As the Congestion Relief Zone is about to launch on Sunday, January 5, 2025, the MTA is sharing the attached digital toolkit. The toolkit includes:

1. Congestion Pricing Briefing Presentation

2. Congestion Relief Zone Factsheet

3. Discounts & Exemptions Brochure

4. E-ZPass Brochure

5. Congestion Pricing Social Media Toolkit

6. Fare Discounts Brochure & Translations: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean

7. Fair Fares Palm Card & Translations: English, Spanish

8. Access-A-Ride Brochure

9. Borough-Based Improvements Palm Cards

Congestion Pricing Public Webinars! The Congestion Pricing Public Webinar series is underway. The MTA are hosting a series of public webinars throughout December for the public to learn about congestion pricing. Your constituents can learn more and sign up at mta.info/crzwebinars.

NEWSLETTER LANGUAGE:

Starting January 5, 2025, vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan—local streets and avenues at or below 60 St—will be charged a toll. The program will reduce traffic, improve air quality, and fund better public transit.

The MTA is hosting public webinars in December where people can learn about Congestion Relief Zone tolling. Webinars will explain why New York needs Congestion Pricing, how the Congestion Relief Zone works, what the toll rates are, who is eligible for discounts and exemptions, and how to prepare before tolling begins on Sunday, January 5. The sessions will feature a brief presentation, followed by Q&A. Learn more about the sessions and register to attend here.

The toll amount will depend on the type of vehicle, time of day, whether any crossing credits apply, and the method of payment. Most vehicles with E-ZPass will be charged $9 in the peak period or $2.25 overnight, once daily. Discounts or exemptions may apply– visit mta.info/discounts for more details.

E-ZPass is the best way to pay the toll. Drivers will be able to pay with their existing E-ZPass transponder and account. If you already have an E-ZPass account, make sure it is up to date with your current license plate number to ensure you are charged the E-ZPass toll rate and receive any peak period crossing credits. For more information, visit congestionreliefzone.mta.info.

Click here to download the Comprehensive Event Permitting Guide for the City of New York.

Report – A forum to provide information concerning the proposed demolition of the Dapolito Center by the Landmarks Committee, CB2 Manhattan – September 30, 2024

The Landmarks Committee held a public forum concerning the demolition of the Dapolito Center on September 30. This meeting followed the approval of a resolution opposing the demolition by the Board at its September meeting.

The announced program for the meeting was to have a presentation on the history of the Center, a presentation by the Landmarks Commission of rules covering demolition of a contributing building in a Landmark District and demolition by neglect, and a presentation by the Parks Commission concerning the proposed demolition of the center. This was to be followed by testimony from the public with preference given to people from the neighborhood.

The history was reviewed by Dena Tasse-Winter from Village Preservation as scheduled.

The Landmarks Commission did not respond to the invitation. Susan Gammie read a summary of landmarks regulations concerning demolition of a building of historic and architectural worth in a landmarked district and demolition by neglect. This covered the same territory that would have come from a Commission representative.

The Parks Commission elected not to send a representative and Susan read a letter from the Commission saying that the question, especially the structural condition of the building, was still under study and review. They anticipate having a more information by the end of the year.

The public did not disappoint in fulfilling its part of the meeting. There was testimony from 20 members of the public, most of whom live in the neighborhood and 2 former residents.  They ranged from a 4th generation woman from an Italian family through later arrivals with only two or three generations in residence to those who had arrived lately to begin professional work in New York.

There was an instance of a man who had used the pool in his therapy for Parkinson’s Disease and a young man who had grown up on Morton Street and who spoke movingly about how the Center had formed his life, ultimately inspiring him in adulthood to become teacher and life coach for young people. He concluded with a plea – “Save my childhood home.”.

We have a clear picture of the views of the public concerning the Dapolito Center through testimony that went well beyond the range of comments for a usual Landmarks Committee hearing. Landmarks regulations do not include the use of the building or interiors except those individually designated. With the purpose of the meeting to provide information to the public and hear their views, the public fulfilled its part.

