Policy

New York lawmakers call for $2.75 fare freeze and free bus pilot in NYC

Image via WikiCommons

March 16, 2023

New York lawmakers call for $2.75 fare freeze and free bus pilot in NYC

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New York lawmakers on Tuesday proposed keeping New York City subway and bus fares at $2.75. As first reported by Crain's New York, the state legislature's one-house budgets rejected Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to raise transit fares to $3, and instead called for a freeze on fares and an investment of $50 million for a free bus pilot program.
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New York lawmakers clash with Hochul’s housing plan in budgets

Photo courtesy of Darren McGee/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

March 15, 2023

New York lawmakers clash with Hochul’s housing plan in budgets

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The New York State Assembly and Senate on Tuesday released their budget proposals, which both deviate from the priorities of Gov. Kathy Hochul and set the stage for negotiations over the next two weeks. As first reported by City & State, the Senate's budget discarded some of Hochul's top goals, including the "New York Housing Compact," a plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next 10 years to address the state's looming housing crisis. The Senate did show support for "good cause" eviction protections and the creation of a Housing Voucher Program, two proposals omitted by the governor in the past.
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Two historic FDNY buildings in the Bronx may become city landmarks

Fire Alarm and Telegraph Bureau, Bronx Central Office. Images courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

March 14, 2023

Two historic FDNY buildings in the Bronx may become city landmarks

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Two Bronx buildings associated with the Fire Department of New York may become New York City landmarks. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the Firehouse, Engine Company 88/Ladder Company 38 in Belmont, and the Fire Alarm and Telegraph Bureau, Bronx Central Office, both of which are architecturally significant and represent historic moments in the development of the city's fire department.
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Plans for AirTrain to LaGuardia have been scrapped

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

March 14, 2023

Plans for AirTrain to LaGuardia have been scrapped

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Plans to build an AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport are officially dead after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Monday released the results of a 17-month-long analysis of mass transit options to the Queens airport. A panel of experts recommended the Port Authority abandon the proposed 1.5-mile elevated rail line and instead move forward with improving existing bus service and adding a new non-stop airport shuttle. Estimated costs for the bus options are just under $500 million, according to the report, compared to estimates of between $2.4 billion and $6.2 billion for light rail options.
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NYC’s redesign of Broadway blocks into pedestrian-friendly stretch begins

Rendering of Greeley Square after capital construction work is completed; Courtesy of “New” New York Panel

March 13, 2023

NYC’s redesign of Broadway blocks into pedestrian-friendly stretch begins

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New York City will begin its transformation of an iconic stretch of Broadway into a pedestrian-friendly corridor this week, Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday. The work is part of the first phase of "Broadway Vision," a plan to make the chaotic and crowded streets between Madison Square and Herald Square safer by banning cars on some blocks and creating more space for pedestrians. As part of the first phase, the city will add two new plazas, shared streets, and a two-way bike lane on Broadway from West 25th Street to West 32nd Street.
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NYC Council Speaker revives plan to build new homes on open NYCHA land

NYCHA LaGuardia Houses; Photo via Wikimedia

March 9, 2023

NYC Council Speaker revives plan to build new homes on open NYCHA land

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A New York City official is reviving a plan to turn the green spaces on public housing complexes into homes. In her State of the City address on Wednesday, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams proposed the construction of new apartment buildings on existing open spaces, known as "infill development," within New York City Housing Authority properties. Adams said her proposal would help address the city's housing crisis and provide current public housing tenants with an opportunity to relocate into upgraded, modern housing units.
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City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway

Photo by Prabu Vasan for Prospect Park Alliance

March 8, 2023

City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway

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Prospect Park's main roadway is getting a revamp. The Prospect Park Alliance and the Department of Transportation on Tuesday released the results of a year-long study of Prospect Park Drive, a busy loop within the park for pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists. Conducted by leading traffic consultancy Sam Schwartz, the NYC Parks Department, and DOT, the study analyzed crash data, roadway grade, pedestrian count, and other metrics to determine ways to improve the roadway. As a result of the study, the city is piloting adding a second lane on the outside of the drive, which would limit the need for crossings and prevent collisions.
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New plan aims to crack down on NYC’s unsightly scaffolding

