Policy

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn
November 28, 2016

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn

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The Municipal Art Society of New York sent out a press release today that announces their new interactive map of the more than 14,000 city-owned and leased properties. Fittingly titled "The Sixth Borough," it shows how these sites amount to 43,000 acres, a land area the size of Brooklyn or one-third of the city's total land area, and the extent to which these public holdings--22 percent of which are listed as having no current use--affect the environment, infrastructure, landmarks, population, and neighborhood rezonings.
All the findings ahead
Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower
November 28, 2016

Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower

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Despite the fact that the site is headed to the auction block next month, local residents and elected officials are rallying to prevent the possible construction of a 950-foot condo tower on East 58th Street in tony Sutton Place. Curbed reports that the group, which includes Councilmen Ben Kallos and Dan Garodnick and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, have submitted a plan to the City Planning Commission that proposes a height cap of 260 feet for the area bounded by East 52nd and East 59th streets east of First Avenue where there is currently no limit on how tall apartment towers can be.
READ MORE
Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city
November 23, 2016

Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city

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When the state passed a bill in October that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those who list illegal short-term rentals on Airbnb, the company fired back, filing a federal lawsuit on the grounds that the new law "would impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm on Airbnb." They've since withdrawn the suit against the state, reports the Journal, instead focusing their efforts on New York City, as they feel it's the city's jurisdiction under which these regulations fall and that they're violating Airbnb's First Amendment rights.
All the details
City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights
November 23, 2016

City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights

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At the end of August, the city released its long-awaited, very controversial Midtown East Rezoning plan. In addition to allowing 16 new towers to spring up in the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, the upzoning will "permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates," as 6sqft previously explained. The following month, the city embarked on a study of these unused development rights, which would amount to an additional 3.6 million square feet over the next 20 years. And part of their conclusion is that they're considering taking a 20 percent cut of these air rights sales, reports Politico.
Find out more
178 residential buildings may lose 421-a tax breaks if they don’t file as rent regulated
November 23, 2016

178 residential buildings may lose 421-a tax breaks if they don’t file as rent regulated

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A recent report detailed how nearly two thirds of the city's 6,400 rental buildings where landlords received 421-a tax breaks didn't file properly as rent stabilized, meaning they could raise the rents as much as they chose. Now, 178 of these buildings may lose the coveted exemptions if they don't start complying with the regulations. The Post reports that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development sent out warning letters to these landlords, who altogether represent 1,400 apartments, telling them if they don't comply within 90 days their benefits will be "revoked retroactively."
Find out more
November 21, 2016

Cuomo sets aside $300M in tax-exempt bonds for NYC affordable housing

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As of the summer, Mayor de Blasio was ahead of schedule on his ambitious plan to build or preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years, having financed nearly 53,000 such apartments. His goal will now be even closer in grasp thanks to the additional $300 million in federally tax-exempt bonds the Governor has allocated to subsidize the cost of new construction, which brings the city's total bond capacity to $771 million, according to the Daily News, an 11 percent increase over 2o15.
Learn more
Over 97 percent of fines issued to deadbeat landlords never collected, audit shows
November 18, 2016

Over 97 percent of fines issued to deadbeat landlords never collected, audit shows

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A recent audit by Comptroller Scott Stringer found that the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) only collected 2.46 percent of the $35.1 million in overdue fines sent to its enforcement unit in the past two years, meaning that tens of millions of dollars owed by bad landlords remained unpaid by October of 2015. Landlords get hit with fines of up to $1,000 a day for failing to fix items like a lack of heat or lead paint, but the audit charged that building owners are getting away with dodging the fines, the New York Daily News reports.
'A free pass to break the law'
November 17, 2016

City Planning Commission votes to raise fee for Theater District air rights transfers

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The City Planning Commission has voted to up the cost of air rights transfers in the special Midtown Manhattan district that includes Broadway's theaters, The Real Deal reports. Currently, when developers purchase air rights from theaters between West 40th and West 57th Streets from Sixth to Eighth Avenues, they pay $17.60 per square foot to the Theater Subdistrict Fund. Transferable development rights can usually only be used for adjacent properties, but the city created the special district in 1998 to help the theater industry thrive amid sharply rising real estate prices; within the district, air rights can be moved more freely in a larger area outside the usual “arms length” restrictions.
What does this mean for Broadway theaters?
See new photos inside the world’s tallest modular tower; leasing kicks off at 461 Dean
November 15, 2016

