Mayor Announces Three New Mentorship Programs for M/WBEs

Three new mentorship programs are available for minority owned and women-owned small business in NYC. On January 7, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Jonnel Dorris announced three new mentorship programs, ‘Small Business Mentors NYC,’ ‘Black Entrepreneurs NYC Mentors (BE NYC Mentors),’ and ‘Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE Mentors).’


DDC and DEP Complete Water Connection to Randall’s and Wards Islands

The newly completed water connection will bring reliable water to the public buildings located on Randall’s and Wards Islands. On January 5, 2021, the Department of Designs and Construction (DDC) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the completion of a water connection upgrade to Randall’s and Wards Islands. The DEP funded the project while the DDC managed construction.


Mayor Appoints Keri Butler as Acting Executive Director of the Public Design Commission

Butler has been serving the Public Design Commission in various roles for 15 years. On December 16, 2020, Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Keri Butler as the Acting Executive Director of the Public Design Commission (PDC). The Public Design Commission serves as the City’s design review agency. The Commission oversees the design of permanent structures, landscape architecture and art proposed on City-owned property, and considers the appropriateness of the design, the materials used, how the … <Read More>



Landmarks Approves Demolition and New Construction in Greenpoint HD

Landmarks approved the demolition and new construction on the condition that applicants fine-tune design details with the Commission. On September 15, 2020, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition and construction of a new commercial building at 171 Calyer Street, in the Greenpoint Historic District of Brooklyn.


DOB Announces New Energy Efficiency Ratings Posting Requirements

Buildings will be graded on a scale of A to F. On September 8, 2020, the Department of Buildings announced that starting on October 30, 2020, all NYC Buildings 25,000 square feet or larger will be legally required to post energy efficiency letter grade signs at their entrances. Similar to restaurant health grade signs, these energy efficiency signs will create greater transparency for the public about how each building operates.