Theatre Design & Technology - May 1970 - 5

BROADWAY REFASHIONED . ..

sion seeks to induce redevelopers in the
theatre district to include legitimate theatre
in their building office plans, by holding
out to them th e offer of a possible floor
area bonus if they do so.

Acting as stimulant and then as host, it
might very well alter our more cramped
habits of thought, relieve the astigmatism
that has come of staring at the stage in one
dimension only. . .

The way in which the present provision of a
floor area bonus has stimulated the provision
of plazas and arcades indicates a successful
method for inducing desirable land use. In
the relatively short life of this provision,
since its adoption as part of thecomprehensive amendment to the Zoning Resolution in
1961, almost every large building in Manhattan's central business district has taken
advantage of it. The increased income to
the builder is justified by the public's gain
of open space in congested areas. Relative
serenity, improved pedestrian circulation,
and increased light and air have been
achieved through the operation of this bonus
provision. In a similar way, a bonus is being
offered to bring about quality site design
and common open space in the recently enacted cluster zoning proposal.

"The so-called hinterlands are busy these
days, sometimes with provacative projects.
It is important. . .that New York-where national cross-currents meet and blend, creating the complexity that encourages sophistication-should be exposed to these otherwise isolated creative gestures."

A wide potential range of the possible bonus
was thought desirable because of the many
different and cumulative ways in which a particular multi-use structure, including a theatre, may serve the needs of the district. Depending in large measure on the size of a
particular site and its location, a builder may
be able to provide open space for pedestrians, rehearsal rooms, teaching studios and
underground connections to the subway. The
Commission considers the type and capacity
of each proposed theatre in order to achieve
a balance of the facilities that appear to be
needed at the time of each application. It
should be emphasized that the maximum
bonus wi II not automatically be mad e available to a builder who happens to include any
sort of theatre in his structure.
The Commission has already established liaison with professional groups interested in the
area's future and is prepared to seek the
most authoritative advice available in resolving policy questions relating to the
legitimate theatre and its supporting facilities.
Recently, drama critic Walter Kerr reflected in
the New York Times on the possibilities
opened up by the proposed zoning amendment.
"Plays are written for theatres that exist.
Architectural innovations are not made by
playwrights, who, after all, would like to see
their plays produced and therefore shape
them for stages actually atwork. Innovations
are made either by architects or by accident:
Shakespeare walked into a playhouse that
looked something like an innyard and immediately constructed plays taking maximum
advantage of the innyard design. A thrust
stage in New York would undoubtedly suffer a few seasons of limited bookings. Thereafter it would begin to receive the playwriting of men who'd noticed that it was there.
@!I!!:::J THEATER DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The proposed amendments were the subject
of a public hearing duly held by the Commission on October 1 8, 1967 (Cal. Nos. 42).
Producers, builders, directors, actors, writers, technicians and critics concerned with
both the commercial and non-profit legitimate theatre appeared in favor of the proposed amendmends. The Attorney General
of the State of New York officially supported
the proposal. Speakers in favor included a
prominent restaurateur in the area, and representatives of civic associations concerned
with the preservation of the theatrical function in the district. Representatives of both
the craft and actors unions wired support
for the Commission's action. The amendment's goal of building modern theatres of
varying size and type in the area was
stressed by these speakers as an essential
step in enhancing the City's theatrical preeminence, maintaining the general economy
of the City, and reversing a theatrical talent
drain off the the West Coast.
One speaker, while favoring the general concept of the amendments, urged specific additional provisions insuring the continued maintenance and operation of legitimate theatres
pursuant to a special permit under the proposed measure.
Opposition was voiced by more than a dozen
people representing residential tenants in the
area, including the director of the Project
FIND, an organization funded by the Federal
Office of Economic Opportunity, and several
ministers whose churches are located in the
district. They were primarily concerned about
the residential uses west of Eighth Avenue,
particularly for those tenants of low income.
A representative of Community Planning
Board No.4 appeared and read a resolution
opposing the inclusion of area west of 8th
Avenue in the theatre district. A resolution
suggesting a series of amendments to the
proposal subsequently was received from
the Urban Design Committee of the New
York Metropolitan chapter of the American
Institute of Planners.
The tenor of the public hearing generally confirmed the results of the Commission's investigation of conditions in the theatre district
and its evaluation of the need for the
present proposal. Most speakers saw the
proposal in general terms as bringing about
a new wave of theatre construction to the
benefit of both the theatre and the City as

MAY, 1970

a whole.
The Commission considered the question of
insuring the permanence of any legitimate
theatre created pursuant to this proposal.
Certainly any applicant for the special permit floor area bonus, will have to give satisfactory initial assurances to the Commission concerning completion of the theatre
in accordance with the agreed-upon plan.
Since the certificate of occupancy of the
structure must comply with the special permit approved by the Commission and the
Board of Estimate, no re-use of the approval
theatre for other purposes will be possible
without a modification of the special permit. This would require new hearings before
both the Commission and the Board of Estimate. Such hearings would be concerned
with the reasons for the requested abandonment of the legitimate theatre operation.
As with any change of use under the Zoning Resolution, the Commission would require compelling evidence before granting
the requested change.
The Commission is aware of the problems
faced by residents of this area and the area
to the west. At the present time some parcels are being assembled for redevelopment
qu ite apart from th e needs of the theatre.
This process, resulting in tenant eviction
is an inevitable consequence of the area's
rising property values. The zoning amendment under consideration cannot take away
an owner's right to sell his property, nor
can it abolish his right to develop it with a
legally permitted use such as an office
building.
Most recent census figures indicate a residential population in the half block between
8th and 9th Avenues proposed for inclusion
in the district, of approximately 8,000 persons primarily in multiple dwellings. The
blocks between 6th and 8th Avenues, in
contrast, contain about 4,000 persons,
mostly residing in hotels.
Since the entire area between 8th Avenue
and the Hudson River is presently under
study by the Commission, and without prejudice one way or the other as to its ultimate inclusion in the theatre district, it
would not seem essential to do so at this
time. The Commission in adopting the boundaries of a T District, is therefore revising
the westerly boundary from a line 400 feet
west of 8th Avenue, to the center line of
8th Avenue.
In view of the attending facts it was determined that the amendments under consideration as modified would provide an appropriate
modification of the Zoning resolution, which
is herewith filed with the Secretary of the
Board of Estimate, in accordance with the
provisions of Section 200 of the New York
City Charter.

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