City Planning Hears Application for Mixed-Use Building in Rego Park

The developers agreed to seek deeper affordability prior to the City Planning public hearing. On January 19, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for a rezoning application that would allow for the construction of a mixed use residential and commercial building at 98-81 Queens Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens. The rezoning site is on a triangular shaped block with 66th Avenue to the north, 99th Street to the east, and Queens Boulevard <Read More>


City Planning Holds Public Hearing for Five-Story Mixed Use Building in East New York

The new building would replace non-conforming commercial buildings from the 1970s. On January 19, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for an application that would facilitate the construction of a five-story mixed use building with residential and retail uses at 1377 Sutter Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn. The rezoning will affect six lots on the northern side of Sutter Avenue between Autumn Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. The project site is currently <Read More>


Mayor Names New Leadership for Department of City Planning

On January 19, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams named his selections for leadership of the Department of City Planning (DCP); Dan Garodnick will be the new City Planning Commission Chair and Department of City Planning Director, and Edith Hsu-Chen will be the Department of City Planning Executive Director. They will both report to Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer.



City Council Votes to Create Task Force to Study Conversion of Vacant or Unviable Office Space for Other Uses

A switch to remote work for many companies has left more office space vacant, and possibly available for different uses. On December 15, 2021, the City Council voted to approve Int. 2246-A, which creates a task force to study the potential of conversion of vacant and/or commercially unviable office space for different uses. The bill aims to address questions about how to best handle changing uses of office space for businesses, many of whom have <Read More>


City Releases Permanent Open Restaurants Program Public Survey and Public Engagement Schedule

The public engagement process will continue into the new year. On November 18, 2021, the de Blasio administration announced the schedule for the Permanent Open Restaurant Program public engagement process. The proposed permanent open restaurant program will establish a new streamlined program for the creation, management and enforcement of sidewalk and roadway cafes operated by the Department of Transportation.