East Harlem Rezoning Could Add New Retail to Public Housing Projects

"The de Blasio administration's plan to rezone East Harlem would allow nearly half-a-million square feet of retail to be developed in three public-housing complexes," reports Joe Anuta, citing data found in city documents.

"The Department of City Planning has proposed a rezoning for roughly 95 blocks in East Harlem, which would allow commercial retail development in parts of the Taft, Jefferson and Johnson houses that border four major thoroughfares," explains Anuta of the proposed rezoning. The proposal has already inspired plenty of commentary. In November 2016, Rebecca Baird-Remba reported that the rezoning could generate an estimated 7,500 new apartments. The rezoning could also mean the end of parking minimums and the demise of a quarter of the area's affordable housing stock.

As for the current focus on the retail businesses that could be enabled on properties currently owned by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), there are no current plans to develop the sites. But, writes Anuta, "the authority would have the leeway to come up with a more targeted plan down the road, though it would likely only use a fraction of the 489,000 square feet that the rezoning could make available."