Midtown south of Central Park has the most construction activity in the city, according to the first-ever NYC Construction Dashboard issued by the Department of Buildings.
According to the data-driven neighborhood report, there have been more than 13,000 permits issued so far this year in the neighborhood covered by Community Board 5, nearly double the number in Manhattan Community Board 8, covering the Upper East Side, which had the second-highest number of permits issued.
“It’s not your imagination: construction is at a record high in New York City,” said Commissioner Rick Chandler. “Our new dashboard gives New Yorkers an in-depth look at the development of our built environment, covering construction in your neighborhood, as well as citywide trends.”
DOB issued a record 88,838 construction permits over the last two quarters, eclipsing the previous high, set in the spring and summer of 2016.
The surge in construction is reflected in data on construction employment – also covered in the report – which was likewise at an all-time high last year.
In 2016, the report showed that East Midtown, Bushwick, and Gowanus had the most demolitions. In New York City, demolitions typically are done to make room for new development, so construction activity is expected to pick up in these neighborhoods.
The South Shore of Staten Island had the most permits for new buildings so far this year, primarily single-family homes.
The dashboard, which will be updated quarterly, was built by DOB’s data analytics team, created as part of the agency’s Building One City modernization plan. The team’s first report documented all of the sidewalk sheds citywide.
“DOB has always been sitting on a mountain of data – but now we’re marshaling this information to better inform the public and improve our own operations. None of this would have been possible without Mayor de Blasio’s commitment to give DOB the funding and staffing we’ve always needed but never had,” said Commissioner Chandler.