Photo courtesy of Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

March 7, 2023

New plan aims to crack down on NYC’s unsightly scaffolding

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A new plan aims to cut down the amount of time scaffolding spends hovering over New York City sidewalks. Released this week by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and City Council Member Keith Powers, the "Shed the Shed" report recommends several strategies aimed at taking down sidewalk sheds quickly, including accelerating construction on buildings, reducing permitting delays, reforming design standards, and holding buildings more accountable by increasing penalties.
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Proposal to restore Prospect Park’s Vale faces criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates

Rendering of the proposed northeast pavilion. All renderings courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance

March 1, 2023

Proposal to restore Prospect Park’s Vale faces criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates

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The city's Parks Department and the Prospect Park Alliance this week unveiled plans for the restoration of the Vale of Cashmere. The proposal, presented during a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on Tuesday, includes a new pollinator garden, natural exploration play areas, a planted arbor, and a wooden pavilion with a green roof and bathrooms. Several LPC commissioners, preservationists, and LGBTQ+ advocates opposed the proposal for the Upper Vale, with most taking issue with the plan's erasure of the site as a significant meeting spot for the city's queer community as well as the disregard for the original vision of the Vale.
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New express ferry service takes commuters from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in 20 minutes

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

February 28, 2023

New express ferry service takes commuters from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in 20 minutes

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A new pilot program launching next month will speed up trips for South Brooklyn residents commuting to Manhattan. Starting March 8, the NYC Ferry's South Brooklyn route will take weekday riders from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in roughly 20 minutes as part of a "Faster Connections" pilot. The new express service operates between 6:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on weekdays.
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Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermnan / MTA on Flickr

February 27, 2023

Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison

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Grand Central Madison finally opened with full Long Island Rail Road service on Monday, with a totally new schedule for commuters and a 41 percent increase in service levels. Starting February 27, an additional 271 LIRR trains per day have been added to the system for a total of up to 936 trains per day; 296 of these trains will be traveling to and from Grand Central Madison, with the remaining to Penn Station. According to officials, the new terminal will make commutes for LIRR riders up to 40 minutes shorter.
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New legislation would require NYC co-op boards to reform application process

Photo of prestigious co-op building The Beresford by David Shankbone on Wikimedia

February 22, 2023

New legislation would require NYC co-op boards to reform application process

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New legislation introduced by New York City lawmakers this month would require co-op boards to explain to prospective buyers why they are being rejected. The three-bill legislation package, put forth by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Council Member Pierina Sanchez, aims to reform policies that critics say contribute to housing discrimination.
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Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office

February 16, 2023

Vornado pauses plan to redevelop area around Penn Station

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The plan to redevelop the area around Penn Station with several new skyscrapers is officially on hold. During a conference call this week, Steven Roth, the chief executive officer at Vornado Realty Trust, the developer behind the project, said new construction is "almost impossible" because of current market conditions, as Crain's first reported.
Details here
Only known surviving ‘colored’ school in Manhattan may become a New York City landmark

128 West 17th Street © 2023 Google

February 14, 2023

Only known surviving ‘colored’ school in Manhattan may become a New York City landmark

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The only known surviving school building that exclusively served African Americans in Manhattan may soon become a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the former Colored School No. 4 in Chelsea, a public school open to only Black students and staff from 1860 to 1894. Located at 128 West 17th Street, the nearly 175-year-old building is associated with a number of significant figures from the Civil War through the Post-Reconstruction era.
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NYC begins citywide expansion of on-street carshare parking program

Photo: NYC DOT via Flickr

February 8, 2023

NYC begins citywide expansion of on-street carshare parking program

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New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Tuesday the installation of 80 new dedicated curbside parking spaces that will be reserved for carshare vehicles throughout the city. The parking spots are part of a program intended to increase access to convenient carshare vehicles after a successful five-year pilot was shown to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and personal car ownership. Over the next two weeks, signs for the dedicated parking spaces will be installed across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.
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Proposed 13-story Soho building designed by Morris Adjmi is first to need LPC approval after rezoning

Streetview of 277 Canal Street; © 2023 Google

February 7, 2023

Proposed 13-story Soho building designed by Morris Adjmi is first to need LPC approval after rezoning

