EIS for the proposed Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses
Redevelopment Project in Manhattan, New York. As part of the NYCHA
Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (``PACT'') Program, NYCHA
intends to submit an application(s) to the United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development (``HUD'') for: disposition of public
housing, and conversion of Section 9 public housing subsidies to
Section 8 Project Based Vouchers (``PBVs'') under the HUD Rental
Assistance Demonstration (``RAD'') Program and Section 18 of the U.S.
Housing Act of 1937 (``USHA'') as amended. This NOI initiates the
public scoping for the EIS, and provides project information on the
proposed action, the proposed action's purpose and need, and the
alternatives being considered for evaluation in the EIS. This NOI
invites public comments on the environmental impacts that may be
associated with the proposed action and alternatives.
DATES: Comments on the Draft Scope of Work (``DSOW'') will be accepted
during the Public Scoping Meetings and, in writing, until 5 p.m. on
Tuesday, February 20, 2024. See ``Instructions for submitting
comments'' below for further information.
ADDRESSES: Interested members of the public, tribes, and agencies are
invited to submit comments to be considered on the proposed scope of
the EIS, the proposed action's purpose and need, the identification of
alternatives to be considered, the environmental benefits and impacts
to be evaluated, and any other project-related issues or analysis.
Written comments may be submitted electronically via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ef0fbeeffc1fbf0e8def6eefab0f0e7fdb0f9f1e8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84eae1f4e5dbe1eaf2c4ecf4e0aaeafde7aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a> and, in hard copy via regular mail, to: Department
of Housing Preservation and Development, Attn: Anthony Howard, 100 Gold
Street, #7-A3, New York, NY 10038.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony Howard, Director of
Environmental Planning, Department of Housing Preservation and
Development--Division of Building and Land Development Services, 100
Gold Street, #7-A3, New York, NY 10038; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="df91baafbe80bab1a99fb7afbbf1b1a6bcf1b8b0a9">[email protected]</a>,
phone: 212-863-7248.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
New York City, through HPD, as Responsible Entity and joint lead
agency in accordance with 24 CFR 58.2(a)(7), and NYCHA, serving as
local project sponsor and joint lead agency in accordance with 40 CFR
1501.7(b), are providing this NOI to prepare an EIS for the proposed
Fulton Elliott-Chelsea Houses Redevelopment Project in Manhattan, New
York (the ``proposed action'' as further described below). The proposed
action to be evaluated in the EIS includes the replacement of existing
NYCHA buildings (including residential and community facility uses and
the development of new residential buildings) across the Fulton,
Elliott, Chelsea, and Chelsea Addition Houses campuses in Manhattan
(the ``Project Sites''). As part of the PACT Program, NYCHA intends to
submit an application(s) to HUD for: (1) disposition of public housing
property as authorized under Section 18 of USHA as amended and
implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 970 (``Section 18''), and (2)
conversion of subsidies under Section 9 of USHA (42 U.S.C. 1437g) to
PBV subsidies under Section 8 of USHA (42 U.S.C. 1437f) in accordance
with the RAD Program, created by the Consolidated and Further
Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012, as amended, and the RAD Notice
REV 4 (PIH Notice 2019-23 as supplemented in RAD Supplemental Notice 4B
published July 27, 2023).
Under the PACT Program, NYCHA would enter into a long-term ground
lease(s) involving the Project Sites with Elliott Fulton LLC, a joint
venture between Essence Development and The Related Companies (and/or
affiliates thereof) (collectively, the ``PACT Partner''). Such planned
activities and applications at HUD-assisted Project Sites require
environmental clearance.
HPD and NYCHA will prepare the EIS in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.
(``NEPA''), the Council of Environmental Quality (``CEQ'') NEPA
Regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and HUD implementing regulations
at 24 CFR part 58, and as appropriate, the New York State Environmental
Quality Review Act (``SEQRA'') and New York City Environmental Quality
Review (``CEQR'').
B. Project Sites
The Project Sites consist of four NYCHA developments: Chelsea,
Chelsea Addition, Elliott, and Fulton Houses, which are located across
two separate public housing campuses in the Chelsea
[[Page 934]]
neighborhood of Manhattan. Existing uses on the Project Sites include
2,056 NYCHA dwelling units (DUs), community center spaces, recreational
space, and 95 accessory parking spaces. As they are separated by
approximately a quarter mile, Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea are described
separately. Fulton Houses (the ``Fulton Houses Project Site'') is
generally bounded by West 20th Street to the north, 9th Avenue to the
east, West 16th Street to the south, and 10th Avenue to the west. The
Fulton Houses Project Site consists of eleven buildings, including
three 25-story and eight seven-story buildings. These buildings were
constructed in the early 1960s and contain 944 residential units which
house approximately 2,100 residents. Hudson Guild, a multi-service non-
profit community agency serving those who live, work, or go to school
in Chelsea and the surrounding area, operates a community center and
office space on the Fulton Houses Project Site.
