Documents reviewed by NYC In Focus show the City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 10:00 a.m. TODAY, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, on the 198-208 Richmond Terrace rezoning in St. George, Staten Island.
The application by Economic Development Opportunity Zone Fund 1, LLC would change the waterfront site from R6 to R7-3, eliminate the Special Hillsides Preservation District, and establish a new Special St. George District with a C2-4 commercial overlay and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing.
Independent analysis confirms this is the third major land use vote in 72 hours, following Monday’s Williamsburg hearing and Tuesday’s City Council vote on Bay Ridge and Carroll Gardens. Tomorrow, Queens votes on the 40-parcel park acquisition.
This is the first significant expansion of the St. George waterfront district since the New York Wheel collapsed.
198-208 Richmond Terrace: R6 to R7-3
The application, C 260169 ZMR and N 260170 ZRR, covers a site on Richmond Terrace near Nicholas Street, directly on the Staten Island waterfront with views of New York Harbor.
The zoning changes are substantial:
1. Eliminate C2-2 commercial overlay from existing R6
2. Eliminate Special Hillsides Preservation District (HS)
3. Change from R6 to R7-3
4. Establish C2-4 commercial district within R7-3
5. Establish Special St. George District (SG)
The companion text amendment would map the area as Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and amend the Special St. George District maps to include the site.
R6 allows 2.43 FAR with height limits around 6-7 stories. R7-3 allows 5.0 FAR with tower-on-base provisions up to 14 stories with MIH. The Special St. George District provides additional height and setback modifications for waterfront development.
The site is currently a low-rise industrial building in the St. George waterfront area, two blocks from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The rezoning would allow a roughly 12- to 14-story mixed-use tower with ground-floor retail and approximately 25-30% affordable housing.
Community observers counter that the site is in a FEMA-designated flood zone and that the city has not required climate resiliency measures beyond base flood elevation. Critics note that the Special Hillsides Preservation District was created to protect steep slopes and views, and eliminating it sets precedent for further waterfront development.
Today’s Hearing: How to Watch
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
• Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
• Time: 10:00 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
• Location: NYC City Planning Commission Hearing Room, Lower Concourse, 120 Broadway, New York, NY
• Livestream: https://www.nyc.gov/content/planning/pages/calendar
• Call-in: 877 853 5247 (toll-free), 888 788 0099 (toll-free)
• Meeting ID: 618 237 7396
• Password: 1
• Written comments: Until 11:59 p.m. one week before vote via CPC Comments form
• ADA: AccessibilityInfo@planning.nyc.gov or (212) 720-3366
The hearing is accessible both in-person and remotely via Zoom. Testimony can be provided verbally by joining via Zoom or calling the numbers above.
Tomorrow: Queens Votes on 40 Parcels
The April 15 filing reconfirms the Queens Borough President hearing scheduled for Thursday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m. on the 40-parcel park acquisition (ULURP #260089 PCQ) and the Corona tower (ULURP #260147 ZMQ).
The 40 properties span Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, and Maspeth, including key lots on Queens Boulevard, Northern Boulevard, Thomson Avenue, and Skillman Avenue. The city would acquire them for park use.
The Corona project at 47-03 108th Street would change R6B to R7X with MIH, allowing a 13-story, 119-unit tower.
Written testimony for Queens is due by 5 p.m. Thursday to planning2@queensbp.nyc.gov.
What This Actually Means
The Staten Island vote is the third domino in a coordinated week of upzonings. The city is pushing waterfront density in St. George while simultaneously taking land off the market for parks in Queens and adding density in Brooklyn and Queens.
The R7-3 district is one of the highest-density residential districts allowed outside Manhattan. Applying it to the Staten Island waterfront signals the administration’s willingness to override local concerns about infrastructure and flooding in exchange for housing units.
The elimination of the Special Hillsides Preservation District is particularly notable. That district was created in the 1980s to prevent overdevelopment on Staten Island’s steep slopes. Removing it for this site creates a precedent that developers will cite for future applications along the waterfront.
The timing is strategic. The CPC vote today means the application can go to the City Council in May and be approved before the summer recess. If approved, construction could start in 2027.
Watch what happens after 10 a.m. If the CPC approves, expect the applicant to file building permits within 30 days. If the CPC modifies the application, it will go back for additional review. If the CPC disapproves — unlikely — the applicant can still appeal to the City Council.
We will be watching the livestream. You should too.
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