Information will assist State evaluation of proposal. The New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications issued a request for expressions of interest to solicit innovative ideas to design, implement, operate and maintain the City’s congestion pricing plan.

Under the proposed congestion pricing plan, the City will charge vehicles entering or leaving Manhattan below 86th Street during the business day, as a way to alleviate traffic congestion, improve public health, and generate revenue for mass transit. The charge does not apply to certain vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, yellow taxis, and vehicles meeting certain low-emission standards. Moreover, the plan will not charge vehicles more than once per day. (more…)

Split-level manufacturing building in DUMBO will be converted to 52-unit residential building. 37 Bridge Associates, LLC, the owner of 37 Bridge Street, a 12,500-square-foot lot between Water and Plymouth Streets in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, proposed to convert a 67,500-square-foot manufacturing building for residential use. The split-level, three- and seven-story building, formerly occupied by a soap manufacturer, is located on the border of M1-2 and M1-3 zoning districts within the DUMBO National Register Historic District.

37 Bridge initially submitted three feasibility studies showing manufacturing, office and residential use scenarios. 37 Bridge argued that the building was unsuitable and unmarketable for manufacturing or commercial use because eight metal silos ran vertically through five stories, breaking through the floor plates. Upon BSA’s request, 37 Bridge submitted additional evidence that the silos were unmarketable and that removal would be cost prohibitive. BSA also requested evidence that the three-story portion of the building was unmarketable as a manufacturing site under a mixed-use scenario. Further evidence of the building’s unsuitability for modern manufacturing included non-conforming loading docks, 11-foot ceilings, and unaligned floor plates between the building sections. (more…)

Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. Image Credit: Mayor Eric Adams/Twitter.

On February 16, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Ya-Ting Liu as the City’s first Chief Public Realm Officer. The role of the Chief Public Realm Officer will be to coordinate between government, community organization and the private sector to develop public spaces citywide. The Chief Public Realm Officer will help execute a plan to invest $375 million to develop public spaces citywide, as well as help develop the city’s permanent outdoor dining plan in partnership with the City Council. For more information about the permanent outdoor dining plan, click here.  (more…)

Subway trains at the Spring Street station twice struck passengers lying on the tracks on separate occasions. How fast should subway trains be moving when they enter a station? The faster the subway trains go, the more people the trains can carry and the quicker people will get to their destinations. Even a slowdown of a few seconds per train can slow the entire system. Speed is so important to the mission of the Transit Authority that the Transit Authority has committed billions of dollars to upgrades which will allow for increases in train speed and carrying capacity. On the other hand, safety is also a paramount priority, and as speeds increase so do stopping distances. (more…)

Mayor Adams announces his administration’s affordable housing team. Image Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

The three appointments are the latest to the new Adams administration. On January 30, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced his appointments for his administration’s affordable housing administration and policy team. The new appointees are Jessica Katz as the Chief Housing Officer; Adolfo Carrión Jr. as the new Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Preservation (HPD); and Eric Enderlin, who will continue to serve as the president of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). The three appointments were announced as Mayor Adams finishes his first month in office. (more…)