It requires no divination to know that the members of the community want the Dapolitio Center campus to be restored and the programs that they love so much returned.  No one complained that the pool was unsuited to Olympic Competition or that the NBA may find the court wanting. There was scant mention of the recreation facilities proposed for the affordable housing building on the adjacent water tunnel site. Those who spoke about this said that they did not want it to take the place of the center that they know and love.

The testimony was without exception passionately in favor of restoring the building and preserving the facilities and the full program’s remaining in it are a vital and necessary part of the community. This includes the building, the Keith Haring Mural, and the outdoor swimming pool as a campus. There is no separation of building and use in the minds of those who spoke.  It is one thing – a community recreation center – the building and the programs indivisible – and they want their building and their programs back – and soon.

Chenault Spence

Chair, CB2 Landmarks Committee

NB:  See INFORMATION ON THE TONY DAPOLITO RECREATION CENTER on the CB2 Manhattan website for documents relating to this report.  The site is updated from time to time as new information is available.

The forum to provide information to the public concerning the Parks Department’s proposal to demolish the Dapolito Center was held on September 30, 2024. 140 members of the community, members of CB2 Board, and the Landmarks Committee attended. The Committee made informative presentations and the members of the public gave lively testimony with a unanimous plea that the building, together with its programs be preserved.

• For the full report concerning the forum and information session on September 30, 2024 click here. (Link is not available, please check back.)
• To provide written testimony concerning the September 30, 2024 forum, please click here.
• For background information about the Dapolito Center and the potential demolition, including CB2’s September 19th resolution opposing demolition, please click here.

Let Your Voice Be Heard – Budget Priorities Survey:
Each year Community Boards submit proposed priorities for inclusion in the following year’s City Budget.  CB2/M wants to hear from you on what priorities you would like to see included in the City’s FY2026 Budget (FY 2026 runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 – the Budget process starts early).  What programs, initiatives or Agency budgets would you want to receive more funding or support?

Please respond to the Survey by clicking HERE – be sure to indicate your response relates to Community Board 2 – Manhattan.

The Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) recently released a Service Needs Assessment survey to better understand the needs of older adults, so they can live the quality of life they deserve. Please take a moment to complete the survey to ensure all of our city’s diverse communities are represented. All responses to this survey are anonymous; however, NYC Aging will be randomly selecting 50 households for the chance to receive one Visa gift card worth $50; those who would like to be considered for this drawing should provide contact information by September 30, 2024. And by completing the survey, you may be entered into our drawing and may win a $50 gift card. For more information, call Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NYC (212-244-6469). Please download flyer in English, Spanish or Chinese.

The Department of Sanitation is advising property owners and managers that beginning November 12, 2024, all trash must be set out in a bin (55 gallons or less) with a secure lid. This Rule will apply to:

• single-family homes
• two-family homes
• buildings with up to 9 apartments

Initially you may use a compliant bin (55 gallons or less with a secure lid) that you already have, but starting June 2026, you MUST use an Official NYC Bin.
To learn more, please download the flyer here.

New York City’s Local Law 1 of 2024 just went into effect. The bill lets tenants get a City inspection of neighboring vacant apartments with hazards. Click here for more information.

The Department of Transportation has adopted regulations for the new Dining Out NYC program.
To review the adopted regulations, click here.
For depictions of what the new permissible sidewalk cafe and roadway cafes will look like, click here.

For complete details concerning the Dining Out NYC Regulations, the LPC proposed rules and public hearing, and the schedule of upcoming CB2 Outdoor Dining Working Group meetings, please visit the Outdoor Dining Working Group page of the CB2 website here.

The MTA’s public comment period on the congestion pricing structure (here’s a PDF link with the final specifics) will be open until 3/11, and can be submitted in a range of ways:

• Online: https://contact.mta.info/s/forms/CBDTP
• Email: [email protected]
• Mail: CBD Tolling Program, 2 Broadway, 23rd Floor, NY, NY 10004
• Phone voicemail: 646-252-7440
• Fax: (212) 504-3148 labelled “Attention to CBDTP Team.”

