All posts in “News”

Congratulations CalTrain: A Milestone in Bay Area Transit and the Road Ahead for Diridon Station Redevelopment

August 28, 2024 / No Comments

After more than seven years of construction, Caltrain’s new electric trains have arrived, marking a transformative milestone in the region’s transportation landscape. This $2.4 billion project introduces quieter, cleaner, and faster rail service, significantly cutting travel time between San Francisco and San Jose. 

 

HR&A Advisors is proud to support Caltrain in developing a governance structure to guide the redevelopment of Diridon Station, enhancing connectivity and vibrancy across the entire region. Working in partnership with Caltrain and the Diridon Partner agencies which include VTA, The City of San Jose, California High Speed Rail Authority and MTC, and as part of a team led by Mott MacDonald, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of agency assets and capabilities and an evaluation of national and global best practices to formulate a long term governance structure to ensure  the delivery of the ambitious program of projects necessary for the station’s redevelopment in a timely and cost effective manner. 

 

Earlier this month, lawmakers including Gov. Gavin Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, alongside business leaders and transportation officials, celebrated with an inaugural ride from San Francisco to Millbrae. With enhanced amenities, increased service frequency, and a strong commitment to reducing emissions, this electrification is set to transform the Bay Area’s transit landscape. 

 

In collaboration with partner agencies—Valley Transit Authority, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, City of San Jose, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority—we remain committed to creating a robust framework that will successfully guide this historic project. 

 

Photo: Faisal Hanafi 

Con Edison is an Economic Engine Powering New York Jobs & Clean Energy Transition

August 22, 2024 / No Comments

This press release was originally issued by Con Edison.

 

Economic Impact Report: Company Contributes $22.6B in Economic Activity; Supports More Than 38,000 Jobs in 2023

 

Con Edison contributed $22.6 billion in economic impact to New York State in 2023. The company’s investments in the clean energy transition, and in resiliency projects that protect system reliability during more extreme weather conditions drove a 20 percent increase ($3.8 billion) over 2021, according to an economic impact report released today.

 

The company supports 38,600 jobs in New York State and spent $1.1 billion in contracts with businesses in the five boroughs and Westchester County.

 

It also increased its contracts with Small, and Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses, the backbone of the New York City economy, by 45 percent from 2021 to 2023 to more than $550 million.

 

Con Edison also delivered more than $3.3 billion in tax revenue paid by customers to New York City to support city services, including $2.4 billion in property taxes alone. Con Edison customers are responsible for 4 percent of New York City’s tax revenue, nearly enough to cover the budgets of FDNY (Fire Department of New York) and DSNY (NYC Sanitation Department) combined.

 

“This report shows the essential role that Con Edison plays in our region’s vibrant economy and in making this the best place in the world to live, work and visit,” said Tim Cawley, chairman and CEO of Con Edison. “Our investments reflect our values and the values of our customers. We support Small, and Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses, create jobs and facilitate the payment of billions of dollars a year in taxes to support the communities we serve, all while leading the transition to clean energy. We are demonstrating that the people of Con Edison, and the services we provide help local businesses prosper, lift incomes for more New Yorkers, and support more investment in our local community.”

 

The Economic Impact Report created by HR&A Advisors, Inc. (HR&A) for Con Edison quantifies the company’s economic and fiscal impacts to customers, retirees, unions, shareholders, and industry and civic associations in 2023. This is the second report HR&A submitted to Con Edison. The first was in 2021.

 

“Con Edison contributes to New York’s economy in ways that positively impact the millions of New Yorkers it serves,” said Kate Wittels, partner at HR&A. “As Con Edison continues investing in its system to serve customers during more extreme weather events, and enabling its customers transition to clean energy, the company’s impact on the state’s economy will continue to grow, proving that New York’s clean energy transition is an economic development driver and an environmental policy.”

