2018 is bringing several changes to New York City. From changes to legislation regarding worker compensation and benefits to new parks and outlet malls, here is a look at a few of the changes you can expect to see taking place in the city this year.
Minimum Wage Increases and Paid Family Leave
The minimum wage in New York City is set to increase to $15 by the end of the year, putting the city in league with cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle that have passed similar legislation. In NYC, the wage increases will apply to only those companies with more than 11 employees.
Paid family leave will also become more accessible to New Yorkers in 2018. Legislation championed by Governor Cuomo will ensure New Yorkers are able to take family leave for major life events such as the birth of a child or illness while getting paid for the time off.
Changes to Parks
A few changes will be taking place this year with NYC’s parkland. One of these changes will take place in Prospect Park, which will remain car-free for 2018. With data from the DOT showing that pedestrians outnumber vehicles 3 to 1, a car-free pilot program was implemented last summer. Thanks to the success of the program, it will remain off-limits to cars. At the same time, a number of new parks will be opening up throughout the city. Some of these include the James Corner Field Operations-designed Domino Park, which will bring six acres of parkland and a waterfront esplanade to the Williamsburg megaproject, and Pier 3 and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Staten Island’s Brookfield Park also opened at the end of 2017. Built on a site that was once considered one of the most toxic sites in the borough, the park features manmade woodlands, preserved wetlands and more.
TWA Flight Center to Reopen
After being closed to the public for more than 15 years, the TWA Flight Center is expected to reopen this year. Eero Saarinen’s midcentury masterpiece will boast 505 new hotel rooms within two low-slung buildings behind the headhouse. The public structure will feature bars, restaurants and a museum for lovers of the Jet Age.
Hudson Yards to Open to the Public
Many aspects of the much-anticipated Hudson Yards will finally be open at the end of 2018. Among those that are expected to be open by the end of the year include a Spanish food hall from Jose Andres, a high-end shopping center and dozens of restaurants.
North Shore Gets Outlet Mall
The North Shore will be getting a new outlet mall this fall called Empire Outlets, making it the first of its kind in the city. The mall will have more than 100 stores, a hotel and several restaurants, including the borough’s first high-end food hall called the Shake Shack. A converted warehouse located not too far from the mall is also now the home to several restaurants as well as Flagship Brewery’s tap room.