G
owanus residents can now breathe a sigh of relief as the neighborhood has been freed from parking minimums following its rezoning in 2021. However, it's uncertain whether developers will take advantage of this change. The City Council is set to vote on the "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" bill, which would eliminate parking minimums in certain areas of the city, including Gowanus.

    Developers who rushed to qualify for tax breaks before they expired may be too invested to redesign their projects. Nevertheless, those with ongoing developments can still benefit from the new rules. Parking garages can cost upwards of $100,000 per spot, which could lead to a loss of housing units if developers prioritize parking over construction.

    Rose Tilley, head of development at Charney Companies, believes that her company will optimize parking strategies rather than relying solely on code requirements. This approach may become the norm for future projects. In contrast, some developers might still choose to build parking despite the new rules.

    The City Planning Director initially expressed confidence that developers would continue building parking in response to consumer demand, even if minimums were eliminated citywide. However, the Council retained parking mandates in many areas of the city. The outcome remains uncertain as the City Council votes on the "City of Yes for Housing Opportunity" bill.

    In other news, Bruce Teitelbaum's project in Harlem, One45, has restarted its land use review process after being certified by the City Planning Commission. The revised plans include 968 residential units, with 291 set aside as permanently affordable. Developer Bruce Teitelbaum expressed confidence that the project will finally be completed with continued support from Council member Yusef Salaam and city officials.

    Sen. James Skoufis has announced his candidacy for Democratic National Committee chair. Additionally, over 155,000 public school students in New York reported experiencing homelessness during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the Times Union. The Broadway League has also appointed Jason Laks as its new president.

    Residential sales include a $12.9 million condo unit at One High Line Residence and a $19.5 million Upper East Side home hitting the market. Commercial sales feature an office building in Brooklyn for $26.9 million.