Kathy Hochul

Second Avenue Subway extension to East Harlem gets funding boost from Biden administration

Image courtesy of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

November 6, 2023

Second Avenue Subway extension to East Harlem gets funding boost from Biden administration

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The plan to extend the Q train to East Harlem received a funding boost this weekend. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Saturday announced a $3.4 billion federal grant for the Second Avenue Subway extension, covering nearly half of the project's estimated total cost of $7.7 billion. The plan will extend the Q by 1.8 miles and connect its current endpoint at 96th Street on the Upper East Side to 125th Street in Harlem, with fully accessible stations between them at 106th and 116th Streets.
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Construction officially begins on Hudson River tunnel project

Photo courtesy of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office on Flickr

November 3, 2023

Construction officially begins on Hudson River tunnel project

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Work to replace a decaying rail tunnel under the Hudson River is moving ahead after receiving $3.8 billion in federal funding. Gov. Kathy Hochul, United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Chuck Schumer and other officials on Friday announced the start of the first phase of the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, part of the Gateway Program. This early phase of the project will create concrete casings for trains to travel under the Hudson River and through to Pennsylvania Station and will raise a section of road in New Jersey that will feed into the mouth of the new tunnel.
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Supportive housing development for homeless LGBTQ young adults opens in Harlem

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

October 25, 2023

Supportive housing development for homeless LGBTQ young adults opens in Harlem

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A new housing development with supportive services for LGBTQIA+ young adults opened in Harlem this week. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday the completion of Homeward Central Harlem, a residential project with 50 apartments and on-site services provided by Homeward NYC, a non-profit that provides housing and support for homeless New Yorkers. The nine-story building at 15 West 118th Street will offer counseling, case management, group activities, skills-building programs, and connections to community resources.
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New York approves three offshore wind projects in historic renewable energy investment

Photo courtesy of (vincent desjardins) on Flickr

October 25, 2023

New York approves three offshore wind projects in historic renewable energy investment

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New York is making the largest-ever state investment in renewable energy in the United States. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the state has awarded contracts for three new offshore wind farms that are expected to generate 4,032 megawatts of clean energy, lowering CO2 emissions by more than 7 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of removing 1.6 million cars from the road annually. The wind projects paired with 22 land-based renewable energy projects will create enough clean energy to power 2.6 million homes in New York, or 12 percent of the state's electricity needs.
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Major flooding disrupts NYC subway service as Hochul and Adams declare state of emergency

A 2018 storm. Photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office.

September 29, 2023

Major flooding disrupts NYC subway service as Hochul and Adams declare state of emergency

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Nearly every subway line is experiencing service disruptions on Friday morning as extreme rainfall and flooding slam New York City. In a post on X, formerly called Twitter, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said "there is only extremely limited subway service," with several lines suspended or partially suspended due to water on the tracks. In response to the heavy rainfall and extreme flooding, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday declared a state of emergency for New York City, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island.
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New York seeks proposals transforming Chelsea prison into affordable housing

Streetview of 550 West 20th Street © 2023 Google

September 27, 2023

New York seeks proposals transforming Chelsea prison into affordable housing

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New York State is moving forward with a plan to transform a former prison in Chelsea into affordable housing. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced a request for proposals (RFP) to redevelop the Bayview Correctional Facility at 550 West 20th Street into a residential development with affordable and supportive housing. The proposals for the 100,000-square-foot site near the High Line must have a minimum of 60 supportive housing units and 15 short-term transitional residences, according to the RFP.
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Work on Hudson River rail tunnel project could begin next month

President Biden joined Mayor Eric Adams in January 2023 to discuss the Hudson River Tunnel Project. Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 12, 2023

Work on Hudson River rail tunnel project could begin next month

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Work is finally moving forward on a project that will replace a dilapidated, century-old rail tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey. The Gateway Development Commission on Monday awarded the first contracts for construction on the New Jersey side of the $16.1 billion two-track Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP), with the first phase of the transformative plan expected to break ground as soon as October. The tunnel project is the main component of the $30 billion plan, the country's largest public works project currently underway.
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New York to prioritize ‘pro-housing’ localities for $650M in funding

Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

August 31, 2023

New York to prioritize ‘pro-housing’ localities for $650M in funding

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New York is moving forward with a plan to spur housing development across the state. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday officially launched the Pro-Housing Communities Program, an effort that will prioritize up to $650 million in funding to localities across New York that are committed to creating housing. As part of the initiative, certified Pro-Housing Communities will have priority over other localities when applying for funding through the program, which has begun accepting applications.
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Feds approve asylum seeker shelter at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field

Photo via Wikimedia

August 22, 2023

Feds approve asylum seeker shelter at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field

