Community boards in support and against the application had concerns about quality of life issues and community board involvement in future reviews. Last year’s Open Restaurants program was established to allow restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes without the extensive approval process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program was enabled through an emergency executive order that temporarily suspended the sidewalk café application process, a permanent program would … <Read More>
Search Results for: Signs
DOB Issues Advice After Historic Flooding from Ida
New Yorkers should be on the lookout for mold and structural damage, and take caution. On September 2, 2021, the Department of Buildings advised New Yorkers on actions to take after the remains of Hurricane Ida brought record-breaking rains and flash flooding across the city. Heavy flooding can result in structural damage, undermining, hazardous mold, and the deterioration of building electrical and gas plumbing systems.
Permanent Open Restaurant Program Proposal Continues Through Public Review Process
Over 11,000 restaurants are currently participating in the Open Restaurant Program. Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced four citywide zoning amendment proposals to support small businesses, create more grocery stores and improve accessibility in transit. One of the proposals, the permanent open restaurant zoning text amendment, seeks to establish a permanent open restaurant program by removing the geographic restrictions on where sidewalk cafes can be located.
Mayor and DOT Reveal Plans to Extend Life and Change BQE
The plan focuses on immediate monitoring and repairs to allow for more time to plan for the future. On August 4, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman announced a plan to extend the life of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) cantilever for at least 20 years with additional plans for the long-term. The plan is in four parts: preserving the structure; maintenance; expansion in monitoring; and developing a long-term … <Read More>
GUEST COMMENTARY: City Turns Back on Rational Zoning
Zoning is under attack in New York City. Not here or there, in this location or that, but the concept itself. This has been the long game of the city’s real estate interests, and after a decade of raids those interests have launched a full assault on several fronts. The historic city should expect no quarter.
New Design Revealed for Rego Park Library Branch
The new library will be over double the size of the existing one. On July 28, 2021, Department of Design and Construction Commission Jamie Torres-Springer joined elected officials and the Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott to reveal the design for the new Rego Park Library. Located at 91-41 63rd Drive, the new library will replace the current one-story library that has operated since 1975. The Rego Park branch currently serves nearly … <Read More>