Glossary

Space Type

There are 12 categories that represent the legally required type(s) of public space provided with the building. Eleven of the categories refer to public spaces expressly defined in the Zoning Resolution and, with the exception of through block connections and through block gallerias, not limited to special purpose districts. The twelfth category covers special purpose district public spaces, located in, for example, the Special Lincoln Square or Special Greenwich Street Development Districts, or customized public spaces required as a condition of a variance or special permit. The name entered in the blank line next to the box is the name attached to the space by the specific legal action creating it. All public spaces are identified according to the principal legal action that created them, although it is important to recognize that a public space frequently has several legal actions that govern it. For example, a plaza initially approved “as-of-right,” and identified in the database as a plaza, may also be governed by a subsequently granted special permit.

Size Required

Required Size of the Public Space is determined according to the legal basis that governs the space. For “as-of- right” plazas, arcades, and pre-1996 residential plazas that received floor area bonuses and have no other legal action in their legal basis, the size required is determined by multiplying the size provided for bonus, by the bonus utilization rate. For all other public spaces, including “as-of-right” bonused spaces that have other legal actions in their legal basis, the size required is determined by the size of the public space as shown on plans approved by the special permit, authorization, modification, certification, variance, or other relevant legal action, or by specific reference to the size of the public space in the text of a relevant legal action.

Required Hours of Access

24 Hours means that the public space must be open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. Restricted hours means that the space is required to be open less than 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and may, for example, close each night from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. or close on weekends. Closing for Events means that the space is allowed to be closed, several times a year, several hours at a time, for specified private and non-profit or community events.

Space Location

The location of the Public Space.

Year Completed

The year the building was completed, according to published information and discussions with the owner. Like the number of stories, this information also varies from source to source.

Principal Public Space Designer

The designer who designed or redesigned the public space, and frequently is the building architect.  The sources for this field are varied, including legal records, published information, and discussions with the current owner.

Building Architect

The architect of the building.  The sources for this field are varied, including legal records, published information, and discussions with the current owner.

Developer

The name of the legal entity or a person or persons participating in the legal entity that developed the building and its public space(s).  The source for this field are varied, including legal records, published information, and discussions with the current owner.

Access for the Physically Disabled

describes whether or not the public spaces, taken as a whole, are wheelchair accessible to some degree to the physically disabled. Full/Partial means that the spaces are fully or partially accessible. None means that the spaces are not accessible. This assessment is not a legal determination under federal, state, or local laws dealing with access for the physically disabled, but represents a judgment based on field survey work as to general accessibility.