De Blasio Frees Up $17B For Major NYC Projects

NEW YORK CITY — A raft of city-led major construction projects will restart this year across New York City in a massive revitalization effort, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

De Blasio on Monday announced the city will free up $17 billion for capital projects ranging from school expansions to affordable housing to street safety.

The effort is part of de Blasio's "A Recovery For All of Us" initiative — his final-year program to equitably bring the city back from the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are comeback artists for sure and we're going to show it again," he said.

More than 1,700 city project will receive a green light by the end of March, said Lorraine Grillo, the city's newly-appointed "recovery czar."

Hiring and procurement on the projects will help construction workers, engineers, architects and others affected by the pandemic get back to work, Grillo said.

“This is exactly what’s needed to bring this city back and make this a recovery for all of us,” she said.

The projects will focus on increasing school capacity and continuing efforts to build and preserve affordable housing, de Blasio said.

He said the city will "double down" on fighting against climate change's effects by focusing on coastal resiliency projects.

“Improving our city streets creating safety, Vision Zero — deepening our efforts there,” he said. “And, of course, one of the places we've come to love even more during the pandemic — our parks — continue our investments in our parks. So that $17 billion is going to make a huge impact in helping New York City come back strong.”