See new photos inside the world’s tallest modular tower; leasing kicks off at 461 Dean

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It's been a long an tumultuous journey for 461 Dean, also know as the B2 tower, and better known as the world's tallest prefab tower. The fire-engine-red stacked building has seen numerous delays in the last four years thanks to lawsuits, leaks, and alignment issues. Its developer Forest City Ratner even opted to exit the modular business last month—although that's not to say that the technology developed is any less valuable (more on that ahead). But now that celebratory champagne bottle can finally be popped, as this afternoon the developer held a grand opening ceremony to kick off the official start of leasing.
more details here
#NotMyAIA: Architects reject AIA statement pledging to ‘work with’ Trump

Promises and reality: Trump’s failed attempts to build the world’s tallest buildings in NYC

November 15, 2016

#NotMyAIA: Architects reject AIA statement pledging to ‘work with’ Trump

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. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) issued a statement last Wednesday pledging that "The AIA and its 89,000 members are committed to working with president-elect Trump to address the issues our country faces, particularly strengthening the nation's aging infrastructure." The statement issued by organization chief Robert Ivy assured that the country's architects would help the incoming president and congress with construction industry-related matters: "During the campaign, president-elect Trump called for committing at least $500 billion to infrastructure spending over five years,” said Ivy–possibly providing an imperative for the message. But that does not appear to be reason enough for members, who say they do not necessarily "stand ready to work with him and with the incoming 115th Congress.” A swift and indignant backlash led to an apology by Ivy released early this week.
Read on
Trump Tower residents are sick of protestors; problem unlikely to improve

Photo via Kristal T/Flickr

November 11, 2016

Trump Tower residents are sick of protestors; problem unlikely to improve

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Since Donald Trump announced his run for office, Trump Tower, where the President-elect both lives and keeps his political headquarters, has been a hotspot for protestors. While in the past few months, inconveniences haven't escalated far beyond anti-Trumpers stopping by to give the building the finger, after the 2016 election results were announced, it's become veritable zoo outside the 5th Avenue tower as thousands have convened to denounce (and to be sure, support) a Trump presidency. The situation has become a major disruption for residents of the luxury skyscraper who are now annoyed with the crowds. As The Post so fittingly writes, "It’s not so easy being a member of the 1 percent if you live at Trump Tower."
more on the complaints here
Cuomo’s revised 421-a plan will move ahead as REBNY and construction trades come to agreement
November 11, 2016

Cuomo’s revised 421-a plan will move ahead as REBNY and construction trades come to agreement

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Ever since the city's 421-a tax exemption program expired in January, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) have been negotiating under what terms to extend and/or modify the program. Both groups took part in what the city believes were "secret talks" with Governor Cuomo over the summer, after which he released his proposal to revise 421-a with wage subsidies for construction workers. REBNY was concerned about this stipulation, claiming it would increase construction costs by up to 30 percent, but a press release sent yesterday evening reports that they've reached an agreement with the Trades Council to move ahead with Cuomo's version of the plan, which, in addition to setting a $60 hourly wage for qualifying projects in Manhattan and $45 in Brooklyn and Queens, extends the tax breaks up to 35 years (up from de Blasio's proposed 25 years) and mandates newly created affordable units be kept in place for 40 years.
More details this way
Real estate industry likely to benefit from a Trump presidency
November 10, 2016

Real estate industry likely to benefit from a Trump presidency

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The city's real estate industry isn't too worried about a Donald Trump presidency. Real estate insiders feel that the man whose family's fortune was made in the industry and padded by its favorable tax breaks, foreign investments and still-rising market will be unlikely to bite the hand that has fed it so well, Crains reports.
Loopholes safe; affordable housing not so much
‘Not my president’: Thousands join Anti-Trump protests across New York City

