Mayor Announces Seaport Capital Project to Prevent Flooding

On October 26, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an investment of $110 million for a capital project to address the threat of storm surge and rising sea levels for Lower Manhattan. The proposed project will rebuild and raise the existing bulkhead and improve the drainage between the Brooklyn Bridge and Pier 17. The announcement was made with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency. 


Mayor Announces $425 Million in Funding for Community Parks Initiative

Ten parks a year for ten years will be redesigned and transformed. On October 26, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff announced that $425.5 million will be invested in the Community Parks Initiative over the next ten years. The Community Parks Initiative (CPI) renovates and redesigns community parks, usually in high-density, low-income areas, that have previously been neglected in past administrations. Parks that have received less than $250,000 in investment over <Read More>



Mayor’s Office Announces Governors Island Will Be Open Year-Round for the Public Starting in the Fall

The island has seen large growth in visitors over the past several years. On September 28, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Trust for Governors Island announced that Governors Island will now be open year-round to the public starting November 1st. Governors Island, a 172 acre island in New York Harbor, was previously only open seasonally from May to October. 


Mayor Appoints Anita Laremont as City Planning Commission Chair

Laremont has worked with the Department of City Planning since 2014. On September 23, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that Anita Laremont will serve as the next Chair of the City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning. The appointment is effective immediately, and Chair Laremont succeeds outgoing Chair Marisa Lago, who will be joining the U.S. Department of Commerce after being selected by the Biden Administration. 


Mayor and DOT Reveal Plans to Extend Life and Change BQE

The plan focuses on immediate monitoring and repairs to allow for more time to plan for the future. On August 4, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman announced a plan to extend the life of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) cantilever for at least 20 years with additional plans for the long-term. The plan is in four parts: preserving the structure; maintenance; expansion in monitoring; and developing a long-term … <Read More>