About MAS For 120 years the Municipal Art Society has made New York a more livable city by advocating for excellence in urban planning and design, a commitment to historic preservation and the arts, and the empowerment of local communities to effect change in their neighborhoods. From saving Grand Central Terminal and the lights of Times Square, to establishing groundbreaking land-use and preservation laws that have become national models, MAS has been at the forefront of New York’s most important campaigns to promote our city’s economic vitality, cultural vibrancy, environmental sustainability, and social diversity. For more information, visit mas.org. About the Project:

Ideas for New York’s New Leadership draws on the diversity of interests and expertise that shape the city: planners, designers, artists, elected officials, academics, entrepreneurs, corporate business and community activists. To enrich the discussion about the next set of policy ideas for New York City, The Municipal Art Society (MAS) invited a cross-section of New Yorkers with knowledge in various urban policy areas to offer their guidance to the new leadership. Each contributor discusses a key issue, opportunity or priority for action within a specific domain. The ideas that follow do not necessarily reflect the views of MAS, but are presented to stimulate a diverse and inclusive discourse to inform decision making and priority setting.

March 2014

Table of Contents

Tony Hiss 6 Foreword The Municipal Art Society of New York 8 Introduction

Integrated Planning Strategies for the City Joan Byron 15 Mobility and Equity in the Tale of Two Cities Director of Policy // The Pratt Center for Community Development

Adam Friedman 19 Innovating Jobs Director // The Pratt Center for Community Development Richard Olcott 22 Venice on the Hudson Architect // Ennead Architects Stefan Knust Director of Sustainability // Ennead Architects

Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD 24 Jobs and Housing Make Stable Communities Research Psychiatrist // New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Molly Rose Kaufman Provost // University of Orange

Neighborhood Assets: Investments for the 21st Century Toni L. Griffin 28 Is New York City a Just City? Director // J. Max Bond Center, Spitzer School of Architecture, City College, CUNY Steve Hindy 31 A Tale of Two Parks Cofounder & Chairman // Brooklyn Brewery Roy Strickland 33 Renaissance Plan for New York City’s Public Housing Professor of Architecture // University of Michigan Ronda Wist 36 Making the Case for Civic Assets Vice President, Preservation & Government Relations // The Municipal Art Society Sophia Koven Founder // Gambit Consulting Alison Carnduff President // Barrett & Company and Spring 2013 Fellow, The Municipal Art Society

Supporting Diversity Through Arts and Culture Sandra A. García Betancourt 40 Toward Real Change Executive Director & CEO // Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance Lane Harwell 42 The Arts and New York Are One Executive Director // Dance/NYC Michael Royce 45 Creative Individuals Equal a Creative City Executive Director // New York Foundation for the Arts

Building a More Resilient City Jesse M. Keenan 50 Many Birds with One Stone: Research Director // Center for Urban Real Estate (CURE.), Columbia University Adaptation and Economic Development Peter Lehner 54 Scaling Up Energy in Low-Income Housing Executive Director // Natural Resources Defense Council Mary W. Rowe 56 All Hands on Deck: Building a Resilience Constituency Director, Urban Resilience and Livability // The Municipal Art Society Andrew Yan Senior Urban Planner // BTAworks

61 Contributors’ Biographies 64 Acknowledgments Foreword by Tony Hiss

here are moments in New York say, there are no “undesirable people,” can innately and instantly read, such as when our vast, rushing city seems only undesirable conditions. When it Welcome or Move along; You’re safe here Tto pause, when people throughout comes to the city’s 334 housing projects, or Watch out; There are people here you’ll our more than 325 neighborhoods are which house 400,000 New Yorkers, Roy like or Not your kind; This takes me back poised and ready to listen to one another, Strickland celebrates them as “an asset, or Not this again. to reassess where we are as a city and not a liability,” whose “residents are where we’re going. Now is one of those assets” and whose homes can become Toni Griffin’s “Just City Indicator 6 moments, when we find ourselves eager “centers of vital neighborhoods”— Project” gets to the heart of this link, to think again about the essentials of a “without demolition or displacement.” augmenting the PlaNYC sustainability modern city, and how it can stay true to indicators, which measure how clean its highest purposes by cherishing the Then again, wells can eventually run the air and water are by incorporating dignity and worth of everyone here, all dry and, like many watchwords, oneness “qualitative dimensions of what makes eight-and-a-third million of us. It’s well could become a buzzword and lose the built environment conducive to known that cities create efficiencies: by its strength, a phrase evoked but not greater inclusion, diversity, equality concentrating people, making it easier implemented. These essays demonstrate and democracy.” It’s a scale that would to stay in touch, move around, make a specific transformations that are possible let us assess whether, for instance, the living, create undreamt-of experiences when you look afresh at a city through design of new “places and spaces aid in and opportunities. But less well known “sense-of-we” lenses: encouraging a young African American is that when cities are in tune with teenager’s sense of belonging in a public Everyday objects can have hidden value. themselves, they have an extra dimension park in Midtown Manhattan.” Imagine An express bus, for instance, as Joan Byron —accelerating human understanding, more public spaces that encourage points out, if given its own right-of-way, constructing an environment where, rather than discourage a greater diversity can be a lifeline, a springboard, a launch when people are working together and of young New Yorkers—the ultimate pad for people who can’t afford cars but looking after one another, each successive wellspring of the city. who, to make ends meet, have had to move generation can meet ever larger into neighborhoods built for car owners There are many other bright ideas challenges. and now spend two hours a day getting bubbling up in these few pages—about This short but remarkable book presents to and from work. (These fast-bus routes parks, artists, landmarks, affordable 14 ready-to-go ideas—some big and cost less than 1% of a new subway line.) housing, and replenishing nature along bold, some small but perhaps even And what if a MetroCard could get you out our river edges. In a memorable phrase, bolder—about bringing New York’s extra on the water? That’s the question Richard Adam Friedman tells us it’s time to

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS dimension back into focus. Here are Olcott and Stefan Knust raise, arguing for a “capture the next ripple,” meaning thoughts and plans and visions directed, large fleet of small ferries that extend mass that we’re clever at coming up with as Joan Byron says in her essay, “toward transit across the Hudson, the East River, original products but then we let the rewriting our ‘tale of two cities.” How and the harbor, and create “memorable manufacturing of them and all those would the future story of one city read? destinations for generations to come.” It good jobs slip away. “Design/Production Eendraght maeckt maght is the old Dutch all builds on one of the best initiatives Innovation Districts” can fix this by motto on the Brooklyn borough flag, a of the Bloomberg administration—the giving equal value to inner “innovation phrase usually translated as “In unity realization that a street can have more uses cores” and outer “production rings.” Like there is strength.” But it derives from than just driving and parking. It’s a great so much in this book, the idea encourages an even older, if slightly longer, Roman public space, too, a place to move through us to expand on what New York has concept, the insight that “Concord will but also one to be savored and shared been and still is, to keep the city rushing make small things flourish, discord by motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians forward, but with care so we don’t will destroy great things.” Practically alike. Here is where the eight-and-a third stumble or lose our way. million mingle. speaking, one city simply works better I look forward to being part of a city that than two. The built environment isn’t just something opens its arms to the flourishing of small “Oneness” is more than an undercurrent around us, because it’s also building things and great things alike. n in this book: it is its wellspring. Writing, something within. The physical and social for instance, about the strength of environments are inextricably linked. neighborhoods, Mindy Thompson Every structure and every public space Fullilove and Molly Rose Kaufman is festooned with wordless messages we 7 INTRODUCTION

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MAS Presents: Ideas for New York’s New Leadership MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

s New York City welcomes Through this lens of collective are valued and protected. And, as we Mayor de Blasio and new optimism, we look forward to taking have for over fifty years, we continue Aleadership across the five a fresh look at the challenges and to increase urban literacy by offering boroughs, we at the Municipal Art opportunities that lie ahead. dynamic walking tours and organizing Society (MAS) are hopeful that today’s thought-provoking public conversations leaders will build on the successes Throughout our 120-year history, MAS through events like our annual MAS of the last administration while also has been at the forefront of New York Summit for New York City. developing innovative approaches to City’s most significant city building confront the persistent challenges of campaigns, including saving Grand Drawing on the remarkable energy of building a more livable and resilient Central Terminal and the lights of Times the MAS Board of Directors, volunteers, New York. Square, imagining a new park in Fresh and staff, we will continue to lead a Kills and establishing groundbreaking strong coalition of non-profits, planning We are not alone in our anticipation. land-use and preservation laws that and design professionals, civic leaders, According to the 2013 MAS Survey on have become national models. MAS has and neighborhood activists to confront Livability, supported by the Rockefeller helped ensure that the pieces of New and develop solutions to the challenges Foundation, 76% of New Yorkers feel York’s physical and cultural heritage— New York City faces today. From optimistic about a new administration. so crucial to neighborhood diversity— building an alliance for a new Penn Station to advocating for much- needed affordable housing, MAS looks forward to working hand- in-hand with our new leadership to address the city’s most pressing issues.

Integrated Planning Strategies for the City

New York City needs a comprehensive approach to better plan for the future—one that more equitably distributes development throughout the five boroughs and employs the best planning practices: from preserving our historic assets 9 and investing in infrastructure and public space, to encouraging community engagement. We know with global competition, economic uncertainty, and new challenges like climate change, New York City must constantly re-think and re-invent helped to define what a 21st century facility that compromises safety and itself. But to ensure success, we need to Midtown might look like. This year we efficiency, and continues to impede think holistically and creatively about hope to realize this vision in a new plan the revitalization of what could be a the elements that make a city resilient, by working collaboratively with a broad dynamic and sought-after commercial economically vibrant, and livable. In array of stakeholders concerned about and residential neighborhood. It is the 2013 MAS re-engaged in a discussion on East Midtown’s future. busiest station in the US. And, there is the future of Grand Central Terminal perhaps no other single place in the city when the last administration proposed Investing in a new Penn Station is one of that impacts the daily lives of so many. to rezone 73 blocks of East Midtown in the central infrastructure projects Investing in a new station is critically order to incentivize the development of our time. More than half a million needed, not only to accommodate a of new large “Class A” office buildings. people travel through Penn Station growing ridership, but also to ensure the Our work over the course of the last year every day, experiencing a sub-standard city’s, region’s and country’s economic health. In 2013 MAS, in partnership with Supporting Diversity Through We advocate for an integrated approach the Regional Plan Association, convinced Arts and Culture to making soft and hard infrastructure the City Council to limit Madison investments by coordinating across Square Garden’s permit to operate above Arts and culture—in all forms—play a federal, state, and city agencies. Penn Station to ten more years with central role in shaping the character of Ultimately, we hope to see City the support of then-public advocate de our city’s neighborhoods. Going back to leadership mobilize New Yorkers across Blasio. This administration now has an our founding, MAS has a long history in all five boroughs—across class, race and unprecedented opportunity to engage promoting the fundamental role of the ethnicity, and neighborhoods—to step in a process to relocate the Garden—a arts in stimulating pride of place, quality up to the challenge of making resilience vital step in turning Penn Station into the of life, and cultural connections. Our a part of our daily lives. n dynamic, high functioning catalyst New work in the arts today touches nearly York needs. Solutions to this problem every area of MAS—whether it be the will require extraordinary leadership inclusion of the arts in community- and coordination, but it is this kind of based planning, conversations about the investment that is necessary to keep New inclusion of places for the arts in new York secure well into the next century. development, how to retain our city’s 10 creative workforce, or discussions about MAS is also firmly committed to equity. We know from the 2013 MAS working with our new leaders to Survey on Livability that many non- develop solutions to build and preserve Manhattan-based residents don’t see affordable housing while simultaneously their neighborhoods as good places to building stronger neighborhoods. An experience arts and culture. MAS sees extraordinary amount of work is ahead this as an opportunity for the de Blasio of us to meet the Mayor’s ambitious administration to create new incentives goals and support institutions like and opportunities across its many NYCHA—an essential part of New agencies, including the Department of York’s affordable housing landscape— Cultural Affairs, to invest equitably in which are in urgent need of investment. the arts in all neighborhoods. Building a More Resilient City Neighborhood Assets: Investments for the 21st Century To develop truly resilient communities and a stronger New York, economic, Today, New York City’s ability to be social, and environmental vulnerabilities globally competitive is largely due to need to be addressed equally. As we public investments made long ago. Our saw with the aftermath of Superstorm public housing, community centers, Sandy, solutions to these challenges libraries, parks, and numerous other often originate in proactive, locally civic assets continue to provide essential driven community planning and services. As economic concerns drive grassroots innovation. Strengthening the

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS decisions and real estate values rise and capacity of communities to participate fall, we need new investment strategies in the planning process is critical to to support these assets. ensure that proposed plans reflect local The most resilient neighborhoods needs and priorities, and that citywide are those that nurture strong social partnerships develop networks able to networks, which are often formed and respond quickly to future disruptions. cultivated through our shared places. We need to find a way to help develop Mobilizing existing resources and innovative, financially sustainable enlisting professionals with a broad approaches and effective partnerships to range of expertise in environmental, help strengthen the local places where planning, and community engagement communal bonds are forged, creativity can help to create strategies that both is nurtured, learning enhanced, and improve resiliency and livability. We culture exchanged. As MAS has pointed encourage our new leaders to engage out recently in our work on real estate directly with entrepreneurs in the development around Central Park, it design and tech communities to develop is critical that as New York grows we ways to better share information and protect and support the key assets anticipate and respond to challenges. which continue to define the urban experience and New York. 11

Joan Byron Mobility and Equity in the Tale of Two Cities Director of Policy // The Pratt Center for Community Development Adam Friedman Innovating Jobs Director // The Pratt Center for Community Development

Richard Olcott Venice on the Hudson Partner // Ennead Architects Stefan Knust Director of Sustainability // Ennead Architects

Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD Jobs and Housing Make Stable Communities Research Psychiatrist // New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Molly Rose Kaufman Provost // University of Orange 14 MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS 15

Mobility and Equity in the Tale of Two Cities by Joan Byron

ay a subway map over a census two-thirds of them are commuting to health care, education, retail, logistics, map of household incomes, and jobs paying less than $35,000 per year. and manufacturing are clustered in Lyou’ll see evidence that the cost Neighborhoods that were once car- locations far from the subway. Slow of housing in walkable, transit-rich dependent, quasi-suburban enclaves are and unreliable buses make it hard for neighborhoods is pushing poor and now the homes of families with multiple employers to attract and retain skilled working-class families out to what wage earners who can’t afford to drive; workers. And local retailers struggle used to be called “two-fare zones.” teenage mega-commuters who leave to compete with big-box chains on Though the MetroCard has eliminated their homes before dawn for school; commercial strips made chaotic by auto- the extra charge for transferring from and seniors cut off from health care and centric 1960s planning rules. bus to subway, living out of reach of other needed services. the subway still exacts a heavy price— There is no fiscally or physically from individual commuters, from their Businesses off the subway grid suffer imaginable scenario in which outer- families and from their neighborhoods. too. Since 2000, the boroughs have borough transit deficits can be 758,000 New Yorkers travel more steadily gained both absolute numbers addressed by rail. The MTA will be hard than an hour each way to work—and and share of employment; but jobs in pressed to complete the rail projects Population Change 1990 to 2010

Population change by census tract more than - 100 residents - 99 to 100 residents 101 to 300 residents 301 to 500 residents 16 more than 501 residents

Select Bus Service routes (proposed and in progress) Subway routes MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

Data at census tract level, Census 2010 0 52.5Miles Source: US Census 1990, 2010 now under way, much less begin that can block change. But it’s labor- Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway. intensive. Accelerating the deployment Completing Phase 1—all one and a half of Select Bus Service, and bringing real miles and three stations’ worth—will Bus Rapid Transit to the corridors that have cost more than $4.5 billion by the need it most, will require an expanded time it opens in 2016. commitment of agency staffing, well beyond the small and dedicated teams Claims that existing freight rail lines can now assigned to the program. be cheaply converted to transit service are dubious. The Triboro Rx idea only works if we’re willing to give up the only “Full-featured Bus Rapid option for diverting any of our ever- growing volume of freight from trucks Transit is what New to rail. And an MTA study of Staten York’s transit-starved Island’s North Shore line found that neighborhoods need. The 17 using the right-of-way for full-featured features that make BRT Bus Rapid Transit would provide almost as fast a trip as light rail (23 minutes vs. fast are achievable on 21 minutes from West Shore Plaza to St. many of the corridors, George Ferry Terminal) at about 60% of where speed, comfort, the total capital and operating cost.1 and reliability matter the Full-featured Bus Rapid Transit most.” is what New York’s transit-starved neighborhoods need. The features that make BRT fast are achievable on Leadership from City Hall will determine many of the corridors, where speed, whether BRT will get the modest comfort, and reliability matter the amounts of funding and the high priority most. Multi-lane streets with medians in agency mission that it will need to get can accommodate the protected lanes rolling. Bringing fast, efficient transit and real stations that enable BRT to to residents and workers in New York’s perform like rail, at a fraction of the transit-starved neighborhoods will be price. Cleveland’s Health Line, the most an important step toward rewriting our advanced BRT corridor in the US, was “tale of two cities.” n completed for less than $30 million per mile—compare that to the $3 billion per mile cost of the Second Avenue Subway. References

BRT doesn’t cost much money—but 1. Mobility and Equity for New York’s Transit- it does require agency bandwidth, Starved Neighborhoods: The Case for Full- and political commitment. MTA Featured Bus Rapid Transit. (2013) report by and the New York City Department the Pratt Center for Community Development of Transportation were able to and the Rockefeller Foundation, http:// introduce Select Bus Service because prattcenter.net/research/mobility-and-equity- staff at the two agencies learned to new-york%E2%80%99s-transit-starved- work together—and with affected neighborhoods-case-full-featured-bus-rapid communities. Reallocating street space can be fraught—but the agencies have brought communities into the planning of each route early on. Engagement from route selection through lane and station placement helps to surface local concerns, like keeping curbs available for parking and loading. This kind of fine-grained planning solves real problems, and dispels misperceptions 18 MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS 19

Innovating Jobs by Adam Friedman

he City should capitalize on Critical to addressing the growth in business incubators and business plan New York’s extraordinary income disparity is building a broader competitions sought to ramp up the Twealth of design and other economic base, with sectors that economic impact of our city’s “creative creative resources to stimulate product offer living-wage jobs for New York’s sectors.” development, business formation, and residents, who have an incredible job growth through the creation of diversity of skills, talents, and interests. While these are great initiatives Design/Production Innovation Districts The Bloomberg administration that will help to diversify the city’s containing a vibrant mix of space and recognized the need for greater economic base, they will not lead to uses. economic diversity, and late in its the type of broad-based economic tenure began to recognize the design recovery needed to generate the new The growth in income disparity has and engineering sectors as potential jobs to address today’s widespread become a defining characteristic engines of economic growth. Initiatives unemployment and under-employment. of New York City’s economy, and to create a high-tech, applied sciences Achieving a more robust recovery will addressing it must be one of the highest campus on Roosevelt Island, launch require that the City create not only priorities of the new administration. Design Week, and any number of jobs in the innovation economy, that we not only make the prototypes, but Core is diverse and where the • Any new construction should that we also capture the next ripple of “creatives” are clustered with space for include space for manufacturing. This jobs as companies move past the initial designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, requirement could be satisfied on-site innovation phase of their products’ life artists, incubators, educational or it could be achieved by paying other cycles and into broader production for institutions and micro manufacturers property owners to dedicate space consumer markets. Similarly, we must including coworking spaces such as elsewhere in the district. nurture not only high-tech but high- those provided by Fab Lab, Tech Shop touch industries that derive value from and Third Ward, where equipment and • Existing manufacturing space could design and responsiveness to consumer ideas, can be shared. The proximity only be converted if an equal amount of preferences. of start-ups, art and design firms and space is dedicated for manufacturing other innovative businesses creates a on-site or elsewhere in the district. The City should lay the foundation for synergistic web of ideas that inspires • Enforcement of use restrictions has such a broad-based recovery through new products and businesses. the creation of Design/Production been very difficult in the past. One Innovation Districts. An Innovation way to solve the enforcement issue 20 District would contain a diversity would be to give incentives or density of spaces for both the high-tech and “Critical to addressing bonuses for transfers of ownership or creative sectors that stimulate product the growth in income management of the restricted space to development and commercialization, disparity is building a a third-party nonprofit organization; and as well as space for larger-scale broader economic base, production to capture the full job • Clearly brand the district to ensure creation potential. The challenge with sectors that offer living-wage jobs for New that anyone living, working or for planners is how to achieve a mix visiting the district knows that it is of uses, some of which can afford York’s residents, who have a mix of uses, expect that the mix relatively higher land use costs (such as an incredible diversity creates some conflict such as noise the engineering and design firms, the from early morning trucking and restaurants and local retailers) while of skills, talents and interests.” machinery or smells of coffee roasting others can afford relatively lower land and bread baking and be prepared costs (such as the manufacturers and to tolerate it. Such branding might arts organizations.) The picture is even include everything from signage and more complicated by the aesthetics of The Production Ring is more murals to public programming with the industrial space and appeal of walk- homogenous, and home to the uses factory tours, mini trade shows, and to-work communities, which combine that can afford lower land costs. This networking events that would both to prime the market for residential would require zoning that permits only foster appreciation of the mix as well conversions that could price out all of a narrow range of uses. as the synergy between the uses that is the above. The attractiveness of such at the heart of the district. n mixed-use districts are inherently The development of new types of MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS public interventions is necessary to unstable if property owners can easily Notes: convert from low-rent to high-rent create and maintain the diversity of uses, and while property owners may uses essential to Innovation Districts. 1. The Innovation Core and the Production Ring oppose the restrictions that balance Some of these new interventions are are not literal descriptions but meant to illustrate uses, such restrictions are essential reminiscent of the strategies that two connected, mutually dependent but distinct to both the overall public and private have been developed in cities across land use patterns. value of the district. the country to build and maintain affordable housing. Others are How can the City create an area similar to efforts to preserve historic with both the eclectic high-energy neighborhoods or unique districts mix that stimulates creativity and such as the Theatre District in New entrepreneurship, but also stable low- York. Still others are brand-new cost space for the arts and production? and capitalize on changes in both technology and cultural preferences The answer is for the City to create that permit a new mix of uses which Innovation Districts with at least two were previously unheard of. For types of land use patterns that might be example: conceived as an Innovation Core and a Production Ring.1 The Innovation 21 22