There are a wide range of land uses surrounding the Fulton Houses
Project Site, including residential, commercial, institutional, and
open space. These uses are governed by different underlying zoning
regulations, which are applied to certain geographic areas (known as
Zoning districts). Zoning districts in the vicinity of the Fulton
Houses Project Site include: a R7B residential district with a C2-5
commercial overlay along 10th Avenue to the north; a C2-6A commercial
district (a R8A residential district equivalent), a R8 residential
district with a C2-5 commercial overlay, and a R7B residential district
to the east; a M1-5 manufacturing district to the south; and a C6-3
commercial district (a R9 residential district equivalent) and a R8A
residential district with a C2-5 commercial overlay along 10th Avenue
to the west. Some portions of the above are in the Special West Chelsea
District, an area in which special zoning rules apply. These rules may
modify or supersede the underlying zoning.
The Chelsea, Chelsea Addition, and Elliott Houses (collectively,
the ``Elliott-Chelsea Houses Project Site'') are generally bounded by
West 27th Drive to the north, 9th Avenue to the east, West 25th Street
to the south, and 10th Avenue to the west, with Chelsea Park adjacent
to the north side of the Site. Elliott Houses was constructed in the
1940s. The campus includes four 11-12 story buildings. These buildings
contain 591 residential units and house approximately 1,200 residents.
There is also an early childhood center. Chelsea Houses was constructed
in the early 1960s. The campus includes two 21-story buildings. These
buildings contain 425 residential units and house approximately 1,000
residents. Chelsea Addition Houses was constructed in 1968. It is a
single 14-story building. The building contains 96 residential units
and houses approximately 110 residents. The building is designated for
elderly families (42 U.S.C. 1437e). Hudson Guild also operates a
community center, offices, and recreational space located within a
building adjoining the Chelsea Addition building on the Elliott-Chelsea
Houses Project Site.
There are a wide range of land uses surrounding the Elliott-Chelsea
Houses Project Site, which include residential, institutional,
commercial, open space, and transportation/utility; the latter use
including the U.S. Postal Service Manhattan Vehicle Maintenance
Facility and the NYC Department of Sanitation Repair Shop, both located
between 11th and 12th Avenues. Zoning districts in the vicinity of the
Elliott-Chelsea Houses Project Site include: a C6-4 commercial district
(a R10 residential equivalent) to the north of Chelsea Park (which as
mapped parkland does not have a zoning designation); a R8 residential
district to the east; a C2-6 commercial district (a R8 residential
equivalent) to the southeast; R7B and R8A residential districts to the
south; a C6-3 commercial district (a R9 residential equivalent) and a
M1-5 manufacturing district to the west (along with the Special West
Chelsea District).
C. Purpose and Need
As stated above, the Elliott Houses were built in the 1940s and the
Chelsea Houses and Fulton Houses were built in the early 1960s. Chelsea
Addition was built in 1968. The buildings and units within these
developments have seriously deteriorated and require substantial repair
and rehabilitation. These issues include, but are not limited to,
persistent mold and leaks, the presence of lead-based paint, outdated
mechanical and electrical systems, and outdated fixtures and
appliances. These issues negatively impact the quality of life of
residents.
The purpose of the proposed action is to improve the quality of
life and housing stability for existing public housing residents of the
Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses. It would do so by constructing new
PBV-assisted housing for all existing residents, while also preserving
permanent affordability and residents' rights under the PACT Program.
The purpose of the proposed action is also to facilitate the
construction of additional affordable and market rate housing units to
address the critical shortage of affordable housing and housing in
general in New York City and financially support the PACT portion of
the project. This would help to address the critical shortage of
affordable housing in New York City through the construction of
hundreds of new housing units, both affordable and market rate. The new
affordable units would directly address the shortage by increasing New
York City's affordable housing stock while the new market-rate units
would indirectly address the shortage by increasing the overall supply
of housing in New York City. The proposed action will also facilitate
the development of additional community facility, retail and open space
for the benefit of NYCHA residents and the surrounding community.
D. Proposed Action
The proposed action contemplates the following activities:
(a) The staged demolition and replacement of all existing dwelling
units and community facility spaces at the Project Sites; and
(b) The staged development of new mixed-use buildings, including
affordable and market rate residential units, new community facility
spaces, and new retail (including supermarket) uses at the Project
Sites.
