Council Member Donovan Richards Takes Over as Zoning Subcommittee Chair

The Council member previously chaired the Committee on Environmental Protection.  On July 20, 2015 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises was held for the first time with new committee chair Council member Donovan Richards.  Council member Richards was elected to the Council in 2013 from the 31st Council District, representing southeast Queens and the Rockaways.  He was voted in as chair on June 26 to replace Council member Mark Weprin after Weprin … <Read More>


Garodnick Addresses Phase Two of East Midtown Rezoning

The Councilmember spoke to early details of what’s next after the Vanderbilt Corridor.  On July 16, 2015 City Councilmember Daniel Garodnick delivered the keynote address at the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce’s panel discussion on the East Midtown Rezoning.  (See CityLand’s complete video of the event here.)


Development of Willets Point Blocked on Appeal

Appellate panel found the authorization for private construction on parkland did not extend to a shopping mall.  On October 9, 2013, the City Council approved Queens Development Group’s planned 10-story, 200-room hotel and 30,000-square foot mall complex on the Willets Point West site, formerly the location of Shea Stadium.  The site was once the north end of Flushing Meadows Park until the state legislature authorized the stadium’s construction in 1961.  The development would anchor further … <Read More>


Complete Video from the East Midtown Rezoning Panel

On Thursday, July 16, 2015, the Center for New York City Law and Center for Real Estate Studies at New York Law School hosted a panel on the East Midtown rezoning.  The panel consisted of Dr. Michael Horodniceanu of the MTA, Chris Sameth of Kuafu Properties, Jeffrey Holmes of Woods Bagot Architects, Dirk Hrobsky of DTZ, and was moderated by Manhattan Chamber of Commerce chairman Ken Biberaj.  The keynote speaker … <Read More>


Comptroller’s Audit of Housing Authority’s Management of Vacant Apartments

Audit shows Housing Department has inadequate controls in place to monitor and keep track of vacant units. On June 24, 2015, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released an audit report that examined how the New York City Housing Authority manages vacant apartments in developments throughout the city. The report discussed the process by which an apartment becomes vacant in NYCHA’s system and when certain units are taken off of the rent roll. NYCHA classifies … <Read More>


NYLS Honors Four Leaders with Civic Fame Award

Civic Fame is the colossal, 25-foot tall gilded female figure in a flowing robe who stands barefoot on a sphere at the top of the Municipal Building overlooking City Hall. Civic Fame, created in 1913 by sculptor Adolph Weinman, carries a five-sectioned crown representing the five boroughs, and a shield and laurel branch representing victory and triumph.

On May 1, 2015, the statue also became the name of a new award by New York Law … <Read More>