NYCHCC Sponsors The 30th Annual Competitive Edge Conference

 

The Competitive Edge Conference is an annual event that connects minority-owned small businesses with agencies, providing them with the knowledge and opportunities they need to succeed. Since 1993, the Competitive Edge Conference has been the premier event for minority-owned businesses looking to grow, develop, and take their businesses to the next level.

Join us for the Competitive Edge Conference and discover the knowledge, resources, and opportunities that will help you take your business to the next level.

This is THE conference to attend for both participants and sponsors, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Register Today

New York City Hispanic Chamber 

159 E 116th St Second Floor  

New York, NY 10029

DEC Partners with Other States and Canadian Provinces to Announce Kickoff of Annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz

 

International Effort to Raise Awareness about Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in partnership with seven Great Lakes states, five Northeast states, and several Canadian provinces, today announced the start of the annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz. The international campaign runs from June 26 through July 6 and informs boaters and other water recreationists about the risks of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS). During this coordinated outreach effort, partners will educate the public at hundreds of water access sites throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast regions.

“DEC is proud to once again work alongside our partners in the Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz, to educate and empower boaters to protect New York’s lakes, rivers, and streams from the threat of invasive species,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “Initiatives like the AIS Landing Blitz, DEC’s Boat Steward Program, the statewide Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), and New York’s Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) deliver vital information to boaters in New York State and beyond about how to Clean, Drain, and Dry their watercraft and gear to protect our lands and waters.”

During last year's AIS Landing Blitz, which covered 13 states and two Canadian provinces, 1,100 stewards, volunteers, and staff educated more than 150,000 people at more than 840 public and private boat launches and inspected more than 122,000 boats. Millions of people learned about AIS prevention efforts through news releases and social media. In 2023, DEC's boat stewards performed more than 220,800 inspections and intercepted over 11,600 AIS at boat launches across New York State.

For more information on the Great Lakes and Northeast AIS Landing Blitz, including educational materials, location information, and volunteer opportunities, visit the Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz webpage and the Northeast AIS Landing Blitz.

To help protect New York's waters, visit DEC's website for more information on AIS and a step-by-step guide for ridding boats and equipment of AIS. See DEC’s video on preventing the spread of AIS on DEC’s YouTube channel.

Nos Quedamos Inc. - A Gala to Celebrate 30 Years of Resilience

 

 

Join us on October 30th, 2024 for our Rooted in Resilience gala event to celebrate 30 years of hard work and purpose in the Melrose Community.

The theme will be inspired by nature, earth, growth, and renewal, as we aim to empower a new generation to remain and advocate for environmental sustainability for the years to come. Your attendance and generous support are greatly appreciated, and we would love to celebrate with you! 

Stay Tuned for More Info!

Are you ready for We Are Melrose Street Festival?

We can’t wait for August! Make sure to follow us on social media as we will be sharing all the details for this and other upcoming events. Stay tuned!

Follow Us on IG!

Hey NQ Residents,

Your Opinion is Important to Us!

If you’re a resident at NQ, we want to know what’s important for you. We are currently conducting surveys to discover what our residents value and prioritize to help us shape our programming. Your help is greatly appreciated!

We Stay/Nos Quedamos’ 30th Anniversary Campaign Activating resilency through community partnership, ownership and self-determination.

Russian National Charged for Conspiring with Russian Military Intelligence to Destroy Ukrainian Government Computer Systems and Data

 

Defendant is Alleged to Have Assisted with an Attack in Advance of Russia’s February 2022 Invasion of Ukraine

Note: Concurrent with the return of the indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Stigal’s location or his malicious cyberactivity. Anyone possessing such information should contact Rewards for Justice here

A federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment charging Amin Timovich Stigal (Амин Тимович Стигал), 22, a Russian citizen, with conspiracy to hack into and destroy computer systems and data. In advance of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, targets included Ukrainian Government systems and data with no military or defense-related roles. Later targets included computer systems in countries that were providing support to Ukraine, including the United States. Stigal remains at large.

“As alleged, the defendant conspired with Russian military intelligence on the eve of Russia’s unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to launch cyberattacks targeting the Ukrainian government and later targeting its allies, including the United States.” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to stand with Ukraine on every front in its fight against Russia’s war of aggression, including by holding accountable those who support Russia’s malicious cyber activity.”

“The GRU has repeatedly applied in cyberspace Russia’s statecraft of indiscriminate destruction and intimidation,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen. “The Department will do its part to prevent and disrupt such malicious behavior that relies upon online services or infrastructure in the U.S., or that targets U.S. victims. We will also identify, pursue, and eventually hold to account those responsible for Russia’s malicious actions, including the cybercriminals that the Russian government cultivates in furtherance of its malign agenda.”

“Amin Timovich Stigal attempted to leverage malware to aid the Russian military in the invasion of Ukraine,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “This indictment demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to combat malicious cyber activities by our adversaries, and we will continue to work with our international partners to thwart attempts to undermine and harm our allies.”

“Malicious cyber actors who attack our allies should know that we will pursue them to the full extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Cyber intrusion schemes such as the one alleged threaten our national security, and we will use all the technologies and investigative measures at our disposal to disrupt and track down these cybercriminals.”

“The indictment of Amin Stigal is yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to combating cyber threats both at home and internationally,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “To those adversaries who seek to compromise our international partners’ systems, know you will be identified and you will face consequences for your actions. The FBI vows to continually pursue justice and disrupt malicious cyber actors.”

According to court documents, in Jan. 2022, Stigal and members of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff (GRU) of the Russian Federation (the Conspirators) conspired to use a U.S.-based company’s services to distribute malware known in the cybersecurity community as “WhisperGate” to dozens of Ukrainian government entities’ computer systems and destroy those systems and related data in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States government previously joined with allies and partners in May 2022 to attribute this cyber-attack to the Russian military and to condemn the attack and similar destructive cyber activities against Ukraine.

On Jan. 13, 2022, the Conspirators attacked multiple Ukrainian government networks, including the Ukrainian Ministry of International Affairs, the State Treasury, the Judiciary Administration, the State Portal for Digital Services, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Energy, the Accounting Chamber for Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the State Forestry Agency, and the Motor Insurance Bureau. The Conspirators infected computers on these and other networks with malware called WhisperGate, which was designed to look like ransomware. However, as the indictment alleges, WhisperGate was actually a cyberweapon designed to completely destroy the target computer and related data.

In conjunction with these attacks, the Conspirators compromised several of the targeted Ukrainian computer systems, exfiltrated sensitive data, including patient health records, and defaced the websites to read: “Ukrainians! All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future.” That same day, the Conspirators offered the hacked data for sale on the internet. The effort was aimed at sowing concern among the broader Ukrainian population regarding the safety of government systems and data.

In August 2022, the Conspirators also hacked the transportation infrastructure of a Central European country that was supporting Ukraine. The indictment further alleges that from Aug. 5, 2021, through Feb. 3, 2022, the Conspirators leveraged the same computer infrastructure they used in the Ukraine-related attacks to probe computers belonging to a federal government agency in Maryland in the same manner as they had initially probed the Ukrainian Government networks.

If convicted, Stigal faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Robert I. Goldaris for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Testifying to MTA Board, Comptroller Lander Denounces Governor’s Decision to Pause Congestion Pricing

 

Lander urges MTA Board to approve Resolution affirming MTA's readiness to implement congestion pricing immediately

In a direct appeal to the MTA Board today, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander continued to press his case against the Governor’s last-minute about-face on congestion pricing. Lander’s testimony comes as the Board considers a Resolution to affirm its readiness to implement the policy.   

“Congestion pricing revenues are necessary for station accessibility, signal modernization, on-time service, for the Second Avenue subway, and for the Inter Borough Express. If it doesn’t go into effect, the MTA cost of borrowing will go up, operating expenses will increase, and indeed service reliability, safety, and frequency will all be jeopardized,” Comptroller Lander said. “When straphangers, people with disabilities, New Yorkers who rely on mass transit, both comptrollers and the late Dick Ravitch agree, the path is clear. Go ahead and pass this resolution and do everything you can to take congestion pricing off pause to make clear to the Governor and the State Transportation Commissioner that these steps to implement it are legally required so that we can move New York forward.” 

Following is a transcript of Lander’s complete remarks as delivered:  

“Good morning. Thank you very much for making it possible for everyone to get in. To the Chair, to all the board members: we appreciate you in recent days. Video of Dick Ravitch standing before this board has been circulating online, reminding the board in a serious way of its fiduciary duty, and that politically expedient reductions of tolling that prevent the MTA from meeting its capital obligations and its service obligations aren’t consistent with that duty. It’s powerful testimony. I’m guessing some of you have watched it.  

I want to thank the MTA board for rising to those words from Dick Ravitch for taking fiduciary duty seriously, despite political pressure and making clear, as the federal government did last week, that the MTA board stands ready to implement congestion pricing as legally required.  

And perhaps even more significant is the resolution that you’re considering today: making clear that the 2019 law implementing Central Business District tolling program remains in effect and is legally required. That recognition is at the heart of the legal action that a coalition that we’ve developed with environmental legal expert Michael Gerrard is considering. The 2019 law does remain in effect. The steps required by the Governor and the State Transportation Commissioner are legally required. You’re correct in that assessment in your resolution, and correct on the law.  

In addition, you may have seen State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli put out an analysis making clear that the congestion pricing revenues are not only necessary for station accessibility, for signal modernization, for on time service for the Second Avenue subway, and for the Inter Borough Express — but that if it doesn’t go into effect, the MTA cost of borrowing will go up, operating expenses will increase, and indeed service reliability, safety, and frequency will all be jeopardized. So, I would just say when straphangers, when people with disabilities, when New Yorkers who rely on mass transit, when both comptrollers and Dick Ravitch agree, the path is clear. Go ahead and pass this resolution and do everything you can to take congestion pricing off pause to make clear to the Governor and the State Transportation Commissioner that these steps to implement it are legally required so that we can move New York forward. Thank you very much for your consideration of this resolution.” 

Click here to view Lander’s testimony to the MTA Board today. 

MAYOR ADAMS UNVEILS NEW INSTALLATIONS IN CITY HALL ROTUNDA, GRACIE MANSION TO CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH

 

Designed by LGBTQIA+ Artists, Installations Celebrate LGBTQIA+ Community

 

Announcement Builds on Adams Administration’s Investments in LGBTQIA+ Community

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today unveiled imagery installations celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community in the City Hall Rotunda and Gracie Mansion. In the City Hall Rotunda, six pieces of art from LGBTQIA+ young artists are now on display, thanks to donations from Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), the nation’s oldest LGBTQIA+ youth organization serving queer and trans youth, primarily of color between the ages of 13 and 24. The Gracie Mansion installation was designed by Devin Sparkles and Arturo Forero with their pieces focusing on self-reflection, love, inner-beauty, joy, and their personal journey as LGBTQIA+ individuals.

 

“When we entered into office, we wanted to transform both City Hall and Gracie Mansion into spaces that welcomed all New Yorkers with open arms, including our LGBTQIA+ community,” said Mayor Adams. “New Yorkers who enter the ‘People’s House’ at Gracie Mansion or walk the halls of City Hall will now see our city rich’s diversity reflected in art made by and about the LGBTQIA+ experience. Our administration is proud to show our pride this month, and every month, by celebrating the artists who told their personal journey through the universal language of art.”   

 

“As we celebrate Pride Month in New York City, we are proud to illuminate these historic locations with vibrant art installations celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “In doing so, we not only honor their resilience and contributions, but also reaffirm our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. These works of art will serve as beacons of pride, guiding us towards a future where every individual is embraced, celebrated, and empowered."

 

“Life is full of color and impressions blended through each own’s unique energy, heart, and passions,” said Gracie Mansion Conservancy Executive Director Rhonda Binda. “The Gracie Mansion Conservancy is honored to present the stunning art and colors that represent one of the most creative and colorful communities in the greatest city in the world. We are so grateful to Mayor Adams for opening up the ‘People’s House’ to allow expression and visibility of queer artists. We just witnessed 31 days of magic with Asian American Pacific Islander Month at Gracie Mansion, and now are able to see and witness, in these 30 days of Pride Month, the beautiful visual art of Devin Sparkles and Arturo Lizcano. We all take pride in celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, which in it of itself, is one of the most important communities in the art world.”

 

“This Pride installation at Gracie Mansion has an been an exhilarating endeavor, as we sought to capture the true spirit of Pride Month,” said Gracie Mansion Conservancy Director of Public Engagement Chioma Ohakam. “Both Devin and Arturo’s artworks magnify the essence of love, confidence, inner beauty, unity, and the importance of self-awareness. Pride is a celebration of unrestrained joy and liberation of oneself. Gracie Mansion Conservancy is proud to embrace the uniqueness of our great city and welcome these extraordinary creatives from the LGBTQIA+ community to share their personal experiences of life’s journey through colorful hues and bright imagery. As visual storytellers, each artwork evokes feelings of thought, wonderment, reflection, and a profound illumination of self-identity and, more importantly, unapologetically being true to you! I am delighted to say that during the curation of this Pride Month installation, working with Devin and Arturo has been positively surreal, as they both transcend beauty, love, and light.”  

 

The City Hall Rotunda installation is connected to HMI’s Comic Book Group, a drop-in space where youth, ages 13 to 24, can explore the culture of comics. Youth were prompted to create illustrations in form of a comic book that depict what LGBTQIA+ expression and Pride Month means to them. 

 

The artists applied personal stories and adapted them into brief fictional narratives. Run by teaching artist illustrator Gianna Meola, these pictorial representations highlight gender expansive experience, mental health struggles, interpersonal support, and personal traumas and triumphs.

 

HMI’s mission is to ensure young people have free, long-term access to the highest standard of care, as well as a range of comprehensive services and resources designed to help them thrive and feel empowered in their own identities. HMI’s staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models. The youth organization is dedicated to building its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels, throughout its operations and functions.

 

Sparkles is an artist and interior designer who draws inspiration from a wide array of sources, including pop culture, street art, and LGBTQIA+ activism. Forero is a Colombian artist based in New York City, who does illustration and murals with nature as a main inspiration.

 

The Adams administration has made continued investments and policy reforms to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Together with the NYC Unity Project and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, Mayor Adams announced an investment of nearly $6.7 million to provide new and expanded services for the LGBTQIA+ community in 2022. These new services provide wide-ranging support that include first-of-its-kind funding for capacity building of transgender and gender non-conforming/non-binary-led nonprofits, legal services, and support for homeless youth. 

 

In another effort to strongly support the LGBTQIA+ community, Mayor Adams, last year, signed Executive Order 32 to protect access to gender-affirming health care in New York City. The executive order prevents the use of city resources to detain any individual who is providing or receiving gender-affirming health care services in New York City. Additionally, the executive order denies the use of resources by the City of New York to cooperate with any prosecution or investigation by another state of an individual for providing or receiving gender-affirming care.

Additionally, Mayor Adams successfully advocated for a new St. Patrick’s Day parade to allow an LGBTQIA+ delegation to participate, ending a multi-year dispute in the borough.

 

Finally, with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Community Affairs Bureau, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, and the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, the Adams administration, last year, announced a new process for New Yorkers to contact the NYPD to re-examine cases involving LGBTQIA+ victims, including cold cases.

 

"The Hetrick-Martin Institute is thrilled that the New York City Mayor’s Office and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs has provided a platform for young members of the LGBTQIA+ community to share their stories through comic book art in the magnificent building of City Hall,” said Amy Harclerode, chief executive officer, HMI. “Giving young people the ability to express themselves through illustration is a wonderful way for their voices to be heard. We are delighted to have supporters, such as Jonathan Rheingold of iD8 Studios and Zahn Global Law, for helping curate the installation." 

 

“By offering a wide range of resources and programs, such as Comic Book Group, HMI helps LGBTQIA+ youth thrive and feel empowered in their own identities,” said Leesa Tabrizi, counselor and art therapist, HMI. “Many of these individuals are young people who often find themselves navigating systems that aren't designed with them in mind, leading to potential harm.” 

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - TOMORROW: FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA

 

City Planning Commission Approves Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan

 

Commission Voted Overwhelmingly to Bring Thousands of New Homes and Jobs to the East Bronx

Proposal to Revamp Land Use Around New Metro-North Stations Now Heads to City Council for Review

New York Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today celebrated the City Planning Commission’s vote in favor of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, a once-in-a-lifetime plan to complement new Metro-North stations coming to Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-op City with new homes and jobs. The first neighborhood plan certified during Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, this proposal looks to create nearly 7,500 homes, including permanently income-restricted housing, and 10,000 jobs, as well as improved public spaces, enhanced transit access, and other community benefits.

Today’s vote follows favorable recommendations on the plan from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, the Bronx Borough Board, and Bronx Community Boards 9 and 11.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow and strengthen a community around a historic investment in new transit infrastructure. The Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan matches that investment in scope and ambition, bringing thousands of new homes, jobs, and amenities to these four neighborhoods,” said New York City Deputy Mayor of Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Thank you to the team at the Department of City Planning for leading this six-year-long planning effort. I look forward to working with our colleagues at the City Council to get this over the finish line.”

“With today’s vote, Bronx residents are one step closer to getting the homes, jobs, amenities, and infrastructure improvements they need. These four new Metro-North stations will be transformative for the borough, the city, and the entire region. It’s common sense to pair them with such a thoughtful plan that expands housing opportunity, creates jobs, and benefits local communities,” said Dan Garodnick, Chair of the City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning. “Thanks to the City Planning Commissioners for their support.”

“Today’s vote is a tremendous win for our borough with the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan promising to bring housing, union jobs, and transportation options to the East Bronx that will further enhance our Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-op City communities,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I want to thank New York Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick, as well as my colleagues in government, community boards, and local leaders who have played a crucial role in helping to move this important project forward.”

“The Bronx Metro-North plan is an opportunity to potentially employ thousands of Bronxites, significantly decrease travel times with direct access to Penn Station, provide more community and green spaces, bolster our small businesses, and most importantly- build new housing. After hosting several comprehensive community input sessions and speaking directly with my neighbors, I stand firm in saying that this project is in the best interest of our collective community and its future. I am glad to see the City Planning Commission has voted this plan through to continue progressing through its phases of approval and implementation,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Amanda Farías.

“The Bronx Metro-North Station plan represents another crucial investment for the Bronx and the creation of vibrant community neighborhood space,” said New York City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “Accessible public spaces strengthen the social fabric of neighborhoods, and this ambitious plan will expand public space access for Bronx residents while connecting them with thousands of great jobs, public transit, and affordable housing. The Adams administration continues to provide opportunities and make investments that will benefit the Bronx and New York City for generations to come, making our communities more livable, accessible, and equitable.” 

“It is essential to expand sustainable and safe public transportation options so we can bring better access to education, economic opportunities, and housing, while also making it faster and easier to get around without a car,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We are proud to work with the City Planning Commission towards advancing projects that will make these Bronx neighborhoods a hub for vibrant public space and improved quality of life.”

“The Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan is a clear example of the positive impact of transit-oriented development – creating the opportunity for thousands of new homes and jobs in true 24/7 live, work, and play neighborhoods.” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “This plan has been years in the making and NYCEDC looks forward to working with DCP and other partners on bringing these station areas to life.”

“It’s great to see Bronx communities capitalizing on the investment in Penn Station Access,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “This project brings four new stations to historically underserved communities in the East Bronx and will stimulate the regional economy, reduce daily commute times, and now create opportunities for more jobs and housing with these actions.”

The Bronx Metro-North Plan

By allowing residential uses in some parts of Parkchester/Van Nest that today are limited to commercial and manufacturing uses, the Bronx Metro-North Plan will allow for the creation of nearly 7,500 new homes, including 1,900 permanently income-restricted homes through Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. The plan will also expand the amount of housing permitted in some residential districts in that neighborhood and parts of Morris Park.

To ensure the borough’s continued economic growth, the plan aims to create 10,000 jobs in Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park by strengthening commercial corridors, establishing workforce training programs, and supporting prominent institutions and job centers, including Calvary Hospital, Hutchinson Metro Center, Jacobi Medical Center, and Montefiore Hospital. With a total of 37,000 jobs, Morris Park and Hunts Point are already two of the ten largest job centers in New York City today. To further enhance Morris Park’s key role as an educational and health care hub, the plan is also exploring siting a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) school to set high schoolers on a path to success in these growing sectors.

The Bronx Metro-North Plan will support the new Metro-North transit hubs, homes, and jobs with investments in infrastructure and new pedestrian-friendly public amenities. These proposed public realm improvements include: new and/or upgraded public plazas and open spaces, bus shelters, improved lighting for sidewalks and streets, wider medians for pedestrians, and local retail that cultivate a strong sense of community around these stations.

“Today marks a pivotal moment for the Bronx as we celebrate the approval of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, a transformative initiative promising thousands of new jobs,” said Lisa Sorin, President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “The Bronx Chamber is thrilled to witness this commitment to enhancing our borough’s infrastructure, commercial corridors, and community resources. The new Metro-North stations will not only improve transit access but also invigorate local economies, creating vibrant neighborhoods where residents and businesses alike can thrive. We commend the City Planning Commission and all stakeholders for their dedication to making this visionary plan a reality, ensuring a brighter future for Bronx residents.”

“The Morris Park Business Improvement District applauds NYC Planning Commission for approving the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan. This transformative project opens unique opportunities for improved public space, better transit and new jobs, strengthens Morris Park's contribution to the Bronx economy and amplifies our impact as one of the largest life-sciences job centers of the city. Our thanks to the DCP team for the thorough and extensive community engagement process supporting this impactful project,” said Dr. Camelia Tepelus, Executive Director, Morris Park BID.

In the over six years leading up to public review, DCP conducted extensive outreach in the communities around the new stations to craft the plan. This included in-person and virtual workshops, open houses, weekly “office hours” to answer questions and take additional input, surveys, and small-group meetings. The agency met repeatedly with local elected officials, nearly two dozen community stakeholders, such as neighborhood organizations, educational institutions, and medical hubs, and 16 government agencies at the city, state, and federal levels.

Thanks to the new Metro-North stations on the New Haven Line, the residents of Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-op City will be connected to great job opportunities across the Bronx, Midtown Manhattan, Westchester, and Connecticut. The new stations will also help to reduce car use and traffic congestion.

The MTA anticipates the four new Metro-North stations will open in 2027.

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.