FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 14th, 2025
CONTACT: Emma Johnson
ejohnson@council.nyc.gov
347-864-4925
Council Members Powers and Bottcher Usher Through Midtown South Mixed Use Rezoning
The plan includes 9500+ new homes, Garment District Protections, the 34th Street Busway, and completed Broadway Vision
New York, NY — Today, the New York City Council unanimously approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX) — a landmark, once-in-a-generation rezoning that will unlock over 9,500 new homes, including more than 2,800 permanently affordable apartments, in one of the most opportunity-rich, transit-accessible parts of the city, while ensuring protections for the Garment District, investing in transformative public realm improvements, and addressing critical infrastructure needs.
Led by Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher in partnership with the Adams administration, the plan enables housing development in a part of Midtown Manhattan where residential uses are not currently allowed. The plan brings housing, jobs, transit, and open space together to support Midtown South’s evolution into an even more livable, mixed-use neighborhood at the heart of Manhattan.
In addition to building housing, the plan also creates a 34th Street Busway, which will replicate the successes of the busway downtown on 14th Street by making traffic safer, buses faster, and improving emissions in the heart of Midtown.
The city will also make a historic $121.9 million investment in new and existing programs to support the garment industry, including the relaunch of the NYCIDA Garment Center Program and the reopening of the M-CORE program.
“We’re tackling New York’s housing crisis head-on by unlocking over 9,500 new homes in one of the most transit-rich, high-opportunity areas of the city — helping to bring down rents not just in Midtown, but citywide,” said Council Member Erik Bottcher. “At the same time, we’re protecting good-paying jobs, preserving the heart of our fashion industry, and reimagining Midtown South as a place where more families can live, thrive, and build lasting community.”
Council Member Keith Powers said, “I have been a champion of the MSMX plan, and I am so proud to see it pass out of committee today. MSMX is the first major housing-focused rezoning in New York City that takes advantage of the changes that City of Yes put into place, and it makes a big step forward in tackling the affordable housing crisis. We are transforming Midtown South into a vibrant live-work neighborhood, alongside historic community investments in schools, transit, parks, and more. I look forward to the full Council approving this rezoning and bringing housing to Midtown!”
“To confront the citywide housing and affordability crisis, our city must build more homes and invest in housing solutions that allow generations of New Yorkers to remain in this city,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The Council is proud to pass the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan that will deliver more new homes than any residential neighborhood rezoning in 20 years, while enabling affordable housing to be built here for the first time in history. This landmark project will also invest nearly $488 million to preserve and support our city’s Garment District industries and help meet the needs of the surrounding communities. I thank Council Member Bottcher and Council Member Powers for their hard work and partnership to approve this historic rezoning.”
Annemarie Gray, Executive Director of Open New York, said: “The City Council’s passage of the Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) Plan ends a decades-old ban on new housing in parts of Midtown Manhattan—a policy that had driven up rents, reduced foot traffic for local businesses, and lengthened commutes for working New Yorkers. Thanks to the City’s passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity and the State’s lifting of the FAR cap, MSMX will enable the creation of nearly 10,000 homes in the heart of Manhattan. Council Members Bottcher and Powers have been leaders from the Plan’s inception to its passage, ushering in a transformational reform that will make Midtown more affordable and livable for thousands of New Yorkers.”
Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the New York City Council of Carpenters Paul Capurso said: “The Midtown Rezoning will create thousands of new apartments, unlocking the full potential of 485-x to deliver more housing and strengthen the middle class. We thank Speaker Adams and Council Members Botcher and Powers for their extraordinary leadership in confronting the housing crisis.”
“Transportation Alternatives has fought for years to reclaim Midtown streets for people, and the Midtown South rezoning is a major step toward that vision,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “With a dedicated, car-free 34th Street busway, and fully pedestrianized Broadway, this plan transforms Midtown into a model for people-first design. Alongside these public realm improvements, the rezoning will deliver thousands of new homes in some of the most transit-accessible spots in the world, helping address the city’s urgent housing crisis. This is the kind of transformative vision New Yorkers deserve. Thank you to all of our activists and our partners in government for pushing this transformative vision over the finish line.”
“The Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan builds on principles we’ve long championed—modernizing antiquated zoning to allow more housing, foster a true mix of uses, and create a stronger public realm,” said James Mettham, President of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership. “Flatiron NoMad is a real-time example of the vibrancy and resilience that comes from diverse uses, and we’re proud to see this vision advanced across Midtown. We applaud the administration, City Council, and local leaders for pairing this rezoning with transformative public realm investments like Broadway Vision, and for making thoughtful refinements to the plan that reflect community priorities, honor the district’s unique character, and set the stage for a dynamic future.”
“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.”
“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.””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.”