Two Bronx Gang Members Charged With Murder

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JUSTIS COLON and ARIEL MARTINEZ with racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, murder with a firearm, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and other firearms offenses relating to COLON and MARTINEZ’s participation in the murder of Joshua Garcia and the non-fatal shooting of two other victims on April 23, 2022, in the Bronx, New York. 

COLON and MARTINEZ were taken into federal custody from state custody and will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As alleged, the defendants participated in a gang shooting that killed Joshua Garcia and left two other victims injured.  We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said:  “The fusillade of bullets that killed Joshua Garcia in April and wounded two other victims is a level of violence that shocks the conscience and can never be accepted.  Now, thanks to our determined investigation, the two alleged gang members charged in this case will face swift and meaningful punishment – a message to anyone else considering such violence on our city streets.  I commend our NYPD investigators, together with the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, for their work in this important case.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal Court:[1]

From at least 2014 to 2022, JUSTIS COLON, a/k/a “Jus Blaze,” a/k/a “JB,” a/k/a “Bin Laden,” and ARIEL MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Rel,” were members or associates of a gang based in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the Bronx known as “670.”   

In order to fund the 670 gang, protect and expand its interests, and promote its standing, members and associates of 670 committed, conspired, attempted, and threatened to commit acts of violence against rival gang members, including murder and assault; conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including heroin, “crack” cocaine, oxycodone, and marijuana; committed check fraud and unemployment fraud; committed commercial burglaries; and obtained, possessed, and used firearms, including by brandishing and discharging them. 

On April 23, 2022, during a shooting at rival gang members, COLON and MARTINEZ shot and killed Joshua Garcia and wounded two other victims in the vicinity of 1713 Clay Avenue in the Bronx, New York.

COLON, 25, and MARTINEZ, 23, both of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a statutory maximum sentence of death or life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison; two counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison; and two counts of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, during which the firearm was brandished and discharged, which each carry a statutory maximum of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.    

The minimum and maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the NYPD.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Office of the Bronx District Attorney for its assistance.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

MAYOR ADAMS’ STATEMENT ON BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S NEW MIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PROCESS FOR VENEZUELANS

 

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today released the following statement on the Biden administration’s new migration enforcement process for Venezuelans:

 

“While details are still emerging, this federal action is a short-term step to address this humanitarian crisis and humanely manage the flow of border crossings. But a long-term and proactive strategy is still needed, which includes Congress both passing legislation that will allow asylum seekers to legally work and providing emergency financial relief for our city. And, ultimately, we additionally need a bipartisan effort to deliver long-awaited immigration reform so we can offer people a safe, legal path to the American dream. We are grateful to President Biden and his administration for our ongoing dialogue to address this humanitarian crisis and look forward to continuing to work closely with them moving forward.”

 

Comptroller Lander Calls for Federal Receiver at Rikers Island, Citing Rising Violence and Deaths

 

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander called on the federal judge overseeing the consent decree over operations at the Rikers Island jail facilities to institute a federal receiver empowered to make the operational and management reforms necessary to address rising violence, absenteeism, missed medical appointments and rising deaths at Rikers Island. Lander is the first citywide elected official to support receivership.

Speaking at a virtual forum Thursday titled How to End the Crises on Rikers Island, Comptroller Lander highlighted ongoing staff absenteeism, high rates of violence, and 32 deaths since January 2021.

“Admittedly with some trepidation, I have come to the conclusion that to address the short-term crisis – which is rooted largely in deeply entrenched mismanagement of staff and union leadership recalcitrance – a receiver should be appointed,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “A receiver will not be able to magically fix what has been broken at Rikers for decades. But a receiver would be empowered to make decisions that the City has failed to adequately contend with for many years, whether by lack of will or through inability due to legal, regulatory or other barriers. To change the systems for assigning staff to posts, to end the abuse of sick leave, to change some of the qualification for hiring, to procure repairs and services and goods more promptly.”

“After so many years, and through the pandemic, the dysfunction has grown into an intractable emergency. There is little reason to believe that the current system or management can reform itself, and a receiver outside of many of those barriers holds the most chance of enacting the necessary changes for the basic safety of people incarcerated and staff,” Lander continued.

The Comptroller emphasized the importance, irrespective of the court’s ultimate decision, to expedite the closure of Rikers Island. “Receivership should not be confused as a “fix” for what is broken at Rikers. While we must address the immediate and inescapably real safety threats both to individuals in custody and to staff, we must not lose focus on the hard but necessary work to close Rikers Island,” he continued.  