Image via Rachel Maddow Blog on twitter

November 10, 2016

‘Not my president’: Thousands join Anti-Trump protests across New York City

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Demonstrations broke out across the country yesterday evening as hundreds of thousands gathered to protest the election of Donald Trump for president. NYC itself was largely activated by two groups, Socialist Alternative and Answer Coalition, who used social media to call upon New Yorkers to gather at Union Square and Columbus Circle, near Trump International Tower. Thousands of participants held signs emblazoned with a swath of issues now under threat, from LGBT to Black Lives Matter to the environment. Chants like "Not my president!" "Trump Makes America Hate" and "Don't Lose Hope" rang through the streets as protestors marched through Midtown to convene at Trump Tower. Among the crowds, however, were also Trump supporters who showed up to celebrate the victory.
more photos from the demonstrations
City says under-construction 421-a buildings must include housing for the homeless

555Ten, an Extell building that would be affected by the 421-a changes

November 7, 2016

City says under-construction 421-a buildings must include housing for the homeless

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As 6sqft reported last week, Governor Cuomo, developers, and unions have been engaging in closed-door talks to bring forth his revision of the city's 421-a program that includes wage subsidies and an extension of the previous 25-year tax break up to 45 years. Glaringly (but not surprisingly) absent from the negotiations is Mayor de Blasio, but he's now taking matters into his own hands, at least when it comes to those under-construction buildings that got in to the program before it expired in January. According to the Times, the de Blasio administration introduced a new policy that says these projects must include housing for some of the 60,000 New Yorkers currently living in homeless shelters, but developers, particularly Extell's Gary Barnett, are not happy about the changes.
Find out more
November 4, 2016

POLL: Should Cuomo’s revised 421-a plan move forward?

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The city's hotly debated 421-a tax abatement program expired in January after a 44-year run. CityRealty reports that the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development has seen the number of applications for tax exemption decrease by 45 percent from that time to September 2016, costing the city $1.2 billion this fiscal year. Over the summer, the Governor presented a revised version of the program that would offer wage subsidies to construction workers, but this drew concern from the Real Estate Board of New York, who say the proposal would cause construction costs to rise by up to 30 percent. Now, Politico reports that Cuomo, developers, and unions have been engaging in closed-door negotiations to bring his plan forward and extend the previous 25-year tax break up to 45 years (REBNY and the Mayor had presented a 35-year extension last summer).
Tell us if you think the Governor's plan should move ahead
René Lalique’s windows saved this Fifth Avenue building from destruction in the 1980s
October 31, 2016

René Lalique’s windows saved this Fifth Avenue building from destruction in the 1980s

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In 1984, a series of grime-covered windows at 714 Fifth Avenue caught the attention of an architectural historian by the name of Andrew Dolkart. Seemingly innocuous, and almost industrial in aesthetic—at least from afar—the glass panes would later become the foundation for a preservation victory.
more this way
MAP: East Williamsburg would be fined the most by new Airbnb law
October 31, 2016

MAP: East Williamsburg would be fined the most by new Airbnb law

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After Governor Cuomo recently signed into effect a bill that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those offering illegal short-term Airbnb rentals, the company filed a federal lawsuit against the legislation, saying it would "impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm." And according to an analysis from ValuePenguin, shared by DNAinfo, it's East Williamsburg that would be hit the hardest by the new regulations. The personal finance website says that, as of October 1st, the neighborhood (zip code 11211) has 314 full apartment rental listings, which could result in $2,355,000 in fines. It's followed by zip code 10003, which covers parts of Greenwich Village, Gramercy, and the East Village, the Lower East Side (10002) and Chelsea (10011).
More data ahead
MAP: Two thirds of landlords benefiting from 421-a tax breaks didn’t file rent regulation paperwork

View the map from ProPublica in its interactive form here >>

October 27, 2016

MAP: Two thirds of landlords benefiting from 421-a tax breaks didn’t file rent regulation paperwork

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The city's 421-a program, which expired in January, provides tax breaks of up to 25 years to new residential buildings that reserve at least 20 percent of units as affordable. Proponents of the program feel it offers a much-needed incentive to build low- and moderate-income housing, but those not in favor think it gives unfair tax breaks to the wealthiest developers. The latter camp may be gaining steam, as a new report from ProPublica, outlined in Gothamist, says that nearly two thirds of the 6,400 rental buildings where landlords received tax reductions through 421-a didn't have required rent stabilization paperwork on file, meaning they could raise rents as much as they chose. ProPublica compiled this data in both an interactive map and searchable database.
Is your landlord cheating the system?
Pier 55 appeal dismissed in court; park construction can move ahead
October 26, 2016

