Mayor, City Council to Ban Residential Development in Industrial Business Zones

In an effort to help the city’s manufacturing sector, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito recently unveiled a 10-point action plan that would prevent residential housing built during his tenure in zones designated for industrial businesses.

Proposals for rezoning land require approval from the City Council and mayoral administrations, giving them the authority to essentially declare a blanket ban such as this.

The city has 21 industrial business zones in every borough other than Manhattan. One is the sprawling Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is undergoing a major redevelopment. The administration plans to invest $442 million over 10 years from its capital budget on industrial properties the city owns, including the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Sunset Park, and Hunts Point.