The Comptroller’s full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available here.

The Department of Correction is on the Comptroller’s Watch List and has been closely monitored by the Comptroller’s Office since 2014. In August 2022, Comptroller Brad Lander published an oversight and accountability dashboard to provide detailed, timely metrics for the press and public to assess progress on addressing ongoing management issues at DOC, including staff absenteeism, rates of violence, and the rising incarcerated population that perpetuates the chaos of the City’s jail system. That dashboard is available here and is updated regularly.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Tour De Bronx is Back!

 

Dear Neighbors,

Tour De Bronx, the tristate area’s most beloved cycling event, is back to celebrate its 28th year!

Today, the Office of the Bronx Borough President will join with the Bronx Tourism Council, and Montefiore Einstein, Transportation Alternatives, Essen Health Care, Village Care, and other sponsors to announce the official kick-off of Tour De Bronx 2022.

Tour De Bronx is an annual free cycling event offering riders a 25-mile course through historic districts, beautiful waterfronts, and lush greenways while passing through neighborhoods rich in culture and diversity. The annual event attracts both skilled and beginner cyclists while encouraging alternative modes of transportation and fitness in the Borough. The ride will officially begin on October 23rd at 10 AM on 161^st Street and the Grand Concourse and conclude with a free festival and concert at the New York Botanical Garden.  

Despite being significantly downsized as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has only grown in popularity. This year it will be open to 1,000 riders from across the borough and tristate area and to accommodate its growing popularity, virtual self-guided 10 and 40-mile ride options will also be available to cyclists on October 24^th. 

Join us today for the launch of Tour De Bronx 2022!

See you there,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

MAYOR ADAMS, GOVERNOR HOCHUL UNVEIL PLAN FOR FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND JOB AND EDUCATION HUB FOR GROWING HEALTH SECTOR

 Historic Investment from City and State, in Partnership With CUNY, Will Ensure New York City Becomes Global Leader in Accessible Life Science and Public Health Careers

 

New, State-of-the-Art Brookdale Campus Will Create Career Pipeline for New York City Students and Anchor Life Sciences Industry

 

New Project Delivers on Commitments from Mayor Adams’ Blueprint for NYC’s Economic Recovery and State of the City Address

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled plans for the Science Park and Research Campus (SPARC) Kips Bay, a job and education innovation hub that will be the first-of-its-kind in the state. Driven by an historic investment from the city and state, SPARC Kips Bay will help New York City become a global leader in creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health by creating a pipeline from local public schools to careers in these growing and essential fields.

 

Through a partnership with The City University of New York (CUNY), SPARC Kips Bay will generate approximately $25 billion in economic impact to the city over the next 30 years; create 10,000 jobs, including 2,000 permanent jobs; and transform Hunter College’s Brookdale Campus on East 25^th Street and First Avenue into new, state-of-the-art teaching and commercial facilities. This project will transform an entire city block — with over 1.5 million square feet of academic, public health, and life sciences space, more than doubling the life sciences footprint in Kips Bay — and rebuild a new accessible pedestrian bridge on East 25^th street connecting to the East River and Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.

 

This public-private partnership delivers on commitments from Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery” and his first State of the City address delivered in April. It also follows a series of actions taken in the first months of the Adams administration to invest in and plan the future of the city and the region’s life sciences industry — the country’s leading region for life sciences jobs and funding — particularly in Kips Bay, where the life science ecosystem has seen over $2 billion in investment in the last 15 years.

 

“This new Science Park and Research Campus in Kips Bay will be not only a hub for the life sciences industry and an anchor for the neighborhood, but also a bridge to the future for our city’s young people,” said Mayor Adams. “SPARC Kips Bay will transform an entire city block into a state-of-the-art destination for the life sciences industry and be a place where workforce development, economic opportunity, and public health come together seamlessly — attracting businesses and uplifting New Yorkers to bring our city back stronger than ever with $25 billion in new economic activity for our city over the next three decades. Thank you to all our partners for the vision and teamwork to ‘Get Stuff Done.’”

 

“Thanks to this agreement with the city, SPARC Kips Bay will give New York’s life sciences sector a major boost, creating thousands of high-paying jobs, investing in education, and making New York the place where miracles are made,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration remains laser-focused on saving lives and making New York the home of the transformative fields of the future, and with this project, we will achieve both of these goals at the same time.” 

