Neighbors and unions split as Community Board 2 reviews 19‑story plan for 375 Lafayette Street

A developer presentation and extended public comment period on a proposed 19‑story residential building at 375 Lafayette Street left Community Board 2 Manhattan’s Landmarks Committee with a split record and a long list of technical follow-ups.

Joseph Mang, head of development at Minskoff, told the committee the project replaces a long‑standing surface parking lot with a new residential building designed with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and other consultants. The development team said it expects roughly 200–210 units in the scheme, with 25% of units — about 50–53 — set as permanently affordable at 60% of area median income (AMI). The team also proposed 5,500–7,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail, approximately 25–30 subsurface parking spaces, and a maximum architectural top height of 195 feet under the applicable zoning envelope.

“The site has been underutilized for decades,” Mang said, asking the committee for support and noting the project’s transit access and housing yield.

Gary Ku, the project architect, described a massing strategy that steps down from a taller corner to a lower centre‑of‑block expression and emphasized a masonry‑forward palette centered on terracotta and a strong stone base at street level. Ku said the building is designed to reference the district’s historic rhythms — including a repeated 25‑foot bay module and…