FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 6th, 2025
CONTACT: Emma Johnson
ejohnson@council.nyc.gov 
347-864-4925

Bottcher and Powers Usher Through Midtown South Rezoning: 9,500+ New Homes, Garment District Protections, 34th Street Car-Free Busway, Broadway Vision

Over 9,500 New Homes — up to 30% Permanently Affordable — Paired with Garment District Protections, a 34th Street Car-Free Busway, Transformation of Broadway into Continuous Park-Like Promenade

New York, NY — Today, the New York City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan (MSMX) — a landmark, once-in-a-generation rezoning that will unlock 9,535 new homes, including up to 2,842 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 Erik Bottcher and Keith Powers in partnership with the Adams administration, the plan enables housing development in a part of Midtown Manhattan where residential uses 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.

“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!”

A Major Win for Housing in the City’s Core

The MSMX Plan delivers over 9,500 new homes in one of Manhattan’s most transit-rich, underbuilt 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.

At a time when New York’s rental vacancy rate is at its lowest point in nearly 60 years, this is a bold step toward easing the housing crisis and building a more equitable 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. 

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 District
• Relaunch of the NYCIDA Garment Center Program, offering up to $25 million in tax abatements to support long-term preservation of industrial space
• Reopening 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 uses
• Launch of the CFDA Local Production Fund Pilot Program, with $1.815 million in public-private funding to support designers and garment manufacturers
• Continued investment in the Garment District Alliance’s $2.5 million/year Business Development Collaborative, with renewed stakeholder input to expand workforce training and business support
• Launch of Midtown Made, a new branding, outreach, and investment campaign to elevate local designers, manufacturers, and creative entrepreneurs
• Creation 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 art
• Additional 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 Streets
• Family-friendly design applied across all parks and plazas — including water play, seating, fitness areas, and accessible restrooms
• An 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.

The Busway will undergo a robust public engagement process led by the NYC Department of Transportation to ensure strong community input and responsive implementation. With the 34th Street Busway, Midtown gains not just a better transit corridor — but a more connected, people-first 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.”

“Transportation Alternatives has fought for years to reclaim Midtown streets for people, and the Midtown South rezoning is a major step toward that vision,” says Ben Furnas, Executive Director, Transportation Alternatives. With a dedicated, car-free 34th Street busway and a fully pedestrianized Broadway, this plan prioritizes safe, sustainable, and accessible ways to get around — making Midtown 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 kind of future-forward planning doesn’t happen by chance — it happens when leaders work together. We’re grateful to Council Members Bottcher and Powers, all the other elected officials who united behind this transformative vision, and to Mayor Adams for partnering to see it across the finish line. If we can do this in Midtown, we can do it across all five boroughs. This is the future New Yorkers deserve.”

Preserving History with Landmark Designations

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.

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 Street
• A new, enclosed EMS Station 7 at 613 West 29th Street, replacing the inadequate open-air trailer on 23rd Street
• The 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 School
• Upgraded auditorium and tech improvements at P.S. 33 and P.S. 340
• New playground equipment at P.S. 11
• New 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 capacity
• Transit Improvement Bonus eligibility expanded to all sites in the rezoning area
• Complete funding for the 13th Precinct Mobile Command Unit, addressing quality-of-life issues in the new live-work neighborhood

These investments ensure that Midtown South grows as a livable, equitable, and complete neighborhood.

Next Steps

Following today’s subcommittee vote, the full City Council is expected to vote on final adoption on August 14. 

“For too long, Midtown Manhattan has been out of reach for too many,” said Council Member Erik Bottcher. “This plan changes that — by creating thousands of affordable homes in one of the most connected, opportunity-rich parts of the city.”

“Today’s vote is a big step forward for Manhattan,” said Powers. “This visionary thinking is what makes our city great. The future of Midtown is bright.”