City Planning Hears Application for Supportive Housing and Shelter Redevelopment in East Midtown

The new building will allow Project Renewal to continue to operate its shelter while also offering permanent supportive and affordable housing. On January 19, 2022, the City Planning Commission heard an application from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) to facilitate the construction of a new 21-story building at 225 East 45th Street in East Midtown. The new building, which will provide supportive and affordable housing and <Read More>



City Planning Hears Application for New Mixed-Use Building in Belmont

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 <Read More>


City Council Votes to Create Task Force to Study Conversion of Vacant or Unviable Office Space for Other Uses

A switch to remote work for many companies has left more office space vacant, and possibly available for different uses. On December 15, 2021, the City Council voted to approve Int. 2246-A, which creates a task force to study the potential of conversion of vacant and/or commercially unviable office space for different uses. The bill aims to address questions about how to best handle changing uses of office space for businesses, many of whom have <Read More>



City Releases Permanent Open Restaurants Program Public Survey and Public Engagement Schedule

The public engagement process will continue into the new year. On November 18, 2021, the de Blasio administration announced the schedule for the Permanent Open Restaurant Program public engagement process. The proposed permanent open restaurant program will establish a new streamlined program for the creation, management and enforcement of sidewalk and roadway cafes operated by the Department of Transportation.