Policy

NYC transit advocates, officials consider legal action to resume congestion pricing

Pro-congestion pricing rally held outside of 1 Centre Street on June 12. Photo courtesy of New York City Comptroller on Flickr

June 13, 2024

NYC transit advocates, officials consider legal action to resume congestion pricing

By Devin Gannon

A coalition of legal experts and transit advocates is considering legal action to resume congestion pricing. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on Wednesday announced plans to explore "all legal avenues" to restart the program, which Gov. Kathy Hochul shut down last week less than a month before it was scheduled to start. The coalition is made up of legal professionals and potential plaintiffs, including residents and business owners within the central business district, MTA board members, and New Yorkers with disabilities.
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What to know about the NYC broker fee bill

James Whelan, President of REBNY, during Wednesday’s rally at City Hall. Photo courtesy of REBNY

June 12, 2024

What to know about the NYC broker fee bill

By Devin Gannon

Broker fees are once again up for debate in the New York City Council. A seven-hour public hearing on Wednesday brought hundreds of tenant advocates and real estate professionals to City Hall over Intro 360, or the Fairness in Apartment Renal Expenses (FARE) Act. The legislation, sponsored by Council Member Chi A. Ossé, calls for shifting the payment of broker fees to the party who hired the broker, often the landlord or management company. Agents argue landlords would bake the fees into the monthly rent, threatening their livelihood and increasing the financial burden for renters.
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Pickleball is coming next to the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo

Rendering courtesy of NYC Parks

June 12, 2024

Pickleball is coming next to the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo

By Aaron Ginsburg

Closed to the public for 15 years, two parking lots underneath the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo will transform into a pickleball hub. NYC Parks on Wednesday selected CityPickle to revitalize Anchorage Plaza, a space located on Old Fulton and Washington Streets and connected by a ramp known as "Ash Alley." CityPickle, which currently has courts in Central Park, Long Island City, and Industry City, is expected to operate at the plaza seasonally from March through November next year. Amenities like a dog run, food trucks, public art, and seating would be available year-round, under the proposal.
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MTA to ‘shrink’ capital budget after congestion pricing halted

Views of Kings Highway on the Culver F line. Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 11, 2024

MTA to ‘shrink’ capital budget after congestion pricing halted

By Devin Gannon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will "shrink" and "reprioritize" its capital budget after Gov. Kathy Hochul paused the congestion pricing program last week that would have brought in $1 billion annually for infrastructure projects. On Monday, MTA Chief Executive Janno Lieber said the agency will reorganize the 2020-2024 Capital Program to prioritize basic repair work to ensure the "system doesn't fall apart." The MTA will also work on preserving federal grants that helped fund projects like extending the Second Avenue subway into Harlem and examine how the gap in the capital program will impact the operating budget.
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New York City officially lifts dancing ban

Couples jitterbug dancing in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs division.

June 7, 2024

New York City officially lifts dancing ban

By Devin Gannon

New York City got its groove back. The City Council this week voted to end zoning regulations that ban dancing in nightlife establishments in many parts of the city. Although officials repealed the outdated Cabaret Law in 2017, zoning rules were not revised, leaving much of the Prohibition-era law in place at small bars and restaurants in 80 percent of the city. On Thursday, the Council passed Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes for Economic Opportunity plan, which includes updates to zoning allowing dancing and live entertainment as of right in commercial establishments.
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Policy

Christopher Street subway station renamed in honor of Stonewall

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 6, 2024

Christopher Street subway station renamed in honor of Stonewall

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Christopher Street-Sheridan Square subway station in Greenwich Village was renamed in honor of the Stonewall National Monument. A bill sponsored by Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Deborah Glick passed the New York State Senate earlier this month, directing the MTA to rename the station to "Christopher Street-Stonewall National Monument Station" to memorialize the site's crucial role in launching the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement. The unveiling on Friday marks the 55th anniversary of the historic uprising.
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The NYC transit projects affected by congestion pricing delay

Photo via Wikimedia

June 6, 2024

The NYC transit projects affected by congestion pricing delay

By Devin Gannon

With Gov. Kathy Hochul's last-minute decision to "indefinitely" pause the congestion pricing program, the MTA will lose out on an anticipated $15 billion in revenue. The governor's decision puts a huge gap in the agency's capital program, which planned to use proceeds from congestion pricing to make critical repairs and improvements to New York City's public transportation network. From making subway stations accessible and updating antiquated signaling to extending the Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem, several projects promised to improve the lives of millions of New Yorkers will now be delayed without dedicated funding.
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Hochul pauses congestion pricing plan ‘indefinitely’

Photo by Pranay Pareek on Unsplash

June 5, 2024

Hochul pauses congestion pricing plan ‘indefinitely’

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday officially paused New York City's congestion pricing program, just weeks before it was set to begin. According to Politico, the governor voiced concerns about how the program, which would have charged drivers $15 for entering Manhattan south of 60th Street starting June 30, might hurt Democrats in upcoming House races later this year. In a pre-taped video, Hochul said "circumstances have changed" since the program was approved in 2019 and cited the effects of the pandemic and high inflation on New Yorkers as reasoning behind halting congestion pricing "indefinitely."
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City landmarks Victorian atrium at The Beekman Hotel

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

June 4, 2024

City landmarks Victorian atrium at The Beekman Hotel

By Devin Gannon

The nine-story Victorian atrium at the Beekman Hotel is now a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the central atrium at 5 Beekman Street in the Financial District as an interior landmark, recognizing both its stunning architecture and the restoration project that returned the space to its 19th-century glory. Built as part of the commercial building Temple Court, and now the centerpiece for the converted Beekman Hotel, the space consists of eight tiers of galleries topped by a pyramid-shaped skylight.
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NYC creates map of public restrooms, announces plan to build more bathrooms

Image courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 4, 2024

NYC creates map of public restrooms, announces plan to build more bathrooms

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers know the struggle of finding a public bathroom, with just around 1,100 public toilets for over 8.6 million residents. To address this ongoing issue, Mayor Eric Adams on Monday launched "Ur in Luck," a new effort to expand public restroom accessibility across the five boroughs by building 46 new public restrooms and renovating 36 existing ones over the next five years. The city is also making it easier to find public restrooms by adding a new layer to Google Maps that New Yorkers can use to locate publicly accessible restrooms.
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Policy

Popular Articles

The G train is partially shutting down for six weeks this summer. Here’s what you should know

G train leaving Smith-9th Streets. Photo credit: Mtattrain, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

May 31, 2024

The G train is partially shutting down for six weeks this summer. Here’s what you should know

By Devin Gannon

The G train will partially shut down for six weeks this summer while the MTA replaces a 1930s-era signal system. The agency this week revealed the planned service changes, which will kick off in three phases starting June 28 through September 3 and impact the entire 11.4-mile line. To make it easier for the 160,000 daily commuters who rely on the G train, MTA announced plans to run free shuttle buses no more than every four minutes during peak weekday hours and allow for free transfers at certain stations during the shutdown.
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Policy

Landmarks receives $500K grant to protect historic flood-prone areas from future storms

Image courtesy of Sergei Gussev on Flickr

May 29, 2024

Landmarks receives $500K grant to protect historic flood-prone areas from future storms

By Aaron Ginsburg

With the start of hurricane season this weekend, New York City is bolstering its defenses against storm damage in its historic waterfront areas. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday launched the LPC Climate Resiliency Initiative, an agency-wide effort that will make it easier for the city to respond to future climate-related weather events. LPC received a $500,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify historic properties that may be flood-prone in case of severe weather.
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Policy

Nearly a million NYC households could lose affordable high-speed internet

Image courtesy of Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

May 28, 2024

Nearly a million NYC households could lose affordable high-speed internet

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly one million New York City households could lose access to affordable high-speed internet unless funding for a vital federal program is restored. As reported by Gothamist, a new report from the Center for an Urban Future details the impact the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) will have on the New Yorkers enrolled in the initiative. The program, which launched in 2021 and ran out of funding last month, paid a monthly credit to internet providers on behalf of customers who earn at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level or enrolled in public assistance programs. According to CUF, NYC neighborhoods with the lowest income levels saw the highest enrollment in the program.
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Policy

NYCHA to reopen Section 8 voucher waitlist for first time in 15 years

Image courtesy of Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

May 21, 2024

NYCHA to reopen Section 8 voucher waitlist for first time in 15 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will accept applications for its Section 8 housing voucher program for the first time in 15 years. The Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program allows families to pay no more than 40 percent of their monthly income for rent, with NYCHA covering the remaining amount. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the reopening of the waitlist, which has been closed since 2009, allowing low-income households to apply for rental subsidies on the private market. Eligible households may apply to the program starting Monday, June 3 at 12 a.m. through Sunday, June 9 at 11:59 p.m.
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MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

May 15, 2024

MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

Dozens of new all-electric buses will soon hit the road in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday introduced a fleet of 60 electric buses that will operate on routes in neighborhoods most vulnerable to poor air quality, according to a press release. The buses are part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.
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NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

Image courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Corporation

May 14, 2024

NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is transforming a 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn's coastline into a dynamic, mixed-use community and modern maritime port. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced an agreement that gives the city full control of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, enabling its redevelopment into a vibrant community hub with housing, retail, green space, and a modern port. The development zone, primarily controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, spans over a mile from the southern edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park down to Red Hook, as Bloomberg reported. The deal is the city's largest real estate transaction in terms of size in 20 years.
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Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

All photos courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

May 13, 2024

Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park has a solution to a very New York problem. As first reported by NY1, the Central Park Conservancy introduced a clever recycling bin designed specifically to fit pizza boxes to address the pileup from picnics and parties. Located in the busy East Pinetum section of the park, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the bin can store up to 50 pizza boxes. Conservancy staff will check the bin up to three times a day.
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Policy

NYC looks to install 500 secure bike parking facilities

All images courtesy of NYC DOT

May 10, 2024

NYC looks to install 500 secure bike parking facilities

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city is looking to build hundreds of free, secure bike parking locations across the five boroughs to prevent theft and encourage more New Yorkers to bike. The Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a request for proposals seeking operators for a network of 500 secure biking parking facilities to be built starting next year. The new storage spaces would accommodate the continued growth in bike ridership across the city, which is seeing more than 600,000 trips daily.
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NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 7, 2024

NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City officials this week broke ground on an ambitious project to defend Lower Manhattan from climate change. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the start of work on the city-funded Battery Coastal Resilience Project, a $200 million plan to rebuild and raise the wharf promenade in The Battery, part of a larger effort to protect Lower Manhattan from sea level rise and storm surge. Slated for completion in 2026, the project will protect 100,000 residents, 300,000 jobs, and 12,000 businesses in the area, according to the city.
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NYC looks to activate outdoor pool space during the off-season

Astoria Pool. Photo courtesy of Global Jet on Flickr

May 3, 2024

NYC looks to activate outdoor pool space during the off-season

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is looking for creative ways to repurpose outdoor pool space during the fall and winter. The city's Parks Department on Thursday issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI), seeking innovative ways to reimagine six outdoor pool decks for recreation, services, programming, and concessions during the off-season, from October through March.
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Policy

NYC to expand car-free access in Manhattan ahead of congestion pricing

Image courtesy of Pranay Pareek on Unsplash

May 2, 2024

NYC to expand car-free access in Manhattan ahead of congestion pricing

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is stepping up its effort to improve car-free access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan to prepare for the start of congestion pricing, scheduled in just a few weeks. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday released a report detailing 37 new projects and 47 existing projects that enhance car-free access to and around Manhattan's Central Business District (CBD) as the city's congestion pricing program goes into effect on June 30.
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MTA launches pilot program allowing Fair Fares discount on OMNY cards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 2, 2024

MTA launches pilot program allowing Fair Fares discount on OMNY cards

By Aaron Ginsburg

After a long delay, transit riders who are part of New York City's half-priced fare program will soon be able to tap-and-go. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday officially launched a Fair Fares pilot program on OMNY, allowing commuters who are part of the city's half-priced fare program to use the contactless payment system. The 90-day pilot program starts with 50 Fair Fares riders and will allow the MTA to collect feedback and finalize a rollout for all qualifying customers later.
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Rent Guidelines Board backs rent hikes on NYC’s stabilized apartments for third year in a row

Photo by Andreas M on Unsplash

May 1, 2024

Rent Guidelines Board backs rent hikes on NYC’s stabilized apartments for third year in a row

By Devin Gannon

In a preliminary vote on Tuesday, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) backed rent hikes for New York City's roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments for the third year in a row. The nine-member board, appointed by the mayor, approved with a vote of 5-2 a motion to increase rents between 2 percent and 4.5 percent on one-year leases and between 4 percent and 6.5 percent on two-year leases. The two members of the board representing tenants abstained from voting and walked out of the meeting in protest. A final vote on the rent adjustment takes place in June.
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Policy

Battery Park City Authority seeks proposals for new restaurant in redesigned Wagner Park

All images courtesy of Battery Park City Authority

April 30, 2024

Battery Park City Authority seeks proposals for new restaurant in redesigned Wagner Park

By Devin Gannon

The Battery Park City Authority has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a new restaurant in Wagner Park, a 3.5-acre green space currently being rebuilt and redesigned as part of a major resiliency project. The new restaurant would take up one wing of the newly constructed Wagner Park Pavilion and offer high-quality, healthy food and drink options year-round, according to the RFP. The authority wants the new eatery to open at the same time as the park's reopening, scheduled for spring 2025.
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MTA to offer 10% discount on LIRR and Metro-North trips in NYC

Metro-North station in Fordham. Photo via Wikimedia

April 29, 2024

MTA to offer 10% discount on LIRR and Metro-North trips in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

To promote public transit use when congestion pricing begins, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to offer a 10 percent discount on monthly tickets for Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trips that start and end within the five boroughs. The board is expected to approve a pilot program on Tuesday that would cut fares by up to $22 per month depending on the zone, as laid out by the MTA. The program, which would start July 1 and run for one year, is designed to incentivize drivers to switch to public transit as New York City's congestion pricing program kicks off on June 30.
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