Mayor de Blasio and Council Member Rose Celebrate Adoption of Bay Street Neighborhood Rezoning

June 26, 2019

NEW YORK – Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Debi Rose today celebrated the City Council’s approval of the Bay Street Corridor Neighborhood Plan. Years in the making, this plan will spur the development of as many as 1,000 new jobs, 1,300 affordable homes, investments in parks, schools, sewers, and a new Cromwell Recreation Center. With today’s vote, each borough is now home to at least one comprehensive neighborhood plan

“The Bay Street Neighborhood Plan will create a more affordable neighborhood that opens the doors of opportunity to all its residents. This plan will bring two new schools, 1,300 affordable homes, sewer and utility upgrades, a brand new Cromwell Recreation Center and more to Bay Street. I thank Council Member Rose for her partnership and fierce advocacy on behalf of all Staten Islanders,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“The era of haphazard or nonexistent planning on Staten Island is over. After four years of public meetings, planning and negotiations, we have a long-term blueprint for Bay Street that will eventually transform it to a vibrant, diverse, walkable neighborhood, affordable to a wide range of income levels, with all the amenities residents deserve,” said Council Member Debi Rose. “The road to this agreement was a long one, but it brought us a $250 million infusion of public investment, including a $92 million Cromwell Center, open space, a waterfront esplanade, two new schools and much more. I thank everyone who has worked with us to create a plan that will provide long-term opportunities for our children and grandchildren to live, work and play.”

The Bay Street Neighborhood Plan represents $250 million in investments in housing, public space, waterfront access, education, transportation, economic development and infrastructure.  Of that total funding, more than $100 million is new City funding for various projects and initiatives. These investments come on top of more than $1 billion in public and private investments being made within walking distance of the Bay Street Corridor. 

Under the plan:

• Approximately 2,600 new homes are projected, with more than 450 permanently affordable homes through Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and 850 affordable homes on city-owned sites
• The City will protect existing tenants through free legal, rental and financing assistance, help move homeless families into permanent housing, aid low income homeowners make critical repairs to their homes and more
• Zoning changes will foster a lively downtown through additional community facility and commercial uses, including retail, offices and restaurants. These economic opportunities could create around 1,000 new jobs
• All developments financed by HPD will include local hiring incentives
• The City is helping local businesses thrive with over $1.5 million granted to community-based partners for district marketing, public events, sanitation and beautification efforts, and merchant organizing

The City is bringing a wide range of infrastructure investments to the North Shore through the Bay Street Corridor Plan, including the reconstruction of the Cromwell Recreation Center at the site of Lyons Pool. This $92 million project will bring an invaluable resource back to the community.

"The Bay Street Neighborhood Plan exemplifies our mission to be the 'Fairest Big City,'" said Deputy Mayor Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. "Every Staten Islander will benefit from our investments in growing this neighborhood holistically and sustainably. The new housing, employment opportunities, school seats, open space, infrastructure improvements, and rebuilt recreational center will ensure that that Bay Street remains a vibrant neighborhood."

“Imagine a livable, walkable, vibrant downtown emerging along the spectacular beauty of the Staten Island’s North Shore waterfront, stretching from St. George to Stapleton. That’s the promise of the Bay Street Corridor Plan. Investments in affordable housing, new businesses and jobs, parks (including a new Cromwell Center) – they augur a brighter future for Staten Islanders, their children and generations to come. Huge thanks are due to the City Council, and most especially the leadership of Council Member Debi Rose. We are also indebted to the many Bay Street area communities who invested countless hours, sharing their invaluable insights throughout the creation of this Plan and the public review of the Bay Street Corridor rezoning,” said DCP Director Marisa Lago.

“This plan is the result of a thoughtful evaluation of community needs in the Bay Street area, and will deliver 1,300 new affordable homes to the neighborhood. Thanks to extensive coordination and engagement with the community, Bay Street residents will soon reap the benefits of necessary infrastructure upgrades that will enhance this area of Staten Island and comprehensive neighborhood investment that will bolster economic development well into the future.” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “I commend the Mayor on his vision and thank all of the parties involved, especially Council Member Rose, for their support in growing the Bay Street community in an equitable and sustainable way.”

“The Housing Dignity Coalition is pleased to have a more equitable rezoning which will bring affordable housing to a neighborhood which is in desperate need of it. From day one, we have said that this rezoning needs to serve everyone, including the neediest families on Staten Island. This rezoning will do just that. In a city which has a housing crisis, this rezoning will bring over 1,000 affordable units through MIH and public sites. None of this would have been possible without Councilmember Rose’ leadership and the valiant effort of the members of our coalition,” said Ivan García, Neighborhood Rezoning Coordinator for Staten Island at Make the Road NY.

To keep pace with additional development, $15 million will go to upgrading sanitary sewers in and around the Bay Street rezoning area, plus another $45 million for new sewers, streets and utilities at the New Stapleton Waterfront. A comprehensive drainage plan will monitor underground infrastructure needs and a storm-water management study will plan for future sea-level rise.

Other public realm investments for Bay Street include:

• The completion of the Tompkinsville Esplanade, creating a continuous, relaxing waterfront esplanade between Lighthouse Point and the New Stapleton Waterfront
• 12 acres of open space at the New Stapleton Waterfront, with a comfort station; playground; basketball, volleyball and pickle ball courts; bocce; a dog run; barbecue grills and a picnic area
• Repairs to Tappen Park, including improvements to historic Village Hall
• A new public school at the New Stapleton Waterfront and a new elementary school at 155 Tompkins Avenue. Funding for 1,776 school seats has been dedicated for the North Shore.
• More than $39 million in pedestrian and intersection improvements along the Bay Street Corridor.

Transportation plans for the area include:

• More than $4 million of improvements to areas around Tompkinsville and Stapleton stations
• Implementation of a traffic monitoring plan to ensure mitigation of  adverse impacts on traffic and pedestrian conditions as development occurs
• Commitment to work with future developers and the City’s Board of Standards and Appeals to ensure strategic widening of Bay Street as development occurs
• Real time passenger information at MTA bus stops
• Streetscape improvements along Bay Street