Site Layout Image Credit: City Planning

Council Subcommittee approves Bronx Point after initial concerns on affordable housing and workers compensation. On September 18, 2019, City Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses unanimously approved the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s UDAAP application to facilitate the creation of “Bronx Point.” The project proposes 1,045 housing units, 540 of which dedicated to permanently affordable housing, a waterfront esplanade, and community facilities including a new state-of-the-art movie theater and a Universal Hip Hop Museum.  The property is located north of East 150^th Street, south of Mill Pond Park, east of the Harlem River, west of Exterior Street/Major Deegan Expressway. To read in more detail and about the many other features of the Bronx Point development read previous coverage here.

Chair Francisco Moya. Image Credit: New York City Council

The proposed rezoning will allow growing families in the community to remain in the neighborhood without compromising their desire for more housing space. On September 18, 2019, the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted to approve the rezoning of two areas in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. The areas are located northeast of the Kew Gardens Interchange generally bounded by 72nd Avenue to the north, Union Turnpike to the south, Main Street to the east, and Park Drive East to the west. The applicant proposed to rezone the areas to allow for larger homes to be built. The rezoning would give community homeowners the flexibility to expand their homes and ensure already expanded homes are under compliance.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett, Council Member Antonio Reynoso celebrate the announcement of a $2.7 million investment for renovations of Moore Street Market. Image Credit: NYC EDC

$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.

DCP’s new interactive tool for community boards. Image Credit: DCP

New and improved online platform will help Community Boards advocate for public priorities. On August 26, 2019, Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Marisa Lago announced a new and improved online platform which will help Community Boards advocate for public priorities more easily. The new, user-friendly digital platform will allow Community Boards to formally submit their annual needs and budget requests to the City with easier access to relevant City data to assist with their requests.

Rendering of proposed flood resiliency infrastructure./Image Credit: DDC, Parks, DOT, DEP, and Mayor’s Office of Resiliency/CPC

The project is predicted to protect over 110,000 Lower Manhattan residents from flood and storm impacts. On July 31, 2019, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on two applications regarding the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project which addresses coastal flood vulnerabilities in Lower Manhattan. The project area is bounded by East 25th Street to the north, Montgomery Street to the south, and the East River to the east. The area runs along the FDR Drive and adjacent parks such as the East River Park and Stuyvesant Cove Park. The Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Protection, Small Business Services, and Department of City Administrative Services are the applicants. Jamie Torres-Springer of the Department Design and Construction, Alyssa Cobb Konon of the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Carrie Grassi of the Mayor’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency presented the project at the hearing.

Owner claimed an additional $3 million in attorney’s fees, based on disputes over the valuation of property. In 2014 the New York State Urban Development Corporation took by eminent domain the property of TKGSM-NY, LLC, a Brooklyn business. The State ultimately paid over $25 million to compensate the business for its property located at 718-728 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. The owner asserted that the lengthy efforts to resolve the differences between the appraisal offered by the New York State Urban Development Corporation and the appraisal offered by the owner had resulted in excessive legal expenses. The owner sought $3 million in attorney’s fees as additional compensation for its property.