•  Thursday, 2/29, at 6 pm
•  Friday, 3/1, at 10 am
•  Monday, 3/4, at 10 am
•  Monday, 3/4, at 6 pm

The GrowNYC Compost Program strives to make composting second-nature for all New Yorkers by operating residential Food Scrap Drop-off sites and partnering with community composting facilities to make compost locally. Part of a larger network of over 200 Food Scrap Drop-off sites in NYC, the GrowNYC Compost Program currently operates 52 food scrap drop-off sites serving 7 thousand regular weekly participants, diverting over 25 tons of food scraps from landfills each week.

See updates on GrowNYC locations, and check the citywide map for more options.

• Curbside Parking and Sidewalk Access Restrictions from February 26 – March 09, 2024 (Monday – Friday from 7am to 3:30p). Please click here for more details.

DEP is offering a $100 incentive credit to encourage customers to enroll in autopay. This limited time opportunity will only run for three months, until Nov. 15, so interested customers should sign up immediately. Those who enroll in autopay are required to receive e-bills, which eliminates physical paper bills and is therefore a more environmentally friendly alternative. DEP is launching this savings program as a follow-up to the successful amnesty program that forgave interest charges for customers who paid their overdue water bills.

Autopay allows customers to pay their bills automatically on the due date, or a specific date each month, and avoid the hassle of remembering to pay on time. The autopay feature automatically deducts a customer’s balance or payment amount from their bank account or credit card. Approximately 100,000 accounts, or 12% of DEP’s customers, are currently enrolled in autopay. This initiative aims to increase enrollment, which will help keep accounts current, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce the volume of bill inquiries to our call center, borough offices and correspondence unit.

Customers are eligible if they sign up for autopay using their My DEP account through Nov. 15. They must be enrolled in monthly billing, e-billing and cannot be delinquent on bills. If a customer has multiple accounts, all accounts can be eligible for the non-refundable $100 one-time credit, if all the program requirements are met.

Plus, setting it doesn’t mean forgetting it—customers will receive monthly notifications that their payment is scheduled and paid. Customers are required to stay current on their bills and be enrolled in autopay, e-billing, and monthly billing for six months after the $100 credit is applied to the account. If any of these qualifying actions are altered, the $100 credit will be revoked.

Additional info can be found at nyc.gov/dep/autopay, on our social media channels @NYCWater, or by calling DEP Customer Service at (718) 595-7000. (Please note that only property owners can enroll in autopay, monthly billing, and e-billing. DEP staff cannot enroll customers’ accounts into these services.)

EPA’s Environmental Justice Community Change Grants 

At the recent Brownfields 2023 conference, I learned about EPA’s Environmental Justice Community Change Grants that will be announced later this fall.  Full details are not yet available, but I wanted to alert NYC community-based organizations (CBOs) to the opportunity so you can begin thinking about applying and partners you might work with.

These are the details available so far:

Funding: $10-$20 million per grant
Eligibility: CBOs, in partnership with other CBOs, universities, or local governments

Deadlines: rolling applications; projects must be completed by September 2026.
Project categories:

• Climate resiliency and adaptation.
• Mitigating climate and health risks from urban heat islands, extreme heat, wood heater emissions, and wildfire events.
• Community-led air and other (including water and waste) pollution monitoring, prevention, and remediation.
• Investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies and related infrastructure.
• Workforce development that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.
• Reducing indoor toxics and indoor air pollution.
• Facilitating the engagement of disadvantaged communities in governmental processes ($1-3 million grants.)

EPA has posted the latest info at https://www.epa.gov/inflation-reduction-act/inflation-reduction-act-community-change-grants-program and a set of frequently asked questions.

Further, a preview of these grants will be featured at the beginning of the upcoming National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Call on September 19, 2023 at 2 pm.  These calls are free and open to the public.  See below for instructions to register and get the Zoom link.

NYSDOT ADVISORIES FOR THE NYC REGION, AS WELL AS NYCDOT, MTA, AND PORT AUTHORITY-NY/NJ ADVISORIES – through May 5, 2024
Please click here for more information.

Please be advised that the MTA will be closing the street stair to the 14^th St 1/2/3 Station at the SE corner of 14^th St/7^th Ave on or about Monday, February 12^th through mid – March 2024 for repairs and improvements.  This work is part of the overall 14^th St ADA project.

