Manhattan - Western Rail Yard Modifications

Notice of Availability of Final Scope and Acceptance of Draft EIS

New York County - The New York City Department of City Planning, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope available and accepted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Western Rail Yard Modifications. The Final Scope and Draft EIS are available at 120 Broadway, 31st Floor New York, NY 10261, from the contact below and online at: https://zap.planning.nyc.gov/projects/2024M0108.

The action involves a request by the Applicant, WRY Tenant LLC, for discretionary approvals, including a zoning text amendment, a special permit, a modification of a restrictive declaration, a revocable  consent, and a City Map amendment from the New York City Planning Commission (NYCPC) (collectively, Proposed Actions) to facilitate the development of the Western Rail Yard with new mixed use buildings containing a hotel resort with gaming and residential, commercial, and community facility space, as well as new public open space (Proposed Project). The Western Rail Yard Site (WRY Site or Development Site) comprises Block 676, Lots 1 and 5 in the Hudson Yards neighborhood of Manhattan, Community District 4. It occupies the entire area bounded by West 30th and West 33rd Streets and Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues and comprises the western portion of the John D. Caemmerer West Side Yard, an active rail yard where the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) stores commuter trains.  A reasonable worst-case development scenario (RWCDS) has been established for the Proposed Action for a 2031 analysis year. Under the RWCDS, the Proposed Project would be constructed pursuant to the proposed zoning text amendment, special permit, city map amendment, restrictive declaration modification, revocable consent, and discretionary approval from the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board. Under the RWCDS the Proposed Action is expected to result in a net increase of 2,667,400 gross square foot of hotel resort and gaming uses, including 1,599,766 gross square foot of hotel uses, 251,055 gross square foot of gaming area, 34,250 gross square foot of retail uses, 90,023 gross square foot of food/beverage uses, and 154,900 gross square foot of resort amenities space. The Proposed Project would also result in a net increase of 500 parking spaces and 1.32 acres of open space. The Proposed Project is expected to result in a net reduction of 1,305,602 gross square foot of residential uses (1,947 dwelling units), 5,101 gross square foot of commercial office use, and 139,862 gross square foot of retail uses. Because the Proposed Project's gaming use requires an approval from the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board, an Alternative Scenario was also developed the reflects a similar density of open space configuration as the Proposed Project, but does not include the gaming use. For the purposes of environmental review, the technical analyses of the EIS assume the more conservative With Action scenario for each analysis area. Under the RWCDS the Proposed Action is expected to result in a net increase of 1,560,932 gross square foot of commercial office space, 849,894 gross square foot of hotel uses, including 40,163 gross square foot of food/beverage uses, and 295,500 gross square foot of amenities space. The Proposed Project would also result in a net increase of 450 parking spaces and 1.32 acres of open space. The Proposed Project is expected to result in a net reduction of 1,031,749 gross square foot of residential uses (1,638 dwelling units), and 129,632 gross square foot of retail uses. The project is located in the Hudson Yards neighborhood of Manhattan, Community District 4, New York.