Image Credit: Google Maps

The center would be a part of advancing the City’s Recovery Agenda. On October 21, 2020, Mayor de Blasio and the Trust for Governors Island issued a request for proposals to develop a hub for businesses and non-profits working on the climate and the environment in Building 301 – a historic waterfront building located on the Northern section of Governors Island. This project is an early step to establish Governors Island as a leading center for climate solutions. (more…)

The vacant lot at 2286 Church Street in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Formerly the site of PS 90, but will soon be the location of new affordable housing. Image Credit: Google Maps

The development is on the site of a former landmark. On October 9, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Mathieu Eugene announced plans to develop affordable housing in Flatbush, Brooklyn to add approximately 130 affordable apartments. This new site would be located at 2286 Church Avenue and is the site of former Public School 90. (more…)

Rendering of Beach 21st Street. Image Credit: HPD

Over 1,380 new affordable apartments were added to Far Rockaway since it was rezoned in 2017. On January 15, 2020, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced a new plan to add 793 affordable apartments to revitalize and strengthen neighborhoods in the Downtown Far Rockway area of Queens. Units will be spread across three properties – RadRoc, Beach 21 and Rockaway Village, and will include units set aside for the formerly homeless and individuals with extremely low to moderate incomes. These units will be built in addition to the 590 units financed following the New York City Council’s vote to rezone in Far Rockaway in September 2017. (more…)

Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver Image Credit: John McCarten

Other agencies still missing from Council’s hearing on Park’s capital process. On November 12, 2019, the City Council’s Committee on Parks, Committee on Contracts, and Subcommittee on Capital Budget held a joint oversight hearing titled “Improving the Efficiency of Parks Department Capital Projects.” The hearing was chaired respectively by Council Members Peter Koo, Ben Kallos and Vanessa L. Gibson. This hearing was held in order to create a dialogue about the state of the capital process. In Fiscal 2020, the Parks Department has 619 active capital projects and anticipates spending almost $2.7 billion. These numbers have steadily increased since Fiscal 2016.

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Aerial View of Rikers Island Photo Credit: US Geological Survey

The City wastes little time in efforts to shutter Rikers Island and get construction across the boroughs started. Since the latter half of November, the City announced three major developments in the Borough-Based Jails plan. Each announcement is discussed in further detail below. To read more about Borough-Based Jails, read Cityland’s prior coverage here.

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