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A proposed rezoning of the Garment District in Manhattan has been delayed for the second time in a year.
A steering committee made up of local business leaders and landlords, headed by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, is at odds over a proposed phasing out of protections for fashion manufacturers in the neighborhood. The committee released a report advocating for affordable manufacturing space to be made available in lieu of zoning protections, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Some committee members, including representatives of the Garment District Alliance, contend that Mayor Bill de Blasio is attempting to position Brooklyn neighborhood Sunset Park as the fashion industry's future center. The Garment District's proximity to Broadway and film and TV production studios is a crucial advantage, Brewer said.
“We’ll review the report and determine which recommendations are good policy and whether others can be adapted to support garment manufacturing and help grow good jobs for New Yorkers,” New York City Economic Development Corp. spokesman Anthony Hogrebe said. “We look forward to moving ahead with the formal review process to update the 30-year-old zoning in the Garment Center in the months ahead.”
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