L E S O N

Lower East Side Organized Neighbors

Organize — Inspire — Challenge lesorganizedneighbors@gmail.com

https://www.leson-nyc.org

Community Leaders issue Open Letter to DCP:

Pass the Full Chinatown Working Group Rezoning Plan

Press Release

Date: Thursday April 26, 2018

Contact: Tony Queylin, 917-613-9226

Lower East Side Organized Neighbors (LESON) is submitting an open letter to the Department of City
Planning, calling on the agency to adopt the Chinatown Working Group Rezoning Plan in its entirety as
its mitigation strategy for the ongoing Two Bridges LSRD EIS. In recent months, LESON has
demonstrated that the 4 proposed “megatowers” on the LES waterfront, would result in mass
displacement and adverse environmental impact on the surrounding community and its infrastructure.
This has caused the EIS process and the release of its Final Scope of Work to be delayed by several
months. The Chinatown Working Group rezoning plan would resolve the crisis of displacement and
protect the environment by stemming real estate speculation and the influx of luxury development in
Chinatown and LES. LESON is also calling on all community groups and members to endorse this
letter and join the fight to get the entire rezoning plan passed.

“It is clear that the Two Bridges LSRD EIS is long delayed because LESON exposed that these
developments cannot meet Zoning Resolution Article VII, Chapter 8,” says Tanya Castro, member of
LESON and president of Land's End II Resident Association. “To qualify for special
permits/authorizations under this law, any new development in the Two Bridges Large Scale
Residential Development (LSRD) Site cannot produce detrimental building bulk and result in adverse
environmental impact, such as restricted light/air, total alteration of neighborhood character and traffic,
etc.”

Tony Queylin, resident of Two Bridges Tower and LESON member says “DCP must pass the
Chinatown Working Group plan in its entirety to mitigate the destructive impact that the massive
amount of luxury development, like the Extell tower, has had on our community. Just the Extell tower
alone has caused the air quality in Two Bridges to deteriorate; the construction has caused our streets
to literally sink by two inches. Imagine what almost 4,000 more units of luxury housing being built
nearby would do! There is no way we can raise our families in a safe and secure environment if the city
does not put an end to the luxury development destroying our neighbohood.”
 L E S O N
Lower East Side Organized Neighbors

Organize — Inspire — Challenge lesorganizedneighbors@gmail.com

https://www.leson-nyc.org

David Nieves, resident of Seward Park Houses and LESON member says “There are some who are
proposing a waterfront only rezoning, and a text amendment to put the megatowers through ULURP.
This is a diversion from the real problem. What good is getting a few more units of “affordable
housing” that is not affordable? Rezoning just one part of the community will leave the rest of
Chinatown and LES unprotected. This is especially troubling for NYCHA residents, as the City is
proposing to privatize NYCHA's open land to build luxury housing. The Chinatown Working Group
Rezoning Plan would protect the entirety of our community, including its public housing.”

For more information about LESON, please visit www.leson-nyc.org or

https://www.facebook.com/LESON17/