Intersection of Broadway and Dyckman Street in Inwood. Image credit: Daniel Case.

On August 8, 2018, the City Council approved the Inwood Neighborhood Rezoning amidst resident concerns and disapproval. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez celebrated the rezoning approval. The rezoning was developed over the course of three years and affects 59 city blocks in the northern Manhattan neighborhood. The Economic Development Corporation, together with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and the Department of Small Business Services, proposed the land use actions to implement a comprehensive rezoning plan in accordance with the goals of the Mayor’s Housing New York: Five-Borough, Ten-Year Plan and began to implement the Inwood NYC Action Plan. (more…)

Three-City owned sites will be developed to provide affordable housing, art and media centers, and commercial space. On July 26, 2018, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced plans for nearly 900 affordable homes in Brownsville, Brooklyn. This announcement updates the commitments made in the Brownsville Plan, which originally included building 880 units on three-City owned sites and infrastructure upgrades. According to HPD, the Plan is the result of a community-driven process to identify neighborhood goals, form strategies to address local needs and find resources to fill gaps in service. The Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the NYC Department of Transportation, and the NYC Housing Development Corporation are working together with HPD on the Brownsville Plan. (more…)

Coney Island Boardwalk. Image credit: LPC.

Iconic 2.7-mile long boardwalk designated for its cultural and historical significance, as little if any original fabric remains. On May 15, 2018, Landmarks voted to designate Brooklyn’s Coney Island Boardwalk a scenic landmark. The Boardwalk was originally opened to the public in 1923, and was extended in subsequent years. Under Robert Moses leadership of the Parks Department in 1938, the Boardwalk was straightened, moved inland, and extended. The Boardwalk’s current length is 2.7 miles. A 100-foot-wide corridor of sand below and adjoining the Boardwalk is included in the designation. (more…)

Coney Island Boardwalk. Image credit: LPC.

Many speakers asked Landmarks to seek more binding control to ensure the boardwalk’s wood planking is replaced in kind. The Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the potential scenic landmark designation of the Coney Island Boardwalk at its meeting on April 17, 2018. The designation would include the boardwalk and all structures on it, including furniture, concession pavilions, comfort stations, and lifeguard stations. A 100-foot-wide corridor of sand below and adjoining the boardwalk would be included in the designation. (more…)

Lynn Kelly. Image credit: New Yorkers for Parks.

New York City holds a special place in Lynn Kelly’s life. Ms. Kelly grew up in Old Town, Staten Island, has resided in Brooklyn’s Park Slope and now in Gowanus, and attended New York University in Greenwich Village. In reflecting on her life and career, Ms. Kelly said that “New York City has been the one thread through everything.” Ms. Kelly has dedicated her career to improving the City one job at a time. Currently, Ms. Kelly serves as the Executive Director at New Yorkers for Parks, an independent advocacy organization championing quality parks and open spaces for all New Yorkers in all City neighborhoods. (more…)