Another Land Use Victory for New York Blood Center

New York Blood Center won another significant litigation victory on Feb. 6, 2024, when the Appellate Division – First Department of the New York Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the lower court’s decision dismissing challenges to the Blood Center’s “Center East” project on East 67th Street in Manhattan. On Aug. 22, 2022, the lower court had dismissed the challenge, brought by a neighboring building, and granted summary judgment to the City of New York and the Blood Center, upholding the 2021 land use approvals for the Center East project, which included a rezoning, zoning text amendments and a special permit. Kramer Levin’s Land Use and Environmental Departments represented the Blood Center throughout the land use and environmental review processes, including the public approvals pursuant to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and an environmental impact statement pursuant to the City Environmental Quality Review, and they built the administrative and legislative record that was key to the Appellate Division’s decision.

Center East will be a life sciences hub located on the Blood Center’s current property at 310 East 67th St. It will provide a new headquarters and laboratory space for the Blood Center, as well as commercial laboratory space for life sciences companies. The project will anchor a new life sciences cluster that includes the world-class medical and academic institutions located in the far East 60s, and it will make a major contribution to New York City’s life sciences industry.

The Appellate Division’s decision is a testament to the careful and considered planning that went into the Center East project by all involved.