We will use upcoming rezonings to direct growth toward areas with strong transit access
Central to the City's rezoning strategy is identifying primary avenues and boulevards near transportation hubs whose width and access to transit enable them to support additional density. With easy access to multiple transportation options, these sites can accommodate increased residential development without straining the existing transportation infrastructure. (See chart above: Transit-Accessible Population in New York City)

Downtown Jamaica is one such example. There, the J, Z, and E lines and the AirTrain connect the Long Island Rail Road's local station to JFK airport, making it an important gateway for new arrivals to the city. As a result, Downtown Jamaica is a major transit hub, with more than 95,000 riders passing through the area's six subway stops each day. This concentration of transit means that thousands more residents and businesses could grow with modest investments in infrastructure-and without forcing an increased reliance on automobiles.

But much of the current zoning in Jamaica has been unchanged since 1961. This outdated zoning, and its restrictions on density, is one of the major obstacles to Jamaica's current and future economic potential. That's why the City is now engaging community stakeholders, neighborhood residents, and local elected officials in a public review process for the Jamaica Plan, which will build on the strengths of the area to promote sustainable growth. It is among the largest rezoning efforts in the city's history.

There are other examples across New York. In Coney Island, the newly rebuilt Stillwell Avenue subway station is the genesis and terminus of several train lines in Brooklyn including the D, Q, N, and F trains. The Coney Island Strategic Plan will promote growth around this transit center, enhancing the area's historic attractions, while increasing affordable housing on vacant City-owned land.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
On September 10, the City adopted the Jamaica rezoning, the largest rezoning project of this Administration. The rezoning will spur the creation of 9,500 jobs, 5,200 housing units, and three million square feet of commercial space near a major transit hub. In 2007, the City also approved rezonings for the Upper West Side, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, and Bedford-Stuyvesant. The 125th Street rezoning was approved by the CPC in March 2008. In 2008, the Department of City Planning (DCP) is expecting to begin the public review process for the Moynihan Station in Manhattan; the Lower Concourse and 161st Street/River Avenue in the Bronx; Dutch Kills in Queens; and St. George in Staten Island rezonings.