Pier 55 appeal dismissed in court; park construction can move ahead

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After nearly a year and a half of yo-yo-ing back and forth between stop work orders and lawsuits, the Barry Diller-funded Pier 55 park can finally move ahead freely. The New York Law Journal reports that yesterday the state Court of Appeals denied the City Club of New York's appeal of September's ruling in favor of Pier 55 and the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) that said construction could continue on the 2.75-acre offshore park, dismissing the opponents' claims that the park failed to go through adequate environmental impact evaluations and violated the public trust doctrine by planning to host private events.
What this means for Pier 55
Airbnb files federal suit against Governor Cuomo’s $7,500 fines on illegal listings
October 24, 2016

Airbnb files federal suit against Governor Cuomo’s $7,500 fines on illegal listings

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Back in June, the NYC legislature passed a bill that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those offering illegal short-term Airbnb rentals, and at the end of last week, Governor Cuomo signed the bill into effect, reports the Times. The new regulation piggybacks on what's been the state law since 2010--that apartments can't be rented out for less than 30 days if the lease holder isn't present. Despite the fact that a recent report estimates 56 percent of the site's 2015 listings fell into this category, Airbnb is taking aim against the Governor, filing a federal lawsuit that says the new law "would impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm on Airbnb."
Find out more this way
Designation of South Village Historic District may mean approval for massive St. John’s Terminal project
October 21, 2016

Designation of South Village Historic District may mean approval for massive St. John’s Terminal project

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission's plans to add 10 additional blocks to the South Village Historic District are at the top of the agenda for city preservationist groups. As Crains reports, the addition of the historic district is also a condition for a City Council vote in support of the St. John's Center development, a 1.7 million-square-foot, mixed-use project proposed for 550 Washington Street across the street from Pier 40 in Hudson River Park. That project requires the council's approval, and City Councilman Corey Johnson said in August that he'd vote for the project, proposed by developers Westbrook Partners and Atlas Capital Group, if the addition of the third and final phase of the historic district, currently bordered by Sixth Avenue, West Fourth Street, LaGuardia Place and Houston Street, goes forward. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), among others, has pushed for the landmarking of what would be the city's first tenement-based historic district.
Find out more
Trump’s Wollman Ice Rink and Bronx golf course were more personal gain than public good

Photo via Flickr cc

October 19, 2016

Trump’s Wollman Ice Rink and Bronx golf course were more personal gain than public good

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Photo via Flickr cc Though few would deny that Donald Trump enjoys placing himself in the spotlight, WNYC reports that the Republican presidential nominee has a history of claiming to save the day on public projects when it turns out that he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain, and the city ended up holding the bag. Among his supporters, Trump has a reputation for stepping in to rescue abandoned city projects, a favorite example being Central Park’s Wollman Ice Rink. About thirty years ago, the rink had fallen into disrepair and had sat unused for six years due to the city’s inability to find the funds or move past the red tape involved in fixing it. Trump brought his “get it done” attitude to the project, offering to help fix the rink. In 1986, the city agreed to let him lend a hand. Though Trump completed the repairs on time and under budget, the rink repair job wasn't the act of philanthropy–nor the ongoing financial bonus for the city–that the candidate claims it was.
So what's the real story?
Plan to turn Sunset Park library into 49 low-income apartments moves forward
October 17, 2016

Plan to turn Sunset Park library into 49 low-income apartments moves forward

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In 2014 the news surfaced that Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) was planning to sell its Sunset Park branch at 5108 4th Avenue to a non-profit community development organization, Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC). The developer would demolish the 43-year-old building and build in its place a larger library with eight stories above that would contain 49 below-market-rate apartments, in part with public money allocated by Borough President Eric L. Adams. The developers say the plan will create housing for Brooklyn's neediest residents. Brooklyn Paper now reports that developers are preparing to pitch the project to Community Board 7’s land-use committee on November 3 as part of a public review process. The city council has the final say whether it goes through.
Find out more
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