Venice on the Hudson by Richard Olcott and Stefan Knust MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

he world’s greatest cities are improved network provides the socio- our coastal shores—are typically celebrated for the vibrant economic connections that make seen as an edge condition. For many, Tpublic spaces that emerge possible prosperity and resiliency for they are a destination for sightseeing along their transportation nodes: communities old and new. Robust and recreation. For most, they are a materials, ideas, and knowledge transportation systems are essential boundary that is both alluring, for are exchanged in the marketplaces for New York City to continue to be a development, and changing, in light of through which people choose to gateway to opportunity. climate change. Yet our waterways are move. And a rich density and diversity also our greatest untapped strength at of travelers defines the ebb and a time when transportation systems The greatest untapped strength of our flow that is life blood to a thriving are reaching capacity and at a time metropolitan region is our waterways. metropolis. When transportation when our city is becoming increasingly systems become stressed or vulnerable to what have now become interrupted, new or expanded systems Our waterways—New York Harbor, the expected unexpected events, both are necessary to provide options, the Hudson River, the East River, natural and man-made. The manner security, and relief. Each new or Jamaica Bay, Long Island Bay, and in which cities have incorporated their waterways into their historic efforts already initiated by its trajectories—in particular, the ways in predecessors—the Comprehensive which their waters connect rather than Waterfront Plan, Vision 2020, PlaNYC isolate—has been key to their health 2030, and A Stronger, More Resilient and continued growth. New York—all of which address the increasing importance of an accessible and active waterfront for a more We need a better, faster and more comprehensive ferry system. “Our waterways . . . are One hundred years ago, before the our greatest untapped construction of the bridges and strength at a time when tunnels that we now take for granted, there were hundreds of ferries that transportation systems stitched together the rapidly growing are reaching capacity and 23 communities on both sides of the at a time when our city Hudson and the East Rivers. Our is becoming increasingly waters enabled the expansive growth vulnerable to what have of New York City and served to unite the increasingly interdependent now become the expected communities of commerce and unexpected events, both habitation. We are poised to benefit natural and man-made.” from this blue highway again. An expanded network of no-frills passenger-only ferries, accessible by sustainable future. The City needs to MetroCard, could have a similar impact reduce vulnerability to floods, decrease today, not only opening new service its carbon footprint, and find new and corridors into the heart of Midtown more ways to transport people more and Wall Street, but also reestablishing efficiently: all while creating new links across the rivers, connecting nodes for economic development. emerging neighborhoods, commercial Ferries are an ideal vehicle to achieve centers, retail and recreation. For these goals. Each administration seeks example, a ferry connection between to leave its mark on the city; with a 125th Street, near the newly expanding commitment to the renewed use of Columbia University campus our fabulous waterways, this next one in Manhattan, and the Mitsuwa could build on New York City’s natural marketplace within the Edgewater and historical legacy and move the city community across the Hudson River, toward a future where ecological and would connect two large ridership- economic goals continue to converge sheds that are currently linked only and enhance one another. By building by bus or car. At the regional scale, public and private partnerships in new intermodal centers could connect which robust and flexible terminals ferries to airports, trains, and buses, provide a range of ferry options, as well as to greenways and bike lanes, commuters, residents and tourists will increasing options for leisure and continue to shape what is the New commerce at short, medium, and long York experience: growing and thriving distances, all without traffic. neighborhoods and a flourishing economy, filled with memorable destinations for generations to come. n All that is needed is a vision for the future.

Our hope is that the new administration will continue to build upon the planning and implementation 24

Jobs and Housing Make Stable Communities by Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, and Molly Rose Kaufman MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

t is a tenet of public health that everyone up in the problems that from 25% of the city’s population in stable communities, equipped radiate from the injured part. 2000 to 23% in 2010, is the sentinel with equitable access to indicator of trouble. This is a festering I During the Bloomberg era, the rich resources, are the true foundation wound in the city, and the sooner it is of health. Communities are the got richer, and the poor got poorer. acknowledged and healed, the better it social resource for inventing culture Housing prices shot up, and jobs for will be for the city and the surrounding and economy, solving problems, the unskilled collapsed. Many poor region. negotiating acceptable behavior, and families found themselves stringing making meaning. When communities together dead-end, low-paying, part- To reverse this process, a new are destabilized, the frayed social time jobs, while the rent pressures commitment to neighborhood functioning creates stress and were escalating and educational stability is urgently needed. Between augments rates of disease. The effects opportunities narrowing. These 1949 and now, New York City of destabilization are not limited to processes are unsettling many of the neighborhoods have suffered from the “affected” community, but catch city’s neighborhoods. The decline urban renewal, highway construction, in the African-American population, deindustrialization, planned shrinkage,

Jobs and Housing Make Stable Communities mismanaged epidemics, gentrification, major brownfield site in Pittsburgh in Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis. and foreclosures. Taken together, cooperation with all the surrounding 3. Fullilove, Mindy (2013). Urban Alchemy: these policies and processes have neighborhoods, as well as affected and Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities, New disrupted the lives of millions. They interested communities. Village Press, New York. have destroyed cultural, social, and economic resources; fed epidemics; and impeded social response to “If we reject the idea of trouble. Instead of this injurious and “undesirable people,” repeated upheaval, New York City needs a commitment to long-term we can approach all community stability and rebuilding. neighborhoods with a new Making such a commitment would put attitude, respecting the New York City on a path to a new kind people who live there and of economic vitality and health. While helping them plan to stay.” the Bloomberg years have supported 25 the economic vitality of those at the top of the economic ladder, a community stability initiative could unleash a Adoption of urban restoration as a creative search for the economy of principle unleashes the creativity and the future, benefiting all residents and problem-solving ability that exist in lifting the entire metropolitan region. communities of all kinds. Human beings can look at the world and At the heart of such a commitment is a see solutions, and it is this inherent new approach to growth. The current ability that is optimized in good cities, approach seeks to replace “problem” becoming the engine for civilization people with “desirable” people. It is a and economy. continuation of policies articulated in 1937, when the US government’s Home New York City, like many US cities, is Owners Loan Corporation made the facing major challenges, among them infamous “redlining maps.” Those adjustment to sea level rise and climate maps documented the neighborhoods change. While all cities are touting where surveyors found “undesirable their “resilience,” in fact the ability racial elements,” meaning African- to recover depends fundamentally Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Italians, on social connection and cohesion. Jews, and the foreign-born, among Yet what New York City has, at the others. This replacement approach has moment, are the opposite: growing resulted in “serial displacement,” and it economic inequality along with the is not a way to build long-term health social instability that inequity fosters. 1 in the city. It’s time for a new path, one that If we reject the idea of “undesirable unleashes the power to face serious people,” we can approach all threats and solve lingering puzzles. neighborhoods with a new attitude, That new path is community stability, respecting the people who live there which we can achieve through policies and helping them plan to stay.2 We derived from the principle of urban have called this “urban restoration,” restoration. n because it addresses the health of References the whole urban ecosystem.3 One example of urban restoration is the 1. Fullilove, Mindy, and Wallace, Rodrick (2011). Evergreen Cooperatives in Cleveland, Serial forced displacement in American cities: Ohio, worker-owned, for-profit green 1916-2010, Journal of Urban Health, 10.1007/ businesses that are building wealth in s11524-011-9585-2. the University Circle neighborhood. Another example is the Almono 2. Morrish, William R., and Brown, Catherine Project, which is rebuilding the last R. (1994). Planning to Stay: Learning to See the Physical Features of Your Neighborhood, Steve Hindy Cofounder & Chairman // Brooklyn Brewery Roy Strickland Professor of Architecture // University of Michigan Toni L. Griffin Is New York City a Just City? Director // J. Max Bond Center, Spitzer School of Architecture, City College, CUNY Steve Hindy A Tale of Two Parks Cofounder & Chairman // Brooklyn Brewery Roy Strickland Renaissance Plan for New York City’s Public Professor of Architecture // University of Michigan Housing: Creating Vital Centers for a Thriving New York Without Demolition and Displacement Ronda Wist Making the Case for Civic Assets Vice President, Preservation & Government Relations // The Municipal Art Society Sophia Koven Founder // Gambit Consulting Alison Carnduff President // Barret & Company, 2013 Fellow, The Municipal Art Society 28

Is New York City a Just City? by Toni L. Griffin MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

n The Spirit Level: Why Greater data looks at life expectancy, mental It is quite easy in a vibrant city like Equality Makes Societies Stronger, health, levels of violence, teenage New York for some segments of the IDr. Richard Wilkinson and Kate birth rates, imprisonment, obesity local population, as well as visitors Pickett present a compelling set of data rates, levels of trust, the educational from outside the city, to overlook illustrating that material inequality has performance of school children, and the effects of its income disparities. a profound influence on population social mobility. The data reveals that Effective public policies and economic stratification, status insecurity and the US ranks the worst among other development strategies have eradicated competition, and the prevalence of all countries with the highest income a large share of the historically “seedy” the urban problems associated with inequality and the worst index of areas of Manhattan, only to push chronic health and social conditions, health and social problems.1 Within many of these conditions into other as well as the strength of community the US, New York State has the highest parts of the city and region, including life (Wilkinson and Pickett, 2009). income inequality, but among the top lower-cost housing, homelessness, and The book presents comparable data, ten states with the highest income undesirable land uses, to name a few. both internationally and for the fifty inequality, it does better than 7 out While New York may be performing US states, on several health and social of the 10 states on health and social better than some in the areas of human problems and their relationship to indicators.2 health and quality of life, inequality income inequality. Specifically, the is still on the rise and contributing to the realities of a geographically and to question whether New York City quality, waste supply and waterways, socially divided city. The city has has more to do in promoting a more energy, solid water, and climate change. always had wealthy neighborhoods, Just City, where the functions of Spatial systems metrics focused on but the boundaries of this wealth city planning and design can go even quantitative indicators, measuring are expanding within and beyond further in playing an active role in this increases and decreases in volume, Manhattan, often pushing workers pursuit. distribution, rank, or usage. But to further from their jobs within the city’s determine if the city is just, we also core employment districts. This trend need to incorporate the qualitative Imagine if we identified specific should cause us to question whether dimensions of what makes the built metrics for evaluating the performance our city, often held up as a global environment conducive to greater of New York City’s public spaces, standard for economic and cultural inclusion, diversity, equality and housing developments, commercial vibrancy, is truly a “Just City.” democracy. districts, or transportation modes for their ability to create more In the book, The Just City, Professor urban justice? For instance, in The J. Max Bond Center on Design Susan Fainstein describes the principle addition to assessing whether these for the Just City (JMBC) at The City 29 components of urban justice as equity, interventions advanced increased College of New York Spitzer School diversity and democracy.3 Certainly the quantities, and economic value or of Architecture believes that design health and social conditions Wilkinson minimized environmental harm, we can assist in setting the context for and Pickett examine provide cause also determined how these places and urban justice in New York City. By to be concerned about the macro- spaces facilitated greater economic taking on the proposition that design level state of urban justice. But in the and social inclusion for its users and can have an impact on the social and space of urban planning and design, community access, connectivity, and economic equity, inclusion, and access one might argue that New York diversity. of cities, the JMBC aims to examine City has launched some progressive these unresolved issues in urban initiatives over the last twelve years communities. In 2013, we launched that begin to promote urban justice in “Imagine if we identified The Just City Indicator Project, a new the public realm. The City’s Design & specific metrics research initiative that seeks to create Construction Excellence Program and for evaluating the a clear definition of the Just City and Great Streets Initiative can be lifted to develop a set of evaluation metrics up as positive examples of providing performance of New that assess the effectiveness of design more equitable access to quality York City’s public spaces, tactics on facilitating urban justice. design of public facilities and public housing developments, Our preliminary proposition suggests street improvements that prioritize commercial districts, or that achieving the Just City is rooted in pedestrian safety and comfort. For a distributive paradigm of where social those of us who work to improve transportation modes for justice is defined as the morally proper the built environment, the ambition their impact of creating distribution of social benefits and of achieving urban justice is often more urban justice?” burdens among the society.4 Within a goal embedded in modern design this paradigm, we believe striving problems, including the redevelopment toward the intentional existence of We could measure the presence of this of distressed public housing sites; the access and inclusion is a key ingredient inclusion at the scale of the city, the reuse of chronically vacant land; the of the Just City. neighborhood, the block, and the site. revitalization of aging commercial For example, imagine if we created main streets; and the creation of metrics that assessed how the design We strongly encourage the de Blasio safe routes to school, just to name a of these places and spaces aided in administration to consider how few. Public process procedures that encouraging a young African American New York City’s inequalities might create, regulate and monitor land teenager’s sense of belonging in a be further dissolved if we were development and design also claim to public park in Midtown Manhattan or to measure the presence of urban promote justice by giving citizens voice the adaptability of an apartment unit justice in design and development in the development process. for a new immigrant family. policy, capital improvements, and development, including the public But when we examine the presence realm, infrastructure and housing. PlaNYC, launched in 2007, establishes of urban justice in housing, trans- a set of twenty-nine sustainability portation, commercial development indicators, largely seeking to measure and infrastructure, it might be fair environmental systems, such as air In the sidebar on the right, we provide an example of how the 2007 PlaNYC Sustainability Indicators might be expanded upon to include Just City SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS 2007 JUST CITY INDICATORS 2014 indicators that begin to measure the qualitative impacts of our investments towards the reduction of economic and HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS social inequalities. n Create homes for almost a million more New Diversity of housing unit design to accomodate Yorkers while making housing and changing demographics of urban households neighborhoods more a ordable and References sustainable Equitable distribution of a ordable housing in all New York City boroughs and neighborhoods 1. Wilkinson, Richard, and Pickett, Kate (2009). Increase in new housing units from 2007 (Percent per neighborhood) The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes 30 Total units of housing in NYC Equitable distribution of neighborhood Societies Stronger. Bloomsbury Press. amenities in all New York City boroughs and Percent of housing a ordable to neighborhoods, including libraries, healthy 2. Ibid. median-income NYC households foods, health care and public transit