 

Purchasing Power: Small Businesses and M/WBEs

In 2023, the company spent $1.1 billion with companies in Westchester County and the five boroughs of New York, with another $700 million spent with companies located elsewhere in New York State.

 

31 percent of Con Edison’s in-state contracts were awarded to M/WBEs and small businesses in 2023. The company has invested significantly in developing its relationships with M/WBEs and small businesses through our supplier diversity program. Con Edison encourages suppliers to reach out if they are interested in doing business with the company.

 

Jobs

The report found that Con Edison supports 38,600 jobs in New York State, including direct, indirect, and induced jobs. For every Con Edison employee, the company supports another 1.9 jobs in New York State. That number reflects an 18 percent increase in total jobs since 2021 including 1,000 direct jobs.

      • 80 percent of Con Edison’s workforce lives in New York State.
      • More than 75 percent graduated from New York State-based public and private colleges and universities.
      • 59 percent of Con Edison’s employees are people of color.
      • 23 percent are female.

     

    “We applaud Con Edison for being a critical industry partner in supporting Mayor Adams’ vision to create a more inclusive economy where all New Yorkers can share in our economic growth and prosperity, and today’s announcement further demonstrates the integral role Con Edison continues to play for our city’s people and businesses,” said Abby Jo Sigal, executive director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development. “For generations, Con Edison has been a source of good paying, union jobs that have provided pathways to economic mobility, and its recent commitments to invest in clean energy and support disadvantaged communities will help make the city more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive as we transition to the green economy of the future.”

     

    Con Edison works with organized labor to ensure jobs are high quality, safe, and family-sustaining. More than 55 percent of Con Edison’s workforce is represented by the Utility Workers Union of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. This level of representation is more than 2.5 times the industry average.

     

    Con Edison is helping New York meet its urgent need for clean energy workers by investing in green job training, with a focus on helping residents of disadvantaged communities. Over the next three years 1,200 individuals will have the tools they need to begin their careers in energy and technology. Through Con Edison’s $4 million in grants, four New York nonprofit organizations will support clean energy and technology workforce training for people in disadvantaged communities.

     

    Taxes

    Con Edison facilitated the payment of $4.4 billion in taxes and fees in 2023. Of these, $2.4 billion is New York City property taxes, which represents 8 percent of the total property taxes New York City collected. Con Edison customers are paying 11 times the amount paid by the City’s luxury hotels, as a point of comparison. And the City’s assessment on Con Edison infrastructure continues to grow, with 2023 tax payments 14 percent higher than in the prior report.

     

    Protecting the Most Vulnerable New Yorkers

    Con Edison advances environmental justice in its service territory through clean energy programs that benefit customers in communities New York State identified as disadvantaged.

     

    The company encourages low-income customers and those living in disadvantaged communities to take advantage of programs and incentives for energy efficiency improvements, financial assistance on customer bills, and workforce development programs.

     

    Con Edison invested $658 million in disadvantaged communities on clean energy and electric infrastructure improvements in 2023, and more than $34 million in energy efficiency incentives benefited low- and moderate-income households.

     

    477,000 low-income customers receive rate discounts totaling over $266 million on their energy bills through programs administered by Con Edison.

  • Creating Financial Security for City and State Pensioners

    In addition to spending from Con Edison’s operations, the New York economy benefits from the dividend payments and value appreciation of Con Edison stock, which provides financial security for millions of shareholders, including more than 731,000 current and former New York and New Jersey public sector employees through city and state pension funds.

     

    About the Economic Impact Report

    HR&A Advisors, Inc. analysis incorporated findings from a wide range of datasets and industry-standard economic impact assessment tools to evaluate the economic and fiscal impacts of Con Edison to New York City, Westchester, and New York State in 2023.

Principal Sarah Solon has been named as an Urban Design Forum’s Big Swings Fellow!

August 7, 2024 / No Comments

HR&A Advisors is thrilled to announce that Principal Sarah Solon has been named a part of the inaugural cohort of Urban Design Forum’s Big Swings Fellows!

