Website Says 'Yes In My Back Yard'

Constance Rosenblaum introduces the world to the New York Yimby website (the acronym stands for Yes in My Back Yard, a play on the infamous Not in My Back Yard moniker): “a lively, chatty site that is catnip to fans of the city’s ever expanding forest of high-rises.”

“The site bristles with renderings, floor plans and Mr. Fedak’s own photographs charting the progress of new buildings. Data is gleaned from filings with the city’s Department of Buildings and interviews with developers and architects. Tips come from developers, architects, skyscraper buffs and even construction workers, who contribute pictures via Instagram,” says Rosenblaum.

The site’s editorial decisions will remind astute readers of the Curbed network or some local bloggers in cities around the country. Part of the interest in the New York Yimby site, is precisely its frank statement of support for new development. “A lot of people my age support development,” Fedak says in the article.

The more vocal opponents of new developments, of course, often drown out such support. “There’s a lot of hatred of development out there…But generally it comes from selfish people who don’t want to lose their views,” says Fedak. 

For the record, Fedak is not strictly pro-development; he also mentions several projects that he opposes, mostly for design reasons.