Image Credit: NYC DOT.

Many residents and community board members complained of quality of life issues, including noise, trash, cigarette smoke, and loss of parking. On October 6, 2021, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for the Permanent Open Restaurants program. The Permanent Open Restaurants program will formalize a process for restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes in a shortened process. The proposed permanent program follows the popularity of the temporary open restaurants program, which was created last year to allow restaurants to conduct outdoor dining in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

Michael Arad speaking at the 173rd CityLaw Breakfast. Image Credit: CityLand.

Today, September 10, 2021, Michael Arad, the Lead Designer of the 9/11 Memorial, spoke at the 173rd CityLaw Breakfast. Mr. Arad spoke on “the Design and Construction of the National 9/11 Memorial: Absence and Loss in the Life of New York City.” Professor Ross Sandler, Director of the Center for New York City Law, provided opening remarks, and Dean Anthony W. Crowell participated in a discussion with Mr. Arad after his talk. This Breakfast was sponsored by ConEdison, Greenberg Traurig, and Verizon. This was the seventh virtual CityLaw Breakfast as in-person events are not feasible at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)

An Open Street in Morris Park, Bronx last year. Temporarily restricting vehicular access provided pedestrians with places to walk, cyclists to move, and children to play. Image Credit: CityLand

The program began as a way to provide more public space during the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 29, 2021, the City Council voted to pass Int. 1933-A, a bill to make a permanent Open Streets program. The Open Streets program closes streets for a given time period to provide pedestrians and cyclists with open street space free of vehicular traffic.  (more…)

Rachel Loeb. Image Credit: NYC EDC

Outgoing EDC President James Patchett returns to the private sector while Acting EDC President Rachel Loeb is appointed and works to help NYC recover, rebuild, and reemerge in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, March 8, 2021, Rachel Loeb assumed the position of Acting President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) after being appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Loeb succeeds James Patchett, who worked for the City for seven years. Patchett is returning to the private sector. (more…)

Panelists discuss options on how to organize and plan for Tribeca’s future post pandemic. Image credit: CityLand

Panel welcomed small business owners, residents, and other interested parties for a discussion regarding Tribeca and the neighborhood’s ongoing economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  On March 4th, New York Law School’s Dean Anthony Crowell published an open letter in the Tribeca Citizen that discussed the economic impact of the pandemic on the Tribeca community and NYLS’s commitment to helping the neighborhood navigate its recovery following Covid-19. Dean Crowell wrote: (more…)