DDC Announces Opening of New Library Branch on Roosevelt Island

The new site is ADA-compliant and meets LEED Silver Certification standards. On January 25, 2021, NYC Department of Design and Construction (“DDC”) Commissioner Lorraine Grillo announced the opening of a new library on Roosevelt Island. The new library, located at 504 Main Street, is located near its former site. The new 5,200-square-foot library is more than double the size of the former NYPL branch.


Roosevelt Tramway Refranchised After Twenty-Two Years Without Contract

The Franchises Subcommittee voted to approve a new franchise agreement for the Roosevelt Island Tram at the request of the Mayor’s Office. On January 5, 2017, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises voted 5-0 to approve a resolution granting a new franchise for the Roosevelt Island Aerial Tramway to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. The tramway is an icon of New York City tourism and has been featured in several films such as … <Read More>


City Council Holds Hearing for Creation of “One-Stop Shop NYC Business Portal”

The New York City Council Committee on Small Business held a public hearing on a proposed digital portal to centralize the information and paperwork necessary to open and run a small business. On June 9, 2022,  the New York City Council’s Committee on Small Business held a public hearing on a proposed bill that would require the City to create and maintain the, “One-Stop Shop NYC Business Portal.” The Portal would be an on-line hub … <Read More>


Sunnyside Yard Master Plan Released by City and Amtrak

The plan calls for 100 percent affordable housing with emphasis on lowest incomes, transportation, new parks and open space. On March 4, 2020, the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced Mayor Bill de Blasio’s and Amtrak’s Sunnyside Yard Master Plan. The Plan’s framework will focus on building new public transit and making all housing affordable, especially for New Yorkers earning less than $50,000 per year. Sunnyside Yard is bounded by Northern Boulevard to … <Read More>


De Blasio Administration Sues to Remove “Water-Based” Billboards from City Waterways

The City is seeking thousands of dollars per day in fines for the ongoing and repeated violations. On March 27, 2019, the Mayor’s Office announced a lawsuit against Ballyhoo Media, Inc., a water-based billboard company, for repeatedly violating local laws by displaying “Times Square-style” billboards on Manhattan and Brooklyn waterways. The billboards began popping up last Fall and are LED signs on barges, and the City alleges in the suit that the signs create a … <Read More>


New Universal Pre-K Facility Opens on Upper East Side

New center will add more Pre-K seats alleviating shortage. On September 12, 2018, Council Member Ben Kallos and the Department of Education announced the opening of the new Universal Pre-K Center on the Upper East Side at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new facility, located at 1683 3rd Avenue Street, is 11,492 square feet, and will serve 90 Pre-K students. The opening of the facility is part of the City’s new efforts to build more … <Read More>