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A New York City developer on Monday unveiled plans for the first development in Soho under new zoning rules approved by the city in 2021. United American Land (UAL) announced a proposal for a 13-story mixed-use building with 100 units of housing at 277 Canal Street, a landmarked three-story building on the corner of Broadway. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is expected to begin its review process of the project this summer, as Commercial Observer first reported.
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Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

February 2, 2023

Manhattan borough president sees the city’s vacancies as opportunities for creating new housing

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Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine released a report this week outlining 171 locations in the borough he believes can be turned into more than 73,000 new homes. The report, titled "Housing Manhattanites," seeks to address Manhattan's housing shortage and answer a critical question: "Where in our borough can we build the housing that Manhattanites so desperately need?" Of these housing opportunities, Levine explained to the New York Times: "Some of it is hiding in plain sight. There has been a Post Office that has been closed. There’s an abandoned bus depot that is not being used. There’s manufacturing space which is empty. There are buildings that landlords surrendered to the city for back taxes decades ago."
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In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

President Biden hosted a press conference in NYC to discuss the Hudson River Tunnel Project on 1/31/23; Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

February 1, 2023

In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project

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President Joe Biden made an appearance at Hudson Yards on Tuesday to announce a $292 million investment for a project that would fix a century-old rail tunnel and build a new one under the river between New York and New Jersey. The $16 billion Hudson River tunnel project is just one part of the broader $30 billion Gateway Project, which includes new bridges and the expansion of Penn Station. The funding announced by Biden will go toward a $649 million project that extends the concrete casing for the tunnels between Penn Station and the Hudson River before any work on the tunnels can actually begin.
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Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

This rendering shows a 20-foot-tall proposed floodwall along the Hudson River at Huron Street in the West Village. Image: Army Corps of Engineers.

January 31, 2023

Army Corps of Engineers releases first renderings of NYC sea walls for coastal storm protection plan

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Late last year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the $52 billion proposal that will represent the most comprehensive effort to date to protect the city from storm surges and the only existing plan for protecting the entire New York Harbor area. The Army Corps recently revealed a new series of renderings that provide a visual glance at how some of these projects might transform the New York City waterfront. Renderings show barriers, gates, sea walls, and raised promenades at Flushing Bay in Queens, at Greenpoint Public Park, and Coney Island in Brooklyn, among others, as THE CITY first reported.
More renderings, this way
NYC will require Uber and Lyft to go fully electric by 2030

Photo by Pranay Pareek on Unsplash

January 30, 2023

NYC will require Uber and Lyft to go fully electric by 2030

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All New York City Uber and Lyft rideshare vehicles must go 100 percent electric by 2030, Mayor Eric Adams announced during his State of the City address last week. The decision will affect roughly 100,000 drivers for the two rideshare platforms, which both applauded the city's announcement, as first reported by The Verge.
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NYC’s curbside composting program coming to all five boroughs

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 26, 2023

NYC’s curbside composting program coming to all five boroughs

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Following the notable success of the program in Queens, curbside composting will soon expand to all of New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday during his State of the City address. The program will launch in Brooklyn this October, followed by the Bronx and Staten Island in March 2024 and Manhattan in October 2024. According to the mayor, the program will be the nation's largest curbside composting program.
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LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

Photo of Grand Central Madison in December 2022; Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

January 24, 2023

LIRR service to Grand Central Madison starts this week

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After a month-long delay due to vent exhaust problems, Grand Central Madison will officially open this week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The first Long Island Rail Road train with service to Manhattan's east side is scheduled to leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday and arrive at the new terminal at 11:07 a.m. As part of the initial roll-out, there will be limited shuttle service between the two stations to help commuters get familiar with the new terminal, which cost roughly $12 billion, according to the transit agency.
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NYC to open relief center for migrants at cruise terminal in Red Hook

Image via WikiCommons

January 23, 2023

NYC to open relief center for migrants at cruise terminal in Red Hook

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About a week after declaring there is no more room for migrants in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced the opening of a fifth emergency response and relief center to accommodate the growing number of asylum seekers. The new center will open at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook in the coming weeks and serve roughly 1,000 single adult men, providing them shelter and medical, food, laundry, and reconnective services. The men will be relocated to the terminal from the Watson Hotel, which will be used to house families with children instead. An opening date for the center has not been announced yet.
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