Ferris Wheel and Staten Island Revitalization Project Approved

Council gives go ahead for world’s largest Ferris wheel and outlet complex.  On October 30, 2013, City Council unanimously voted 45-0 to approve the construction of the largest Ferris Wheel in the western hemisphere, which along with other developments, is intended to transform Staten Island’s St. George Waterfront. The New York Wheel (the Wheel), designed and manufactured by Starneth, will be built just north of the Richmond County Bank Ballpark, and will provide … <Read More>


Michael B. Gerrard Discusses His Career and the Future of Climate Change Regulation

Michael B. Gerrard, director of Columbia Law School’s Center for Climate Change Law, traces his passion for environmental protection back to growing up in Charleston, West Virginia, a city dominated by major chemical manufacturing companies like Union Carbide and DuPont. As a child, he lived on the banks of the Kanawha River, where large amounts of toxic chemicals had polluted the water and air.

After graduating from Columbia University, Gerrard worked for a local environmental … <Read More>


Landmarks Approves Rules to Improve Application Process for Upgrading Protected Properties

On July 11, 2023, Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved rules to expedite and simplify the application process for property owners seeking agency approval for certain upgrades to landmarked properties. The new rules will widen the scope of applications that staff can approve, eliminating the need for review by the full Commission at a public hearing.


City Planning Holds Public Hearing for Development of Four Buildings in Boerum Hill

On September 7, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for the 280 Bergen Street Rezoning project, an application that would enable the construction of a four-building mixed use development in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn. The applicant seeks to rezone the majority of the block surrounded by Bergen Street to the north, Wyckoff Street to the south, Nevins Street to the west and Third Avenue to the east. 


Council Committee Holds Hearing for Utility Advocate Legislation

The new office would advocate for New Yorkers who struggle with utility companies, but some question if another office is necessary. On June 30, 2022, the City Council’s Committee for Consumer and Worker Protection held an oversight hearing to discuss recent utility rate hikes and Int. 372-2022, a bill that would establish an Office of the Utility Advocate within the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). The bill is sponsored by City Council Speaker … <Read More>


Queens BP Announces Urban Sustainability Group

On April 22, 2022, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. announced the start of Operation Urban Sustainability, a group that will consist of borough and city leaders in sustainability and resiliency who will work together to guide environmental initiatives in Queens. In recent years, Queens has seen devastating flooding, including last year’s Hurricane Ida, where dangerous flash flooding killed thirteen people, mostly in Queens. The announcement is part of a growing response on a borough <Read More>