Policy

Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

8th Avenue below 40th Street. Photo © Ondel Hylton

November 1, 2024

Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

New zoning tools will allow the city to build bigger apartment buildings in Midtown Manhattan, doubling the new housing units permitted under a proposed rezoning. The Department of City Planning on Thursday released an updated draft of the Midtown South rezoning plan to incorporate floor area ratio (FAR) caps of 15 to 18, enabled by the state's recent repeal of the 12 FAR cap. This change allows larger developments and roughly 9,700 new homes, up from a previous estimate of 4,000, in a 42-block area of Midtown where housing development has been largely prohibited.
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MTA moves forward with design of Interborough Express project

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 30, 2024

MTA moves forward with design of Interborough Express project

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Interborough Express, a proposed public transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens, is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the preliminary engineering and design phase of the 14-mile light rail line and began an environmental review with the federal government, according to Bloomberg. The initial phase is expected to take roughly two years to complete.
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Jaywalking is now officially legal in New York City

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 30, 2024

Jaywalking is now officially legal in New York City

By Aaron Ginsburg

Jaywalking—a habit of many New Yorkers—is now officially legal in New York City. After the City Council passed a bill decriminalizing the act, New Yorkers can now legally cross the street at any point, regardless of the traffic signal and in or outside the crosswalk. The bill, adopted as a law last week, aims to address racial disparities in enforcement. According to Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the bill’s sponsor, 90 percent of jaywalking tickets in 2023 were issued to Black and Latino residents, as reported by the Guardian.
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‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

October 29, 2024

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

By Aaron Ginsburg

The streets of the Upper West Side will soon better suit community needs as part of a new initiative by the Department of Transportation. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday announced the launch of the agency's "Smart Curbs" pilot program on the Upper West Side, which will modernize the streets by adding neighborhood loading zones, bike corrals, and other amenities and policies to create cleaner, more vibrant, and less congested public spaces from West 86th to West 72nd Streets, between Broadway and Central Park West.
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A guide to voting in the 2024 election in NYC

Photo by John Morton on Flickr

October 24, 2024

A guide to voting in the 2024 election in NYC

By 6sqft

With Election Day less than two weeks away, it's time to make a plan to vote. This year, it's easier than ever to vote in New York, with new laws allowing mail-in ballots for all voters and later registration deadlines. On Tuesday, November 5, New Yorkers can cast their votes for the 47th president of the United States, federal and state representatives, other local offices, and six ballot proposals. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about where, when, and how to vote, so you can participate in the democratic process with confidence.
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NYC to quadruple number of red-light cameras by 2027

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 24, 2024

NYC to quadruple number of red-light cameras by 2027

By Aaron Ginsburg

Drivers who blow through red lights beware: the number of cameras at New York City intersections will soon quadruple. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed a bill expanding red-light camera programs across the state, allowing the city to install cameras at 600 intersections by 2027, up from the current 150. Since their introduction 30 years ago, red-light cameras have reduced traffic violations at intersections by 73 percent, according to Hochul.
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City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

The 13th Street Repertory Company. Photo (left): Courtesy of Village Preservation. Current view of the building (right): Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

October 22, 2024

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Greenwich Village row house, dating back to before the Civil War and closely tied to Black history and one of the city's first "Off-Off-Broadway" theaters, is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street. The 1845 row house was home to Jacob Day, one of NYC's most successful 19th-century African American businessmen, and the 13th Street Repertory Company, one of the city's oldest Off-Off-Broadway theaters.
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See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

Images courtesy of City Hall

October 17, 2024

See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a peek at what a pedestrian-friendly Fifth Avenue could look like. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday revealed a proposed redesign of the iconic thoroughfare between Bryant Park and Central Park into a pedestrian-focused corridor by cutting the number of traffic lanes from five to three, nearly doubling the width of sidewalks, shortening crosswalks, and planting more than 200 trees. The $350 million project, the first major alteration to Fifth Avenue in its 200-year history, aims to turn the boulevard into a grand shopping street, akin to the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Ginza in Tokyo.
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City begins public review for Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan to create over 4,500 new homes

Rendering of Atlantic Avenue’s improved, and safer streets, courtesy of DCP

October 16, 2024

City begins public review for Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan to create over 4,500 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to create thousands of new apartments and add open space to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn is moving forward. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the start of the public review process for the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a rezoning that could create roughly 4,600 new homes—1,440 of which will be permanently income-restricted and affordable—and 2,800 jobs along a 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue. The plan will also include traffic safety upgrades at intersections along the corridor to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and visibility.
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NYC unveils proposals to turn dreary areas under the BQE into vibrant public spaces

By Aaron Ginsburg

Decrepit, drab spaces beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could soon be transformed into vibrant public areas. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday published a report with proposals to convert a space under the BQE at Park Avenue in Fort Greene into an e-bike charging and storage station for delivery workers and to redesign a congested intersection at West 9th Street to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The report also proposed capping trenched sections of the BQE in Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, and Bay Ridge to create parks and public spaces above the expressway.
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NYC to close Randall’s Island migrant shelter in February

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 10, 2024

NYC to close Randall’s Island migrant shelter in February

By Aaron Ginsburg

The migrant shelter on Randall's Island that once housed 3,000 adults will close early next year as the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City declines. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced the humanitarian relief center will shut down at the end of February, following a 14-week decline in the number of migrants living in city shelters, which is now at its lowest point in over a year. In the coming months, the city will gradually reduce the center’s population and begin restoring the island’s athletic fields and parkland.
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Policy

NYC Council to host hearings on ‘City of Yes’ housing plan

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

October 9, 2024

NYC Council to host hearings on ‘City of Yes’ housing plan

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council will host two hearings on Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes housing proposal this month before it heads to a final vote. Speaker Adrienne Adams announced the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will hold two days of public meetings: October 21 reserved for testimony from City Hall officials and October 22 for public testimony. The speaker also said the Council will put forward its own "thorough housing action plan" that will consider "holistic solutions" in addition to zoning changes.
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Policy

NYC unveils rules for 485-x tax break, office-to-residential incentive

Credit: Bex Walton on Flickr

October 8, 2024

NYC unveils rules for 485-x tax break, office-to-residential incentive

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Monday released proposed rules for 485-x, the tax exemption that replaced 421-a, and the new 467-m incentive for converting offices into housing. The proposals must be finalized before HPD can approve applications for both programs, The Real Deal reported.
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Heat season in NYC: Everything you need to know

Credit: Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash

October 7, 2024

Heat season in NYC: Everything you need to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

CLANK, CLANK, CLANK—your radiator's noisy signal that heat season has arrived in New York City. From October 1 to May 31, landlords across NYC are legally required to maintain safe temperatures for tenants. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about your rights to keep warm this winter.
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NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 7, 2024

NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's compost program is now underway in all five boroughs. On Sunday, curbside compost collection began in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, requiring buildings with four or more units to provide storage areas and labeled bins for yard and food waste collection by Department of Sanitation workers. The program’s final expansion follows its success in Queens and Brooklyn and aims to prevent rat infestations while promoting sustainability.
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Policy

100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

Credit: NYC DOT

October 4, 2024

100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for its biggest year yet, featuring over 100 participating locations. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Thursday announced the "Trick-or Streets" initiative, which closes streets, plazas, and other commercial corridors across the five boroughs to cars to provide space for fun, spooky-themed activities throughout October.
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NYC restores original ‘road diet’ plan for McGuinness Boulevard

McGuinness Boulevard. Courtesy of NYC DOT

October 3, 2024

NYC restores original ‘road diet’ plan for McGuinness Boulevard

By Aaron Ginsburg

In an unexpected reversal by Mayor Eric Adams' administration, Greenpoint's McGuinness Boulevard will get protected bike lanes after all. After revealing a scaled-back redesign of the corridor less than two months ago, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday announced that it will instead proceed with the original proposal to install protected bike lanes and reduce lanes of traffic by four to two along busy McGuinness Boulevard. Adams had previously supported a watered-down redesign that extended a bike lane but kept the same number of traffic lanes and excluded a protected bike lane due to community concerns.
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Elizabeth Street Garden served eviction notice by city

