Community board hears variance request for 51 Little West 12th St.; applicants to return with renderings and financial clarifications

Manhattan Community Board 2’s Land Use and Housing Committee on Aug. 13 heard a variance application for 51 Little West 12th Street seeking relief from M1‑5 restrictions to permit a 14‑story mixed‑use building with ground‑floor commercial space and 12 residential units above. The applicant said the proposal is for 18,128 square feet of floor area, compared with an as‑of‑right maximum of about 16,700 square feet, and would require the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) to grant relief under ZR 72‑21.

The variance applicant, owner Novak Nuri, and his legal and design team described technical constraints at the site that they said justify the variance. Attorney Richard Lobel of Sheld Lobel PC said the proposed project responds to unique physical conditions at the parcel and to financial feasibility concerns, and that the relief sought is modest in bulk relative to surrounding development. Architect Fatih Ergon said the design includes retail on the ground floor, a mechanical floor moved to the second level because of flooding risk, and a residential tower above with two‑bedroom units and tenant terraces at High Line level. Owner Novak Nuri said he has owned the property for about 40 years and described the application as a long‑awaited opportunity to develop the lot.

Why it matters: The request would allow residential uses in an M1‑5 manufacturing zone in the Meatpacking District and add height/bulk on a narrow 2,580‑sq‑ft lot near the High Line, Whitney Museum and the Standard Hotel. Committee members, nearby residents and preservation and neighborhood groups said the application raises questions about precedent for…