LATEST TRAVEL ADVISORIES AND FULL ROADWAY / STREET CLOSINGS

Travel Advisories: 

• For the NYS DoT Advisory for May 26, 2025, through June 1, 2025 – please click here.
• For the Port Authority Travel Advisory for May 24 through May 31 – please click here.

Road Repairs:
NYC DoT has begun work to complete the last portion of the Gansevoort and Horatio bike lane improvements on Gansevoort Street between Washington and Greenwich Streets.  The work is expected to take 13 weeks.

MTA Updates

• May 28-29 – No D Service.  For details, please click here.

ADA Pedestrian Ramps – Curbside and Parking Access Restrictions to facilitate Ramp Repair and Replacement

• Hester Street at Baxter Street – May 27^th to May 30^th.
• Hester Street at Stanton Street – May 27^th to May 30^th.
• Hester Street at Mott Street – May 27^th to May 30^th.
• Fifth Avenue at West 13^th Street – May 29^th to June 27^th.
• Fifth Avenue at West 9^th Street – May 29^th to June 27^th.

Full Roadway Closures

• 609 Greenwich Street (FRC’s on Leroy Street between Greenwich Street & Hudson Street) – May 29, 2025 to June 27, 2025
• West 11th Street between Washington Street & Greenwich Street) – May 30, 2025 to June 28, 2025
• West 11^th Street between Washington and Greenwich Streets –through June 28th.
• Leroy Street between Greenwich and Hudson Streets –through June 27th .
• Jane Street between West and Washington Streets (also West Street between Jane and Horatio Streets, and Horatio Street between West and Washington Streets) – through July 6th.
• Jane Street between West 4^th Street and Greenwich Avenue – between June 2^nd through 13^th .
• LaGuardia Place between West 3^rd and Bleecker Streets (dates TBA).
• Thompson Street between Bleecker and West 3^rd Streets – weekdays through June 6^th.
• Thompson Street between Sixth Avenue and Grand Street – through July 5^th.
• Thompson Street between West Houston and Bleecker Streets – May 27^th through June 25^th.
• Bedford Street between Grove and Barrow Streets – between May 30^th and June 29^th.
• Barrow Street between Bedford Street and Seventh Avenue South – through May 27^th.

Long-term Roadway Excavation:

• Hudson Street between Leroy and Morton Streets (Spectrum).
• Clarkson Street between West and Washington Streets (Con Ed).
• Mulberry Street between Grand and Hester Streets (Spectrum).
• Chritopher Street between Bedford and Bleecker Streets (Spectrum).
• Washington Street between Charles and West 10^th Streets (Spectrum).
• West Houston Street between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street (Spectrum).

COVID-19 Testing Sites

Walk-in testing is available at no cost to you at these NYC Health + Hospitals locations.

Click to access: NYC.gov/COVIDTEST

Hudson Park Library is now open as a Grab and Go location!  Patrons can start placing their holds by calling the branch at 212-243-6876 or logging into their account on nypl.org and choosing “Hudson Park” as their pick-up location.

Their grab-and-go service allows patrons to pickup and return materials while safely maintaining distance from others. The process is contactless: Once your items are ready for pickup, they will immediately be checked out to your account. This way, all you have to do when you get to the library is grab your items from the holds shelf—then go! There is no need to stop by the circulation desk for checkout. The same goes for returns—rather than visiting the desk, there will be a designated bin where you can return any items you currently have.

The new hours are: Monday: 11-6; Tuesday: 11-6; Wednesday: 12-7: Thursday: 11-6; Friday: 11-5; Saturday: 11-5; Sunday: Closed.

Learn more about the NYPL Grab and Go program.

We would like to announce the formation of the CB2 Equity Working Group to signify our commitment to ending the widespread systemic injustice and violence targeting Black people in America; and to share this letter — our promise to you that we will uphold racial justice within CB2.

Read the Equity Working Group introduction letter.

As New York City continues to see reductions in COVID-19 cases, restaurants are being allowed to serve people outside.

Read DOT’s outdoor restaurant dining rules and regulations.

Please click: Permanent Open Restaurants committee materials.