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

October 3, 2024

Elizabeth Street Garden served eviction notice by city

By Aaron Ginsburg

Despite last-ditch efforts from New York City icons like Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Little Italy's Elizabeth Street Garden received an eviction notice from the city this week. The nonprofit that oversees the garden said they have two weeks to vacate as the city moves forward with plans to build affordable senior housing and retail space on the unique green space. Elizabeth Street Garden said it plans to "continue to work with our legal team to address the eviction."
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October 1, 2024

Construction begins on new 96th Street bus lanes

By Devin Gannon

The daily commute for 15,500 bus riders in Manhattan is about to speed up. Construction officially began this week on 1.7 miles of new bus lanes on 96th Street, stretching between West End Avenue on the Upper West Side and Second Avenue on the Upper East Side, the city's Department of Transportation announced Monday. The redesign of 96th Street includes dedicated bus lanes for the M96 and M106 routes, left-turn bays, and treatments to "calm turning drivers' speeds," according to the agency.
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Renderings reveal $8B Citi Field casino and public park proposal

Rendering courtesy of SHoP Architects, Field Operations

September 30, 2024

Renderings reveal $8B Citi Field casino and public park proposal

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a first look at New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's proposed $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field. Hard Rock International and Steve Cohen last week released renderings for "Metropolitan Park," a sports and entertainment complex with a public park, hotel, live music venue, restaurants, and a casino planned for 50 acres of parking lots around Citi Field. Cohen is one of several developers vying for one of the three casino licenses set to be issued in downstate New York.
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Turkish House: The Turtle Bay skyscraper at the center of Adams’ indictment

Photo courtesy of Perkins Eastman

September 27, 2024

Turkish House: The Turtle Bay skyscraper at the center of Adams’ indictment

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Midtown Manhattan skyscraper is at the center of Mayor Eric Adams' historic indictment. According to the five-count indictment, Adams allegedly pressured the city's Fire Department to allow the Turkish Consulate to occupy a new high-rise tower at 821 United Nations Plaza, despite not passing fire safety inspections, in exchange for paid and discounted travel benefits from the Turkish government. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the 36-story glass tower, known as the Turkevi Center or Turkish House, sits across from the United Nations and features a curving facade, "inspired by the Turkish crescent." The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, charged Adams with five federal charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign donations, which prosecutors say began when he was Brooklyn Borough President and continued after becoming mayor.
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Policy

Emma’s Torch and the Children’s Village open training kitchen at new Inwood development

Image courtesy of Emma’s Torch

September 26, 2024

Emma’s Torch and the Children’s Village open training kitchen at new Inwood development

By Aaron Ginsburg

Emma's Torch, a Brooklyn-based non-profit that provides refugees with culinary training, on Tuesday announced a new partnership with the organization Children's Village. A new training site will open at The Eliza, a new affordable housing development and public library in Inwood, in collaboration with Children's Village. This new facility will expand services and outreach for both organizations, better connecting refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking to career opportunities in the culinary industry.
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‘City of Yes’ housing plan approved by City Planning Commission

Image courtesy of amanderson2 on Flickr

September 25, 2024

‘City of Yes’ housing plan approved by City Planning Commission

By Aaron Ginsburg

In a win for Mayor Eric Adams, the City of Yes housing proposal has cleared the first hurdle of the approval process. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday voted 10 to 3 to approve Adams' City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan, which aims to address New York City's housing shortage by creating more than 100,000 new homes over the next 15 years through a series of zoning changes. Now, the plan heads to the City Council, where a more contentious debate is expected, as some council members have already voiced opposition to several major proposed changes in their districts.
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September 24, 2024

Crown Heights project near Brooklyn Botanic Garden may be scrapped despite city approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

After securing a key approval from the city after years of delays, the developer behind a controversial residential project near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden said they plan to withdraw the application. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Monday voted to approve a modified rezoning of 962-972 Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights that would result in fewer shadows cast on the garden from a new 14-story building developed by Continuum Company. But despite the approval, an attorney for Continuum's Ian Bruce Eicher told The Real Deal the group plans to withdraw the application because the modifications make the project impossible to finance.
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