Greenwood Cemetery Vista Saved?

Will the wave on Battle Hill be saved? Minerva boosters are skeptical:

It may “save the wave,” but Greenwood Heights advocates have ripped a new deal promising not to block a long-celebrated sightline between a landmark statue and the Statue of Liberty.

The view between Minerva and Lady Liberty would have been blocked by a condo planned in the neighborhood.

But developer Chaim Nussencweig signed an agreement with the Green-Wood Cemetery last week promising to alter designs for the unpopular condo plan so it will not block the wave.

In exchange, cemetery officials agreed to stop publicly criticizing the project or participating in a neighborhood campaign to make sure the building is scaled back to fit within new zoning regulations.

“I feel they’re dancing with the devil,” said Aaron Brashear of the Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights, which has been leading the fight against the agreement Green-Wood Cemetery signed with the developer.

“The agreement is too little, too late,” he added. “It’s inadequate and it’s irrelevant because this building should not be built under the current zoning.”

At issue is whether the condos at 614 Seventh Ave. will be built at the originally-proposed height of 70 feet or will have to be scaled back by a third because of the new zoning — though that still could be high enough to block the view.

Nussencweig has appealed so he can build to 70 feet.

Brashear’s group charged the agreement is so vague that the view would not necessarily be saved and that the pact would only preserve a sliver of the view.

Green-Wood Cemetery President Richard Moylan said he negotiated the best deal possible to protect as much of the view as feasible.

Minerva:

Current view from Battle Hill:

See also: Greenwood Cemetery.