New Book Highlights Yorkville’s Historic Developments and Immigrant Roots

The illustrative book displays the rich architecture and neighborhood’s character. On November 7, 2018, FRIENDS of the Upper Side Historic Districts, a not-for-profit membership organization, will release Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville. Shaped by Immigrants: A History of Yorkville chronicles the history of development in the Yorkville neighborhood in Manhattan through the 19th and early 20th centuries, which was home to Czechoslovakian, German, Hungarian, Irish, and other immigrant groups. Their settlement is … <Read More>


New Legislation Leads to SCA Disclosing Methods for New School Buildings

City Council’s new legislation seeks to combat overcrowded New York City Schools through new efficient methods in choosing new school building projects. On September 12, 2018, the City Council announced it will require the School Construction Authority to disclose how it evaluates the location and time frame of new schools being built. City Council Member Ben Kallos authored the measure, Introduction 729, in response to overcrowding in New York City public elementary and middle schools … <Read More>


New Universal Pre-K Facility Opens on Upper East Side

New center will add more Pre-K seats alleviating shortage. On September 12, 2018, Council Member Ben Kallos and the Department of Education announced the opening of the new Universal Pre-K Center on the Upper East Side at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new facility, located at 1683 3rd Avenue Street, is 11,492 square feet, and will serve 90 Pre-K students. The opening of the facility is part of the City’s new efforts to build more … <Read More>


Construction Begins On Renovation of Upper East Side Community Center

Senior center and youth center in NYCHA housing will have kitchen and bathrooms upgraded. On June 8, 2018, City Council Member Ben Kallos, together with the New York City Housing Authority, announced the start of renovations and upgrades for the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. The Isaacs Center is located in Holmes Towers at 415 East 93rd Street. Construction is expected to be completed by February 2019 and full completion and use of the … <Read More>


Rent Guidelines Board Votes to End Two Year Rent Freeze

The Rent Guidelines Board held a preliminary vote to increase rents on one-year and two-year leases in New York City. On April 25, 2017, the City’s Rent Guidelines voted to raise the rents for New York City’s one million rent stabilized apartments. In the two previous years the Board had voted to freeze rents citywide, the first freezes in New York City’s history. For CityLand‘s previous coverage of the rent freezes, click here.


Elected Officials Challenge Skyscraper’s Skirt of the Zoning Law

The development of a skyscraper on the Upper East Side has provoked the ire of City officials and neighborhood groups. The developer, DDG Partners, planned to construct a 524-foot skyscraper at 180 East 88th Street in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The building would be 31 stories, with 16 feet per story, and would be the tallest skyscraper north of 72nd Street. The developer is currently in the process of selling units in the skyscraper, ranging … <Read More>