Hochul, Adams back plan to revive NYC still recovering from pandemic

ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday backed a new plan to revive New York City still mired in recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic to create a more vibrant place to work and play for residents and commuters.

The report by a panel of city and business experts recommends 40 initiatives, many of which require city and state action to change laws and regulations. Some of the initiatives remain general goals, such as “active storefronts” and “expand open streets.”

But other recommendations are more specific. One calls for allowing day care centers to be established higher than first floors of buildings and another is a “moonshot goal” of creating 500,000 new housing units over the next decade. The plan seeks to bring workers back into the city as well as help those working at home in the outer boroughs and on Long Island to adopt hybrid work routines to take advantage of the arts, outdoor dining and enticing public spaces.

The plan “is going to create opportunities to change peoples’ lives,” Hochul said at the Association for a Better New York breakfast meeting. “It’s long overdue.”

Hochul and Adams called for updating zoning laws “to increase the supply of supportive housing” in the city that is fair and equitable. She didn't provide specifics on what that would entail.

In February, Hochul had proposed an expansion of “accessory dwelling units,” which are additions, renovations or backyard cottages to convert single-dwelling properties. She withdrew the idea for a statewide measure following opposition by Long Island legislators, but said at the time that she should hoped to present a revised proposal.

Among the specific plans announced Wednesday:

• “Re-imagine” the commercial districts as vibrant 24-hour destination with affordable housing and night life.
• End commutes into Manhattan that can be “painful and dreary.”
• Convert Midtown and other central business districts from primarily commercial space to mixed use and change regulations to allow underused office buildings for use as housing and for other new purposes.
• Make Midtown and other business districts “pedestrian-oriented places” under the guidance of a new city position to be called director of public realm.
• Increase the supply of housing for all income levels to help employers attract workers.
• Decrease commute time to Midtown and other business districts. Part of this would be through congestion pricing, which will charge a fee to drive into the most congested parts of Manhattan to encourage use of public transit.
• Encourage employers to make space for child care centers.
• Create a “world-class network of public space in Midtown.”
• “Re-imagine” waste containers and collection.
• Expand art offerings and provide public space for performances.
• Make transit and housing more accessible for disabled people.
• Modernize libraries to create remote work spaces.
• Expand use and storage of e-bikes.

Hochul and Adams said the need is urgent for the city to recover from the pandemic. Hochul noted that office space vacancy is high, half of workers haven’t returned to offices in Manhattan on a regular basis abd jobs are growing at three times the rate of housing stock. Public safety also must be improved to attract worker and residents back to “the beating heart” of New York state, she said.

“This is not a moment to despair,” she said. “It’s a moment of great opportunity.”

Adams said the plan is a challenge, but New Yorkers have risen to challenge before including after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“I always want you to remember Sept. 12,” he said. “We got up … when we got up, America got up.”

One of the most influential state legislators, Assemb. Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), called for support of the plan and said it is a “moment in history to reinvent New York.”

“The pandemic and its aftereffects are a golden opportunity to make New York stronger,” Paulin said. “This is our chance to recover in a way that grows our economy, does it sustainably, and helps all communities.”

By Michael Gormley

michael.gormley@newsday.com@GormleyAlbany

Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.