During the last two decades, New York City has continued to shed manufacturing jobs. But recent efforts led by the city, in partnership with private developers, are looking to retool some of New York's largest legacy sites for a new breed of tenant.
Brooklyn alone contains about 15 million square feet of light manufacturing space. However, "[b]uilt at the turn of the last century, many of them lack basic amenities like central air-conditioning and automated elevators," writes New York Times' Ronda Kaysen. "As New York City bleeds manufacturing jobs to cheaper markets, persuading companies to stay is, at best, difficult."
Compounding aging infrastructure, the city carries some of the highest rents in the nation, at around $13.16 a square foot, versus a national average of $4.47, and only $5.14 in neighboring New Jersey.
Still, the city and some developers are hoping to retain and lure new, more nimble, manufacturing firms to the city. According to Kaysen, "Three of the area's biggest properties are undergoing makeovers: Industry City, a rambling 6.5-million-square-foot complex off the Gowanus Expressway, which has been reaching out to small food manufacturers to capture some of the energy of the Brooklyn artisanal food scene; Federal Building No. 2, now renamed Liberty View Industrial Plaza, which is in the midst of a $40 million renovation and may soon open a Bed Bath & Beyond; and the city-owned Brooklyn Army Terminal."
FULL STORY: Brooklyn’s Industrial Space Retools for a New Era

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie