Midtown Rezoning Plan Enters Public Review, Could Create 9,700 New Housing Units
The plan encompasses 42 blocks currently zoned to prevent residential construction. Of the 9,700 intended new units, 2,300 would be permanently income-restricted.
| 27 Jan 2025 | 02:50
A rendering of the proposed Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, which would rezone 42 blocks in the middle of Manhattan. It would create 9,700 new housing units, 2,300 of them permanently income-restricted. (
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Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine will have to formally sign off on the Midtown rezoning plan, and has indicated his support. (
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Midtown could soon see some 10,000 new units of housing, after the sweeping zoning overhaul known as the “City of Yes” was approved by the City Council late last year. A total of 2,300 of these units would be permanently income-restricted, or deemed affordable. They would be strewn over 42 blocks that currently bar such development.
City Hall says that the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan–as it is formally known–would promote “a mix of residential, manufacturing, and commercial uses” in the new special district. It has now entered a period of public review. It will also reportedly make use of other measures passed in the 2024 state budget, such as tax incentives for multifamily rental construction and office-to-residential conversions, as well as expanding floor-to-area ratio caps to promote housing density. A pilot program that would legalize and “make safe” basement apartments would reportedly be utilized as well.
“In Midtown South, we are building the neighborhoods of tomorrow with vibrant 24/7 space, affordable housing, and inclusive, dynamic public realm opportunities,” Mayor Adams said in a statement.
“We envision for Midtown South a vibrant and dynamic, 24/7 neighborhood with a strong commercial core right alongside brand-new homes for New Yorkers, and we need to change our outdated zoning rules to make it all happen,” City Planning Commissioner Dan Garodnick said. “We developed this plan in partnership with elected officials and community members and we hope they will continue to make their voices heard as public review now gets underway.”
The plan encompasses four “distinct areas” that pivot around Herald Square and Greeley Square, city officials say. It would specifically be situated between West 40th Street and West 23rd Street from north to south, and 8th Avenue and 5th Avenue from west to east. City Council members Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers, key representatives of the districts that the rezoning would affect, have offered their support to the plan.
“The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan is the next step in realizing the dream of a neighborhood designed for everyone. This plan will unlock badly needed housing in an area that historically hasn’t allowed it, transforming Midtown into a vibrant live-work neighborhood humming with activity,” Powers said in a statement.
The public oversight period will involve a seven-month Uniform Land-Use Review Procedure, which will include input from community boards and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. There will then be hearings and votes held on the zoning plan at the New York City Council. Levine seems to already be leaning toward throwing his support behind the plan.
“I’m excited to see a proposal that will guarantee new affordable housing production and spur public realm improvements while encouraging a more 24/7, mixed-use neighborhood,” Levine said in a statement of his own. He also encouraged Manhattan residents to participate in the review process.
The “mixed-use” aspect of the zoning plan is key. In addition to the promised boom in housing production, it would allow for uses such as light manufacturing and retail, not to mention community spaces such as libraries or schools.