The proposed action would facilitate the staged replacement of the
following existing uses, including:
(a) 2,056 DUs at the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea developments;
(b) Approximately 67,159 gross square feet (gsf) of existing
community facility space currently operated by Hudson Guild; and
(c) 95 accessory parking spaces.
New development would follow the above-described actions. Two
development alternatives for the proposed action have been identified
and will be analyzed in the EIS, referred to as the Rezoning
Alternative and the Non-Rezoning Alternative.
The Rezoning Alternative would require approvals from the New York
City Planning Commission (CPC) through the Uniform Land Use Review
Procedure (ULURP). This alternative would result in additional
development, including:
(a) Up to an additional 3,454 new DUs, with a mix of up to 1,038
affordable DUs (i.e., up to 30 percent of the total) and up to 2,416
market rate DUs (i.e., up to 70 percent of the total). The affordable
DUs would be developed in mixed-income buildings consistent with New
York City's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) requirements;
[[Page 935]]
(b) Up to 46,364 gsf of local retail (including supermarket) space;
(c) Up to an additional 108,693 gsf of community facility space;
and
(d) 1 additional parking space at the Fulton Houses Project Site.
The Non-Rezoning Alternative would not require the approval of the
CPC. It would result in additional development, including:
(a) Up to an additional 1,783 new DUs, with a mix of up to 536
affordable DUs and 1,247 market-rate DUs in new mixed-income buildings.
The affordable DUs will be developed in mixed-income buildings and
recorded in the NYCHA Regulatory Agreement and other transaction
documents between NYCHA and the PACT Partner;
(b) Up to 29,075 gsf of local retail (including supermarket) space;
(c) Up to an additional 132,549 gsf of community facility space;
and
(d) 1 additional parking space at the Fulton Houses Project Site.
The proposed action would involve the staged demolition of all 18
existing buildings across the Project Sites and their staged
replacement with new buildings. The staging of the proposed action will
be designed to minimize disruption to the existing residents on site.
The estimated completion date for the proposed action is 2040 (which is
referred to as the ``build year''). Under the Rezoning Alternative,
there would be 15 new buildings ranging in height from 11 stories
(approximately 140.33 feet) to 39 stories (approximately 416.0 feet)
with a total of 96 accessory parking spaces on site. Under the Non-
Rezoning Alternative, there would be 17 new buildings ranging in height
from 11 stories (approximately 140.33 feet) to 39 stories
(approximately 416.0 feet).
The EIS will analyze the net incremental changes to the Project
Sites under both the Rezoning Alternative and Non-Rezoning Alternative.
These alternatives will be compared to a No-Action Alternative, which
assumes that the existing buildings would remain, no new development
would occur on the Project Sites, and routine maintenance and repairs
would continue. This analysis ensures that the potentially most severe
environmental impacts resulting from the proposed action are considered
in the environmental review.
In October 2023, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation,
and Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Office
(``SHPO'') stated that review was required under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) for Elliott-Chelsea Houses.
This site is eligible for listing on the State and National Register of
Historic Places (S/NR). Section 106 requires a process of outreach and
consultation with SHPO and interested parties, tribes, or agencies.
Outreach will also be conducted to the general public.
In addition to outreach and consultation under Section 106,
implementation of the proposed action will require federal, state and
local approvals. These include HUD approvals for the disposition of
public housing property as authorized under HUD Section 18 and NYCHA
board approval of a long-term ground lease(s) with the PACT Partner.
The Rezoning Alternative would require approval from the CPC
pursuant to the New York City Uniform Land Use Review Procedure
(ULURP). The land use actions sought before the CPC would include: a
zoning map amendment to establish zoning districts that would allow the
proposed bulk and height; a zoning text amendment to designate the
Projects Sites as Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Areas (MIHAs); and a
large-scale general development (LSGD) special permit to facilitate the
proposed site plan. The Non-Rezoning Alternative would not require
approval from the CPC pursuant to ULURP.
Each alternative described above will be evaluated at an equal
level of detail for each impact category. The analysis will be
conducted consistent with the applicable screening thresholds,
methodologies, and impact determination thresholds.
E. Proposed Action Alternatives
Consistent with the CEQ regulations implementing NEPA, the EIS will
examine a range of reasonable alternatives (40 CFR 1502.14) to the
Proposed Action that are potentially feasible. As required by NEPA,
each of the alternatives will be evaluated at an equal level of detail.
As a result of the project planning efforts to date, the alternatives
currently proposed for evaluation in the EIS include:
(a) No-Action Alternative: As discussed above.
(b) Rezoning Alternative: As discussed above.
(c) Non-Rezoning Alternative: As discussed above.
