>> Garment Center
Almost 70 percent of Chinatown’s garment manufacturers are located in this area, which would be preserved as a center for manufacturing downtown.
The purpose of this the Garment Center subdistrict is to protect existing manufacturing uses in the area from conversion to residential and commercial uses. The area within the subdistrict has a dense concentration of industrial loft buildings. As a result, a majority of Chinatown's apparel factories are located within the boundaries of the manufacturing subdistrict. As of April 2003, there are 102 registered factories located in 32 buildings in the area.
Current zoning and garment factory locations: |
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Within the subdistrict, conversion of existing manufacturing space to any other use, residential or commercial will be strictly forbidden. All current non-manufacturing uses will be grandfathered in. If a current non-manufacturing tenant vacates space in a loft building, the vacant space will also be subject to restrictions.
If a non-manufacturing tenant vacates loft space suitable
for manufacturing the owner of the building must give priority to manufacturing
uses to replace the tenant. There should be tax exemptions available to
the owner of the building as compensation for expenses incurred from converting
existing commercial or residential space back to manufacturing space.
If owner can show that there is no demand for manufacturing use, or that
converting residential or commercial floor area back to floor area suitable
for manufacturing use creates undue hardship, even in light of the tax
exemptions, the owner should be allowed apply for a variance.
Preserve: Garment Industry
The Garment Center subdistrict preserves the existing manufacturing uses in a portion of the study area through a strictly enforced ban on conversion of manufacturing space to commercial use. Manufacturing incubator sites would provide additional space for the manufacturers to integrate multiple production processes into a single location, making Chinatown’s garment manufacturers more competitive.
Garment Center enforcement and incubators will be financed through fees from the proposed Conversion District. In this area, conversions of manufacturing space will be legal upon payment of a fee to a “manufacturing preservation fund.”
Map: Conversion District, Garment Center, and incubator locations |
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Other sectors of Chinatown show potential for growth. Chinatown is a center for herbal and non-Western medicines; collective marketing may help small entrepreneurs to benefit from the growing interest in non-traditional remedies.
The jewelry industry, centered on Canal Street, could benefit from increased marketing as well.
Ethnic food manufacturing is expected to grow in New York over the coming decade; Chinatown offers an ideal location for this industry because it is a wholesale center near a manufacturing workforce. Like the garment industry, ethnic food manufacturing would benefit from restrictions on loft conversions and the creation of manufacturing incubators.
Finally, technology incubators would encourage innovative new business by providing space and assistance.
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