3. Fainstein, Susan S. (2010). The Just City. Cornell Vacancy rate of least expensive rental Integration of local cultural aesthetic into University Press. apartments public space design standards, including streetscapes and public plazas 4. Young, Iris Marion (1990). Justice and the Percent of new units within a half of a mile of Politics of Difference. Princeton University Press. transit

PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACE

Ensure all New Yorkers live within a 10 minute Presence of inaccessible barriers walk of a park Presence of amenities that support a diversity Percent of New Yorkers that live within a of cultural users and their recreational quarter of a mile of a park practices

Evidence of user adaptation

Presence of places to post public information

Diversity of users within a public space MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS Presence of adequate lighting levels to promote public safety

Ease of regulations to host events and gatherings in public space

CIVIC CAPACITY

Number of citizen-led design e orts in the community

Level of community participation during design and implementation process

Existence of a current comprehensive neighborhood plan

Evidence of community activism and social networking within the community 31

A Tale of Two Parks by Steve Hindy

bout 20 years ago, Prospect The Alliance’s first project was the The Alliance began to pick up some of Park Administrator Tupper restoration of the park’s Carousel. The the maintenance tasks, like mowing the AThomas enlisted me to serve second was a restoration of man-made grass and trimming the trees. on the board of the Prospect Park forest in the center of the park, an Alliance, the not-for-profit organization area that was suffering from erosion. Somewhere around the year 2000, our that she started along with Terry Because of my business experience (I committee realized that the Alliance Christensen, a prominent attorney am a cofounder of Brooklyn Brewery), was doing more and more basic living in Park Slope. The Alliance I was asked to serve as chairman of maintenance of the park. We worked raises private money from individuals, the Alliance’s Operations Committee, with the Parks Department to figure corporations, and foundations to fund overseeing day-to-day maintenance out how much of the maintenance improvements in the 500-acre park of the park. I thus was privy to the budget was being funded by the City, that architect Frederick Law Olmsted impact of city budget cuts on the and how much by the Alliance. We built in the 1860s. The Alliance also park. Just about every year, it seemed determined that the City was paying solicits discretionary funds, pork-barrel the city would cut the operating 60% and the Alliance 40%. My money, from elected officials. budget of the Parks Department. committee proposed that we draw the line at 60/40 and refuse to put any maintenance budget does not keep up councilperson Diana Reyna gave us more money into daily maintenance. with that expansion. Today, much of $2.5 million to improve Cooper Park. The Board of Directors rejected the the day-to-day work in the parks is We have raised money for other parks idea. Today, I think the Alliance funds performed by temporary workers on in the district too. It seems to me well over 60% and the City less than six-month contracts through social that this model, which focuses our 40%. service and prison release programs. efforts on parks in all North Brooklyn neighborhoods, is more equitable than the single park model. There was a similar dynamic under way at Central Park, also an Olmsted “There are now more than gem. The Central Park Conservancy 50 similar organizations Ideally, the City should begin to restore eventually took over 100% raising private and public funding to the Parks Department so it responsibility for the maintenance of can do an equitable job of maintaining Central Park—an idea that the Prospect money for parks in New all parks. Short of that, the City needs Park Alliance has considered. The City York City. Most of these to vigorously promote the creation 32 still contributes to the Central Park parks are now dependent of conservancies and alliances for all budget. on private funding for the city’s parks. Perhaps the existing their maintenance.” conservancies and alliances could help cultivate these organizations. n Thanks to the Alliance and the Conservancy, these two parks have flourished over the past two decades. Mayor deBlasio thus faces a “tale They are probably in the best of two parks,” the parks with condition in their long histories. Both conservancies and the parks without. organizations have raised big money from wealthy individuals. Central Park got a $100 million donation from hedge State Sen. Daniel Squadron has fund manager John A. Paulson in 2012, proposed that the wealthy parks and Prospect Park got two $10 million share their funding with other donations for its $75 million Lakeside parks. I think that is a bad idea, project, which includes two ice skating because these conservancies have rinks. spent years cultivating a culture of giving among their supporters. They and their supporters will resent the There are now more than 50 similar city taxing them in this way. Also, organizations raising private and Central Park and Prospect Park are the public money for parks in New York “jewels in the crown” of Manhattan City. Most of these parks are now

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS and Brooklyn. They are used by all dependent on private funding for their residents and visitors to the city. They maintenance. are not private parks. If Squadron’s idea were adopted, I have no doubt The problem with this picture is that contributions would plummet. most of these not-for-profits have been started by relatively wealthy, entitled There are ways to approach the people to improve parks near their problem of inequity. neighborhoods. Hundreds of smaller parks in low-income neighborhoods have deteriorated as parks funding has Together with a group of concerned been cut. The cuts really began after citizens, I started the Open Space the 1977 fiscal crisis in New York City. Alliance for North Brooklyn with Only Mayor Bloomberg managed to a mission of raising money for the increase the parks budget during his 125 parks in Brooklyn’s Community tenure. The current budget of $380 District 1. The City gave us $50 million is the largest ever. But the million to renovate the Depression- mayor also added $10 billion in new era McCarren Park Pool, which had parks during his years in office. The been closed for 30 years. Former 33

Renaissance Plan for NYC’s Public Housing: Creating Vital Centers for a Thriving New York—Without Demolition and Displacement by Roy Strickland

ne of the new mayoral I. Public Housing’s Challenges and administration’s major legacies Opportunities • 334 developments in all five Owill be its success in addressing boroughs. public housing’s crises—operating The challenges: deficits, deteriorating buildings, • Federal cutbacks resulting in a $60 • 2,500 acres of land. unsafe living conditions. This proposal million annual operating deficit. outlines a renaissance plan for public • Developments often located near housing whose benefits will be • Backlog of repairs creating unsafe drivers of New York’s 21st-century apparent in two years. The proposal living conditions for many residents. economy including technology, arts, advocates a strategic plan for all public health care, and higher education, housing capitalizing on its social, • Waiting list of 160,000 families. enhancing their potential value to physical, and locational assets for the residents and the city as a whole. benefit of public housing residents and The opportunities: a sustainable, economically dynamic, • The human capital of 400,000 equitable and unified New York. NYCHA residents. Year II: II. The Renaissance Plan’s Two • Quantify undeveloped air rights for Refine Renaissance Plan; identify Plan’s Assumptions all public housing developments and first projects at representative locations put them in an RPC “bank” that will around city; negotiate public/private 1. Public housing is an asset for New enable them to be transferred across and public/institutional relationships York. As the major provider of housing all NYCHA developments and their for first projects; announce projects for low- and moderate-income families, and begin implementation public housing deserves preservation and enhancement, not demolition and Year III: displacement. “As people who work in Complete first projects; identify next many of the city’s services series of projects. 2. Public housing residents are assets and industries, as families for New York. As people who work raising children who will Year IV: in many of the city’s services and Based on completion of representative be the next generation 34 industries, as families raising children Plan projects, continue Plan at other who will be the next generation of of New Yorkers, and sites around the city. New Yorkers, and as retirees who’ve as retirees who’ve contributed their energy to New York’s contributed their energy V. Renaissance Plan’s Potential vitality, public housing residents deserve respect and should be active to New York’s vitality, As the following illustrations show, shapers in planning the future. public housing residents NYCHA developments can become deserve respect and centers of vital neighborhoods as III. Renaissance Plan: Steps should be active shapers part of a thriving New York–without in planning the future.” demolition and displacement. n • Look at public housing as a whole and develop the Renaissance Plan that will help sustain and enhance it for decades to come, as well as provide environs according to principles of additional low-and moderate-income appropriate land use and densities. housing. • Enter into public/private and • Establish a Renaissance Plan public/institutional partnerships Corporation (RPC) with power of that through RPC will negotiate with grants and loans. NYCHA residents the use of banked air rights toward projects that provide • Enact enabling legislation promoting a) revenue streams for NYCHA

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS coordination of New York City developments’ upkeep and repair, agencies in delivery of capital projects and b) turnkey facilities such as new and services as part of the Renaissance low- and moderate-income housing, Plan. schools, libraries, recreation centers and employment places for NYCHA • Make public housing residents—from developments and their surrounding kids to elders—part of planning. Hold communities. regular community workshops for the exchange of ideas between neighbors IV. Renaissance Plan Schedule and RPC representatives and planners. Locate Renaissance Plan meeting Year I: space in every public housing project. Initiate community participation and Also make the Renaissance Plan private and institutional outreach; process part of nearby public schools’ establish RPC; enact enabling curriculum so that local kids can be legislation; quantify bankable air rights; introduced to architecture, planning, develop outline of Renaissance Plan. development, and construction careers. 35

(top image) University of Michigan study of NYCHA developments in Astoria illustrates potential locations for new small businesses and low-to moderate-income housing. (bottom image) Perspective shows new buildings in blue inserted among existing Lower East Side public housing projects. With up to 22 million square feet of development potential in the area, there is room for a rich mixture of uses, including college campuses and research centers. © University of Michigan 36

Making the Case for Civic Assets

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS by Ronda Wist, Sophia Koven, and Alison Carnduff

hen New York City’s New Yorkers. The brick and limestone remain committed to the early signature buildings have buildings have always been recognized 20th century civic values that led Wbeen threatened, the for their critical role in the streetscape, to the creation of these places, New preservation movement has saved them. as well as in many ways reflecting the York City’s real estate burdens and Perhaps the most well-known campaign, “soul” of the community. Grand facades operational concerns often exert appealing to all New Yorkers, was the such as Morris High School, Asser Levy intense redevelopment pressures. New effort to save Grand Central Terminal. Baths, and the New York Public Library York’s demography and economy has One hundred years after its opening, it main branch elevated the learning, changed, but the essential needs of serves its original transit hub purpose as reading and gatherings within. These our neighborhoods remain the same. well as a variety of others, and is one of thoughtfully sited works of inspiring Neighborhoods require certain sets of our most beloved public buildings. architecture are essential parts of our conditions and services to be livable, A century ago, many local and treasured urban fabric. Andrew Carnegie said: desirable, and resilient. When these civic assets were built thanks to the “A library outranks any other one public places are converted to private collaboration of philanthropists and thing a community can do to benefit uses, our neighborhood experience local government. These resulting its people. It is a never failing spring in and community strength gradually neighborhood hospitals, parks, libraries, the desert.” erode. Any New Yorker who has met and schools sustained generations of Although today’s New Yorkers may a neighbor while pushing a child on a playground swing, volunteering at a Instead of fighting piecemeal battles Public ownership should obligate hospital, sitting in a school auditorium about individual losses, we encourage the City to be transparent to both at a political meeting, attending a the City to take a holistic view of civic the community where a building is neighborhood concert, or checking out assets. These assets are not simply located, and to the taxpayers who have a library book knows the important buildings, but convening spaces for supported its use for decades. Now roles these places play in fostering the community that provide services is the time to revisit deaccessioning community resilience. whose effects, unlike real estate choices and ensure that future property taxes, are sometimes difficult generations are able to use these For decades, city governments have to measure. Over time the use of critical resources. By putting forth its shed their public assets in exchange for these buildings has changed and will long-term goals for these properties quick, short-term dollars. Constrained continue to evolve. For all buildings on a citywide or borough-wide basis, budgets and costly operating liabilities considered for disposition, criteria the new administration can clearly make selling off valuable real estate should be created to determine the present any operational, maintenance, enticing. Rationales for property value that each building and its services and renovation issues to New Yorkers. disposition include programmatic represent to the community. These Using a set of publicly-agreed- improvement and consolidation or include, the number of visits, types of upon principles for alternatives to 37 elimination of operations thought users, and necessity and convenience. disposition, the City may determine to be financial drains on larger Projections about demographic changes that in some cases sale and demolition systems. Monetizing real estate should also be taken into consideration. is appropriate. This should help to address shortfalls in operating As the explosive growth of Brooklyn the public understand an individual funding, soaring required expenses, has so clearly demonstrated in the past facility’s complete inadequacy as well or deferred maintenance is often few years, demand for civic assets, such as what the sale proceeds will fund. considered the most plausible solution as schools, parks, and libraries, can And the City’s architectural response to financial problems. These losses shift dramatically in short periods of should enhance each community. can greatly impact the city’s residents time. as the public realm is permanently Everyone can agree that a diminished with the sale of public art neighborhood without usable public or the privatization of public lands space isn’t much of a neighborhood and buildings. Yet within the last “New Yorkers deserve at all. Preservation’s power should be year or so, many plans have emerged an ongoing transparent harnessed to work with communities to privatize public spaces, including to maintain and enhance the publicly- the proposed sale of Long Island planning process that owned real estate that forms the College Hospital, library facilities in clearly reveals the infrastructure of our civil society. n Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan, long-term benefits and major privatization efforts such as the proposed “white-tablecloth” restaurant detriments of selling off in Union Square, and the proposed public assets.” soccer stadium in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Landmark designation is a part of Often the disposition process is the solution. Old buildings must be distressingly opaque. New Yorkers respected and not disdained as obsolete deserve an ongoing transparent when for example interior layouts can planning process that clearly reveals be adapted. The private and public the long-term benefits and detriments sectors must join together to ensure of selling off public assets. The public— that worthy historic buildings continue the true stakeholders—should have to serve as useful assets for the future. the opportunity to weigh in on these Can development rights be transferred proposed dispositions and help decide more flexibly from civic assets since their fate. These resources have always they serve the entire neighborhood? been critically important to those Could useful operational, staffing, or New Yorkers least able to advocate on physical modifications be made to their own behalf: recent immigrants, underperforming or underutilized children, and senior citizens. We must schools or libraries? Are there ways to focus attention away from the short- collocate disparate uses to help support term monetary value to the longer term beloved buildings? importance of serving New Yorkers. The preservation of these assets is particularly critical in the face of New York’s projected growth.

Sandra A. García Betancourt Toward Real Change Executive Director & CEO // Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance Lane Harwell The Arts and New York Are One Executive Director // Dance/NYC

Michael Royce Creative Individuals Equal a Creative City Executive Director // New York Foundation for the Arts 40

Toward Real Change by Sandra A. García Betancourt MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

ommunity-based organizations These evocative expressions have years has, at last, been understood throughout New York City been embraced as bywords by elected and incorporated as key to building a Chave always been agents of officials, as well as philanthropists stronger and more equitable city at a change and community development. and financiers, and have embodied time when new efforts to readdress Their work and commitment to the the missions and aspirations of the need to make our communities improvement and advancement of many community leaders, residents, viable and strong have become urgent the city’s diverse communities have artists and activists concerned with due to the current, profound social, not only had a significant impact in uneven economic growth. The and economic disparities. the population they serve, but in all concern extends to the lack of sectors of our society. For example, visibility of communities around The lack of importance or prominence throughout the last decade, much the city, particularly those with high assigned to these communities, and has been said about the need to work populations of new immigrants and the inadequate access to opportunities, toward community building, social people of color. The narratives that have historically prompted the change, social transformation, and have described the calling of many creation of local institutions that justice and community development. community organizations for many often strive to provide culturally to begin to tackle these issues and appropriate, competent, and mindful the sustainability of arts and culture programming to their residents. The organizations in our communities: arts and culture sector, for example, has had a significant impact. Artists • evaluate and amend the guidelines and arts organizations have helped, and practices of providing public organized, and partnered with other support to community organizations, community institutions, to provide so they reflect a more equitable programming that has enhanced the distribution of funds and resources; quality of life and has ignited the • include community arts and vibrancy of neighborhoods around culture organizations that are not the city, as well as having encouraged located in the mainstream cultural tourism, social investment, and corridors of NYC in the city guides, economic development. tourism brochures, and maps so our communities become destinations for 41 “The new leadership visitors from other neighborhoods and abroad; of New York City must be prepared to take the • and invest in efforts to create and appropriate steps to sustain innovative arts spaces in disadvantaged communities. n validate and support those vital community organizations that are, continuously, effecting change and transforming our city into an exciting and better place to live and progress.”

Notwithstanding, many of these organizations, some more mature than emerging ones, others developing, are at risk of disappearing for lack of the resources that would ensure their sustainability. The new leadership of New York City must be prepared to take the appropriate steps to validate and support those vital community organizations that are, continuously, effecting change and transforming our city into an exciting and better place to live and progress.

To address social change, trans- formation, equality, and economic development, our elected officials, philanthropies, businesses and communities must work together. In that spirit, these are some suggestions 42

The Arts and New York Are One by Lane Harwell MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

nvision a future where New all New Yorkers: perhaps above all, I embrace the promise that, to be York and arts and culture are affordability. Arts and culture can be comprehensive, such a plan will not Emore meaningfully “one.” included in solutions to the issues view arts and culture in isolation but, on his docket: for instance, jobs and rather, as being linked reciprocally economic development, equality for with society. Mayor de Blasio’s vision and all, safety, sustainability, and resilience. framework for addressing equity, “One The sector’s role in healing spirits and New York, Rising Together,” opens As we look to all levels of City the economy after Sandy is a powerful up new possibilities for realizing government to advance a future where example of how. this goal. He has committed to New York and arts and culture are universalizing arts education, and he more meaningfully one, there are creates infinite entry points for arts New possibilities are also unlocked opportunities beyond dollars through and culture by proposing government by the momentum our City Council is the Department of Cultural Affairs reform to engage New Yorkers more gaining to include a “comprehensive (which, yes, could increase so the greatly in setting priorities. Needs cultural plan” in the New York City agency might include new groups in its in the arts are certainly bound up in Charter, a charge that 21 newly elected funding portfolio, and help the challenges he has identified for Council members may consider. currently funded groups to scale up Now, I am not advocating top-down by modeling inclusivity and access, their delivery of public value). There strategy or canonization—useful and by surfacing and breaking down are opportunities for accelerating and concerns expressed in the testimony categories that divide us: from incentivizing interagency strategy, I have heard on the City Council’s geography to creative form, corporate as we have seen evolve nationally proposal for a cultural plan. Nor, structure, and budget size. through recent leadership (from New certainly, do I wish to reduce arts and York) of the National Endowment for culture work to any particular social I share the optimism of my fellow New the Arts, and at the state level with a issue or outcome. Rather, I mean to Yorkers in welcoming new leadership. new commitment to the arts through leverage the reality that artists and As the arts and culture are priorities the Regional Economic Development cultural groups are always already for New Yorkers, I am confident they Councils. Our new leaders could affecting social change through the will also be priorities in the future of consider in-kind offerings—from work they create and engagement with our great city—“One New York.” n space to marketing, building on audiences, their fellow citizens and past successes, and new ideals. And tourists, to encourage more and new they could catalyze public/private directions. Creative sector workers 43 partnerships and harness the creative can be included—and given agency—in potential of our city’s artists to lift up shaping the vision for our City—and, neglected, established, and start-up ideally, an adaptive vision, and one industries, including the booming tech that embraces risk (and risk capital), sector. prerequisites for a healthy city and the continual flow of ideas and inspiration. Many of these directions are encouraged by “One New York, Rising “Our new leaders Together.” Consider, for instance, Mayor de Blasio’s description of could consider in-kind “economic development hubs in every offerings—from space to neighborhood.” He offers an equitable, marketing, building on asset-based framework for engaging past successes and new “community stakeholders” (I read, ideals. And they could “artists”) to map and create hubs that may advance the movement of catalyze public/private naturally occurring cultural districts partnerships and harness and foster creative placemaking. I see the creative potential of opportunity for expanded arts and our city’s artists to lift up culture activity, increased collaboration and economic and technical support— neglected, established, especially in non-Manhattan and start-up industries, geographies—where increased including the booming attention by our sector, and all New tech sector.” Yorkers, is needed.

Ultimately, I am writing for our city’s The proposed universalization of artists, cultural groups and supporters, arts education invites a revisiting and encouraging participation in and strengthening of the relationship unifying and moving our New York and between the Departments of Education its people forward. and Cultural Affairs. Our new mayor reminds us that creative lives exist on a continuum, inviting government I offer, as a challenge, that while artists to take seriously arts training, arts and organizations create value through careers, institutional advancement, their individuality, we too need to and, concomitantly, audience and work better as “one.” I speak from the constituent engagement. Yes, arts vantage point of advocate, something education and the arts are “one.” I share with Mayor de Blasio, when I say we have an opportunity to lead 44 MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS 45

Creative Individuals Equal a Creative City by Michael Royce

hrough its unique blend live here. Unfortunately, the high cash tips. But the numbers we do have of history, geography, and cost of living and intense business paint a grim picture in terms of an Tenergy, New York City is a climate make it difficult for artists to artist’s ability to survive in New York leader in many fields. The world sustain themselves in the city, and City. A 2009 National Endowment watches Wall Street, output from prohibits many others from moving for the Arts (NEA) study put artists’ our research institutions shape here. The City needs to support these median income at $43,000, almost 15% national and international policy, artists through housing subsidies and less than the New York City median and our artists create works in all business training in order to realize income of $49,461. To put this into the disciplines that are both cutting the economic and cultural benefits that context of housing, the average rent edge and beloved by millions. This they bring. for an NYC apartment recently topped is a symbiotic relationship—these $3,000/month (or more than $36,000 industries also generate valuable tax annually). Once taxes are factored Reliable data on artists’ incomes is and tourist revenues for the City. in, this number quickly becomes notoriously difficult to obtain—many The arts especially shape a culture unreachable for most artists. Perhaps artists work unrelated jobs to support that helps New York City businesses even more alarmingly, the NEA survey themselves, or subsist off unreported attract the top talent to work and numbers reflect artists’ incomes nationwide. Given the costs associated led one of these training programs on proven ideas like subsidized with a move, moving to NYC can be (“The Artist as Entrepreneur: Boot housing and training courses, but almost impossible, thus depriving the Camp”), and saw outstanding results. pulled together in a coherent and arts industry of many talented potential Artists found better jobs, newly took complementary fashion, responding contributors. advantage of available City resources, to positive trends already occurring started businesses, received grants, in the city. With the right vision and and became empowered to work leadership, NYC can protect and grow There have been some laudable efforts responsibly with their professional this invaluable resource. n to alleviate the housing problem for communities. And those were not artists. Manhattan Plaza, with 70% isolated results—NYFA has run the of its units designated for artists, has same program without City funding offered subsidized housing through at the city, state, national, and the Section 8 program since the 1970s. international levels, all with similar There are plans to build a smaller but success. This speaks to the artistic similar complex in Chelsea. However, community’s inherent entrepreneurial, 46 these units can accommodate only motivated, and hard-working ethos. a small part of the overall need. We Providing a little guidance and support can and should do more. Not all yields amazing results from this artist housing needs to be located in population. Manhattan. Other boroughs are home to rich artistic communities, and the City could bolster existing efforts in the private sector. By placing new “The arts especially shape artist housing in neighborhoods like a culture that helps New Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, York City businesses which is itself a creature of artist- centered development, the City could attract the top talent to make a meaningful contribution to a work and live here.” thriving neighborhood, while adapting its policy to the free-market choices of the arts economy. A robust City-sponsored training program would be most effective if implemented in tandem with other Relatedly, the City can make a real efforts like new and existing subsidized and lasting impact on artists’ ability housing. The City could incentivize to build a sustainable practice in artists’ participation by offering eligible New York through a series of robust graduates places on an accelerated

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS training courses on basic business wait-list for artist housing. Training skills, entrepreneurship, and survival courses should be tailored to different techniques. While subsidized housing segments of the population to better will always leave out some (if not most) focus on issues of concern, like artists who need it, training courses retirement planning for mature artists, can theoretically serve an infinite or an introduction to NYC services number of artists at a fraction of the for out-of-state artists. Courses cost. could be held in common spaces in artist housing to better integrate the There is precedent for this, of course. community, or online to accommodate In 2009, the New York City Economic artists’ unpredictable schedules and Development Corporation (NYCEDC) provide access to those for whom allocated approximately $100,000 distance is an issue. to support entrepreneurial training and studio availability within the city. Ultimately, no single solution While only a portion of that funding will make NYC affordable and was given to arts organizations for accessible to artists. Rather, it will running training courses, more than take a combination of new wrinkles 100 artists were trained. NYFA 47

Jesse M. Keenan Many Birds with One Stone: Research Director // Center for Urban Real Estate Adaptation and Economic Development (CURE.), Columbia University Peter Lehner Scaling Up Energy in Low-Income Housing Executive Director // Natural Resources Defense Council Mary W. Rowe All Hands on Deck: Building a Resilience Director, Urban Resilience and Livability // The Constituency Municipal Art Society Andrew Yan Senior Urban Planner // BTAworks 50

Many Birds with One Stone: Adaptation and Economic Development MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS by Jesse M. Keenan

YC has the opportunity investments which have the potential and transitional labor economies to the to meet its most serious to positively impact a broader city- increased risk of heat waves and storm Nchallenges in terms of wide constituency. However, the surge, adaptation is about managing affordable housing, workforce most immediate impediment to the change not as a means of preventing diversification, educational attainment, challenges we face is one of language. system failure or preserving the status infrastructure deterioration, and quo but as a progressive stimulus for environmental risk by advancing Adaptation is not simply a responsive advancing institutional governance in measures and capacities framed by a strategy to climate change. It is a both the public and private sectors. comprehensive adaptation strategy. framework for proactively addressing The caveat is that strategies are only a series of accelerated challenges The lack of consistent heuristics as good as they can be acted upon in the human, built, and natural in the language of mitigation, and operationalized. This essay environments which have little to no coping, resilience, and adaptation argues that East River corridor is ripe historical precedent in their degree or is holding back the development for the application of policies and pace of relevancy. From aging society of comprehensive public sector regulations and timely private sector functions of an existing system or In related terms, resiliency is about investment decisions. Each word state of being. While the provision of responding to external stimuli to varies tremendously in its psychosocial emergency shelter and post-disaster maintain the status quo of existing orientation, time horizon, and psychological and financial counseling internal operations. While the status ontological disposition. So what is the are laudable actions, coping can very quo is often misapplied to notions of correct word? Adaptation. Adaptation often be grounded in an emotional community, all communities are in a denotes both a responsive action and response with its own rationality that— constant state of change in the face a capacity to act in the face of external like mitigation—often conflicts with of larger demographic and economic change which challenges the status the long-term logics of adaptation. changes—changes which are only quo. But, what makes adaptation accelerated by climate change. The different from the competing language question in political terms is how one is that it belies a progressive state guides and leads change as a matter of wherein the future state of being is “Adaptation is not simply social equity and fiscal stewardship. advanced—for the better—beyond its a responsive strategy A truly successful adaptation strategy predicate state. to climate change. It is one that mainstreams each of these 51 is a framework for concepts (mitigation, coping, and Mitigation holds perhaps the clearest resilience) into a comprehensive action conceptual distinction in that it speaks proactively addressing plan that weights and prioritizes to the prevention of the occurrence a series of accelerated risks and needs of existing and future of the external stimuli of change. challenges in the human, populations. However, mitigation is increasingly built, and natural loosing relevancy as an exclusive environments which have There is an argument to be made— matter of focus in that there is little in the efficiencies of density and doubt as to the probabilistic occurrence no or little historical proximity—that the future population of climate change. In contrast, coping precedent in their degree of NYC should be accommodated is a short-term responsive mechanism or pace of relevancy.” along the East River corridor. The for the preservation of the minimum East River is historically oriented in plan incidental to the commerce of the sea. However, the future of the corridor is best conceptualized in section. From the disintegrated waterfront to the post-industrial landscape, there is an opportunity to create and leverage value which serves to finance the underlying infrastructure itself. In this regard, infrastructure should be conceptualized to include not only the physical conventions as we know it but also affordable housing, which serves an equally compelling public 52 utility. Out of necessity, private investment should be accommodated to guarantee housing production that matches the income diversity of NYC’s ever evolving households. By focusing on the fundamental economics of value creation through waterfront investments, the city has the opportunity to utilize physical development for the advancement of human development.

More fundamentally, human development is about education and jobs. Moving inland, the post- industrial building stock provides the dual function of preserving historic notions of memory, as well as a low-cost alternative to the high-cost barrier of accommodating the space needs of entrepreneurs and educators. The domestication

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS of global best practices tells us that linking everything on the education continuum from technical education to post-doc research with emerging industries is a win-win By consistently formalizing the on investment for public and private for economic development. Students language and progressive intent of sectors vary significantly, the need for get access to training and experience, adaptation, the city has the opportunity focused leadership is one that unites and companies get access to a diverse to develop policies which enable all parties. By advancing strategic and innovative labor force. These the public and private sectors to adaptation measures and capacities hybridized zones from Sunset Park respond to a variety of interrelated that focus on value creation and to Long Island City represent a new challenges. This enabling function entrepreneurial advancement, the paradigm in the advancement of is critical for the advancement of Mayor of NYC has the opportunity to commerce and community. In this adaptation related investments which hit many birds with one stone. n sense, NYC has an opportunity to have the opportunity to recapitalize adapt not only to climate change but to the manufacturing, education and shifting labor economies. technology sectors. While the returns 53 54

Scaling Up Energy in Low-Income Housing by Peter Lehner MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS

nergy efficiency is the cheapest, More than half of low-income multi- insulation in walls and roofs, as well easiest, and fastest way to family buildings were built before as energy-efficient appliances and Emeet our energy needs, while building codes began to require energy- lighting, can make a big difference in also mitigating climate change and efficient windows, insulation, and both the quality of life and the cost of spurring economic growth. One of the appliances. Partially as a result of this living for low-income households. least developed and most significant energy inefficiency, low-income renters opportunities to scale up this critical pay a much higher share—as much Despite this large potential for energy resource is in low-income multifamily as 33% or more—of their income for savings, the affordable housing sector buildings. Doing so would not only electricity and gas, which means fewer has been viewed as too challenging for harness the multiple benefits of resources for critical expenses such as most utilities and mainstream lenders. efficiency, including reduced air food, transportation, and health care. Many of these challenges have to do pollution, a more resilient and reliable In addition, owners of low-income with the complexities of crafting a electric grid, and the creation of much- rental properties face higher costs, package of efficiency measures that needed jobs, but would also reduce the reducing their ability, among other will deliver deep savings in existing burdens of poverty by lowering basic things, to make other improvements buildings in the most cost-effective living costs and creating healthier, to the properties. Modest investments way—a task that is much more difficult more comfortable homes. in weather-tight windows and doors, than improving energy performance through increased energy efficiency, on their energy bills, but will also for new buildings, or upgrading to but also ensure that our building improve their quality of life and help high-efficiency models when replacing network is prepared for the potentially to address pervasive health issues that individual pieces of equipment, such as devastating impacts of such events— impact these communities. n heating and air-conditioning systems. especially in those populations that But others are specific to affordable are particularly vulnerable, such as the housing—lack of coordination with low-income community. bill-payment assistance programs, onerous qualification and enrollment Certain energy retrofits, as well as procedures, and cost-effectiveness tests measures to address moisture, would that inherently undervalue efficiency also help to reduce the levels of pests, in this sector. as they need water to live and air leaks to move around. Fewer pests means We can overcome the obstacles that fewer pesticides—chemicals that currently prevent increased investment further harm the health of low-income 55 in multifamily affordable housing residents. through strategic collaboration among the housing, utility and finance sectors, as well as through strategic local “Partially as a result of partnerships, including perhaps among the most important: local government. this energy inefficiency, The Mayor of New York City can play a low-income renters pay key role in increasing energy efficiency a much higher share—as in this sector, given the extensive low- much as 33% or more— income multifamily housing stock in of their income for the city, as well as the opportunity to make these investments in New York electricity and gas, which City Housing Authority buildings, means fewer resources for which house more than 400,000 New critical expenses such as Yorkers. Building upon New York food, transportation, and City’s strong leadership to date on scaling up energy efficiency in existing health care.” buildings, particularly through the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, the Energy-retrofitting low-income city can once again develop an effective multifamily housing is a key strategy and successful strategy that can serve for preserving affordable homes, as as a model for other cities around the well as achieving significant reductions country. in energy consumption and reducing greenhouse gases. It also provides In addition, energy efficiency reduces a key opportunity to invest in other operating expenses in multifamily improvements in this sector, such buildings, freeing up capital that can as measures to address health risks address maintenance repair needs or from moisture, mold, or pesticides. other necessary improvements, such The new Mayor of New York City as moisture management measures to should work with New York State and reduce mold— a pervasive problem our energy utilities to develop and in many low-income multifamily implement policies that ensure that buildings, which was greatly low-income residents benefit from exacerbated by Hurricane Sandy. As increased energy efficiency in rental extreme storms are likely to become housing, and that we are able to realize increasingly frequent and severe due additional reductions in energy use to our changing climate, it is all the in this underserved housing stock. more important that we not only do Establishing such policies will not only what we can to mitigate climate change save low-income New Yorkers money 56

All Hands on Deck: Building a Resilience Constituency by Mary Rowe and Andrew Yan

ighteen months into Super- Superstorm Sandy thrust into the and agencies, cultural and academic storm Sandy recovery, New spotlight tough questions about the institutions, neighborhood residents, EYorkers are still experiencing future of our city, a discussion not new experts, philanthropy, elected officials, the physical, social, and economic to the Municipal Art Society, which and the private sector, including MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS impacts of this severe weather event. convened extensively after 9/11 to financiers and insurers, as well as the Recovery continues, and resilience is ask what New Yorkers imagined for creative and entrepreneurial sectors— not built quickly. Though technically the recovery of the city. Once again, to generate innovation, and increase only a tropical storm when it made we need all hands on deck—City staff the capacities of neighborhoods and landfall, Sandy generated a 14-foot communities to place New York City on storm surge, causing extensive a path to becoming a global model for damage along the coastal shores “All Hands on Deck”: urban resilience. of New Jersey, New York, and “we . . . have a crucial Connecticut. The storm’s floodwaters Resilience is the ability of a system to impaired New York City’s physical role of mobilizing New sustain itself and quickly rebound from landscape, inundating homes, parks, Yorkers across all five shocks and stresses. The resilience of businesses, and infrastructure. It boroughs, across class urban systems, the interconnectedness disproportionately affected vulnerable and race and ethnicity between natural ecosystems, social populations located near the coast. networks, physical infrastructure, and And it impacted inland communities and neighborhood, to step neighborhoods, is deeply connected to and New York City neighborhoods by up to the challenges of the livability of our neighborhoods and disabling the mechanical and electric making resilience a part of the city as a whole. In order to create systems that underpin the city’s critical our daily lives.” a more livable city that enables all infrastructure. residents to adapt to change and thrive MAS’s work throughout 2013 proposed a Ultimately, New York City has an in everyday life, we must develop a mix framework for resilience that aggregated opportunity to foster an ecosystem of large-scale initiatives and granular the efforts, recommendations, and of innovation focused on resilience: innovations to mitigate against the ideas of multiple stakeholders and economic, social, cultural, and effects of unexpected challenges to the organizations, emphasizing the need environmental. To that end, the built environment. In other words, the for cross-coordination and inclusive new administration should invest quotidian benefits of resilience strategies collaboration between different in equipping and maintaining have the potential to increase a city’s levels of government, disciplines, and various forms of civic assets in local overall livability. recovering communities. By mediating neighborhoods which perform many diverse points of view and integrating different functions as community ideas from multiple arenas, civil “hubs,” both in times of crisis and How do we handle the legacy of siting society has the unique ability to bring recovery, as we saw post-Sandy, public and low-income housing on communities, the private sector, and but also during more routine times ecologically vulnerable sites? What are governments together to meet these when neighbors need shared spaces the new models to finance and operate challenges. And our efforts can’t to support common pursuits and the infrastructure improvements we so 57 only be about recovering from Sandy, needs [See “Making the Case for badly need, from a new Penn Station to because many more neighborhoods Civic Assets” in this volume page 34]. serve the commuter shed upon which are at risk of flooding, as the mapping Local planning capacity should be our economy depends, to a sustainable supplied here by Andrew Yan of developed and supported by the City solution to restore Jamaica Bay and Bing Thom Architect’s research and in neighborhoods, as our colleagues at protect the Far Rockaways? And how development department, BTAworks, the Pratt Center continue to advocate can these investments be made in an using NYC OpenData sets. for, and through resilience like the equitable and inclusive manner? MAS Livable Neighborhoods program,

NEW YORK CITY by borough ONE PERCENT FLOOD elevation SCENARIo Fema based flood elevation

Total Land Area Total Land Area % of Total Borough (in Square Miles) under Flood Elevation Land Mass Staten Island 58 11 19.5% Queens 1 09 17 15.8% Brooklyn 70 11 16.3% Manhattan 23 3 14.0% Bronx Bronx 43 4 9.9% Total 303 47 15.7%

Manhattan

Queens

Brooklyn

Staten Island

Data Source: NYC OpenData Map by: Andrew Yan, BTAworks NEW YORK CITY by general land use zoning Area under one percent flood elevation by square feet

400,000,000

350,000,000 Area Under a 1% FEMA Flood Elevation

300,000,000

250,000,000

200,000,000

150,000,000

100,000,000

50,000,000 58 -

Note: There is a slight variation in total land mass between zoning and land mass data sets Source: NYC OpenData When size by affected land use is examined, residential land uses dominate the affected land use types. (Andrew Yan, BTAWorks)

which equips community leaders fruition the same commitment to Special initiative for Rebuilding and to participate in building their own excellence that we aspire to in our Resiliency (SIRR) proposed a number resilience through City and State cultural life, in our public spaces, in of tangible actions, as did Governor planning processes, and even initiate our constant creation of a dynamic Cuomo’s 2100 Commission. And development to meet local needs. urban environment that is both livable the federal Hurricane Sandy Task Our flourishing design and tech and resilient. Force report stressed the importance

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS communities must be engaged directly of coordination across federal in the developing resilience solutions: departments and agencies. And we Many diverse stakeholders across the to explore what can be designed, are not lacking for political leadership city and region continue to weigh in invented, and made in New York as either, as the region’s mayors, on what our resilience priorities must cities around the world increasingly governors, and the HUD Secretary be. We agree on needing an integrated face similar challenges to which have each spoken repeatedly about the strategy that addresses both “hard” entrepreneurs can create critical tools resilience challenges ahead and their and “soft” infrastructure investments. to anticipate and respond. The new commitment to address them. The New York Academy of Medicine administration has an opportunity to is highlighting the needs to vulnerable engage all New Yorkers in generating populations and especially older As resilience has become a new solutions, by broadening the efforts adults; local associations of the buzzword, we need very good of NYC Economic Development planning and architecture professions memories that don’t allow us to forget Corporation and others to support continue their advocacy for important the risks we continue to harbor, that the economic development and job changes to building codes and Sandy made clear. The Rockefeller creation opportunities of creating planning standards, to prioritize Foundation’s commitment to urban resilient cities. We should be and remove obstacles to retrofitting resilience is a global one, urging setting the bar high: not settling for existing building stock, especially the cities—including ours—to install a compromised solutions but instead hundreds of multi-unit buildings in Chief Resilience Officer at City Hall challenging ourselves to bring to the revised flood zones. The City’s to keep the heat on, and tackle those resilience challenges that haven’t presented themselves yet. The City must be equipped and resourced to provide the essential coordination between initiatives, making sure New Yorkers can navigate the myriad programs, services, and initiatives that are our “new normal” after Sandy. We need systems to better share information and crowd-source solutions, potentially through an expanded 211 service.

Post-Sandy recovery funds are bringing to the city and the region that 59 surrounds it a “resilience dividend”. Civil society advocacy is crucial to ensuring these investments are not squandered, stalled in jurisdictional gridlock, but rather deployed as part of an integrated strategy. And we also have a crucial role of mobilizing New Yorkers across all five boroughs, across class and race and ethnicity and neighborhood, to step up to the challenges of making resilience a part of our daily lives.

As our forebears in the Netherlands continue to remind us, a coastal city lives with its water. But it’s not only about water: there are other specific resilience challenges before our non- coastal neighborhoods. As the new administration focuses on ways to address inequity by devising programs to incentivize affordable housing and economic development across the city, they must also strive to make neighborhoods more resilient and livable. This cannot be the purview of government alone, but requires the commitment of multiple sectors: public, private, corporate, community, and institutional. Together we must create a drumbeat for resilience, and put all hands on deck to create a resilient New York. n 60 MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS Contributors’ Biographies

Joan Byron Sandra A. García Betancourt Joan Byron leads Pratt Center’s research and advocacy work on issues of social, Sandra A. García-Betancourt is the Executive Director & CEO of Northern Manhattan economic, and environmental justice in New York City and beyond. Her current and Arts Alliance (NoMAA), an arts service organization with the mission to cultivate, recent projects include post-Sandy rebuilding and resilience; supporting the Queens support and promote the works of artists and arts organizations in northern Fairness Coalition’s campaign for Flushing Meadows Corona Park; Pratt Center’s Manhattan. Ms. García-Betancourt is also a poet and writer, author of the poetry book Transportation Equity atlas and campaign for a citywide Bus Rapid Transit network; Ombligo de Luna, and the plaquet “Memorias y Olvidos.” Her work has appeared in support of the Bronx River Alliance’s work to restore the Bronx River and build an several publications, most recently in Breaking Ground: Anthology of Puerto Rican 8-mile greenway along its banks; and, with the Southern Bronx River Watershed Women Writers in New York 1980-2012, edited by Dr. Myrna Nieves and published by Alliance, the campaign to replace the 1.25-mile Sheridan Expressway with waterfront Campana. Sandra holds a BA from Union Institute University in Vermont, and a MFA in housing and open space. creative writing in Spanish from NYU.

From 1989 through 2003, Joan directed Pratt Center’s nonprofit architectural practice Toni L. Griffin 61 in the design and construction of over 2,000 units of affordable housing, as well as community health, child care, and cultural facilities. Toni L. Griffin is Professor of Architecture and the founding Director of the J. Max Bond Center on Design for the Just City at the Spitzer School of Architecture at the Joan is a registered architect, and has taught in Pratt Institute’s undergraduate City College of New York. In addition to her academic involvement, Ms. Griffin also architecture program, and in its Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment. maintains an active private practice, Urban Planning and Design for the American She holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of City, based in New York. Through the practice, Toni recently served as Director the Government, and in 2012 was awarded a fellowship from the Urban and Regional long range planning initiative of the Detroit Work Project, and in 2012 completed Policy Program of the German Marshall Fund, for research on equity and the public and released Detroit Future City, a comprehensive citywide framework plan for realm in global cities. urban transformation. Prior to returning to private practice, Toni was the Director of Community Development for the City of Newark, New Jersey, where she was Alison CarndufF responsible for creating a centralized division of planning and urban design. Between 2000-2006, Toni served as Vice President and Director of Design for the Anacostia Alison Carnduff spent the spring of 2013 at MAS exploring the policy issues associated Waterfront Corporation in Washington, D.C., and held the position of Deputy Director with the disposition of civic assets and strategies for their preservation. Alison’s career for Revitalization Planning and Neighborhood Planning in the D.C. Office of Planning. spans 20 years working in the fields of housing, historic preservation, and adaptive Toni serves as a board member for the Institute for Urban Design and the New York reuse. Her prior roles include serving as CEO, Keen Development Corporation, based Committee of the Regional Plan Association. in Cambridge, MA, and Senior VP - Investments, Benchmark Senior Living, one of New England’s largest providers of housing and services for the elderly. Since late 2013, LANE HARWELL Alison has led Barrett & Company, a firm providing leadership and strategic planning workshops for both the private and non-profit sectors. Lane Harwell is an entrepreneur, educator, community organizer and former dancer working to advance New York’s arts and culture sector. Lane is currently Executive Adam Friedman Director of Dance/NYC, the leading organization serving more than 1,200 dance makers and companies in the five boroughs. He was previously the director of development at Adam Friedman is the third Executive Director of the Pratt Center for Community New York’s arts-wide advocacy group, the Alliance for the Arts. A product of the city’s Development. He was the founding executive director of the New York Industrial nonprofit community, Lane’s lifelong history in the arts also includes training at the Retention Network (NYIRN) in 1997, where he led efforts to strengthen the city’s School of American Ballet and a performance career with American Ballet Theatre manufacturing sector and promote sustainable development. Studio Company. He holds a MBA from Columbia Business School, a MA from the Beforehand Adam served as executive director of the Garment Industry Development University of California at Berkeley, and a BA from Princeton University. Lane chairs Corporation and director of economic development for Borough Presidents David the Municipal Art Society of New York’s Arts Committee and is a New York State Dinkins and Ruth Messinger. He has also taught urban planning courses at Pratt Council on the Arts’ panelist for the Regional Economic Development Councils. He also Institute and Columbia University. He is one of New York City’s leading advocates in chairs the Steering Committee for the New York Dance and Performance Awards (aka support of manufacturing and the employment opportunities it brings. the Bessie Awards) and is a member of the Steering Committee for the New York City Arts Coalition, the Policy Leadership Circle for the Cultural Strategies Initiative, and Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD the Advisory Group for One Percent for Culture. Lane is a current French-American Foundation Young Leader and a recent graduate of Coro New York Leadership Center’s Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, is a research psychiatrist at New York State Leadership New York (LNY24). Lane writes on government and arts issues for the Psychiatric Institute and a professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Huffington Post. Columbia University. She has conducted research on AIDS and other epidemics of poor communities, with a special interest in the relationship between the collapse of Steve Hindy communities and decline in health. From her research, she has published Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It, and Steve Hindy is Cofounder and Chairman of Brooklyn Brewery. A former Middle East The House of Joshua: Meditations on Family and Place. Her most recent book, Urban correspondent for the Associated Press, he is also a founding chairman of the Open Alchemy: Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities, was released by New Village Space Alliance for North Brooklyn and is director of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Alliance Press in June 2013. and the Brewers Association. Hindy has a master’s in teaching English from Cornell and he writes a monthly column for Crain’s New York Business. Contributors’ Biographies

Tony Hiss not-for-profit developers. Sophia is member of Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s New York Local Advisory Council, the National Parks Conservation Association’s Tony Hiss writes, lectures and consults about restoring cities and landscapes. He’s East Coast Advisory Council and a board member of the Harbor Foundation. She is a the author of thirteen books, including the award-winning The Experience of Place, graduate of Harvard Law School and Brown University. several books about his family, and, most recently, In Motion: The Experience of Travel. Tony’s next two books are about creating a continental-scale pattern for landscape conservation in North America, and about an innovative approach to healthcare in Peter Lehner rural Ecuador. He was a staff writer for The New Yorker for more than 30 years and Peter Lehner is the Executive Director of Natural Resources Defense Council since then has been a Visiting Scholar at New York University. Tony lives in Greenwich and NRDC Action Fund. NRDC, one the nation’s leading environmental advocacy Village with his wife, the novelist Lois Metzger, and their son, Jacob. His website is organizations with more than 1.3 million members and activists and 430 staff in www.howwetravel.org seven offices, works to protect people’s health and families, communities, jobs, and wild spaces by accelerating clean and efficient energy, transportation and protecting 62 Jesse M. Keenan our oceans, waters and homes from pollution. He is responsible for guiding NRDC’s policy positions, advocacy strategies, communications plans, development and Jesse M. Keenan is the Research Director for the Center for Urban Real Estate administration, and managing NRDC’s seven offices as well as leading the Action (CURE.) at Columbia University. Keenan is an internationally-recognized practitioner Fund’s political activities. Since Peter’s return to NRDC in 2006, NRDC has opened and academic who has advised governments and businesses on matters of housing, new offices in Beijing and Chicago, started the Center for Market Innovation, and real estate and technology. Keenan has previously held various appointments at the expanded both its policy and communications capacity. Previously, Peter served University of Miami, Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and the Joint as chief of the Environmental Protection Bureau of the New York State Attorney Center for Housing Studies, the University of Amsterdam and The Bauhaus Academy General’s office for eight years. He supervised all environmental litigation by the in Dessau, Germany. In bridging the art and science of the built environment, Keenan’s state, prosecuting a wide variety of polluters and developing innovative multi-state work includes several contributions to the Museum of Modern Art, New York and strategies targeting global warming, acid rain, and smog causing emissions. Peter has had works published by the Wharton Real Estate Review, the Cornell Real Estate previously served at NRDC as a senior attorney in charge of the water program. Before Review, Journal of Affordable Housing & Community Development Law, Harvard that, he created and led the environmental prosecution unit for New York City. Peter University, GSAPP Books, the American Bar Association, and John Wiley & Sons. holds an AB in philosophy and mathematics from Harvard College and is a graduate of Keenan holds a joint affiliation with TU Delft School of Architecture, Department of Columbia University Law School, where he continues to teach environmental law. He Real Estate and Housing and is Counsel to Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP. also has extensive experience in sustainable farming and green business.

Molly Rose Kaufman Richard Olcott Molly Rose Kaufman is a journalist and community organizer based in Orange, NJ. Richard Olcott is a partner in Ennead Architects. Acclaimed for design excellence, She currently serves as provost of the University of Orange, a free people’s university his award-winning work is grounded in the power of architecture to communicate that specializes in teaching urbanism, and she is the programming director at ORNG the values of contemporary society and to have a lasting and meaningful impact Ink, a youth-led, user driven arts collective. upon our culture. He creates buildings that are at once expressive of their missions and integral to their particular contexts. Recent projects include the Peabody Essex Stefan Knust Museum Expansion; Stanford University Bing Concert Hall; Anderson Collection at

MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS Stefan Knust is Director of Sustainability for Ennead Architects and a project Stanford University; Yale University Art Gallery Renovation and Expansion; Newtown architect with more than 20 years experience in the design and construction of Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant; William J. Clinton Presidential Center; WGBH complex institutional buildings that emphasize multi-use and public service. An early Headquarters; Williams College Paresky Center and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. background in retail, hospitality, institutional and commercial projects in both new and historic buildings provide him with an intimate understanding of the many intricacies MARY ROWE involved in significant urban work. Most recently he was a member of the Ennead Lab Mary W. Rowe is currently Director, Urban Resilience and Livability at the Municipal team recognized for Leading Innovation in Resilient Waterfront Development and Art Society of New York City (www.mas.org), a century-old advocacy organization named runner-up in the For a Resilient Rockaway (FAR ROC) design competition. A working to promote the livability and resilience of New York City through effective member of the American Institute of Architects and a LEED Accredited Professional, urban planning, land use, design and civic engagement. Mary directs resilience work Mr. Knust is also a certified US Passive House Consultant, and is a current steering at MAS, including convening and community engagement to build local resilience- committee member for AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE). He received a building strategies, and support of the regional Rebuild By Design, a collaborative Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies degree from the University of Illinois and initiative of the federal Hurricane Sandy Task Force with the RPA, Van Alen Institute a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania. and NYU’s Institute for Public Knowledge; and the MAS City Builders Global Network, a peer-to-peer learning platform connecting urban practitioners contributing to the Sophia Koven livability and resilience of cities around the world. Previously she spent five years Sophia Koven founded Gambit in 2010. She has focused on real estate development learning about granular approaches to urban innovation while supporting the New and strategic planning for fifteen years, serving a broad range of clients, including Orleans Institute for Resilience and Innovation, a loose alliance of initiatives that municipalities, environmental advocacy groups, entrepreneurs, and both private and emerged in response to the systemic collapses of 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Contributors’ Biographies

Katrina. Originally from Toronto, she has a particular interest in self-organization in Ronda Wist cities, as the underpinning of urban social, economic, cultural and environmental resilience, and is a contributor to several volumes on urban life. Ronda Wist joined MAS in November 2009, and currently serves as Vice President, Preservation & Government Relations. Ronda comes to MAS with 25 years of public Michael Royce sector experience, including ten years as the Executive Director of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and five years as the Director of Land Michael Royce is the Executive Director of the New York Foundation for the Arts Use Review at the New York City Department of City Planning. After her government (NYFA), a 42-year-old arts service organization that serves individual artists and arts work, she was a principal at HR&A Advisors. Ronda has a B.A. from Barnard College organizations. Formerly he was the Deputy Director of the New York State Council on and an M.S. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of the Arts. As a trustee, he has served on the Boards of New York Council of Nonprofits, Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She is the author of On Fifth Avenue: Then the Jersey City Museum, the Art Directors Club of New York and the Rebecca Kelley and Now (1992). Ballet. ANDrew YAN 63 Roy Strickland Andrew Yan is a senior urban planner with Bing Thom Architects and a researcher Roy Strickland is Professor of Architecture at the A. Alfred Taubman College of with BTAworks, the firm’s research and development division in Vancouver, British Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, where he served from Columbia, Canada. He has extensively worked in the non-profit and private urban 2001 to 2011 as the founding director of the Master of Urban Design Program. His planning sectors with projects in the metropolitan regions of Vancouver, San Francisco, urban design practice and research have engaged global cities such as New York, New York City, Los Angeles, and New Orleans in the areas of urban regeneration, data London, Tokyo, and Paris and include the design for a new city of 3.5 million people visualization, climate change, and public engagement. Andrew holds a Masters degree near Istanbul and a new medical university campus in Xi’an, China. He received his in Urban Planning from the University of California - Los Angeles and Bachelor of Arts B.A. from Columbia and his M.Arch. from MIT, joining the architecture faculty at both First Class Honours degree in Geography and Political Science from Simon Fraser universities before his appointment at Michigan. He currently serves on the editorial University He is also an adjunct professor with University of British Columbia’s School advisory board of the journal, Urban Design and Planning, Institute of Civil Engineers, of Community and Regional Planning. He is a registered professional planner with the London. Canadian Institute of Planners and a member of Vancouver City Planning Commission. ACKnowledgements

MAS Board of Directors Sophia Koven MAS Staff David W. Levinson Executive Director Chair Christy MacLear Margaret Newman Eugenie L. Birch Julie Menin Gregory Morey André Allaire President Julio Peterson Stacey Anderson Vin Cipolla Carlos Pujol Janet C. Ross Aisha Brown Erin Butler 64 Vice Chair David F. Solomon Susan K. Freedman Jerry I. Speyer Al Castricone Kent M. Swig Anne Coates Treasurer Yeohlee Teng Phyllis Samitz Cohen James M. Clark, Jr. Alison Tocci Lucas Cometto Thomas Vecchione Joanna Crispe Secretary Thomas L. Woltz Mike Ernst Frances A. Resheske William H. Wright, II Alana Farkas Gary J. Zarr Anastassia Fisyak General Counsel Aileen Gorsuch Earl D. Weiner, Esq. Geir Jaegersen Directors Emeriti Robert Libbey Raju Mann BOARD MEMBERS Maia Mordana Kent Barwick Brenda Parkerson David M. Childs Enid L. Beal Gloria Parris Joan K. Davidson Paul R. Beirne David Rivera Hugh Hardy Elizabeth Belfer Courtney Smith Philip K. Howard Serena Boardman Alexis Taylor John E. Merow, Esq. Gabriel Calatrava Mary Rowe MAS Presents : Ideas for New York’s New Leadership : Ideas for New York’s Presents MAS Frederic S. Papert Lisa Smith Cashin Karyn Williams Charles A. Platt Kathryn C. Chenault, Esq. Ronda Wist Whitney North Seymour Jr., Esq. Michael P. Donovan Stephen C. Swid Kitty Hawks Helen S. Tucker All photos by Giles Ashford Daniel Hernandez Manuela V. Hoelterhoff Michael B. Hoffman Frederick Iseman

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