The upgraded Children’s Room at the Steinway Library. Image Credit: DDC.

On January 18, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction announced the reopening of the Steinway Library at 21-45 31st Street in Astoria. Steinway Library is one of the three original branches from 125 years ago that became the Long Island City Public Library system, later known as the Queens Borough Public Library. Prior to the pandemic, Steinway Library served almost 200,000 customers and circulated over 225,000 materials annually. 

Image credit: New York City Council.

On January 20, 2022, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced the selections for the City Council’s various committees. 

For the land use related committees, the appointments are as follows: 

Dan Garodnick, the newly appointed Director of the City Planning Commission. Image Credit: NYC DCP.

On January 19, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams named his selections for leadership of the Department of City Planning (DCP); Dan Garodnick will be the new City Planning Commission Chair and Department of City Planning Director, and Edith Hsu-Chen will be the Department of City Planning Executive Director. They will both report to Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer.

Image credit: New York City Council.

In December 2021, the City Council voted to approve two applications proposed by the City to promote health, fitness and support small businesses. For CityLand’s prior coverage, click here. 

Part of the rendering of 660 East Fordham Road. Image Credit: NYC CPC.

The building would be the first to offer inclusionary housing along this section of East Fordham Road. On January 5, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for a special permit application for 660 East Fordham Road that would facilitate the construction of an eleven-story mixed use commercial and residential building in the Belmont section of the Bronx. The current site features a parking lot, and one-story underused commercial space, including a vacant tax office. The applicant is Sean Daneshvar, represented by Erik Palatnik, P.C.

546 West 44th Street. Image Credit: Google Maps.

Property owner sued general contractor and design consultant for indemnification of costs resulting from violations of federal, state, and local disabilities law. CREF 546 owned property located at 546 West 44^th Street in Manhattan and hired developers to construct two fourteen-story residential midrise apartment buildings that shared amenities. CREF 546 contracted with Code Consultants to review design and construction documents and Hudson Meridian as their general contractor. The building became occupied in 2016.