City Begins Construction on First of Borough-Based Jails in Kew Gardens

The structure will provide over 600 parking spaces and 25,000 square feet of flexible community space. On June 25, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the start of construction at one of the City’s four borough-based jails sites in Kew Gardens, Queens. The borough-based jails are part of the City’s controversial solution to shut down Rikers Island and replace the complex with four smaller, locally based jails in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn. The <Read More>


City to Fund Renovation of Two Community Centers in Brooklyn

The renovated community centers will provide after-school activities, arts programming, and job skills training. On July 11, 2019, Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Committee on General Welfare Chair Stephen Levin, Committee on Public Housing Chair Alicka Ampry-Samuel, and Council Member Brad Lander announced that the City’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget includes funding to reopen the Gowanus Houses Community Center. Speaker Johnson and Council Member Levin also unveiled capital funding in Fiscal Year 2020 budget for … <Read More>


Kew Gardens Hills Residents Seek Area-wide Rezoning to Allow Home Expansions

The proposed rezoning would allow larger single-family homes than current zoning permits and would bring many overbuilt homes in the area into zoning compliance. On June 19, 2019, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed rezoning of two areas of Kew Gardens Hills in Queens. The application was brought by Queens Community Board 8 to rezone approximately 378 lots across 16 blocks from the existing residential R2 zoning to residential R2X … <Read More>


Rezoning Application Will Map First MIH Area in Brooklyn Community District 15

New development will include both residential and commercial uses. On August 8, 2018, the City Planning Commission approved a rezoning application by Quentin Plaza LLC for 1881-1883 McDonald Avenue in the Homecrest neighborhood of Brooklyn. The proposed zoning map and zoning text amendment will facilitate a new mixed-use building. The rezoning area is bounded by Avenue P to the north, East 2nd Street to the east, Woodside Avenue to the south, and McDonald Avenue … <Read More>


City to Create Senior Housing and Community Space Despite Strong Opposition

Senior affordable housing proposal would build over existing community park and green space. On Friday December 8, 2017, the New York City Housing and Preservation Department announced development plans that will create 121 affordable senior apartments and a community designed public open space in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan. Haven Green, an affordable new senior housing development will be affordable to seniors earning between $20,040 and $40,080 and include housing for formerly homeless seniors.… <Read More>


City Planning Approves Parks’ Acquisition of Community Garden with Community Support

The City Planning Commission approved the acquisition of 6,000-square-foot community garden and passive recreation lot to place under jurisdiction of the Parks Department. On July 16, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on a joint application filed by the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to acquire private property at 237 Maple Street in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. The acquired property would be used … <Read More>