New York City Mayor Eric Adams highlighted the improvement of public spaces as a key focus of his administration during last year’s policy report conference. He appointed Ya-Ting Liu as the Chief Public Realm Officer to work alongside various government departments such as the New York City Department of Transportation, Parks Department, Small Business Services, Department of Buildings, Department of City Planning, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to enhance the public’s experience in using public spaces.
In his office’s report on public realm governance released on the 13th, Adams presented 15 achievements, including continuing outdoor dining areas that were established during the pandemic, but with the current administration team proposing clearer and more stringent regulations for these dining spaces. They collaborated with the city council to introduce a system of fines for aging construction scaffolding, encouraging construction contractors to improve lighting and use more aesthetically pleasing scaffolding designs. The Department of Buildings also offered options for property owners to gradually dismantle scaffolding and waive fines.
In the efforts to revitalize public spaces, the Department of Transportation, Small Business Services, and the Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) established the “Public Space Academy” to provide technical and financial support for organizations involved in public space initiatives like “Open Streets,” Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), and community groups.
On February 13th last year, Ya-Ting Liu, a Taiwan-born individual with a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), became the first Chief Public Realm Officer of New York City. She played a pivotal role in coordinating public policies across government departments. In collaboration with New York City’s Deputy Mayor of Operations Meera Joshi, Liu oversaw projects such as the $56 million Chinatown Connections, the $11.6 billion investment in the East Broadway subway hub combining public and private funds, and the $117 million extension of green space known as “QueensWay” in East Queens.
Recently, Ya-Ting Liu led the launch of the “Ur In Luck” project, which placed the location data of New York City public restrooms on Google Maps. This initiative allows individuals to access the map through their smartphones to easily find information on public restrooms in the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, in parks, libraries, private public spaces, subway stations, and public plazas. To access the Google Map of New York City public restrooms, visit: on.nyc.gov/restroom