New Grand Concourse Historic District approved

1150 Grand Concourse. Image: Courtesy of LPC.

New district encompasses 78 properties and includes examples of Art Deco and Moderne architecture. On October 25, 2011, Landmarks voted unanimously to create the Grand Concourse Historic District. The district includes 78 buildings along or near the Grand Concourse between 153rd and 167th Streets.

The four-mile long “Grand Boulevard and Concourse,” designed by French engineer and Bronx resident Louis Risse, was completed in 1909 and connected Manhattan … <Read More>


Behind New York City Development, Land Use Attorney Jesse Masyr

Jesse Masyr

Attorney Jesse Masyr brings unique expertise from the public sector to help developers navigate the City’s public review process. CityLand spoke with Masyr at his Midtown office about his career in land use law.

Masyr, who grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, attended Tulane School of Law in New Orleans. Masyr majored in American history as an undergraduate at Harpur College (now SUNY Binghamton) and was fascinated by the antebellum period. Masyr figured that … <Read More>


Freshkills Park development moves forward

Proposed Plan for North Park. Image courtesy of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation

Parks needed Commission’s authorization to develop Phase 1 of Freshkills’ North Park. The City Planning Commission granted the Department of Parks and Recreation’s request for authorization to alter natural features in Staten Island to facilitate the development of Phase 1 of Freshkills Park’s North Park. Freshkills Park, described as a “natural wonder” by Chair Amanda M. Burden at a … <Read More>


High Bridge Renovations Pave Way for Reopening

Community groups opposed fence on the City’s oldest bridge. On April 5, 2011, Landmarks approved the City’s proposal to build an eight-foot fence and undertake other alterations to the High Bridge footpath spanning the Harlem River between Washington Heights in Manhattan and the Highbridge section of the Bronx. The High Bridge was built in 1848 as part of the Old Croton Aqueduct to bring fresh water into Manhattan. It is the City’s oldest bridge.… <Read More>


Howard Goldman Reflects on His Legal Career and Land Use Issues in the City

Howard Goldman’s 35-year career as a land use attorney has ranged from helping native Alaskan communities create coastline regulations to assisting developers navigate New York City’s complex land use process. Aspiring to work for the Natural Resources Defense Council or the Sierra Club, Goldman in 1972  received an ad hoc degree in environmental and pre-law studies from SUNY at Buffalo. Goldman stayed on to earn a law degree, and after graduation he joined Neighborhood … <Read More>


Kenneth J. Knuckles Brings a Diverse Perspective to the City Planning Commission

Kenneth J. Knuckles, vice chair of the City Planning Commission and CEO and president of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, has worn many hats during his career; a community advocate, student of architecture, lawyer, deputy borough president, public servant, and business leader. After serving in the United States Army, Knuckles in 1968 joined the Architects’ Renewal Committee of Harlem (ARCH). The Committee pursued two principal goals: advocating for urban renewal and socialequity in Harlem, and … <Read More>