June 25, 2025
Join the Conservancy next Tuesday, July 1, at the City Council hearing on the Midtown South Mixed Use Plan (MSMX). This is your final chance to urge Council Members to protect our historic districts and the Garment District before they vote. Let your voice be heard—read our testimony and take a stand!
This Adams Administration proposal will upzone sections of the Ladies’ Mile and Madison Square North Historic Districts and the Garment District. The plan would allow housing in these areas, but it would also encourage demolition of historic buildings, threaten the character of the historic districts, and jeopardize Garment District jobs.
This proposal was originally presented as a way to ease conversions of unused commercial buildings, but it has changed into a plan that encourages demolition and the creation of even more super-tall, luxury towers by substantially raising the allowable FAR (Floor Area Ratio) size of new buildings. This zoning ratio is a tool to regulate the density and scale of development on a piece of land. New York City utilizes different FAR limits assigned to various zoning districts.
This will be the second upzoning of historic districts, and it won’t be the last. Historic districts are hubs of housing, businesses, and tourism, that contain beautiful buildings and tell the stories of our communities. The Garment District is a unique ecosystem of design and production, which cannot be replaced. These rezonings destroy the fabric of the City.
Learn about how to testify at the hearing.
The Council will accept written testimony for 3 days after the hearing. Send it to: landusetestimony@council.nyc.gov and contact your Council Member.
Housing advocates agree that this is the wrong plan for Midtown South. Read the Citizens Housing and Planning Council testimony.
A coalition of preservationists and Garment District workers are asking for changes to the plan:
- We support allowing residential development in the MSMX rezoning area. However, the proposed Residential Floor Area Ratio (FAR) must be lowered to respect the built environment, encourage adaptive reuse, and not incentivize the wholesale removal of existing businesses and manufacturing.
- New strategies are needed to keep the existing manufacturing and light industrial jobs and businesses in the MSMX area, especially in the iconic Garment District.
- Respect the character of the existing historic districts within the proposed area. This can be done by maintaining the development rights of landmark sites and not increasing FAR to a point where these rights become worthless. Many landmarks, such as houses of worship, need development rights to be able to maintain and restore their buildings in perpetuity.
- More incentives to support adaptive reuse of existing historic buildings instead of encouraging assemblages and demolition of multiple buildings and blocks. This would cause irreparable damage to our neighborhood and leave vacant lots for years to come.
The Council needs to hear your voice and your support for Midtown South!
