A new plan to address New York City’s housing crisis calls for the construction of nearly 10,000 apartments in Midtown Manhattan, currently an unzoned area. Presented to the Planning Commission, the plan proposes to revise the zoning of 42 blocks to allow the construction of 9,700 new homes, including 2,900 reserved for middle- or low-income households. The plan, part of Mayor Eric Adams’ strategy to combat the housing shortage, affects areas between 35th and 40th Streets near Bryant Park, and other areas between 23rd and 41st Streets. The project also aims to boost retail in a neighborhood now marked by low affluence.
As the New York Times reports, Mayor Adams, who has called for 100,000 new homes in Manhattan over the next decade, said Tuesday that the Midtown proposal was an example of how the city is “building tomorrow’s neighborhoods with vibrant 24/7 space, affordable housing and inclusive and dynamic public opportunities.”
In addition, the proposal would also benefit from changes that the state legislature passed last year. These would indeed allow for further urban development with the construction of taller residential skyscrapers in Manhattan.
Now the plan must be approved by the City Council later this year and currently has the support of Manhattan’s two councilors, Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, who represent the area.
Bottcher said that in the coming months, as discussions on the plan continue, it will be important to strike a balance between new construction, conversion of office buildings to apartments, and the needs of existing businesses in the area, such as the fashion industry.
