The contentious plan to rezone 56 blocks of Lower Manhattan took a huge step forward yesterday when the Department of City Planning certified the Soho/Noho rezoning application, officially kicking off the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).

As Urbanize NYC previously reported, the rezoning focuses on building new housing across the wealthy and predominantly white neighborhood. In addition to allowing ground-up construction on a handful of sites, existing structures, including office and industrial space, could easily be converted to apartments under new rules. Zoning changes would allow for another 3,200 apartments to be built in Soho/Noho over the next 10 years, including up to 900 affordable units, making one of the country’s most expensive areas an affordable option for thousands of New Yorkers.

The plan would also update current commercial zoning statutes, including replacing cumbersome and costly regulations that require all new retailers to get special permission from City Planning to occupy ground-floor space. The updated rezoning would allow department stores and "physical culture establishments," to occupy spaces of 10,000+ square feet as of right.  (The Final Scope of Work is available for review here.)

Potential and projected development sites | Department of City Planning

“Every New Yorker should have the opportunity to live in transit-rich, amenity-filled neighborhoods like SoHo and NoHo,” City Planning Commission Chair Marisa Lago said in a statement. “Built on years of community engagement, this proposal was crafted with a lens focused on fair housing, an equitable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, reinforcing Soho/Noho as a regional hub for jobs and commerce, and preserving and augmenting the arts.”

"Today's certification is a clear win for housing, equity and smart city planning,” Citizens Housing and Planning Council Executive Director Jessica Katz said in a statement. “To build a more equitable and more affordable city, every neighborhood must do their part. The proposed rezoning creates an opportunity for Soho/Noho–two neighborhoods with virtually no affordable housing whatsoever–to contribute to solve NYC’s housing crisis."

While the plan has found considerable support, it has also faced resistance from residents and local groups concerned with displacement and changes to the historic fabric. Two groups, the SoHo Alliance and Broadway Residents Coalition, filed a lawsuit last month seeking to stall the plan. They claimed rezoning should not proceed until in-person meetings can be held. Virtual meetings, they argued, hinder commentary from individuals and local community groups. Although that lawsuit has not yet been settled, a similar move was undertaken by groups seeking to stop the Gowanus rezoning earlier this year. That effort ultimately failed and the Gowanus plan entered ULURP last month.

Over the next 60 days, Manhattan Community Board 2 will review the Soho/Noho plan. It will then move through several other city departments for evaluation and approval. The ultimate goal is to have Mayor De Blasio sign off before his term ends this year.

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