
The owners of these five properties have received the 2021 Historic Preservation Grants. These buildings are either within historic districts or landmarks operated by non-profits. Image credit: LPC
Recipients will receive between $15,000 and $35,000 for repairs and restorations, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will also be providing hands-on assistance with the project. On March 2, 2021, the Landmarks Preservation Commission announced five new grant awards through the Historic Preservation Grant Program. The Grant Program is set up to assist homeowners and non-profit organizations with building restoration. (more…)

Rhinelander Avenue in Morris Park, Bronx, one of many streets open to pedestrians and cyclists under the Open Streets program. Image Credit: CityLand
The plan will aim to add 100 miles of open streets, widened sidewalks and protected bike lanes. Note: This article has been updated to continuously reflect the added streets as those announcements are made. Please continue to check back for further updates.
On April 27, 2020, the Mayor’s Office announced a plan along with Council Speaker Corey Johnson to implement street closures, sidewalk widening, and the addition of bike lanes as part of the City’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The plan aims to close off streets to cars to provide more space for social distancing for pedestrians and cyclists as the weather gets warmer and more people are expected to go outside. (more…)

Streetscape of Manida Street./Image Credit: LPC
The proposed designation received support from South Bronx residents and preservation advocates. On May 12, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on a proposal to designate the Manida Street Historic District in Hunts Point, Bronx. The proposed historic district will be located on Manida Street between Garrison and Lafayette Avenues and would consist of 42 semi-detached, two-story brick houses on both sides of the street. The houses on the block all have a consistent Renaissance Revival style which includes mirror image facades, rounded projecting bays, and ornamentation around the door and windows. The proposed historic district represents a period in the early-20th Century when rapid development occurred in the South Bronx. For CityLand’s prior coverage on the Manida Street Historic District designation process, click here.
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The City Planning Commission at the borough-based jails public hearing on July 10, 2019. Image Credit: CPC
City reduced projected number of beds to 4,600 but did not amend application at time of hearing. On July 10, 2019, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for the City’s application for four borough-based jails as a part of the City’s plan to shut down Rikers Island. The application proposes four new jails at 124-125 White Street in Manhattan, 745 East 141st Street in the Bronx, 126-02 82nd Avenue in Queens, and at 275 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. The new jails will allow the City to shut down operations on Rikers Island and work toward the City’s goal of reducing the City’s jail population. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the proposed project, click here. (more…)

Map of Citi Bike expansion shown in dark blue. Expansion underway is shown in red. Existing CitiBike service shown in light blue. Image Credit: Mayor’s Office.
The Citi Bike expansion will double the current service area by 35 square miles and triple the number of bikes to 40,000. On July 16, 2019, the de Blasio Administration announced Citi Bike’s expansion. Last November, Lyft entered into an agreement with the City to invest $100 million in Citi Bike, which will double the size of Citi Bike’s service area and triple the number of bikes in the program. The expansion will take place from 2019 to 2023 and will bring Citi Bike to all of Manhattan, the Bronx, and deeper into Brooklyn and Queens. (more…)