Int. No. 247

By Council Members Sanders, Comrie, Gerson, Jackson, Liu, Yassky and Golden (by request of the Mayor); also Council Members Quinn and Gioia

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Declaration of legislation findings and intent. Section 961 of the general municipal law provides that a city may adopt a local law authorizing the submission of an application to the New York state commissioner of economic development for designation of an area within the city as an empire zone. Such designation could greatly benefit the city of New York in that new businesses would be encouraged to locate in the zone, existing businesses would be encouraged to expand in the zone, and new and expanded businesses would generate new jobs for city residents.

                                          § 2. The city of New York is authorized to submit an application to the New York state commissioner of economic development for designation of an area within the city of New York as an empire zone.

§ 3. The boundaries of such area are set forth in section four of this local law.

                                          § 4. Title 22 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 22-715 to read as follows:

                                          § 22-715 Chinatown/Lower East Side Empire Zone.

                                          a. Upon approval of the application for designation of the area set forth in subdivision d of this section as an empire zone, such area shall constitute and be known as the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone.

                                          b. There shall be a local empire zone certification officer for the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone. The chairman of the New York City economic development corporation shall serve as the local empire zone certification officer for the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone. The duties of such local empire zone certification officer shall include the duty to jointly certify, together with the New York state commissioner of economic development and the New York state commissioner of labor, those business enterprises eligible to receive the benefits referred to in section nine hundred sixty-six of the general municipal law, and any other applicable laws.

                                          c. There shall be a local empire zone administrative board for the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone. Such board shall consist of at least six members. The mayor shall appoint the members of the board. The members shall not include the local empire zone certification officer, and shall include a representative of local businesses, organized labor, community organizations, financial institutions, local educational institutions, and at least one resident of the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone. The commissioner of the department of business services shall serve as the chair of the board. The board shall perform all duties required of it pursuant to subdivision b of section nine hundred sixty-three of the general municipal law.

d. The boundaries of the Chinatown/Lower East Side empire zone are as follows: Beginning at the point of intersection of the center line of Broadway and the center line of East Houston Street; thence easterly along the center line of East Houston Street to a point 100 feet to the east of Clinton Street as measured from its easterly street line; thence southerly along a line 100 feet to the east of Clinton Avenue and running parallel thereto to the point where it meets the center line of Rivington Street; thence easterly along the center line of Rivington Street to the point where it meets the center line of Ridge Street; thence southerly along the center line of Ridge Street to the point where it meets the center line of Delancey Street; thence easterly along the center line of Delancey Street to the point where it meets the center line of Pitt Street; thence southerly along the center line of Pitt Street to the point where it meets the center line of Grand Street; thence westerly along the center line of Grand Street to the point where it meets the center line of Clinton Street; thence southerly along the center line of Clinton Street to a point 300 feet to the south of Grand Street as measured from its southerly street line; thence westerly along a line 300 feet to the south of Grand Street and running parallel thereto to a point 220 feet to the west of Clinton Street as measured from its westerly street line; thence northerly along a line 220 feet to the west of Clinton Street and running parallel thereto to the point where it meets the southerly street line of Grand Street; thence westerly along the southerly street line of Grand Street to a point 258 feet to the east of Essex Street as measured from its easterly street line; thence southerly along a line 258 feet to the east of Essex Street and running parallel thereto to a point 146 feet to the south of Grand Street as measured from its southerly street line; thence westerly along a line 146 feet to the south of Grand Street and running parallel thereto to a point 70 feet to the east of Essex Street as measured from its easterly street line; thence northerly along a line 70 feet to the east of Essex Street and running parallel thereto to a point 71 feet to the south of Grand Street as measured from its southerly street line; thence westerly along a line 71 feet to the south of Grand Street and running parallel thereto to the point where it meets the center line of Essex Street; thence southerly along the center line of Essex Street to the point where it meets the center line of East Broadway, said line being the district boundary line between the R8 and C6-2 zoning districts as it appears on Sheet 12c of the Zoning Map of the New York City Planning Commission as amended effective April sixteenth, nineteen hundred ninety-seven (A-1731), as contained in the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York and as it appears on Sheet 12d of the Zoning Map of the New York City Planning Commission as amended effective February twenty-fifth, nineteen hundred ninety-nine (A-1782), as contained in the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York; thence easterly along the center line of East Broadway to the point where it meets the center line of Montgomery Street; said line being the district boundary line between the R8 and R7-2 zoning districts as it appears on Sheet 12d as described aforesaid; thence southerly along the center line of Montgomery Street to the point where it meets the center line of South Street; thence westerly along the center line of South Street to the point where it meets the center line of Catherine Slip; thence northerly along the center line of Catherine Slip and the center line of Catherine Street to the point where it meets the center line of Madison Street; thence westerly along the center line of Madison Street to the point where it meets the center line of Pearl Street; thence northerly along the center line of Pearl Street to the point where it meets the center line of Park Row, said line being the district boundary line between the R7-2 and C6-4 zoning districts as it appears on Sheet 12d as described aforesaid and as it appears on Sheet 12b of the Zoning Map of the New York City Planning Commission as amended effective August twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred ninety-eight (A-1762), as contained in the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York; thence westerly along the center line of Park Row to the point where it meets the center of Police Plaza, said line being the district boundary line between the R7-2 and C6-1 zoning districts as it appears on Sheets 12d and 12c as described aforesaid; thence northerly along the center of Police Plaza to the point where it meets the center line of St. Andrews Plaza; thence northerly along the center line of St. Andrews Plaza to the point where it meets the center line of Centre Street; thence southerly along the center line of Centre Street to the point where it meets the center line of Chambers Street; thence westerly along the center line of Chambers Street to the point where it meets the center line of Broadway; thence northerly along the center line of Broadway to the point and place of beginning.

                                          § 5. This local law shall take effect immediately.