Image Credit: NYC DOB.

Despite increase in developments, construction in New York City has leveled. On January 22, 2019, Department of Buildings Commissioner, Rick D. Chandler, released a report on the City’s construction in 2018. The most significant finding from the report was that the City’s construction activity has leveled off after its real estate and development boom. The number of construction permits Buildings issued decreased in 2018. In 2018, Buildings issued 165,908 construction permits while in 2017, they issued 168,243. This was the first decline in permits since 2009. Despite the decrease, 2018’s permit totals were the second highest on record. In response to the report’s findings, Commissioner Chandler states that the building boom “may have finally reached its peak.”

However, despite the decline in permits, City construction is still ongoing at high rates. The report revealed that Manhattan had the highest number of construction activity in the City, accounting for 43 percent of all issued permits. However, Brooklyn had the most building permits issued in 2018 with 34 percent of new permits issued. Staten Island’s permit numbers increased from 1,299 to 1,321 which reflected the borough’s housing boom. On the other hand, the South Bronx’s construction permits decreased in 2018.

The report also revealed other trends in the City’s construction. The report revealed trends in the City’s construction and development. In 2018, there were high concentrations of new-building permits on the North Brooklyn waterfront, Long Island City, and Far Rockaway which show the desirability of waterfront development in the City. The report also showed that approved construction projects in 2018 would add 46 million square feet of brand-new floor space to the city.

The results of the report can be found on DOB’s NYC Construction Dashboard, an interactive website with information on the City’s construction and real estate development. The dashboard was built as a key part of DOB’s “Building One City” modernization plan. The dashboard includes many interactive real-time reports such as the NYC Active Major Construction Map, which provides real-time insight into all currently active major construction sites, and the NYC Sidewalk Shed Map, which shows the location of all actively permitted sidewalk sheds. The dashboard also contains data on demolition permits, permit types by community board, and job type per borough, spanning from 2000 to 2018.

To view the press release about the report, click here.

By: May Vutrapongvatana (May is a CityLaw intern, and a New York Law School student, Class of 2019).