City Announces Holiday Pedestrian Space Around Rockefeller Center

Vehicle access will be restricted to protect pedestrians and provide them with more space. On November 24, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that temporary expanded pedestrian space would be added around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall to accommodate holiday crowds. As the pandemic limited holiday crowds last year, more crowds are expected to return to New York City to enjoy holiday festivities.


Mayor de Blasio Appoints Tom Foley as Acting DDC Commissioner

Foley is a 23-year veteran of the agency. On October 28, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Tom Foley as the Acting Commissioner for the Department of Design and Construction (DDC). The appointment comes as Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer, who had been appointed in March, prepares to depart on November 12th to become the President of Construction and Development at the MTA. 


Independent Baseball Team to Play at Richmond County Bank Ballpark

New ownership group will make improvements to venue and attract other events throughout the year to help boost economy for the North Shore of Staten Island. On July 23, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced an agreement with Staten Island Entertainment, LLC to bring professional baseball back to the north shore, replacing the departed Staten Island Yankees. Staten Island Entertainment … <Read More>


New Design Revealed for Rego Park Library Branch

The new library will be over double the size of the existing one. On July 28, 2021, Department of Design and Construction Commission Jamie Torres-Springer joined elected officials and the Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott to reveal the design for the new Rego Park Library. Located at 91-41 63rd Drive, the new library will replace the current one-story library that has operated since 1975. The Rego Park branch currently serves nearly <Read More>


Low-Cost Broadband Access Expanded for 10,000 Bronx NYCHA Residents

The expansion adds on to 30,000 residents who already received low-cost broadband. On July 27, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an agreement with New York City-based internet service provider Bloc Power to bring high-speed internet access to 10,000 NYCHA residents across five Bronx NYCHA developments. The five developments include Melrose, East 152 Street-Courtlandt Avenue, Forest, Morris I, and Morris II.


City Begins Construction on First of Borough-Based Jails in Kew Gardens

The structure will provide over 600 parking spaces and 25,000 square feet of flexible community space. On June 25, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the start of construction at one of the City’s four borough-based jails sites in Kew Gardens, Queens. The borough-based jails are part of the City’s controversial solution to shut down Rikers Island and replace the complex with four smaller, locally based jails in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. The <Read More>