 

“COVID-19 proved how important New York’s public hospitals, research institutions, and CUNY are to the survival and well-being of our city. As a result, it is fitting that Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams have teamed up with CUNY to transform Hunter College’s Brookdale Campus into a public health and education hub to better meet the needs of our students, faculty, and all New Yorkers,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Each year, CUNY enrolls about 40,000 students in health and human services programs, and this state-of-the art facility will prepare them to work in New York’s growing life sciences and public health sectors as well as create much-needed jobs in these fields to help our economy. CUNY is proud to be a part of this partnership, which will help New York recover from the pandemic equitably.”

A conceptual rendering of the SPARC Kips Bay campus. Courtesy: New York City Economic Development Corporation

Map of the Kips Bay Science District, including the SPARC Kips Bay campus. Courtesy: New York City Economic Development Corporation

SPARC Kips Bay will cultivate the next generation of the scientific research and health care workforce, creating a single campus with space for the New York City Department of Education (DOE), CUNY, health and biotech companies, and public health institutions — providing pathways to good-paying careers for New York City high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students. CUNY will specifically offer accessible degrees and continuing education programs in public health and medical research, including for the many young New Yorkers inspired by COVID-19 responders and researchers who helped develop vaccines.

 

Career opportunities will range from doctors and nurses to biochemists and engineers, as well as a variety of supporting roles in the life sciences and health care fields, like business managers, lawyers, and administrative assistants. With the development of new talent will come new research, translating to more companies, jobs, medicines, and advanced technologies, which will ensure New York City remains the leader in developing treatments and cures for some of the most pressing public health challenges of the time.

 

Additionally, SPARC Kips Bay will be critical in building a more dynamic and resilient New York City economy. New York City’s health care sector employs over 750,000 New Yorkers, and the metropolitan area’s life sciences sector is a rapidly growing industry with nearly 150,000 additional jobs last year. The city estimates the project will create about 2,000 good-paying, quality jobs just in the campus’ new commercial lab space, which will attract new companies and startups, leading to additional good-paying jobs in the health care and life sciences fields. Construction of the campus will create an additional 8,000 good-paying construction jobs.

 

“This is truly a transformative project that creates state-of-the-art space for high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students, public health institutions, and biotech companies,” said First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo. “It will provide a pathway to career opportunities for generations of New Yorkers.”

 

“Today marks the beginning of a new era of opportunity for our city and our people. The transformational new campus at SPARC Kips Bay will bring together academia with industry and help New York City become the world’s leading city for life sciences and public health,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “With the combination of programs and spaces planned on-site, we have a truly unique opportunity to put local talent at the center of the inspiring and impactful work happening in life sciences, health care, and public health and equip them with the training they need to enter these careers.”

 

“The SPARC Kips Bay campus will help attract and retain the best and brightest in the health and life sciences fields,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “It will be the home of innovation and collaboration and the heart of instruction for generations of professionals to come in these increasingly important disciplines. Thank you to the teams across the city and the state as well as the science and business communities for coming together to put these plans into practice.”

 

“SPARC Kips Bay represents a path-breaking approach to economic development in New York City where we create clusters in which commerce and schools work side-by-side to provide career pathways for CUNY and DOE students in the innovative sectors of today and tomorrow,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “This is not just an entirely new way of delivering economic development but also a tremendous partnership with the state. Together, we are creating an unprecedented pipeline of diverse talent that will prepare our city for future health emergencies while advancing new medicines, medical devices, innovative therapies, and other products to help treat sick people and improve their lives and care. NYCEDC is confident this historic investment will grow the health and life sciences sectors, diversify our economy, and support its resiliency long-term.”

 

“NYC Health + Hospitals is proud to be a part of SPARC Kips Bay as we expand Bellevue Hospital’s primary care clinics and add a new clinical simulation center for our employees and CUNY students,” said NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our health system will play a dynamic part in this new campus as we engage our patients and future nurses and physicians.”

 

“Providing our students with a clear pathway to and preparation for a rewarding career and long-term economic security is our North Star,” said DOE Chancellor David C. Banks. “SPARC Kips Bay will be a result of unprecedented collaboration between our public schools, CUNY, neighboring health and biotech industries, and public health institutions to provide meaningful career pathways for our high school students. I am thrilled that this opportunity will help prepare more of our students for the 21^st-century economy and the opportunities of the future.”

