App Maps the Unbuilt Potential of the New York City Skyline

The "Accidental Skyline" project puts a powerful visualization tool in the hands of citizens curious to know more about the possible development enabled by the land use regulations of New York City.

1 minute read

June 30, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Matt Shaw shares news of the Accidental Skyline project, which is "a set of online maps that illustrate where possible development could occur in Gotham. The maps…allow citizens to track land that has available development rights and see how it could impact their neighborhood." 

"The maps highlight the impacts of development on parks, open space, infrastructure, and skyline, and were made possible by the Department of City Planning’s public release of MapPLUTO data last year. They've been updated to include transportation routes, parks, and New York Housing Authority land overlays to present a more comprehensive picture of planning issues."

The project is the work of the Municipal Art Society, which created the maps as a tool "to work with the city to make regulatory changes that will better protect iconic public spaces."

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