Controversial UES 'Tower On Stilts' Scrapped, Politician Says

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A developer has reportedly abandoned plans to construct a high-rise tower with a controversial 150-foot hollow core in the center that critics called a cynical ploy to gain sweeping city views while skirting zoning laws.

City Councilmember Keith Powers said in a community email Tuesday that the original design for 249 East 62nd St. has been "phased out" — an expected outcome after the council passed a law last May that barred developers from using tall mechanical spaces to boost building heights.

The building stirred controversy shortly after plans were first introduced in 2016, calling for a 510-foot high-rise containing 83 residential units. It also included the 152-foot mechanical void space situated above the first 11 stories and below the top 12.

In this week's email, Powers said that "a new design is expected in the coming months.

"I have been working with my colleagues on this issue since I took office, and am grateful to neighbors who voiced concerns. I look forward to reviewing a new proposal for the site," he wrote.

A Big Win at the Jetsons Building, and the Continuing Fights https://t.co/nUVBt04pS7 pic.twitter.com/gpbI0Ou61M
— FRIENDS of the Upper East Side (@friendsoftheues) December 15, 2020

The building's design, along with a similar one on West 66th Street, inspired city officials to propose an amendment to the city's zoning code to modify how mechanical spaces are regulated in the city's densest zoning districts. The approved amendment states that mechanical voids taller than 25 feet will count towards a building's maximum allowable height.

The preservation group Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts was among the proposal's detractors, and filed a zoning challenge against the building in 2017. In an email this week, the group celebrated the demise of what it called "the Jetsons' Building."

In a separate email last week, Powers told residents that the property was recently taken over by a new owner, Zeckendorf Development LLC, who plans to roll out a new design, according to Our Town.

The company did not respond to a request for comment.

The new owners have not yet filed any revised plans with the city, records show.

Previous coverage from Patch:

• UES Tower On 'Stilts' Halted By City Department Of Buildings
• Renderings Reveal Controversial Upper East Side Tower
  
• City Rejects Challenge Against Controversial UES Tower Block
  
• Plans Filed for 32 Story, 83 Unit Residential Tower on Upper East Side