Kramer Levin Wins Zoning Approval for New York Blood Center ‘Center East’ Project

Kramer Levin client New York Blood Center (NYBC) marked a major land use milestone on Nov. 23 when the New York City Council approved the zoning actions required for the development of the NYBC’s “Center East” project on East 67th Street in Manhattan. The City Council vote, which approved a rezoning, zoning text amendment and special permit, is the culmination of years of planning efforts on behalf of our client and marks the successful completion of the public and environmental review processes under the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR).

Center East will replace NYBC’s existing, outmoded building, which was built in 1930 as a trade school, with a state-of-the-art, purpose-built center that will include a new headquarters for NYBC and also new, state-of-the-art laboratory space for both NYBC and commercial life sciences companies. It will take advantage of NYBC’s unparalleled location within walking distance of the city’s premier hospitals and academic medical institutions to create a true life sciences hub. 

NYBC plays a critical role in the city’s, region’s and nation’s health, supplying lifesaving blood products and services to nearly every hospital across the five boroughs and virtually all the blood and blood products to the city’s Health and Hospitals Corp. The NYBC is also itself a leader in life sciences research — research that includes its pioneering work on treatments for sickle cell disease, hepatitis and AIDS. The Center East project will build on these strengths to create a collaborative ecosystem that will advance lifesaving research and will help fuel the development of New York’s life sciences economy. The project will also be a key part of the city’s future pandemic response infrastructure.