A group of seven New York City Council members announced this morning that they, together with other elected officials, civic organizations and individuals, were initiating litigation to challenge the validity of the whole of...more
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, the City Planning Commission certified for public review zoning map and text amendment applications (the Proposal) that would create a new Special Midtown South Mixed-Use District (MSX Special...more
Kramer Levin hosted a full room of New York City real estate executives for a special event titled “NYC Economic Development Outlook: Investment Opportunities Changing the Market” at the Kramer Levin Multimedia Conference...more
On Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, the City Council voted to approve the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text amendment (COYHO). As discussed in our earlier alert, COYHO is a sweeping overhaul of zoning regulations that...more
On April 23, 2024, the New York State Legislature passed a number of significant measures intended to increase housing production, particularly in New York City. The new measures, which are discussed below, include a new tax...more
Kramer Levin convened a room of real estate heavy hitters for their “The Conversion of Office to Residential: Defining NYC’s Future” event at the Kramer Levin Multimedia Conference Center in NYC on April 9....more
On Thursday, Sept. 21, New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivered an address in which he outlined the administration’s proposal for zoning reforms to increase housing production throughout New York City. The initiative, dubbed...more
The Department of City Planning (DCP) unveiled its initial proposals for the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity zoning package on June 13. The goals of this package are to foster job growth and small-business success by...more
Kramer Levin recently hosted a seminar titled “Emerging Issues in Land Use: The Year in Review and What’s Ahead,” where experts discussed New York City planning initiatives and land use trends. Among the speakers were Jessica...more
On Jan. 31, the Manhattan borough president released Housing Manhattanites: A Report on Where and How to Build the Housing We Need.
The Report identifies 171 housing opportunity sites that are currently zoned for...more
On Sept. 9, 2021, the New York State Court of Appeals denied a motion for leave to appeal an Appellate Division ruling that had upheld approval by the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA)...more
Since January 2021, multiple proposals were introduced in the New York State legislature to permit underutilized hotel and/or office buildings, many of which have become financially distressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to...more
6/15/2021
/ Affordable Housing ,
Community Development ,
Construction Project ,
Hotels ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rental Property ,
State Budgets ,
State Funding ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Vacant Properties ,
Zoning Maps
The Department of City Planning (DCP) has proposed text amendments to modify and expand the existing Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program under ZR 63-00 for neighborhood grocery stores and supermarkets...more
6/2/2021
/ Commercial Tenants ,
Construction Project ,
Food Supply ,
Grocery Stores ,
Incentives ,
Infrastructure ,
Neighborhood Revitalization ,
Real Estate Development ,
Retailers ,
State and Local Government ,
Underserved Locations ,
Urban Planning & Development
On May 17, the City Planning Commission (CPC) certified the SoHo/NoHo Neighborhood Plan (the Plan), which would replace outdated zoning regulations that preclude residences, including affordable housing, and severely restrict...more
On May 3, 2021, the City Planning Commission referred out for public review a zoning text amendment that would require a special permit for the creation or material enlargement of transient hotels (Zoning Use Group 5) and...more
Continuing a trend reported in our Sept. 9, 2020 alert (“Zoning and Land Use: Turning the World Right-Side Up Again”), the Appellate Division for the First Department, which exercises appellate jurisdiction over courts in...more
On March 9, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a series of proposed citywide zoning text amendments intended to incentivize the creation of local grocery stores, boost transit station accessibility, and ease administrative...more
3/12/2021
/ Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Grocery Stores ,
Low-Income Issues ,
New York ,
Real Estate Development ,
Recovery Plans ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Incentives ,
Underserved Locations ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
Governor Cuomo’s FY 2022 Budget provides relief to participants in the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) that risk losing their Tangible Property Tax Credit due to pandemic-related and other delays....more
2/17/2021
/ Brownfield Grants ,
Brownfield Properties ,
Contaminated Properties ,
Environmental Liability ,
Environmental Policies ,
Property Tax ,
Real Estate Development ,
Redevelopment ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Credits ,
Tax Planning ,
Urban Planning & Development
New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson recently issued a report titled “Planning Together: A New Comprehensive Planning Framework for New York City” and has introduced legislation in the City Council to implement its...more
On Oct. 19, 2020, the City Planning Commission certified for public review a proposed citywide text amendment known as Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency (ZCFR). The proposal seeks to update and make permanent those zoning...more
The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) provided greater detail on its proposal to rezone nearly 56 blocks of the SoHo and NoHo neighborhoods of Manhattan, which includes the following key features...more
This summer has brought two appellate court decisions that should help alleviate growing concern in the development community that the New York courts are overly receptive to community-based challenges to new development in...more
Kramer Levin’s Land Use Department is continuing to monitor developments with respect to COVID-19 and its impact on land use approvals, site assemblage and development, and the real estate industry in general. ...more
On May 29, 2019, the City Council adopted a zoning text amendment to count certain mechanical voids as zoning floor area in residential towers.
The amendment does not prohibit any mechanical space outright; instead, it...more
On Dec. 20, 2018, the City Council adopted a zoning text amendment to require a special permit for the development of a transient hotel (Use Group 5) in M1 districts. ...more
1/18/2019
/ Building Permits ,
Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Hotels ,
Moratorium ,
New Amendments ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Standards ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps