Historic Districts Council Names Frampton Tolbert as Next Executive Director

On March 2, 2022, the Historic Districts Council announced that Frampton Tolbert will be the next Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council. The Historic Districts Council advocates for the preservation of New York City’s historic neighborhoods and buildings. The appointment of Tolbert follows the departure of Simeon Bankoff, the previous Executive Director, last September, after 20 years at the helm.


City Planning Approves Supportive Housing and Shelter Redevelopment in East Midtown

The new shelter replaces an existing shelter on site. On February 16, 2022, the City Planning Commission voted to approve an application from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) that will facilitate the construction of a new 21-story building that will provide supportive and affordable housing along with an emergency shelter at 225 East 45th Street in East Midtown. The new building will replace the existing women’s <Read More>


Mayor Adams Appoints Parks Leadership

On February 4, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced his appointments to lead the Department of Parks and Recreation. The appointments are Susan M. Donoghue as Commissioner of the Parks Department, and Iris Rodriguez-Rosa as First Deputy Commissioner. The appointments are the latest in Mayor Adams’ new administration. 


Mayor Adams Appoints Climate Leadership Team

The combination of agencies aims to reduce redundancy and enhance integrated work. On January 31, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced his administration’s climate leadership team and changes to the City’s executive agencies that handle environmental justice. Three appointments were announced: Rohit T. Aggarwala as the chief climate officer and Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Vincent Sapienza as the chief operations officer of DEP; and Kitty Charles-Guzman as the executive director of the <Read More>


City Planning Hears Application for New Mixed-Use Building in Belmont

The building would be the first to offer inclusionary housing along this section of East Fordham Road. On January 5, 2022, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing for a special permit application for 660 East Fordham Road that would facilitate the construction of an eleven-story mixed use commercial and residential building in the Belmont section of the Bronx. The current site features a parking lot, and one-story underused commercial space, including a vacant <Read More>


Mayor de Blasio Appoints Tom Foley as Acting DDC Commissioner

Foley is a 23-year veteran of the agency. On October 28, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Tom Foley as the Acting Commissioner for the Department of Design and Construction (DDC). The appointment comes as Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer, who had been appointed in March, prepares to depart on November 12th to become the President of Construction and Development at the MTA.