- New York and Long Island Coignet Stone Company building in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Photo: LPC.
1872 Brooklyn building designated unanimously. Landmarks designated the New York and Long Island Coignet Stone Company Building at 360 Third Avenue in Brooklyn, the city’s earliest known concrete structure. Designed by William Field and Son, the 1872 building was meant to showcase the possibilities of concrete. Francois Coignet, the company’s founder, was an early proponent of concrete as an alternative to stone, and pioneered ways of producing large masses and blocks using molds, as well as a type of reinforced concrete. Coignet’s important commissions included parts of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Western Union Telegraph Building. The quasi-Italianate building features ionic columns, a faux brick facade, a decorative parapet, and arched window openings. Preservationist groups that supported designation included the Historic Districts Council, the Municipal Art Society and the Society for the Architecture of the City.
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Image credit: New York City Council.
On February 2nd, 2023, District 38 Council Member Alexa Avilés introduced Int. No. 899. The bill would create a residential parking permit system in Sunset Park and Red Hook. (more…)
On February 23, 2023, the New York City Department of City Planning announced the creation of the Community Planning and Engagement Division within the department. The new division will consist of seven members and is tasked with getting community input on new policy developments handled by the Department of City Planning and related agencies. (more…)
The series of events encourages New Yorkers to learn more about the City’s waterfronts. Image Credit: NYC DCP.
On May 17, 2022, the Department of City Planning announced a new series of free events in May to celebrate the City’s waterfront. The celebration will culminate on Friday, May 20th (5/20) in honor of the 520 miles of waterfront across New York City. The celebration of the waterfront has run since 2017. In 2020 and 2021, events were virtual due to the safety concerns from the pandemic. This year, in-person events return to encourage New Yorkers to personally explore what the City’s waterfront has to offer. (more…)
Mayor Bill de Blasio. Image credit: CityLand
On November 22, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the creation of a new pilot program to design and construct projects utilizing the NYC Climate Resiliency Design guidelines. The guidelines provide technical guidance for engineers and architects in the design of buildings, roads, sewer systems, public housing, and other forms of public infrastructure to anticipate worsening impacts from climate change including flooding, storm surge and intense heat. (more…)
