
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson at the Council Stated Meeting. Image Credit: John McCarten
The Speaker’s bill looks to change the way the entire city shares the streets. On October 30, 2019, the City Council approved Intro 1557-A, a five-year comprehensive plan for city streets, sidewalks and pedestrian spaces. The bill was approved by a vote of 35 in favor to 9 opposed with two abstentions. The bill was first introduced by Speaker Corey Johnson on May 29, 2019, heard by the Committee on Transportation on June 12, 2019, and later amended and approved by the Committee on October 29, 2019.
(read more…)

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett, Council Member Antonio Reynoso celebrate the announcement of a $2.7 million investment for renovations of Moore Street Market. Image Credit: NYC EDC
$2.7 Million in renovations to enhance facilities at one of Brooklyn’s oldest public markets. On August 20, 2019, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Council Member Antonio Reynoso and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams announced $2.7 million dollars of improvements to enhance facilities at one of Brooklyn’s oldest public markets located on Moore Street. (read more…)

Huberty House. Image Credit: LPC.
Individual landmark designed for politician and lawyer Peter Huberty by his son, Ulrich Huberty, architect of another potential individual added to Landmarks calendar. On October 24, 2017, Landmarks voted to designate the Peter P. and Rosa M. Huberty House an individual City landmark. The house stands 1019 Bushwick Avenue in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. The free-standing Colonial Revival building was designed for Peter P. Huberty by his eldest son, Ulrich Huberty. (read more…)

City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises Meeting. October 24, 2017.
A former Pfizer factory site in South Williamsburg will be developed into a mixed-use building and public plaza. On October 31, 2017, the City Council passed the Pfizer Sites Rezoning land use actions by a vote of 38-6. The zoning map and text amendments will convert the former Pfizer factory site, currently used for parking, into a mixed-use building and plaza. The project area, totaling 182,366 square feet, is bounded by Walton Street to the north, Gerry Street to the south, Harrison Avenue to the east, and Union Avenue to the west. The proposed development includes 1,146 housing units, 62,810 square feet of commercial space, and 26,000 square feet of public open space. For CityLand’s prior coverage on the matter, click here.
(read more…)

Illustrative Bird’s Eye View. Image Credit: Pfizer Sites Rezoning EIS.
A former Pfizer factory site in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn will be redeveloped into 1,146 housing units, 62,810 square feet of commercial space, 26,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space, and 404 parking spaces. On September 19, 2017, the City Planning Commission issued a favorable report on land use applications by Harrison Realty LLC. The land use applications include: (1) a zoning map amendment to change the current manufacturing district into a residential district with a commercial overlay, and (2) a zoning text amendment to establish a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area on the site. (read more…)

Council Member Helen Rosenthal Gets a “High-Five from a Constituent. Image credit: NYCC/William Alatriste
City Council passes a package of bills intended to strengthen protections for tenants subject to harassment by landlords. Since the mid-2000s and largely due to the housing bubble, predatory equity has become a metastasis on the New York City housing market. The expulsion of both rent stabilized and market-rate tenants is accomplished through means both legal, by abusing technical loopholes in State law, and illegal, by dangerous living conditions and intimidation. (read more…)