How Will New York's Landscape Change Once Mayor Mike Leaves Office?

Ryan Holeywell looks at the land use legacy of the Bloomberg Administration - perhaps his "signal achievement" - and wonders if his successor can continue the momentum.

2 minute read

March 2, 2013, 1:00 PM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


His headline making positions on gun control, climate change, and big, sugary beverages belie what may be Michael Bloomberg's most enduring legacy as Mayor - the physical transformation of New York City.

"If predecessor Rudolph Giuliani was the mayor who made New York a safer place to live, Bloomberg is the guy who’s made it a more pleasant one," says Holeywell. "Through an unprecedented emphasis on parks, pedestrians and development, Bloomberg’s signal achievement could be the physical transformation of the city. His commitment to livability has put an indelible imprint on Gotham. Now, his mayoral tenure is coming to an end; a new leader will be elected in six months. And there’s one question that underscores every conversation about the upcoming election: Can the momentum of the Bloomberg years continue?"

“'I think for a good 50 years, there was a sense that this is our city, and we’re stuck with it,' says Aaron Naparstek, a fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and founder of the website Streetsblog, which covers land-use and transportation policy in New York. 'One of the really great legacies of the Bloomberg administration is going to be this sense that we can change things.'”

“We clearly have moved into a new era now where people see that it’s really possible to redesign New York City streets, the waterfront, the public spaces and the parks,” Naparstek continues. “These things are not just set in stone. These are things that we have control over.”

However, he warns, "Mayor Bloomberg did have a unique ability, for better or for worse, to ignore a lot of that stuff and didn’t really feel so beholden to it. The next mayor almost certainly is not going to be insulated.”

Friday, March 1, 2013 in Governing

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

3 hours ago - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

4 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

5 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA