A Platform for the Future of the City 2 013 American Institute of Architects New York Chapter A Platform for the Future of the City 2 013 American Institute of Architects New York Chapter Foreword As much as any other attribute, architecture, and design define New Our goal is to assert that design matters and that design excellence York and distinguish it from all other urban centers in the United can positively transform lives. Using “A Platform for the Future of the States and around the world. City” as a guide, the AIA New York Chapter seeks to engage civic and government leaders, along with the public, in the day-to-day dialogue Architecture and design play a role in the everyday life of all New about making our neighborhoods and institutions a model for the Yorkers from where and how we live and work, to the way we enjoy free nation and world. AIANY has identified the 2013 citywide elections time, teach our children, care for the elderly, and get around town. It is as the moment to advance the discussion about the connection important that New Yorkers have confidence in our infrastructure and of design and public policy. resiliency. Quality design of buildings and the public spaces between them increase property values and drive the desire to be here. The American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) is the voice of the architectural profession and serves as a watchdog, ombudsman, and guarantor of the importance of design in our city. New York is home to the largest community of design professionals of any major metropolitan area in the United States and ranks top Jill N. Lerner, FAIA Rick Bell, FAIA three in the world, with more than 40,000 people working in these 2013 President Executive Director fields. For this city to compete globally in attracting and retaining AIA New York Chapter AIA New York Chapter talent and business opportunities, elected leaders must envision the shape of the 21st-century metropolis. In concert with this chapter’s 26 program committees—with specialized knowledge ranging from the needs of the aging to the impacts of climate change—AIANY has created a policy platform of the most pressing issues facing our city’s built environment. “A Platform for the Future of the City” identifies challenges and proposes solutions including job-creating specific suggestions on affordable housing design, economic development of major projects, strategic suggestions for our waterfront and ideas on how to make our city healthier. III IV A Platform for the Future of the City American Institute of Architects Our Buildings New York Chapter A Platform for the Future of the City 1. Governance & Regulatory Reform New York is a global magnet. It delivers a quality of life that attracts and retains private investment and talented people. A major 2. Housing component of urban quality is the design of our buildings and public 3. Education spaces. It is important that New Yorkers have confidence in our infrastructure and resiliency especially in a post-Sandy environment. Employers locate companies based on availability of decent housing Our and schools, and the dependability of transportation and utilities. Neighborhoods Many choose New York as a place to live and work based on stand-out parks and first-class education, along with our economic and cultural vitality. 4. Urban Design The AIANY is the voice of the architectural profession. Over the 5. Transportation & Infrastructure past two decades we have played an important role partnering with 6. Open Space & Waterfront and advising city agencies on code changes, zoning improvements, sustainability initiatives, and infrastructure improvements. Architects find solutions to current challenges and design the future of the city. Our City For New York to compete globally, elected leaders must envision the shape of the 21st-century metropolis. We can assure that architectural excellence will continue to drive the city’s success. 7. The Architecture of Well-Being The “Platform for the Future of the City” comes from the expertise 8. Energy Efficiency & Sustainability and experience of our members, with specialized knowledge ranging 9. Risk & Reconstruction from the needs of the aging to the design of transportation facilities. The 30 issues in our “Platform for the Future of the City” include job-creating specific suggestions on affordable housing design, Our World economic development of major projects, and the global practice of architecture. Post-Superstorm Sandy strategic suggestions for our waterfront are equally critical, as are ideas about how to make our 10. Global Practice city a healthier and more friendly place for an aging and growing population. The issues are organized at right under four topic areas including: Our Buildings; Our Neighborhoods; Our City; and Our World. V6 VI7 Our Buildings: Governance & Regulatory Reform 4 Our Buildings Capital Program 1. Governance & The Challenge Capital funding has diminished during the past five Regulatory Reform fiscal years creating challenges to funding necessary capital improvements. Capital Program Why it Matters Streamlining Our growing city’s buildings, parks, sidewalks, and infrastructure are aging and need regular upkeep Concurrent Review to extend their lives and have a positive effect on quality of life. The Solution 325-329 West Broadway: New York, NY Beyhan Karahan & Associates Architects Assure that the capital funding Image Credit: Beyhan Karahan & Associates Architects program is a high priority. Narrative Streets and sidewalks make up 26% of the city’s land. With 1,700 parks, thousands of libraries, senior centers, youth centers, police precincts, fire houses, ambulance stations, hospitals, and more, the City has responsibility for a significant part of the urban fabric extending throughout all five boroughs. The capital program of the City of New York has diminished during the downturn of the last five years. It is imperative that the City maintain a strong commitment to its capital program and to promoting design quality in its civic architecture. 2 A Platform for the Future of the City Our Buildings: Governance & Regulatory Reform Concurrent Streamlining Review The Challenge The Challenge Streamlining of municipal government is currently The NYC Development HUB has been successful in its being done on an agency-by-agency basis rather than mission, already generating more than a billion dollars in a unified and cohesive manner. in economic activity, but the current program can be too easily undone. Why it Matters Often projects require sequential applications to multiple Why it Matters agencies, and therefore streamlining one agency does There is a need to speed up the approval of applications not solve the whole problem. and coordinate regulatory review to unlock billions of dollars of economic activity. The Solution Create the position of Deputy Mayor The Solution of Design & Planning to coordinate Commit to making the HUB municipal agencies toward a goal permanent, more inclusive, and more of greater efficiency. focused on economic development. Narrative Narrative The City of New York has a major role in supporting Review processes need to be further streamlined to design quality in both the public and private sectors. bolster design and construction employment. Doing Agencies such as the Department of City Planning, concurrent rather than consecutive reviews at multiple Buildings Department, Housing Preservation and municipal agencies having jurisdiction over the planning Development, and the Landmarks Preservation and building process would make an enormous difference Commission have different goals and report to different in creating jobs quickly. Efforts such as City Planning’s Deputy Mayors. They lack coordination and are perceived BluePRint and the Building Department’s HUB should as obstacles to the development process. Effectiveness be coordinated and expanded to include more projects would be improved if design and development agencies citywide without diminishing staff from the borough offices. were under the responsibility of a single Deputy Mayor. 3 4 Our Buildings: Housing 4 Our Buildings Housing Demand 2. Housing The Challenge Housing for New York’s growing population is not adequately Housing Demand made possible by use of the current Zoning Resolution. Unit Size Why it Matters Parking New York City is fast approaching a population of 8.5 million people, which will increasingly strain the current housing stock. The Solution Allow zoning text changes to increase Via Verde – The Green Way: Bronx, NY the potential full residential build-out Dattner Architects and Grimshaw Image Credit: David Sundberg/Esto of the 1961 Zoning Resolution. Set a goal for additional housing/apartment units in the next 10 years. Narrative With a population approaching 8.5 million people, there is an increasing demand for housing. If built-out to the currently allowed zoning envelope, 12 million people could be accommodated. As the population increases, we need to consider ways to build more housing, consistent with the allowable limits of the 1961 Zoning Resolution. The new housing objective should be at least 100,000 units in 10 years, and, perhaps as many as 170,000 apartments. At least half of the units should be new construction. Sites for new growth need to be identified. 6 A Platform for the Future of the City Our Buildings: Housing Unit Size Parking The Challenge The Challenge Housing stock doesn’t sufficiently address changing The parking requirements in the Zoning Resolution demographics in New York City. sometimes result in construction of more costly buildings, making production of affordable housing more difficult. Why it Matters Only 17% of the population lives in a household with two Why it Matters parents and a child under the age of 25. Zoning does not Required parking spaces often sit empty, using valuable permit the creation of units that meet current needs. FAR and driving up the cost of construction. That space could be better used to create more housing units.