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Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field will be home to New York City's latest migrant shelter. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced a deal was reached for the federal government to provide New York State with a proposed lease of the former naval air station in Marine Park. The governor said the new Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Response Center (HERRC) will be able to house up to 2,000 single adult asylum seekers. While the governor initially requested that the federal government pick up the bill for constructing and staffing the shelter, the state agreed to cover the expenses, according to Gothamist.
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Redevelopment of historic armory in the Bronx moves forward

Photo courtesy of Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

August 8, 2023

Redevelopment of historic armory in the Bronx moves forward

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Plans to redevelop the historic Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx have been revived after nearly three decades of discarded plans. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday said a request for proposals will be issued next month to develop the landmark, which was built for military use in 1917 and has been largely vacant since the 1990s. In addition to a combined $200 million investment from the city and state, Adams and Hochul unveiled the "Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan," which includes the goals of the project as envisioned by the community and local stakeholders. With proposals due by the end of the year, construction could begin in 2027.
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400 units of affordable housing approved for 5 World Trade Center

Renderings of 5 World Trade Center courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

July 27, 2023

400 units of affordable housing approved for 5 World Trade Center

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The 900-foot-tall mixed-use skyscraper planned for 5 World Trade Center will include 400 units of affordable housing, a slight increase from the original proposal. After stalled negotiations, the Public Authorities Control Board on Thursday approved the mixed-use development at 130 Liberty Street, which calls for 1,200 new apartments, one-third of which will be permanently affordable to New Yorkers earning between 40 and 120 percent of the area median income. Plus, 20 percent of the affordable apartments will be offered to individuals who lived or worked in the neighborhood on September 11, including first responders and families of victims. Construction is scheduled to start next year, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
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Benefits of 421-a tax break extended to Gowanus developers

Photo by Danny Navarro / Flickr cc

July 19, 2023

Benefits of 421-a tax break extended to Gowanus developers

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Developers of certain residential buildings in Gowanus will qualify for a tax break with benefits similar to 421-a, the program which expired last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday. As part of an executive action issued by the governor, projects in the Brooklyn neighborhood that qualified for 421-a before it lapsed but won't meet the 2026 completion deadline would qualify for tax breaks. The order is one of several Hochul announced as a way to spur residential construction after state lawmakers failed to reach a deal on a housing plan.
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MTA announces 5 fare-free bus routes

Image courtesy of Patrick J. Cashin / Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Flickr

July 18, 2023

MTA announces 5 fare-free bus routes

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New York City is testing out free fares on bus routes in every borough this fall. As part of a pilot program launching in late September, five bus lines will be free to riders for between six and 12 months, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA announced Monday. The routes, which serve roughly 43,900 daily riders on an average weekday, were selected based on ridership, fare evasion, service quality, equity for low-income communities, and access to employment and commercial areas, according to the MTA.
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MTA moves forward with expansion of Second Avenue Subway

Rendering of the 125th Street entrance, looking south. All renderings courtesy of the MTA

July 6, 2023

MTA moves forward with expansion of Second Avenue Subway

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New York City is moving forward with its highly-anticipated expansion of the Second Avenue Subway. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is soliciting the first contract for the 1.5-mile extension of the Second Avenue Subway to 125th Street and unveiled new renderings of the project. The roughly $7 billion extension will connect the line's current endpoint at 96th Street on the Upper West Side to a new station at 125th Street in Harlem, with two more fully accessible stations created along the way at 106th and 116th Streets.
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Hochul drops office towers from Penn Station renovation plan

View of mid-block train hall facing south; Renderings Courtesy of FXCollaborative / WSP / John McAslan + Partners

June 27, 2023

Hochul drops office towers from Penn Station renovation plan

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The renovation of Penn Station will move forward without the construction of several skyscrapers, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday. The governor's plan to overhaul the busy transit hub originally called on the developer Vornado to redevelop 18 million square feet of the Midtown West neighborhood, including 10 new high-rise office towers, with the tax revenue generated helping fund the station overhaul. Now, Hochul says funding from the state and federal government makes it possible to move forward with the renovation without any development proceeds.
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Plan for better bus service to LaGuardia Airport rolls forward

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

June 26, 2023

Plan for better bus service to LaGuardia Airport rolls forward

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The board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last week approved $30 million in funding to plan and design better bus service to LaGuardia, officially kicking off a project to improve mass transit options to the Queens airport. Recommended by an expert panel in March, the plan involves scrapping the controversial AirTrain and instead improving the existing bus service and adding a new non-stop airport shuttle.
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Greenwich Village block named for LGBTQ rights activists Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer

Image courtesy of Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

June 21, 2023

Greenwich Village block named for LGBTQ rights activists Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer

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A Greenwich Village intersection has been co-named after the couple who won a historic battle in the U.S. Supreme Court for gay marriage rights. In a ceremony on Tuesday, the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North, right behind Washington Square Park's Arch, was renamed "Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer Way" in honor of the couple who lived on the corner for 43 years. In 2010, Windsor, who died in 2017, sued the U.S. government over a federal policy that barred same-sex married couples from claiming the estate of deceased spouses, which led the Supreme Court to grant same-sex married couples the same right to federal benefits as heterosexual married couples, according to Patch. Tuesday's ceremony coincided with what would have been Windsor's 94th birthday.
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Elevated pathway connecting the High Line and Moynihan Train Hall opens

Photos courtesy of © Andrew Frasz

June 21, 2023

Elevated pathway connecting the High Line and Moynihan Train Hall opens

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A new elevated pedestrian path connecting the High Line to Moynihan Tran Hall opens to the public this week. The 600-foot-long High Line-Moynihan Connector consists of two bridges, one full of lush landscape that runs along West 30th Street and another made of Alaskan yellow cedar wood that is suspended over Dyer Avenue. Officially opening on June 22, the $50 million project connects Manhattan West's public plaza to a pedestrian pathway at West 31st Street, allowing commuters to easily and safely access the train station and the rest of Midtown West.
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New York lawmakers fail to reach a deal on housing

Photo of New York State Capitol by wadester16 on Flickr CC

June 9, 2023

New York lawmakers fail to reach a deal on housing

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Despite New York lawmakers claiming they reached a deal on a comprehensive package of housing proposals, the state legislature has failed to pass any meaningful bills during this legislative session, as first reported by the New York Times. Negotiations between state Democrats and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday fell apart as the two bodies failed to reach a deal before the end of the legislative session on Friday. Lawmakers blamed Hochul for opposing their housing proposals, including those that protect tenants from eviction and major rent hikes, and the governor claimed lawmakers never presented her with any housing bills to approve.
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Green-Wood Cemetery’s $34M welcome center that wraps around historic greenhouse breaks ground

All renderings courtesy of Architecture Research Office (ARO) 

May 24, 2023

Green-Wood Cemetery’s $34M welcome center that wraps around historic greenhouse breaks ground

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Construction has begun on a new welcome center that will teach visitors about Green-Wood Cemetery's rich history. Located across from the cemetery's main entrance on 25th Street and Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn, the new $34 million Education and Welcome Center will feature two exhibition galleries for Green-Wood's art and archival collections, host educational events and programs, and serve as a hub for scholarly research, staff offices, and meeting and event spaces. The new building, which will be built around the historic Weir Greenhouse, will be completed by June 2025.
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$416M mixed-use development will bring 700 new apartments to Inwood

Renderings courtesy of the New York Governor’s Office

May 10, 2023

$416M mixed-use development will bring 700 new apartments to Inwood

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A massive mixed-use development project will bring nearly 700 mixed-income housing units to Upper Manhattan. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the two buildings, located at 405 and 407 West 206th Street in Inwood, will feature all-electric heating and cooling and other sustainable features to help the state reach its carbon reduction goals. The $416 million complex includes a mix of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, 281 of which will be reserved for residents earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income.
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NYC subway tops 4 million daily riders for the first time since March 2020

Photo by on Flickr

April 24, 2023

NYC subway tops 4 million daily riders for the first time since March 2020

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For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the New York City subway system served more than four million riders in a single day. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced the NYC subway system recorded 4,002,961 paid riders on April 20, the highest tally reached since March 12, 2020. OMNY, the transit system's contactless fare system, also set a single-day subway record on Thursday with 1,699,914 taps, representing 42.5 percent of the day's subway rides.
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New York lawmakers clash with Hochul’s housing plan in budgets

Photo courtesy of Darren McGee/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

March 15, 2023

New York lawmakers clash with Hochul’s housing plan in budgets

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The New York State Assembly and Senate on Tuesday released their budget proposals, which both deviate from the priorities of Gov. Kathy Hochul and set the stage for negotiations over the next two weeks. As first reported by City & State, the Senate's budget discarded some of Hochul's top goals, including the "New York Housing Compact," a plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next 10 years to address the state's looming housing crisis. The Senate did show support for "good cause" eviction protections and the creation of a Housing Voucher Program, two proposals omitted by the governor in the past.
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Plans for AirTrain to LaGuardia have been scrapped

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

March 14, 2023

Plans for AirTrain to LaGuardia have been scrapped

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Plans to build an AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport are officially dead after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Monday released the results of a 17-month-long analysis of mass transit options to the Queens airport. A panel of experts recommended the Port Authority abandon the proposed 1.5-mile elevated rail line and instead move forward with improving existing bus service and adding a new non-stop airport shuttle. Estimated costs for the bus options are just under $500 million, according to the report, compared to estimates of between $2.4 billion and $6.2 billion for light rail options.
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