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Fearing changes that a new administration and charter reform will bring, developers are scrambling to push their projects through the city's public review process.
Even as the new Dinkins administration struggles to get organized, builders like Donald Trump, Stephen Ross, Bruce Ratner and George Klein have been racing to finish their environmental reviews and get their projects certified by the City Planning Department. Certification means that the city's formal six-month public review process -- known as Uniform Land-Use Review Process, or ULURP -- can get under way.
Just in the last few months, large projects such as Rockefeller Center West, Riverwalk, Brighton-By-The-Sea, an Olympia & York office tower, Manhattan West and a West Side hotel have all been certified. Big disputed housing projects like Trump City, Arverne and East River Tennis Club have advanced to the brink of certification but may not make the final deadline.
Going to ULURP now
By reaching ULURP now, developers insure that their plans will be weighed by the outgoing City Planning Commission and Board of Estimate, both slated for extinction later this year under charter reform. Many believe that the outgoing commission, appointed by former Mayor Koch, and the Board of Estimate will treat projects more favorably than the new planning commission, partly appointed by Mr. Dinkins, and the City Council.