Manhattan CB2 adds Gansevoort Tenth Avenue conveyance to FY27 priorities after extended debate

Manhattan Community Board 2 on Thursday voted to add a request that the city allocate funds to pursue conveyance of the portion of Tenth Avenue between Gansevoort and Little West 12th Street from the New York State Department of Transportation to New York City so the street can be demapped and added to the development footprint available for housing.

The addition was proposed by Board member Janine Kiley and debated at length during the meeting’s budget-priorities discussion. "Allocate sufficient funds for the conveyance of the portion of Tenth Avenue between Gansevoort and Little West Twelfth Street from the New York State Department of Transportation to New York City in order to demap Tenth Avenue," Kiley said during her motion. Supporters said the change would expand an existing 10,000-square-foot housing footprint by the width of the avenue, which committee members estimated could add several thousand square feet to the site.

Opponents and questioners pressed for clarity on next steps and costs. Board members asked whether the conveyance would require the city to pay fair market value, whether the transfer history included prior zero-dollar conveyances, and how any newly available land would be prioritized between housing, open space, or institutional uses. "You have to take it all in order to remove Tenth Avenue and put it into the city's possession in order for the city to be able to use that space," said Carter Booth, who supported the amendment as a first step. Other members noted that a wider development footprint would not itself rezone the area or guarantee housing without later land-use and approvals.

After discussion, the board approved the addition to its "top three" district needs and then reordered priorities so the Gansevoort conveyance appeared as a top need under Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). The full board then approved the amended capital and expense budget priorities for fiscal year 2027 as revised.

The board recorded the motion, a second, and a formal vote. The amendment to add the Gansevoort conveyance passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The board also approved a set of related land-use study and expense items added earlier in the meeting.

Next steps described during debate included requesting a formal conveyance negotiation with NYSDOT, clarifying whether payment would be required, and ensuring the conveyance was coordinated with the city’s ongoing RFP and any environmental or ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) steps. Board members said the request is intended to secure the option of adding the avenue’s footprint to the site before developer selection and final design work proceed.