New York Building Congress (NYBC) is a membership association of contractors, architects, engineers, unions, real estate managers, developers, and owners who comprise the building community of New York City. NYBC enlisted a Capstone team to develop policy recommendations for reimagining the public realm of the Broadway artery running through the Inwood neighborhood in northern Manhattan. The team conducted research on existing conditions, designed a community engagement strategy, and delivered a report with recommendations for interventions to create a safe and equitable space for all users. The team’s final report will be utilized by NYBC in its advocacy efforts with policymakers for improving safety and enhancing the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Town of Rye is located in Westchester County and comprises the Villages of Port Chester, Rye Brook, and the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck. The Town’s administration commissioned the Capstone team to offer a set of recommendations for the enhancement of Crawford Park as a public and social good to the entire Town of Rye community. To help Crawford Park better serve the Town’s diverse community, the team explored affordability models, inclusive programming, and age-appropriate active and passive uses. Based on feedback collected from community members through digital surveys and focus groups, the team produced a final report outlining recommendations that inform future funding and planning efforts for Crawford Park.

On March 20, 2020, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a statewide moratorium on both residential and commercial evictions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring people could remain in their homes and not face displacement. The Capstone team examined the effectiveness of the eviction moratorium in mitigating the spread of the virus in NYC by using publicly available data on the city’s evictions and COVID-19 cases. The team conducted difference-in-difference analyses to estimate the impact of the eviction moratorium on COVID-19 cases and the role of New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program and other social safety net initiatives. The initial results showed that the moratorium, post ERAP start date, had significant effects in slowing the rate of new COVID-19 cases, overall hospitalizations, and deaths. The team’s final report details its findings and conclusions, as well as possible policy implications for how local, state, and federal governments can prepare and address future public health crises.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is the authoritative body overseeing airports in the New York metropolitan area: JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark International Airport. To aid in the Port Authority’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, its Aviation Department retained the Capstone team to provide analysis and recommendations for enhancing the sustainability of airport concessions and vendors. The team compared the practices of peer airports to those of the Port Authority; provided insight on existing and upcoming sustainable legislation; explored relevant sustainability certifications and accreditations; and proposed a pilot program to be implemented at airport terminals. Using a combination of research, stakeholder interviews and surveys, and key document analysis, the team determined areas of improvement for the Port Authority’s overall sustainability practices. The team’s recommendations include enhancing airport bin practices, creating composting and recycling policies by engaging with concessionaires, and establishing local partnerships to donate leftover food.

Pratt Area Community Council, also known as IMPACCT Brooklyn, is a community development organization committed to promoting affordable housing, tenants’ rights, and economic renewal in Central Brooklyn. IMPACCT Brooklyn enlisted a Capstone team to provide recommendations on the best prospective tenant fit for its mixed-use properties in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, using data informed by community outreach. The team conducted an environmental scan of local, state, and federal small business policies, leasing policy changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, existing local small business types, and opportunities and threats for small businesses in Central Brooklyn. The team then interviewed community stakeholders to obtain their insights into which small business types are best suited to the needs and interests of the community. The project culminated with a set of recommendations for tenant fit that align with the identified needs and opportunities in the study areas.

Metro-North Railroad (MNR), a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, is a suburban commuter rail system that runs service in New York City and its northern suburbs in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut. MNR enlisted a Capstone team to help establish a data management and performance dashboard for internal use to increase operational efficiency and enhance customer service. The team engaged in conversations with peer transit agencies to learn proven best practices and with MNR staff from key operational departments to understand data needs. Using research and real departmental data, the team developed a beta version of a data management and performance dashboard. The team developed an accompanying set of recommendations for the replication of the dashboard and for future implementation across MNR. These deliverables will help create a more consistent data infrastructure and ensure data-driven service planning for the client.

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the restaurant industry in NYC when establishments were forced to close their doors to limit the spread of the virus. In June 2020, the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the Open Restaurants program allowing restaurants to take over curb space for outdoor dining. While this program provided a lifeline for nearly 12,000 restaurants, it also increased competition for curb access. As the program is scheduled to become permanent in 2023, DOT engaged a Capstone team to evaluate program impact and recommend improvements. Focusing on five corridors across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, the team used a combination of field data collection and time-lapse camera data to evaluate the program’s impact on traditional curb uses such as parking, passenger drop-off/pick-up, and deliveries. In its final report, the team detailed its findings and recommendations on modifying Open Restaurants regulations to inform long-term strategy and sustainability.

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a global network of 97 mayors representing member cities that are engaged in low-carbon pathway development in order to confront the climate crisis. The member city of Freetown, Sierra Leone, has initiated the #FreetownTheTreeTown campaign to enhance climate resilience by reforesting parts of its territory with one million trees. Freetown City Council sought to understand the project's sustainability and identify areas for improvement. A Capstone team was tasked with conducting a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to assess the potential financial, social, economic, and environmental impacts of the campaign. The team reviewed urban reforestation case studies, methodologies for quantifying non-monetary benefits, and carbon trading mechanisms. They also conducted workshops with the client to understand project scope and stakeholder engagements and analyzed program data. The team’s final deliverables consisted of a CBA model, a memorandum detailing outcomes and recommendations, and a presentation to C40 Cities and the campaign project team.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) of 1968 requires homes with federally-backed mortgages and located on land with the greatest risk of flooding to purchase flood insurance. When Hurricane Sandy struck New York in 2012, only 55% of one- to four- family homes in special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) had flood insurance, and many damaged homes in areas considered to be at low risk of flooding were uninsured. Recognizing that policymakers must address the increasing risk of climate change in coastal communities, especially those with high social vulnerability risks, the Capstone team explored the relationship between SFHA designation and neighborhood redevelopment in NYC census tracts impacted by flooding from Hurricane Sandy. Using a publicly available dataset, the team employed multiple regression models to test whether damage from Hurricane Sandy resulted in different development trends in SFHAs compared to non-SFHAs.