CITY COUNCIL PASSES MIDTOWN SOUTH MIXED-USE PLAN, UNLOCKING 2,800+ AFFORDABLE HOMES

• Updated on August 15, 2025
• by MHNA
• No Comments on CITY COUNCIL PASSES MIDTOWN SOUTH MIXED-USE PLAN, UNLOCKING 2,800+ AFFORDABLE HOMES

Over 9,500 New Homes — over 2,800 Permanently Affordable — Paired with Garment District Protections, a 34th Street Car-Free Busway, Transformation of Broadway into Continuous Park-Like Promenade

Dear Neighbor,I don’t need to tell you that New York City is in the midst of the most severe housing crisis in generations. Our rental vacancy rate is the lowest it’s been in nearly 60 years. Countless New Yorkers are one rent hike away from displacement, and longtime residents are leaving because they can’t afford to stay.For years, New Yorkers have heard endless speeches about the problem — but speeches alone don’t put a roof over anyone’s head.Addressing this crisis requires bold, concrete action that creates real housing options in a city where there are far too few. Today, we took that action.On August 14th, the New York City Council voted to approve the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX) — a once-in-a-generation rezoning that I was proud to lead alongside Council Member Keith Powers. This plan tackles our housing crisis head-on, protects good-paying jobs in the Garment District, creates world-class public spaces, and invests in the infrastructure that makes neighborhoods thrive.With this plan, we have:Unlocked 9,535 new homes — including up to 2,842 permanently affordable apartmentsProtected the Garment District as a global center of fashion and manufacturing, backed by $121.9 million in targeted investments to keep our creative industries strong.Reimagined Broadway from 21st to 42nd Streets as a continuous park-like promenade — with over $325 million for pedestrian plazas, bike lanes, native landscaping, and play areas.Delivered the long-awaited 34th Street Car-Free Busway, improving bus speeds, reliability, and accessibility for tens of thousands of riders every day.Invested in parks, schools, health care, and more to ensure Midtown South grows as a livable, equitable neighborhood for all.Click here to read a New York Daily News story about the plan.

Why This Matters

According to the 2024 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey (NYCHVS), the percentage of rental apartments that were vacant and available dropped to a shocking 1.4 percent — the lowest level since 1968. This historic low underscores how severely new housing construction has failed to keep pace with the overwhelming demand from people who want to call New York City home.The MSMX Plan delivers over 9,500 new homes in one of the country’s most transit-rich neighborhoods — with up to 30% set aside as permanently affordable under Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH). MIH requires developers to include income-restricted apartments in all new housing, serving families earning as low as 40% the Area Median Income and up to an average 80%. These homes must be distributed throughout each building, with at least half sized for families — helping to ensure inclusive, mixed-income housing in the heart of the city. This plan will also help support a true 24/7 neighborhood — vibrant and active day and night — where new residents bring life to the streets, support local businesses, and contribute to public safety in an area that has long faced public safety challenges. A steady residential presence will help knit together a stronger, more connected community. “Manhattan Community Board Five worked closely with Council Members Bottcher and Powers, city agencies, and local stakeholders to help shape the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan into a framework for a livable, inclusive, and vibrant neighborhood,” says Bradley Sherburne, Chair, Community Board 5. “This plan reflects critical community priorities, including support for legacy industries, long-term housing affordability, important public realm investments, and school improvements, that will help ensure Midtown South evolves in a way that is equitable, resilient, and responsive to the needs of both today’s and tomorrow’s residents.”

Garment District Protections and Fashion Industry Investments

The plan includes strong zoning protections in the northwest quadrant of the Garment District, where fashion and garment production remains concentrated, ensuring this globally recognized ecosystem of makers and entrepreneurs can continue to thrive. In addition to zoning protections, the City is investing $121.9 million in new and existing targeted programs and partnerships — many developed in direct response to feedback from legacy industry stakeholders — to help garment and fashion businesses grow, adapt, and compete.Key commitments include:Zoning protections to preserve the manufacturing core of the Garment DistrictRelaunch of the NYCIDA Garment Center Program, offering up to $25 million in tax abatements to support long-term preservation of industrial spaceReopening of the M-CORE program to support the creation of below-market production and innovation space$50 million Greenlight Innovation Fund, helping nonprofits secure and build permanent space for fashion and garment usesLaunch of the CFDA Local Production Fund Pilot Program, with $1.815 million in public-private funding to support designers and garment manufacturersContinued investment in the Garment District Alliance’s $2.5 million/year Business Development Collaborative, with renewed stakeholder input to expand workforce training and business supportLaunch of Midtown Made, a new branding, outreach, and investment campaign to elevate local designers, manufacturers, and creative entrepreneursCreation of the Midtown Made website, a one-stop-shop for makers and small businesses to access real estate programs, incentives, funding opportunities, and more This combined approach ensures that Midtown South remains a center of creativity, craftsmanship, and economic opportunity.“The CFDA is proud to partner with the NYCEDC and City on the Local Production Fund, which provides critical support for emerging designers and garment manufacturers producing in New York,” said Steven Kolb, CEO & President, Council of Fashion Designers of America. “This pilot initiative reflects a shared commitment to sustaining fashion’s local ecosystem and ensuring that creativity and craftsmanship remain rooted in the Garment District.”“This is a meaningful step forward for New York’s maker community, and I’m deeply grateful to Council Member Erik Bottcher for including us in this vital conversation,” said Katie Sue Nicklos, Wing & Weft Gloves. “As a small business owner and fourth-generation glove maker in the rezoning area, I’m hopeful that the City’s commitments to fashion, theatre, and entertainment will not only preserve our ecosystem—but begin to rebuild what decades of disinvestment have worn away. With this plan, we have a chance to usher in a new era of pride, visibility, and investment in the people who keep New York’s creative spirit alive.”“The NYFWDC is grateful to Council Member Erik Bottcher for securing vital protections for the Garment District and long-overdue investments to support our creative community in Midtown,” said Tessa Maffucci, Coordinator of the New York Fashion Workforce Development Coalition. “We look forward to working in collaboration with the City to ensure a vibrant future.”

A World-Class Public Realm: Broadway Vision and a New Civic Heart for Midtown

At the core of the MSMX Plan is a bold reimagining of public space — with over $325 million in investments to transform Broadway into a continuous park-like promenade that will rival the great public spaces of the world, including cities like Barcelona.  The Broadway Vision Plan will reshape 21 blocks — from 21st to 42nd Streets — into a vibrant corridor of pedestrian plazas, shared streets, native landscaping, and children’s play areas. Designed as both a destination and a daily resource, this new public realm will offer space to walk, bike, play, gather, and simply be — a true civic square for the new residents, workers, and visitors who call Midtown South home. Major features include:A fully pedestrianized Broadway with raised streetbeds, bike lanes, public seating and public artAdditional car-free blocks from 22nd to 23rd Street and 24th to 25th Streets, and forming the city’s first-ever “Kid-First Play District” between 22nd and 25th StreetsFamily-friendly design applied across all parks and plazas — including water play, seating, fitness areas, and accessible restroomsAn investment in 380 trees with tree guards

34th Street Car-Free Busway: A New Backbone for Midtown Transit

As part of the MSMX plan, the City has agreed to move forward with the long-awaited 34th Street Busway — a major victory for sustainable transportation and a critical infrastructure win secured through the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan. Spanning from Ninth to Third Avenues, the new and improved 34th Street Busway will prioritize M34 and M34A Select Bus Service by restricting through-traffic for private vehicles, reducing congestion, and significantly improving bus speeds and reliability for tens of thousands of daily riders. Investments in upgraded bus stop amenities — including shelters, seating, and enhanced signage — will improve accessibility and rider comfort for longtime residents, new neighbors, commuters, and visitors alike. The desperately needed transit corridor will serve as a lifeline for the thousands of residents expected to live in the 9,500+ new homes enabled by this rezoning, and will strengthen mobility for the workers, students, and families who power Midtown South every day. “Unanimity is a rare thing in a diverse place like New York, but on the 34th St busway, all the community boards and elected officials were unanimous in their support,” said David Sigman, Transportation Committee Chair, Manhattan Community Board 5. “Thanks to Council Members Bottcher and Powers for connecting this with MSMX to get it done.”

Community Investments: Parks, Schools, and Health Care for a Growing Neighborhood

The MSMX Plan delivers more than new housing — it invests in the infrastructure that makes neighborhoods thrive. With new families and residents coming to Midtown South, the City is matching growth with upgrades to parks, schools, and health care facilities. Key investments include:$13.5 million for a full renovation of McCaffrey Playground on West 43rd StreetA new, enclosed EMS Station 7 at 613 West 29th Street, replacing the inadequate open-air trailer on 23rd StreetThe completion of improvements to St. Vartan Park, implementing full lighting to ensure the park facilities are open later to the community. Modernized science lab at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High SchoolUpgraded auditorium and tech improvements at P.S. 33 and P.S. 340New playground equipment at P.S. 11New Fabric, Textiles, and Fiber Arts Lab at the High School of Fashion Industries$12 million to reconstruct Bellevue Hospital’s ambulance bay, improving emergency care capacityTransit Improvement Bonus eligibility expanded to all sites in the rezoning areaComplete funding for the 13th Precinct Mobile Command Unit, addressing quality-of-life issues in the new live-work neighborhoodThese investments ensure that Midtown South grows as a livable, equitable, and complete neighborhood.

Preserving History with Landmark Designations

As part of this plan, the Adams Administration has committed to advancing landmark designations for key buildings in the Garment and Flower Districts — honoring the legacy of Midtown South as a center of industry, creativity, and commerce. These designations will help preserve the area’s architectural and cultural character, ensuring that new growth is rooted in respect for the neighborhood’s historic identity.

A New Chapter for Midtown

This achievement is the result of years of collaboration with community boards, local businesses, labor, advocates, and neighbors like you. Together, we’ve proven that taking on big challenges is possible — and that when we match growth with equity and vision, we can build a better New York.For too long, Midtown Manhattan has been out of reach for too many. After today, that changes.In service,

Erik BottcherNew York City Council Member, District 3