 

“Kips Bay has been home to OCME for more than a century, and, with our new forensic pathology center, we are excited to launch the next chapter for this neighborhood as a global hub for discovery and innovation in forensic science,” said New York City Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jason Graham. “Our state-of-the-art facility will support doctors and scientists serving New Yorkers at the intersection of public health and safety and ensure that we continue to lead the country in producing board-certified forensic pathologists at a time when this medical subspeciality is critically needed.”

 

“The New York City region is leading the nation in life science jobs, and, with this project, we will continue to run up the score,” said Department of City Planning Director and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick. “This new hub is perfectly situated in a health care corridor that includes hospitals, labs, schools, and public health facilities, in a city that has all the talent to bring new innovations to life. This is transformative for the neighborhood and a huge win for New York.”

SPARC Kips Bay will be anchored by new, modern facilities for over 4,500 students from the Hunter College School of Nursing and School of Health Professions, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, and the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s multiple health care programs. The hub will also feature:

 

• An H+H/Bellevue ambulatory care center that will offer screenings, same-day procedures, diagnostics, and preventive care;
• An H+H simulation training center that will allow CUNY students and others to simulate patient scenarios, utilizing mock operating rooms and labor and delivery rooms;
• A DOE high school providing hands-on learning in health care and sciences to prepare students for careers in these growing sectors;
• A new Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) Forensic Pathology Center, which will be a nation-leading training facility for forensic pathologists, with a 24/7, year-round operational schedule; and
• A new commercial office and wet lab development for the life sciences industry.

 

New York City has a proven track record of catalyzing industry growth and attracting new business investments by creating or expanding higher education institutions. Opened in 2017, the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island has served as a major generator of tech and engineering talent and helped grow the tech workforce in New York City to more than 330,000 people. Similarly, the Center for Urban Science and Progress — launched in 2012 in partnership with New York University — established a top-tier applied science and engineering campus that now connects academic programming to real-world applications of urban data science and offers a Master of Science in Applied Urban Science and Informatics.

 

SPARC Kips Bay will continue this legacy of successful public-private partnerships to help New York grow its life sciences industry, as supported by LifeSci NYC — a $1 billion initiative overseen by NYCEDC to create 40,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years.

 

Over the next year, the city and NYCEDC — working alongside the state and CUNY — will lead a master planning process that will result in a conceptual site plan that will identify the site’s infrastructure needs, open space and urban design, and potential zoning and other entitlement changes needed to implement the project. The planning process will be informed by community engagement and subject matter experts, and supported by the architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

 

SPARC Kips Bay is expected to cost $1.6 billion and will be funded jointly by the city and state with additional investment from the private sector in life sciences. SPARC Kips Bay is expected to break ground in 2026 and be completed by the end of 2031. 

 

Developers Win Mayoral, City Council Support To Construct Four Mixed-Income Buildings In Throggs Neck, The Bronx

 

Aerial view of the mixed-income development site along the Bruckner Expressway 

Developers recently won support and necessary approvals from New York City mayor Eric Adams, the City Council Land Use Committee, and local community boards to construct four mixed-income residential buildings in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx. Located along Bruckner Expressway between Crosby Avenue and Balcom Avenue, the project will create 349 units, including 168 permanently affordable homes, a new supermarket, and 54,000 square feet of unspecified commercial space.

“This project will bring nearly 350 much needed homes, including affordable housing for seniors and veterans, to a neighborhood that has only added 58 affordable units in the last decade,” said mayor Adams. “Just as importantly, it is a sign that our city is once again embracing our identity as a ‘City of Yes.’”

Before any shovels could break ground, Throggs Neck Associates LLC, the developing entity responsible for the project, was required to obtain zoning map amendments for the buildings, which exceeded height, density, and use-type restrictions. The process included a lengthy environmental review to assess what impact the project might have on the surrounding neighborhood.

The area surrounding the development site is primarily occupied by low-rise single and multi-family homes, commercial buildings, and community facilities. Buildings range from one- and two-story houses to six- and seven-story multi-family buildings, to eight-story community facility buildings.

Original proposals included the construction of four mixed-use buildings ranging between three and eight stories with approximately 349,000 total square feet. This included 349 apartments, 99 of which would be permanently affordable, in addition to 53,000 square feet of commercial and community facility space. Environmental Assessment Statements completed earlier this year studied the area’s existing infrastructure and pedestrian flow, as well as shadows the future building would cast, and determined that the project would not have any significant adverse effects on the surrounding area if allowed to proceed.

