Neighborhood Development

New York City’s history bears testament to the city’s resolute commitment to continually develop itself, which is why New York continues to be known as one of the world’s finest metropolises. One of the city’s latest efforts to encourage business and development in New York is the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, which recently got underway on the Far West Side of Manhattan. Close on this project’s heels comes the proposed rezoning of Midtown East, which aims to bring newer buildings to this already popular neighborhood. While these developments are occurring fairly independent of each other, there is some concern that one might hurt the chances of the other.

The Upper West Side’s Columbus Avenue arguably epitomizes the neighborhood-knit type of urban fabric that its residents and visitors alike have come to love. Back in the 90s, the stretch of tightly packed residential and commercial blocks on Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues from 72nd Street to 87th Street--recently deemed part of the Upper West Side Special Enhanced Commercial District--was far from the heavily trafficked, vibrant community we know today. New York City’s zoning plans, encouraging commercial occupation amongst large, pre-existing Upper West Side apartment buildings, have resulted in a number of quaint developments, ultimately ensuring a unique and vibrant pedestrian experience in uptown Manhattan. The phenomena of numerous impossibly skinny, old-fashioned shops wedged in between larger structures--perhaps the most endearing development--looks like it’s here to stay.

After battling with New York residents and businesses over the safety and convenience benefits of its transit initiatives, the Bloomberg administration has discovered a new selling point to these roadway developments: economic growth. These developments include controversial bike lanes, express bus lanes, and sidewalk seating and plazas. A report released on Wednesday publishes the city’s findings that, in areas that have seen significant roadway changes, businesses have seen rapid boosts in sales and traffic.

The last hearing to determine the direction of the Chelsea Market expansion resulted in Jamestown Properties conceding to two key items: commitment to not alter exterior elements such as windows and facades on the 17 buildings of the complex between 9th and 10th Avenue, and an agreement to support the establishment of a technology-oriented internship program at Fulton Houses, a nearby affordable housing project. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s vote for her district is critical for the project to win approval, thus she has had to consider activists’ pleas to prevent Jamestown’s rezoning, which would add thousands of square feet of office and hotel space at 9th and 10th Avenue. Local residents, many of whom inhabit the luxury condominiums built after the conversion of historic buildings, consider their neighborhood a prime area for retail and industry; however, some also oppose the expansion on the basis that the area is, in short, already too saturated and cannot accommodate more development, as profitable as it would be.

Harlem, a rapidly evolving neighborhood, has drawn the attention of many restaurant and retail developers seeking to get a foot in the door in what may become Manhattan’s next hotspot, on the order of Soho or the Meatpacking District. Many local apartment owners and interested developers, however, believe Harlem’s rich cultural past and strong spiritual identity is actually standing in the way of the neighborhood’s development. A historic district steeped in culture, Harlem has what one of the highest concentrations of houses of worship in all of New York City. A strict Harlem law prohibits businesses from having a liquor license if they are located on the same street and within 200 feet of a house of worship or school. This law is forcing some new businesses to consider other neighborhoods.

Since its opening in 2009, the High Line Park in Lower Manhattan has energized the Chelsea neighborhood with a bold new vision for public parks and become one of Manhattan’s most popular spots. Today, the High Line is once again pushing the existing conventions of public parks, this time through public art projects. Of the projects currently running for the NYC Parks and Recreation Art in the Parks program in Manhattan, over half are on the High Line and sponsored by the Friends of the High Line. By positioning itself as a leading art space in New York, the High Line continues to define itself as more than just a park.

SpaHa. MiMa. FiDi. New York’s five boroughs are further divided into hundreds of smaller neighborhoods and “micro-neighborhoods,” each with its own unique personality, and more recently, nickname. In response to many popular neighborhoods with abbreviated names referencing their location (Tribeca, Soho, etc), it seems as though every block in Manhattan wants its own nickname and the associations that come with it. But who decides where these micro-neighborhoods start and stop?  

Words like "hectic," “bustling” and “busy” are often used to describe New York City streets. Navigating Manhattan’s roads and sidewalks is an art in itself, as anyone who has seen New Yorkers weave their way through tourists on the footpath and vehicles on the driveways will justify. Tapping away on smart phones, flipping through newspapers, eating a quick meal of Chinese takeout—these are just a few of things New York residents do while running across roads. Is it a talent? Maybe. Is it dangerous? Definitely.

Mangled sidewalks, missing crosswalks, and closed lanes have resulted in a nightmarish commute for Houston Street pedestrians as heavy construction continues to disrupt the daily routines of residents and shop owners. The construction, a $60 million project that is part of the Houston Street Corridor Reconstruction project, was implemented in the fall of 2010 as a way to rebuild sidewalks and curbs, repair the sewer mains, and replace traffic signals. The project was supposed to conclude in the spring of 2013, however, it has been extended to the summer of 2014, angering Lower Manhattan and East Village apartment residents who believed they weren’t going to have to deal with the inconveniences much longer.