 

This distinguished group of urban leaders is set to tackle New York City’s housing crisis head-on, bringing expertise from diverse fields including policy, design, organizing, public health, development, law, philanthropy, and journalism. The 2024 Global Exchange initiative, Big Swings seeks to build solidarity between leaders in New York and other cities taking “big swings” at their housing crises. By exploring the cultures and politics behind housing shifts around the world, we will equip decision-makers to better advocate for reform and support a new generation of leaders to house every New Yorker.

 

Congratulations to Sarah Solon and the entire cohort! We are proud and excited to see the transformative impact you will make on New York City’s housing landscape.

The Just Transition to Carbon-Free Buildings That We Need

July 31, 2024 / No Comments

This op-ed was originally issued by Governing. 

 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act will collectively invest tens of billions of dollars in our infrastructure and buildings. While the spending generated by these two federal laws will improve transportation, broadband and air quality while creating new industries around the country, perhaps the most concrete change for many of us will be related to the carbon footprint of the places where we live, work and spend our leisure time.

 

Among the key facets of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is its funding for investments in a variety of clean energy and power projects, both at the nationwide grid infrastructure level and at the local level. The Inflation Reduction Act leverages those investments with both funding and incentives for decarbonizing technology like heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

 

States, regions, counties and cities have been submitting plans, funding applications and implementation road maps associated with a range of these federal funds, and the local efforts are already beginning to impact communities.

As with any challenge of this magnitude, the true measures of success will not be the passing of laws or approval of funding but rather the actual implementation of the effort and the resulting measurable improvements to carbon emissions and other key environmental factors. Crucially, these implementation efforts must take equity and justice into account, benefiting all Americans regardless of their income level or living situation.

 

While there are countless technical challenges associated with decarbonization of buildings, most of the technology is actually pretty straightforward. If you live in a single-family home, for example, a package of solar panels, heat pumps, induction cooking and electric hot-water heaters may be all that you need to decarbonize your dwelling. All of those products are available at commercial scale, are readily installable and have a well-established track record.

 

If you live or work in a large building in an area, such as New York state or Washington state, where the electric grid is moving toward carbon neutrality, an engineer can draw plans to electrify your building so that when the grid is carbon neutral, so is your building. Again, these plans are being implemented now, with existing contractors and commercially available products. While there is every expectation that products will get better, cheaper and more efficient, we do not need to invent our way into carbon-neutral buildings. We know how.

 

The challenges are money and policy. Therefore, there are questions of who gets access to those resources and who benefits from the sea change that these laws will bring. Nationally, we have a pretty good track record of creating environmental incentives for those with access to resources. If you own a single-family home and a garage, in many states existing solar and EV incentives can dramatically reduce your costs for these products — in some cases paying back your investment in full.

 

But if you do not own your home or have limited access to upfront capital, your ability to access these incentives is far more limited. Indeed, if you are a renter, your landlord’s installation of a heat pump is disruptive, is likely to increase your electric bill and may also increase the rent on the apartment if paired with other improvements in the building. As implementation plans are developed, they must take into account the fact that 50 percent of renters are already cost-burdened.

 

While it may be true that we do not need to invent solutions, that’s not the same as saying that solutions are easy. As states and local governments develop implementation plans, the focus needs to be less on the technology and much more on addressing the questions of how to create the incentives and policies necessary to make sure that the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding are creating not just carbon-neutral buildings but a system that affirmatively addresses the environmental injustice built into the legacy system.

 

We need a system that addresses the needs of renters and low/moderate-income households and that leverages this unprecedented funding opportunity to create a sustainable approach to energy, focused as much on the people in the buildings as it is on the buildings themselves.

 

Jon Meyers is a partner at HR&A Advisors, where he advises public- and private-sector clients on the financing and implementation of complex real estate projects. He previously served as the chief operating officer of the Trust for Governors Island and was instrumental in creating an economic rationale for the reuse of the High Line in New York City.

Partner Bret Collazzi Served as a Panelist for Urban Land Institute New York’s TAP Report that Reveals Strategies for Inclusive Economic Growth in the Bronx

July 10, 2024 / No Comments

Urban Land Institute New York’s latest TAP report is out with recommendations on how to leverage a new Metro-North station in the Bronx’s Morris Park neighborhood to drive inclusive economic growth. HR&A Partner Bret Collazzi, who grew up less than a mile away from the station, served on the TAP last December and contributed to the report’s recommendations. The report highlights how the new transit link, set for completion in 2027, can support the future growth of Montefiore Health System’s Morris Park campus, one of the Bronx’s largest employers and a regional center of health science education and research. 

 

The report emphasizes the need for improved campus connections, branding, and activation of existing and new spaces to benefit both the health system and the surrounding neighborhood. We’re excited to see Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and local partners seize this incredible opportunity in the years ahead. 

 

“In pursuit of answers to Montefiore’s questions, the panel first identified a framework that needs to be in place to support any improvements to the system’s campus. Refine Montefiore’s identity and branding:  Montefiore has an excellent reputation in the community, yet it is unclear where the campus begins or ends or, following recent acquisitions, which buildings are part of the system’s network. The campus needs branding assistance and wayfinding signage, featuring this brand, is needed at the gateways to campus, along the sidewalks, at buildings, and more. Branded signage will also be critical at the train station to help guide transit riders to the campus.”

 

Read the full report here.

 

HR&A Report for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) finds that 1 in 5 California Households Lack Basic Banking Services, New Program Would Save Billions

June 27, 2024 / No Comments

This news announcement is based on a press release that was originally issued by Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

 

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released a report conducted by HR&A Advisors, which reveals that 1 in 5 California households cannot access basic financial services such as checking and savings accounts and debit cards, underscoring the ongoing crisis of underbanking that restricts financial opportunities for many California families, particularly in communities of color. The report finds that the proposed CalAccount program, a free, public banking option for Californians that the State of California is considering, would save un- and underbanked Californians a total of over $3 billion a year and generate $5 billion in economic activity.

 

When they cannot access banking services, low-income Californians have to rely on alternative financial service providers like pawn shops and check cashers, which can be costly, predatory and exacerbate their already precarious economic situations. For Californians without access to reliable, foundational banking services, financial stability remains out of reach. 

 

The report details how the lack of adequate access to basic financial services hurts California’s families, communities and statewide economy. Specifically, it finds: 

  • Seven million Californians are either unbanked, meaning they do not have a bank account – or underbanked, meaning they rely on costly alternative financial services
  • Black households are 3.5 times more likely to be underbanked than white households
  • Black, Latino/a, and single-female headed households are most likely to be underbanked or unbanked
  • 61% of unbanked households make less than $30,000 annually and 41% make less than $15,000 annually. 40% of underbanked households make more than $75,000 per year
  • Underbanking is of particular concern to California’s rural communities as 70% of census tracts in California do not have any physical banking outlets and another 15% have only one banking outlet
  • The widespread lack of adequate access to basic banking services costs Californians $3.1 billion each year
  • Saving Californians from overdraft fees, account maintenance fees, ATM fees, money orders, and check cashing with CalAccount, will generate $5 billion in the California economy

 

HR&A Advisors found that a solution like CalAccount is necessary to help address the financial service access gap and could be feasible for the State to implement. The proposed CalAccount program, currently under consideration by the CalAccount Blue Ribbon Commission, would generate billions and help Californians keep more of their hard-earned money instead of paying fees to banks or check cashers. 

 

Public Banking Option Would Reduce Income Inequality, Lift Low-Income Communities 

Even Californians with access to traditional banking services have to pay exorbitant fees for transactions, account maintenance, ATM use, money orders, check cashing and more. Current barriers to financial services leave Californians vulnerable to predatory lending and other financial risks. With a fee-free public banking service option like CalAccount, unbanked and underbanked households would on average save $1,300 a year, with many households saving much more. 

 

While the report finds households across income levels are underbanked, banking services are most out of reach for single parents, low-income households and communities of color. Low-income, Black, brown, single-parent and immigrant households face arbitrary requirements, like minimum account balances, to access basic banking services that are the building blocks to economic stability and security. These practices trap families in a cycle of debt, making it nearly impossible to save for emergencies or build a secure future. Meanwhile, the same fees that exclude these families from access to banking provide billions of dollars in revenue to some of the largest U.S. banks. 

 

As the report explains, a public banking option like CalAccount would narrow the financial services gap, increase opportunities for low-income communities to build wealth and put financial stability within reach for the Black, Latino/a, and single-female headed households which are most likely to be underbanked or unbanked. CalAccount is a common-sense solution that ensures all Californians have access to free basic services which are critical to financial security. 

 

You can read the full report here.

Join us for an Educational Webinar on Digital Equity and Opportunity Collaborative Funding Design 

June 26, 2024 / No Comments

HR&A and Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) are hosting an educational webinar on July 19, 12 PM Central (10aPT / 1pET) focused on bridging the gap between digital equity and opportunity grant-makers and grant-seekers. Register today!

 

We’ll share best practices from MHM’s approach to designing its $21 million digital equity grant program with an emphasis on capacity building and ecosystem development. We’ll also discuss the importance of designing digital equity and opportunity programs towards outcomes like health access and workforce development, shedding light on how organizations can expand their impact beyond just getting people online.

 

Helping to Make the Most of a Pivotal Year

2024 marks a pivotal year for digital equity funding, with billions of dollars from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act beginning to flow to implementation partners. States, local and tribal governments, nonprofits, anchor institutions, philanthropies, and private sector partners all have roles to play in allocating funds, pursuing funds, or both.

 

Our discussion will cover:

  1. How to design a grant program that supports grantee capacity building and long-term success;
  2. Designing for integration into a strong digital equity and opportunity ecosystem
  3. How to prioritize and communicate the outcomes of digital equity programming (e.g. improved health outcomes) to bring a diverse group of funders and grantees to the table;
  4. Tactical grant-making lessons learned so far.

A Conversation with Susy Vaca, HR&A’s New Chief People and Culture Officer

June 19, 2024 / No Comments

In this conversation with our Chief People and Culture Officer, we discuss the “secret sauce” for building a strong culture, our commitment to Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and what makes a great mentor.

 

Can you talk a little bit about your background and what brought you to HR&A?

 

I’ve spent 20 years in human resources, primarily as a business partner in professional services firms. That includes all things onboarding, performance management, compensation, offboarding, and everything in between — and there’s so much in between!

 

I gravitate towards being purposeful and intentional regarding things like engagement, retention, aligning mission and purpose with the employee experience. Post COVID, many experienced professionals — myself included — did a lot of reflection about how we spend our days at work. In many ways, work identifies who you are and what you value.

 

It’s important to ensure the time you spend in your professional life is value accretive to your overall growth as a person. When I found the opportunity at HR&A, it seemed like a complete slam dunk. The work HR&A does in the world and our mission to improve people’s lives really resonated with me. I’m excited to be part of it.

 

 

What is the “secret sauce” for managing people and creating a strong culture in an organization?

 

Throughout my years doing this work, I’ve really enjoyed learning the business and figuring out how we best align talent strategies to help execute business goals. What’s always resonated with me is when I’m working with leaders who think of people first. Once you have that at the center, people have what they need to be successful and feel supported in their advancement and growth. Everything else follows.

 

For me, optimal culture is one where people feel cared for, appreciated, valued, and aligned in purpose in their roles. Who doesn’t like to feel appreciated? Who doesn’t like to feel cared for? When you’re operating from that place, everything can be accomplished with grace and appreciation along the way. It sounds simple, right? But, of course it isn’t — you need to bring intention to the work and make sure you’re dealing with things that get in the way.

 

HR&A has made significant investments in integrating Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) into everything we do. How are you hoping to continue that work?

 

My role is uniquely positioned to focus on both people and culture, and the company continues to embed ADEI into everything it does, which speaks volumes about HR&A’s unwavering commitment to ADEI.  As a HR leader and first-generation Latina, I’m especially invested in continuing to build a company that reflects the communities we serve and welcomes everyone to bring their authentic self to work. It’s also so important for folks internally to feel supported and look around to see themselves reflected in their colleagues.

 

There’s a lot of work that continues to need to be done, and it’s a priority in this next chapter for the firm. I’m looking forward to continuing to advance our ADEI investments and committments. It’s not only an important part of our culture, but also a value we bring to our clients that differentiates us.

 

 

What makes an excellent mentor?

 

A mentor is someone you can have a very thought-provoking conversation with you about how to move the needle on something important  — and that means different things to different people. My mentors have either been HR leaders who I’ve worked with tackling employee or culture problems in creative ways or business leaders who are incredibly savvy and understand the value of investing in people. I’ve been able to learn from both kinds of mentors and they were excellent in different ways.

 

Having a range of mentors, sponsors, allies, and other kinds of support throughout your career is so important. The more you have people around you — your community, inside and outside of where you’re working — the more you’ll grow as a professional.

 

Looking to the future, how do you see emerging technologies like AI and new ways of working impacting our workforce?

 

When we’re thinking about integrating new tools or emerging technologies, our guiding principle should always be: how can they help our people thrive and do the work they love? It all comes down to ensuring that we’re an employer of choice. We want people to feel supported and aligned with their passions. We want them to feel like they are spending their time meaningfully and are growing professionally.

 

The work is the work, and the ways to get from A to Z will change based on technology and new processes, but what doesn’t change is the human experience of that work. In every room I enter, with every new tool or method we’re incorporating into how we do what we do, I’m thinking of the employee mindset. How does this impact an employee from their chair? If you center the human experience, the rest will fall into place.

 

Learn more about Susy. 

A Conversation with Desmond Hunte, HR&A’s New Chief Finance and Operations Officer

June 19, 2024 / No Comments

We sat down with HR&A’s new Chief Finance and Operations Officer to discuss the future of HR&A and the work he’s doing to support our growth to tackle even greater challenges in cities and communities across the globe.

 

Can you share a little bit about your background and what brought you to HR&A?

 

I started my career doing economic and business and strategy analysis for a bank that was focused on improving mortgages and lending for low- to moderate-income, first time, and minority homebuyers. As my career progressed, I worked for organizations like Wells Fargo; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and lobbying and consulting firm Michael Best Strategies. In many ways HR&A’s mission feels like a “full circle” moment.

 

HR&A presented a unique opportunity to connect my career experiences and my values. I want to work for a successful business that also has positive impact on the communities where we work and live.

 

 

What are you looking forward to in the next year as HR&A’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer?

 

As our finance and operations leader, my main goal is always to make things work seamlessly so the “experts can expert.” That’s really been my philosophy everywhere I’ve gone, whether it’s with bankers, policy experts, or government agencies around the world. It’s about creating an environment that allows the experts to focus on what they do best — producing excellent work for our clients and communities — by streamlining the stuff that can get in the way.

 

My team is focused on building systems so that our clients and project teams can maximize their impact. If I can save the organization 20 minutes a day, that’s 20 minutes more that we can serve as experts. Also, those 20 minutes spent more productively have a positive impact on our bottom line, our staff’s happiness at work, and the communities we serve. So, in a myriad of ways, I’m looking forward to building systems that amplify those results over the next year.

 

HR&A is company with an almost 50-year history, and with Jeff Hébert stepping into the role of CEO in early 2024, we’re embarking on a new chapter. As a core member of his Executive Leadership Team, what do you think are the opportunities and challenges facing a company like HR&A at a pivotal moments like this?      

 

HR&A is in a great position because our our  entrepreneurial spirit, and  committment to  tackling even bigger projects and challenges. With that in mind,  every company reaches a stage in its growth when you need to step back and evaluate the systems you have in place and how they will grow with you. No one in our industry matches HR&A in terms of the level of excellence in our client work, and I want to make sure the internal structure supporting that work mirrors that excellence and even raises the bar. It all comes back to streamlining how we do business to ensure our “experts can expert.”

 

HR&A has demonstrated that changing and adapting is part of its DNA. That’s a huge opportunity, because change is hard for most organizations. At HR&A, there’s an openness to evolving that will serve us well. In the end, everything we’re doing is with the goal of serving our clients and helping our employees be more efficient, productive, and happier at work.

 

 

How do you manage implementing change and growth without losing what makes a company like HR&A special?

 

I’ve been around a lot of professional services organizations in my career, and HR&A offers a uniquely customized, hands-on, and action-oriented approach to our work. We’re not just taking things off the shelf and reselling them to clients as something new for the sake of greater profit. No matter how much we grow, we can’t get away from the customized and committed way we deliver our work, because it’s what makes us special. I’m here to help make sure we can stay true to who we are while we grow to become even better.

 

Learn more about Desmond.

Governor Hochul Announces Transformative Projects for NYC: HR&A Advisors Celebrates Community Development in East Harlem, Garment District, and Far Rockaway

June 10, 2024 / No Comments

Governor Kathy Hochul announced 19 transformative projects for New York City under the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and NY Forward programs. This investment aims to create vibrant and livable communities in East Harlem, the Garment District, and Far Rockaway.  

 

HR&A Advisors are thrilled to congratulate the recipients of the DRI and NY Forward awards! We are incredibly proud to have served and engaged with these communities, helping to develop projects that will catalyze growth and improve the lives of residents. Congratulations to all the award recipients! 

 

In East Harlem, the winner of a $10 million DRI award, ten projects will support local businesses, enhance community health, and preserve cultural heritage. Key projects include a $956,000 Community Wellness and Healthy Food Center to transform a thrift store into a wellness center offering healthy food, cooking classes, and health screenings. The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute will receive $1.4 million for structural improvements and expanded community space. There will be a $1 million investment in storefront revitalization along East 116th Street, and $2 million will go towards transforming the 125th Street Plaza to enhance community spaces and introduce artistic elements. HR&A Advisors supported the planning team led by MUD Workshop that guided the East Harlem community through the DRI process. 

 

In the Garment District, a $4.5 million NY Forward award will support four projects aimed at bolstering the local fashion industry and improving public spaces. These include a $1.086 million Fashion Career Design Hub to create a training and coworking space for fashion professionals, a $1.5 million Technology Grant Fund to support fashion manufacturers and studios, $587,000 for green initiatives like street trees and planters, and $1.327 million for pedestrian walkway improvements along Seventh and Eighth Avenues. HR&A served as lead consultant for the NY Forward process in the Garment District, joined by MUD Workshop. 

 

Far Rockaway, another $4.5 million NY Forward winner, will see five projects aimed at revitalizing the community. These include the $2.44 million Rockaway Music, Arts & Cultural Center to transform the O’Kane Building into a cultural hub, $196,000 for Community Justice Center renovations, $1.233 million for a new affordable daycare center at JCCRP, $368,000 for maternal healthcare modernization at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, and $263,000 for modern waste bins and wayfinding signs to improve waste management and signage. HR&A was lead consultant assisting members of the Far Rockaway community throughout the NY Forward process, partnering with Fu Wilmers Design (FWD).  

 

HR&A Advisors is proud to support these transformative efforts to foster livable, vibrant, and resilient NYC communities through our continuing strategic planning and consulting efforts. Since 2017, HR&A has supported 12 communities throughout New York in the DRI and NY Forward programs.

 

Photo: Rachel Martin