The plan, dubbed Safeguarding Historic Infrastructure by Efficient Land-use Defenses, or SHIELD, would create a brand new “federal use” zoning class that may require any such deal to undergo a prolonged public evaluate, and it might give the Metropolis Council the flexibility to dam it.
“As mayor, I will fight to protect our civic infrastructure, using all the tools at my disposal to protect it from Trump selling it to the highest bidder,” Stringer mentioned in an announcement. “Under this new zoning rule, if Trump wants to hatch a scheme to line his or his cronies’ pockets, he’ll have to go through New Yorkers first.”
There are simply 4 buildings in New York that could possibly be in danger and would fall underneath this federal coverage, together with the 41-story Javits Federal Workplace Constructing in decrease Manhattan, which is dwelling to Immigration Court docket and Immigration and Customized Enforcement’s native subject workplace.
Stringer’s proposal to tackle this area of interest subject for town would require a brand new textual content modification to town’s zoning guidelines, which might itself require a months-long course of with a purpose to be put in place.
A Stringer marketing campaign spokesperson mentioned the proposal is comparatively uncontroversial, so it could possibly be adopted extra shortly, and {that a} potential developer is perhaps turned off by the concept of going by an extended course of.
The Trump administration final month launched, however then walked again an inventory of tons of of buildings throughout the nation that it was contemplating promoting off. The administration has mentioned it’s persevering with to determine authorities buildings that it doubtlessly may put up for bids.
Below the proposed new designation, the constructions would acquire a “special use” situation on high of their underlying zoning.
Then, if the feds tried to promote one of many properties, the developer must get a particular allow from the Metropolis Planning Fee. That, in flip, would set off the months-long Uniform Land Use Overview Process, or ULURP, that goes by varied ranges of metropolis authorities for approval, with the Metropolis Council getting the ultimate say.
Mayoral candidates working within the Democratic main election have been keen to indicate how, if elected, they every would stand as much as Trump’s threats, with many pitching plans to counter Trump’s threats to drag federal funding.
Former Governor Cuomo confronted early criticism for saying he’d be open to working with the president, and has since leveled extra blows at Trump — though he’s nonetheless going through backlash for taking donations from Trump allies.