Aerial view of the eastern boundary of the mixed-income development site along the Bruckner Expressway

Site map of the approved mixed-income development site along the Bruckner Expressway

Despite support from city officials, fierce opposition from a smattering of local community groups and residents forced the developer to scale back its plans, reduce the height of one of the buildings to five stories, and provide additional affordable housing units.

Last week, the City Council Land Use Committee approved the new proposals in a 10-0 vote.

“New York’s housing crisis is a citywide problem that requires a citywide solution, and we need to powerfully reject the NIMBYism that should have no place anywhere in New York City,” said Maria Torres Springer, deputy mayor for economic and workforce development. “We thank the City Council for their support of this project and leadership at a time when we need all New Yorkers to do their part in ensuring we see our way out of this housing crisis and move forward as a just and equitable city.”

Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams Announce Plan for SPARC Kips Bay, First-of-Its-Kind Job and Education Hub for Health and Life Sciences Innovation

 

Historic Investment from City and State, in Partnership With CUNY, Will Ensure New York is a Global Leader in Accessible Life Science and Public Health Careers

New State-of-the-Art Brookdale Campus Will Create a Career Pipeline for New York City Students and Help Anchor Life Sciences Industry

Project Complements Governor Hochul's Vision to Jumpstart New York's Healthcare Sector Including $620 Million Life Science Initiative, Record Investments in CUNY and SUNY, Healthcare Worker Bonus Program

Renderings and Site Area Map Available Here

 Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced plans for the Science Park and Research Campus Kips Bay, an innovation hub that will be the first of its kind in the state. Driven by an historic investment from the city and state, SPARC Kips Bay will make New York a global leader in creating and attracting accessible jobs in life sciences, health care, and public health by creating a pipeline from local public schools to careers in these growing and essential fields. 

"Thanks to this agreement with the city, SPARC Kips Bay will give New York's life sciences sector a major boost, creating thousands of high-paying jobs, investing in education, and making New York the place where miracles are made," Governor Hochul said. "My administration remains laser-focused on saving lives and making New York the home of the transformative fields of the future. With this project, we will achieve both of these goals at the same time."

Through a partnership with The City University of New York (CUNY), SPARC Kips Bay will generate approximately $25 billion in economic impact to the city over the next 30 years; create 10,000 jobs, including 2,000 permanent jobs; and transform Hunter College's Brookdale Campus on East 25th Street and First Avenue into new, state-of-the-art teaching and commercial facilities. This project will transform an entire city block — with over 1.5 million square feet of academic, public health, and life sciences space, more than doubling the life sciences footprint in Kips Bay — and rebuild a new accessible pedestrian bridge on East 25th street connecting to the East River and Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, "This new Science Park and Research Campus in Kips Bay will be not only a hub for the life sciences industry and an anchor for the neighborhood, but also a bridge to the future for our city's young people. SPARC Kips Bay will transform an entire city block into a state-of-the-art destination for the life sciences industry and be a place where workforce development, economic opportunity, and public health come together seamlessly — attracting businesses and uplifting New Yorkers to bring our city back stronger than ever with $25 billion in new economic activity for our city over the next three decades. Thank you to all our partners for the vision and teamwork to 'Get Stuff Done'."

SPARC Kips Bay will cultivate the next generation of the scientific research and health care workforce, creating a single campus with space for a new public high school, CUNY schools focused on healthcare, innovative health and biotech companies, and public health institutions — providing pathways to good-paying careers for New York City high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students. CUNY will offer accessible degrees and continuing education programs in public health and medical research, including for the many young New Yorkers inspired by pandemic responders and researchers who helped develop vaccines. 

Career opportunities will range from doctors and nurses to biochemists and engineers, as well as a variety of supporting roles in the life sciences and health care fields like business managers, lawyers, and administrative assistants. With the development of new talent will come new research, translating to more companies, jobs, medicines, and advanced technologies, which will ensure New York City is the leader in developing treatments and cures for some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. 

In addition, SPARC Kips Bay will be critical in building a more dynamic and resilient New York City economy. New York City's health care sector employs over 750,000 New Yorkers, and the metropolitan area's life sciences sector is a rapidly growing industry with nearly 150,000 additional jobs last year. The city estimates the campus' new commercial lab space will create about 2,000 quality jobs and attract new companies and startups, leading to additional good-paying jobs in the health care and life sciences fields.