F. Need for the EIS
The Proposed Action described above has the potential to
significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The
implementing regulations of the CEQ (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) and HUD's
regulations (24 CFR part 58) require the preparation of an EIS in
accordance with NEPA requirements. Responses to this notice will be
used to: (1) determine significant environmental issues; (2) assist in
developing a range of alternatives to be considered; (3) identify
issues that the EIS should address; and (4) identify agencies and other
parties that will participate in the EIS process and the basis for
their involvement.
G. Probable Environmental Effects
Due to the increase in the number of residents and expansion of the
built environment, the proposed action could have the potential for
significant environmental impacts in the following areas, which will be
addressed in the EIS: Land Use, Zoning, and Public Policy; Coastal Zone
Management/Waterfront Revitalization Policies (WRP); Floodplain
Management and Flood Insurance; Socioeconomic Conditions; Environmental
Justice; Community Facilities and Services; Open Space; Incremental
Shadows; Historic and Cultural Resources/Historic Preservation; Urban
Design and Visual Resources; Natural Resources; Hazardous Materials;
Water and Sewer Infrastructure; Solid Waste and Sanitation Services;
Energy; Transportation; Air Quality; Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Climate Change; Noise; Public Health; Neighborhood Character; and
Construction Impacts.
The NEPA Draft Scope of Work includes a preliminary list of
anticipated permits and approvals from Federal, State, and local
agencies. HPD and NYCHA will coordinate with appropriate agencies or
entities for compliance with federal, local and state laws. The NEPA
EIS will also assist relevant entities in any eventual CEQR and/or
SEQRA findings.
HPD and NYCHA invite all interested parties to participate in the
scoping meetings.
H. Scoping
The publication of this Notice serves to initiate the public
scoping period. Following the scoping process and the finalization of
the scoping framework, the preparation of the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS) will commence. The DEIS will include relevant
information, assessments, and analyses of the Proposed Action's
potential environmental effects. Once the DEIS is completed, it will be
made available to the public through a Notice of Availability public
posting in the Federal Register and posted on <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page">https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page</a>. It will be subject to a minimum
45-day public comment period from the date of publication, including a
public hearing. Additionally, the availability of the DEIS and public
comment opportunities
[[Page 936]]
will be announced through public notices, public mailings and the local
news media. All interested federal, state, and local agencies, Indian
Tribes and the public are invited to comment on the scoping documents
and DEIS (when available), including comments on the identification of
potential alternatives, information, and analyses relevant to the
proposed action. Agencies with jurisdiction over natural or other
public resources affected by the project or that possess information
about the Project Sites that HPD should consider in the DEIS are
invited to submit comments to the individuals named in this Notice.
No decisions about the project will be made at the Public Scoping
Meeting. After the public scoping period, HPD, NYCHA, and the PACT
Partner will compile the comments that are received to develop a Final
Scope of Work for the DEIS. A Notice of Availability of the DEIS is
anticipated to be published in the Federal Register in the Spring of
2024. After the DEIS public comment period, a Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) will be prepared. At this time, it is
anticipated that a Notice of Availability of the FEIS will be published
in the Federal Register in the Summer/Fall 2024, after which a Record
of Determination (ROD) and Statement of Findings will be issued.
I. Instructions for Submitting Comments
Instructions for participating in the scoping meetings are
available at <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page">https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page</a>, along with the DSOW. The registration instructions will be
available on NYCHA's project website a minimum of two weeks prior to
each public meeting. NYCHA and HPD will conduct two in-person scoping
meetings. The first will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
(``EST'') on Thursday February 1, 2024 and will be held at the Hudson
Guild Fulton Community Center on the Fulton Campus (119 9th Avenue, New
York, NY 10011).
The second scoping meeting will be an online scoping meeting and
will begin at 4 p.m. EST on Monday, February 5, 2024. The meeting will
be held via Zoom (Zoom information will be shared on the project
website at least 10 days prior to the meeting; accessible at <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page">https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page</a>). Each meeting
will have simultaneous Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian and
American Sign Language interpretation. Individuals who require
additional special assistance, such as interpretation, captioning, or
signing services to participate in the scoping meetings, should make
the request by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b252e3b2a142e253d0b233b2f65253228652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="29474c5948764c475f6941594d0747504a074e465f">[email protected]</span></a>.
The third scoping meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday,
February 7, 2024 and will be held at the Hudson Guild John Lovejoy
Elliott Community Center on the Elliott-Chelsea Campus (428 West 26th
Street, New York, NY 10001).
The date of all public scoping meetings also will be announced at
least 15 days in advance of the meetings through a notice to be
published in local newspapers and online on the Proposed Action's
website at <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page">https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/about/pact/Chelsea-Fulton.page</a>.
Marion McFadden,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-00090 Filed 1-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P
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