Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal Demands Cinema be Included in Any Rezoning of Kips Bay AMC 15 Theater
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2026
Contact: Liam Horan, [email protected] | 646-939-1263
NEW YORK, NY – Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal issued the following statement on the future of the Kips Bay AMC 15 movie theater located at 570 Second Avenue, which is currently slated for closure in connection with the anticipated purchase by NYU Langone Health:
“We come to this place for magic.
“I will not approve any prospective rezoning of the Kips Bay AMC 15 movie theater location without the inclusion of a cinema.
“The community has spoken loud and clear. Through Community Board 6, the Save Kips Bay Coalition, and local elected officials, the message has been delivered that a movie theater in this location is an important community and cultural asset that must not be sacrificed as part of any real estate deal by NYU Langone Health.
“The 2-story building at 570 2nd Avenue that is home to the Kips Bay AMC 15 movie theater and Fairway Market can be repurposed for out-patient medical offices without requiring public land use review, or it could be rezoned to usher in something else entirely. The recent announcement of the AMC closure and the public outcry in response have highlighted the important role that cultural venues like movie theaters play in thriving neighborhoods.
“Land use of the Kips Bay AMC 15 site is governed by an outdated R8/C2-5 zoning district that was established in 1961 — the same year that the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s premiered starring Audrey Hepburn.
“This antiquated 65-year-old zoning district doesn’t reflect the current needs of the Kips Bay neighborhood, and it’s likely that the new owner will seek a rezoning. New medical offices aren’t incompatible with a movie theater. Updating the zoning at this location could facilitate a higher-density mixed-use development that includes medical offices, affordable housing, a grocery store, and a movie theater.
“In the event of any rezoning changes sought by NYU Langone Health at 570 Second Avenue, I will fight for a new cinema and affordable grocery store by predicating my approval of a land use application on the inclusion of these two important neighborhood institutions. The residents of Kips Bay deserve a say in the future of their neighborhood, and it’s essential that a movie theater and supermarket be part of it.”
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