[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 113 (Thursday, July 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING IRENE PEVERI FOR HER DECADES OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMITMENT 
                 TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF NEW YORK CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2008

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, New York lost an exceptional 
community leader this month when Irene Peveri passed away. Irene Peveri 
was not just a leader, but a mentor and innovator who helped change the 
very skyline of Manhattan by persuading the city to require livable 
streetscapes in our densely urban community.
  For nearly three decades, Irene Peveri passionately advocated both 
growth and preservation in New York City neighborhoods, and became a 
leading voice for ``contextual zoning''--the idea that taller buildings 
are appropriate for avenues with their wider boulevards and retail 
activity, while low scale buildings are a better fit for side streets. 
She worked tirelessly with community boards, grassroots organizations, 
neighbors, politicians, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to ensure 
that New York's neighborhoods retained a human scale. When she 
testified, her presentations were always thoughtful, factual, 
impressive and delivered with persuasive sincerity.
  In the early 1980s Irene joined with her neighbors in successfully 
challenging the construction of a ``sliver building.'' Sliver buildings 
are tall slender buildings constructed on lots that have a narrow 
frontage, typically 45 feet or less. The effort was successful when the 
city adopted a law banning sliver buildings in 1983.
  In 1985, local leaders in founded East Side Rezoning Alliance (ESRA), 
a coalition of community groups dedicated to advocating zoning changes 
that would scale down allowable heights for new buildings on side 
streets. Irene served as ESRA's co-chair for most of its existence. At 
every opportunity, Irene encouraged builders and community groups to 
work together to ensure that new developments would be compatible in 
scale with older buildings in the neighborhood.
  ESRA funded several planning studies to change the New York City 
Zoning Resolution, using the proceeds from an annual street fair along 
Third Avenue and grants from philanthropic organizations. These studies 
persuaded the Department of City Planning to support the rezoning of 
many areas between 14th and 59th streets, and led to a permanent change 
in city law. The new zoning text restricted large scale development to 
the avenues, and imposed stricter building heights on the side streets. 
This mix of development allows tall buildings to rise without 
overwhelming the neighborhood. The latest study funded by ESRA was the 
CB6 197-a Plan, a community-based plan covering the entire Community 
Board 6 area. It was adopted by the City Council on March 26, 2008.
  The model Irene and her allies developed was replicated elsewhere in 
the city. ESRA gave support and guidance to community groups that were 
trying to fend off overbuilding. With Irene's assistance, other 
neighborhood groups were able to persuade the city to adopt contextual 
zoning for their areas. As a result, most neighborhoods enjoy a mix of 
development, and Manhattan residents can still enjoy a glimpse of the 
sky.
  More recently, Irene worked with the Coalition for Community Facility 
Reform to oppose the proliferation of rear yard incursions. New York 
City's zoning resolution mandates rear yards, which were intended to 
provide residents with unbroken, block-long swaths of green. In 1961, 
the law was amended to allow community facilities (a term that includes 
everything from doctors' offices to monasteries, from day-care centers 
to various non-profits) to build extensions in the rear yards of 
residential buildings all the way to the property line, so long as the 
addition is no more than 23 feet high. These rear yard incursions 
reduce the availability of light, air and green space for residents of 
neighboring properties. Irene and other community leaders worked to 
persuade the city to change the zoning resolution to further restrict 
the types of entities that are eligible for the exemption to schools, 
houses of worship, colleges or universities, and hospitals and related 
facilities.
  Irene was a member of Community Board 6 and served on its Land Use 
Committee. During that time, Irene was a vital participant in every 
major zoning review and initiative of Community Board 6, from the 
rebuilding of Third Avenue, to, most recently, the development 
proposals for the Con Edison site on First Avenue. She remained active 
in the Community Board until her death and was Second-Vice Chair of the 
Board when she passed away. The Board recently celebrated her 
achievements at a ceremony held May 19, 2008.
  Irene Peveri had a genuine passion for and dedication to all of 
Manhattan's neighborhoods. She was a consensus builder who understood 
the importance of working in concert with her neighbors. Irene had a 
unique gift for empowering others and engaging them in the community. 
She possessed a talent for bringing people and ideas together, forging 
unlikely partnerships that helped achieve the goal of making sure New 
York remains a livable city.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my distinguished colleagues join me in 
recognizing the enormous contributions to civic and political life made 
by Irene Peveri, a dedicated activist who made an extraordinary 
difference in the way New York City has developed.

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