NEW YORK—A sea of protesters almost too thick to navigate through waving placards filled the sidewalk on Wednesday in front of the Button and Needle Statue on 7th Avenue, a landmark of New York’s Garment Center.
The hundreds of protesters were there to save the area from city officials who are trying to change zoning in the area that has sustained the industry in Manhattan.
The Garment Center stretches nine million square feet of commercial space between West 34th Street and West 40th Street; and between Broadway and Ninth Avenue. Mayor Michael Bloomberg attempted to give the district a 300,000 square foot building in exchange for freeing up the zoning restrictions. The deal fell through because the building was not available.
“The purpose of land use and zoning is to figure out how we get the right mix,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to the roaring crowd.
“How we support commercial real estate, how we support our small businesses, how we let Wall Street thrive, and how we make sure that the manufacturing and the creative energy in this city is protected. That is what smart zoning is supposed to do.” Said Stringer.
The hundreds of protesters were there to save the area from city officials who are trying to change zoning in the area that has sustained the industry in Manhattan.
The Garment Center stretches nine million square feet of commercial space between West 34th Street and West 40th Street; and between Broadway and Ninth Avenue. Mayor Michael Bloomberg attempted to give the district a 300,000 square foot building in exchange for freeing up the zoning restrictions. The deal fell through because the building was not available.
“The purpose of land use and zoning is to figure out how we get the right mix,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to the roaring crowd.
“How we support commercial real estate, how we support our small businesses, how we let Wall Street thrive, and how we make sure that the manufacturing and the creative energy in this city is protected. That is what smart zoning is supposed to do.” Said Stringer.
