In recent news, the construction of the high-rise luxury apartment project in the “Two Bridges” neighborhood in Manhattan’s Lower East Side has been the subject of years of lawsuits and controversies. After being put on hold for a period of time, there have been recent reports indicating that construction is set to resume, sparking renewed protests from the community.
City Council member Christopher Marte recently received a message from the developer Chetrit Development, stating that the company has found potential partners willing to provide economic support, with construction potentially starting as early as two months from now. Marte held a protest rally with community members in front of 265 and 275 Cherry Street on the 30th. He announced that he had submitted a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the Department of Buildings (DOB) to disclose more information about the project.
The development plans for the four luxury apartment buildings in the Two Bridges neighborhood have faced strong opposition from local residents for years, leading to multiple rounds of litigation. Residents are concerned that the construction of upscale high-rise buildings in the area will exacerbate gentrification, driving up rents and property taxes, forcing existing tenants, the working class, and small businesses to relocate. In addition, residents are worried about the negative impact the construction process may have on their health and the environment.
Marte urged community members to unite and exert pressure on the new partners of the developer, urging them to reject participation in the construction of the skyscrapers. Many Chinese residents in the community held banners with slogans such as “Stop the Towers” and “No Tower, No Compromise” to express their protests on that day.
Since being elected as the district’s city council member, Marte has been working with local residents to oppose the development of the project. However, the construction plans consistently favored the developers in court rulings.
In October 2022, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) represented 12 plaintiffs, including Marte, in a lawsuit claiming that the development and construction process would violate residents’ constitutional rights to clean air and water, as the construction would reduce parking spaces, increase population density and traffic flow, causing environmental degradation, particularly in communities of color with high asthma rates.
The Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit in April 2023, stating that some of the issues the plaintiffs were concerned about were not actually infringing on their constitutional rights, but rather a part of living in New York.
In 2021, the New York Appellate Court also rejected lawsuits filed jointly by various community groups, ruling in favor of the developers.
According to the initial construction plans, the waterfront area of the “Two Bridges” community is set to include four luxury towers with a total of 2,775 residential units and 694 affordable housing units, including 200 units for low-income seniors, as well as other commercial and public facilities. The tallest tower is expected to reach 80 stories, exceeding 1,000 feet in height.