Support Voiced for 1920s Clock Tower

Property owners have agreed to restrictive declaration that would limit the development adjacent lots to heights of historic buildings, to preserve towers visible facades and clock faces. On April 21, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a hearing on the potential designation Bank of Manhattan Company Long Island City Branch Building at 29-27 Queens Plaza North as a potential individual City landmark. The building, completed in 1927 to designs by architect Morrell Smith has three … <Read More>



Council Committee Holds Hearing on COVID-19 Relief Bills

Committee hearing calls into question the amount of loans and protections for small businesses during COVID outbreak. On April 29, 2020, the City Council’s Committee on Small Business and Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing held a joint public hearing on the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses in New York City.  Of the thirteen proposed bills, three were specifically labeled as part of a COVID-19 Relief Package. The bills address personal liability for … <Read More>


City Council Approves Downtown Far Rockaway Rezoning

City Council approved a 22-block rezoning of Downtown Far Rockaway, Queens. On September 7, 2017, the City Council approved a large-scale rezoning and development plan for Downtown Far Rockaway by a vote of 46-0. The resolutions will create a Special Downtown Far Rockaway district, a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area, and an Urban Renewal Area. $288 million has been secured to grant amenities this community has been requesting for over 40 years.


City and State Continue to Combat Illegal Smoke Shops, Reform Cannabis Sales in New York

Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams made announcements furthering New York’s fight against illegal smoke shops and reforming cannabis sales. The legalization of cannabis has forced the city and state to navigate the development of a new economy with the implementation of strict regulations; the state rollout of licenses and process for siting new dispensaries have limited the number of legal dispensaries that have opened statewide. While the state continues to navigate <Read More>


LPC Approves Outdoor Dining Program Permit Rules

On May 9, 2024, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved rule amendments dealing with sidewalk and roadway cafes. The changes follow the creation of the Dining Out NYC Program, the city’s permanent outdoor dining program, which allows for permanent removable sidewalk cafes year round and removable roadway cafes from April through November. While the outdoor dining program is operated by the city’s Department of Transportation, other city agencies like the Landmarks Preservation Commission have had to <Read More>