New York City Council – Commercial Observer

City Councilman Carlos Menchaca suspended his mayoral campaign this week, but plans to run for public office again in the future after his current term ends this year.

Design + Construction · Policy

Industry City Foe Carlos Menchaca Talks Zoning and Housing Policy

By Rebecca Baird-Remba

Developers of new hotels in New York City would have to go through the city's special permit process in order to build if the citywide hotel text amendment is approved.

Design + Construction · Policy

Controversial NYC Hotel Amendment Gets Its First Public Hearing

By Rebecca Baird-Remba

New York City restaurant

Politics & Real Estate

NYC Restaurants’ New 10 Percent COVID-19 Surcharge Could Prove Boon for Owners

By Nicholas Rizzi

NYC Delivery Driver

Politics & Real Estate

NYC’s Cap on Delivery App Fees to Continue Until After Indoor Dining Returns

By Nicholas Rizzi

"Occupy City Hall" protesters pushing for less police funding and more funding for social safety net programs face off with the police near City Hall in Manhattan this morning.

Design + Construction · Coronavirus

City Council Approves Budget With Big Cuts for Housing and Public Construction

By Rebecca Baird-Remba

Grubhub Delivery Driver

City Council Caps Delivery App Fees at 20 Percent During Emergencies

By Nicholas Rizzi

Mayor Bill de Blasio

Coronavirus · Politics & Real Estate

City Halts Rezoning Process While Politicians Call to Stop Construction Projects

By Nicholas Rizzi

A report by the City Comptroller's Office found that the amount of vacant retail space around the city nearly doubled from 2007 to 2017.

Politics & Real Estate

Retail Vacancies in New York City Have Doubled Since 2007: Comptroller

By Nicholas Rizzi

A new City Planning report found that there's not a “pervasive vacancy problem” for storefronts citywide.

Retail Vacancies Not a Citywide Problem, Study Shows

By Nicholas Rizzi

The New York City Council passed a bill requiring landlords to notify the city if there storefronts are vacant or occupied.

New Law Adopted by the City Council Will Make Number of Vacant Storefronts Public

By Nicholas Rizzi

Councilman Justin Brannan introduced a bill in the City Council would make sharing location data illegal.

New Bill Could Make It Illegal to Sell Location Data in New York City

By Nicholas Rizzi

One Bryant Park was considered one of the city's most efficient skyscrapers when it was finished in 2009. New city legislation will force its owners, the Durst Organization, to figure out how to dramatically reduce their energy usage or face a $2.5 million annual fine.

Design + Construction · Construction

How a New Law Promises to Make NYC’s Greenest Buildings Obsolete

By Rebecca Baird-Remba

The City Council just introduced a controversial piece of legislation that aims to reduce New York City's carbon emissions by forcing landlords to retrofit large buildings.

Design + Construction · Features

How a Controversial Piece of Legislation Aims to Make NYC’s Big Buildings Greener

By Rebecca Baird-Remba

The City Council has been considering a bill supporters hope will keep small businesses from shuttering but opponents feel is a form of rent control.

Leases · Features

Survival Mode: City Council Mulls Law to Overhaul Commercial Lease Renewals

By Nicholas Rizzi

Marc Holliday

Leases · Office

SL Gravy: NYC’s Largest Office Landlord Meets 2018 Leasing Goal With Months to Spare

By Rey Mashayekhi

Mayor Bill de Blasio's commitment to affordable housing development has been warmly received by city developers and real estate interests.

Features · Policy

On the Home Front: The Mayor and REBNY’s Unlikely Alliance on Affordable Housing

By Aaron Short

Public officials including (from left) Gale Brewer, Bill de Blasio and Ben Kallos supported the New York City Council's passage of legislation reforming the city's Board of Standards and Appeals.

Design + Construction · Features

City Council Seeks to Reform the ‘Most Powerful Agency That No One Has Heard of’

By Rey Mashayekhi

City Point in Downtown Brooklyn.

Features · Neighborhoods

Is ‘DoBro’ Finally Happening?

By Larry Getlen