Commissioners discussed the rezoning of an area on the West Side of Manhattan for the purpose of building a new Genesis Health Club location. The proposed building will be a two-story, 48,000 sq. foot building, complete with a pool, three tennis courts, a basketball court, and a jogging track.
Mayor Usha Reddi expressed some concern over the demolition of trees to build the health club, citing that Manhattan residents value green space in their city, but overall, was in approval of the project.
Commissioners approved the first reading of the rezoning ordinance 5-0.
The commission also heard from Public Works Director, Rob Ott. Ott spoke about what his department plans to do with the approved sales tax increase for roads and what it means to the city.
Ott said he plans to provide transparency in showing how every penny of the $2 million dollars generated each year from the tax increase is spent. He stated that the increase will fund half of the maintenance for roads each year.
In addition, each year $100,000 of the $2 million will be spent on funding the city’s “Safe Routes to School” Program. The program sets out to provide safe routes for children to walk and bike to school each day.
