ULURP Remains Suspended, What Next?

Why did ULURP remain suspended when so many City agencies and public bodies took to virtual operations? On March 16, 2020, the Department of City Planning announced that, pursuant to an executive order from Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure and all relevant public hearings and votes were suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the suspension, Community Boards, Borough Presidents, and the City Council have virtually convened to … <Read More>


Council Subcommittee Approves Hotel Building Conversion in DUMBO

The building conversion will bring 508 supportive and affordable residential units to DUMBO. On March 13, 2020, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved an application to facilitate the conversion of a 29-story former hotel building at 90 Sands Street. The building would be converted into a mixed-use residential use and community facility building with a future possibility for commercial use. To facilitate the conversion, the applicant, Breaking Ground, is proposing to rezone … <Read More>


HPD Proposes Affordable Homeownership Project in Bedford-Stuyvesant

Affordable homeownership project receives generally positive feedback. On January 22, 2020, the City Planning Commission heard an application by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development for the disposition of city-owned property and to designate three areas in the southern portion of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn as Urban Development Action Areas. The UDAAP designation would help facilitate the construction of seven new buildings and 78 affordable homeownership units. Felipe Cortez, a borough planner at HPD and Jack … <Read More>


NYC EDC and Elected Officials Announce $2.7 Million Renovation of Moore Street Market

$2.7 Million in renovations to enhance facilities at one of Brooklyn’s oldest public markets. On August 20, 2019, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Council Member Antonio Reynoso and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams announced $2.7 million dollars of improvements to enhance facilities at one of Brooklyn’s oldest public markets located on Moore Street.


Plans for Broadway Junction’s Transformation and Revitalization are Revealed

The Vision Document represents the first effort by the City and the Brooklyn community to solely focus on Broadway Junction. On August 15, 2019, Council Member Rafael L. Espinal, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) commissioned a Vision Document, Broadway Junction: Vision for the Future that serves as a guide to supporting the transformation of Broadway Junction in Brooklyn. The Vision Document is the first step … <Read More>


Commercial Use Amendment Approved for Bedford Avenue Residential Block

City Planning approved a zoning map amendment permitting ground floor space for commercial use in residential buildings in Williamsburg neighborhood. On December 13, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on the application submitted by 116 Bedford Avenue, LLC—owner of 116 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. This zoning map amendment would permit the building to use ground floor space for commercial use and bring five other existing commercial uses currently located in … <Read More>