SPARC Kips Bay will be anchored by new, modern facilities for over 4,500 students from the Hunter School of Nursing and School of Health Professions, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, and Borough of Manhattan Community College health care programs. The hub will also feature:

• An H+H/Bellevue ambulatory care center that will offer screenings, same-day procedures, diagnostics, and preventative care; 
• An H+H simulation training center that will allow CUNY students and others to simulate patient scenarios, utilizing mock operating rooms and labor and delivery rooms; 
• A DOE high school providing hands-on learning in health care and sciences to prepare students for careers in these growing sectors; and 
• A new Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) Forensic Pathology Center, which employs 150 people and is a nationally leading training facility for forensic pathologists, with a 24/7, year-round operational schedule. 

SPARC Kips Bay will continue a legacy of successful public-private partnerships to help New York grow its life sciences industry. Over the next year, the city and NYCEDC, working alongside the state and CUNY, will lead a master planning process that will result in a conceptual site plan that will identify the site's infrastructure needs, building massing, open space and urban design, and potential zoning and other entitlement changes needed to implement the project. The planning process will be informed by community engagement and subject matter experts, and supported by the architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

This public-private partnership underscores Governor Hochul's commitment to spur growth and innovation in New York's healthcare and life sciences industries. The Governor continues to advance New York State's $620 million Life Science Initiative to fuel the creation of cutting-edge healthcare solutions and expand the state's ability to commercialize research. The initiative includes a $40 million New York State Biodefense Commercialization Fund created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to capitalize on New York's research and development assets and expertise. 

Separately, Governor Hochul awarded the first grant from state's $350 million Long Island Investment Fund to the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and plans to launch a $50 million life sciences business plan competition through the Fund in the coming weeks. The Governor also worked with the State Legislature to secure a record $2.2 billion for capital improvements at CUNY and SUNY schools and an additional $500 million for operating expenses as part of this year's budget. And in August, the Governor launched a $1.3 billion Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker bonus program to recruit and retain top talent for New York's healthcare sector.   

SPARC Kips Bay is expected to cost $1.6 billion and will be funded jointly by the city and state with additional private investment. SPARC Kips Bay is expected to break ground in 2026 and be completed by the end of 2031. 

NYC PLANNING AGENCY TO COMMUNITY BOARDS: IT’S TIME TO STATE PRIORITIES FOR CAPITAL BUDGET

The Department of City Planning encourages all New Yorkers to participate  as Oct. 31 deadline for budget requests approaches  

Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick today asked New Yorkers to help shape the City budget process by bringing community needs and funding ideas to their Community Board this month. The New York City Charter requires each of the City’s 59 Community Boards to submit their District Needs Statements and Budget Requests by October 31, and each will hold a public hearing on their submission before it does. The submissions help to identify local funding and infrastructure priorities.  

 

“We are asking all New Yorkers to step up and let us know how we can best build up our communities,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Community input is a key consideration in any project our administration undertakes, and many of the best ideas often come directly from community members. We rely on those on the ground to help guide our work, and the community board district needs process will allow New Yorkers to shape our priorities and make sure the city’s comeback proceeds full speed ahead.” 

“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment for New Yorkers, and we want to ensure that every voice heard as we prepare next year’s budget. Tell us what you think your neighborhood needs most, whether it is a new school, park renovations, climate resiliency improvements, or anything else,” said Department of City Planning Director and Chair of the City Planning Commission Dan Garodnick. “We want to hear from you.”

With DCP’s support, Community Boards are working to ensure maximum community participation in their official part of the annual budget process. DCP will continue to engage with boards to help them guide the process and provide training and support. 

·        To find out more about the Community District Needs Process, you can visit our website

here. 

·        If you’d like to learn more about your Community Board, you can visit the DCP

Community District Profiles page and select “Community Board.”  

Community Board top rankings are used to identify local needs and citywide trends and inform the next City budget. In 2021, the most pressing issues identified through this process were: 

·        affordable housing 

·        parks and open space 

·        land use trends 

·        traffic 

The District Needs and Budget Requests process has been an essential part of building New York City’s budget since 1979, and has resulted in many projects throughout the city being funded in the budget.  Recent examples include the renovation of Pulaski Park in Bronx Community District 1, the reconstruction of the Greenpoint Library in Brooklyn Community District 1, and the installation of street lighting on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens Community District 4.

### 

 

Department of City Planning

The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.