Glick gets green light for East Side project.

Glick gets green light for East Side project

It's all systems go -- at least legally -- for Jeffrey Glick's mega development on the East Side of Manhattan between 60th and 61st Streets and First and York Avenues.

A representative for Glick said the developer, who was in Israel when the decision came out, immediately began making calls to financial institutions in hopes of securing financing for the $300 million project.

Glick received approvals for the plan "401 East 61st Street" from the nowdefunct Board of Estimate back in January of 1989. The decision was soon challenged by Sutton area residents and environmental groups, which sued the city to reverse its decision. The Supreme Court voted in favor of the city and upheld the approvals. That decision was later reversed, however, by the Appellate Division as was Glick's approval. Last week, the court decided unanimously to overturn the earlier decision and let the approvals stand.

The project, designed by Costas Kondylis Architects, includes two 42-story condos with 520 units and 430,000 square feet of non-residential space -- a major hotel, retail and commercial space, a health club, and parking for 400 cars. The project comprises almost an entire city block excluding a small parcel on York Avenue where a parking garage stands.

Sewage the Issue

The ultimate issue was in the suits was sewage. The final environmental impact statement, according to the Glick representative, mistakenly said the development would use the Wards Island sewage treatment plant, when in actuality the project was to use the Newtown Creek plant. The error was discovered, after the statement was printed but before the Board of Estimate was to render its decision. A full disclosure was made three days prior to the board's vote on the project.

The initial suit by the Sutton Area community residents rose a number of issues, sewage being one of them. The Supreme Court rejected the groups complaints and let Glick's approval stand. The Appellate Division last April ruled narrowly that, in the matter of sewage, three-days was not sufficient time for the Board of Estimate to consider all the issues connected with Newtown Creek. Last week, in a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, ruled the board was informed and that had they considered numerous factors.

Glick was represented by the law firm of Sive Paget & Riese.

While Glick has surpassed all legal hurdles on this project, his troubles are not over. Recently Fidelity Bank of New York began foreclosure on another Glick property the site of the former Luchow's building.