City Planning Commission Approves Two Amendments Promoting Health and Fitness

Commissioners raised concerns about the removal of special permits as a way to vet out illegitimate massage parlors. On October 20, 2021, the City Planning Commission voted to approve two applications proposed by the City to support small businesses and promote healthy food options and fitness. The two applications, the FRESH Program Expansion and the Health and Fitness Text Amendment, were part of a series of zoning proposals proposed earlier this year. 


Permanent Open Restaurant Program Proposal Continues Through Public Review Process

Over 11,000 restaurants are currently participating in the Open Restaurant Program. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced four citywide zoning amendment proposals to support small businesses, create more grocery stores and improve accessibility in transit. One of the proposals, the permanent open restaurant zoning text amendment, seeks to establish a permanent open restaurant program by removing the geographic restrictions on where sidewalk cafes can be located.


HPD Reveals Plans for Almost 600 Affordable Units and New Performing Arts Center in East Harlem

The two developments will have almost 600 affordable units between them. On August 13, 2021, the New York City Department of Housing Development and Preservation (HPD) announced its plan to develop nearly 600 affordable homes, a new Afro-Latin Music and Arts (ALMA) Center and to renovate the East Harlem Multi-Service Center in East Harlem. The project will include two mixed-use developments, located at 413 East 120th Street and at the former 25th Precinct … <Read More>


NYC Mayoral Candidates Land Use Policy Recap

The Mayoral Election will help shape the City’s land use and housing policymaking decisions. Between now and June 20th, early voting is available for the NYC Primary, in which New Yorkers will help decide who will be the next Mayor of New York City. Over the course of their campaigns, mayoral candidates have developed and shared their positions on a variety of land use and housing issues including developing affordable housing, handling the eviction and <Read More>


Bronx Affordable Housing Development Enters Final Phase

The new affordable housing development will house 261 low-income and formerly homeless  families. On March 19, 2021, Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the groundbreaking of a new affordable housing building in the West Farms section of the Bronx. The building, named Compass Six, is located at 1923 West Farms Road. Compass Six is part of the Compass Resident Development, which will consist of eight buildings and be one … <Read More>


New York Law School Hosts Open Community Meeting on the Future of Tribeca Following the Pandemic

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: