The Midtown South Mixed Use (MSMX) rezoning plan proposes nearly 10,000 new homes in Midtown Manhattan, helping to restore the city's historical density. While some oppose this idea citing the loss of industrial character in the Garment District, the plan actually supports the garment industry by allowing for more housing through building conversions and strategic construction on underutilized lots. Accessibility in the city, rather than fixed locations, drives the industry's success. The historical context reveals that New York previously built enough homes to meet population growth, sustaining affordability and community development.
The City Council should enthusiastically approve the 10,000 new homes that will come with the MSMX plan. More homes and the increased affordability they bring is vital to all New Yorkers, including to the garment industry still present in Midtown.
The plan is remarkable in part because it isn't new: it's just a return to what we used to do well. Some find the idea of more homes in the Garment District controversial—a sacrifice of the neighborhood's industrial character for a residential one.
More importantly, opponents of the plan miss that the garment industry's success isn't due to the fixed location of factories and showrooms, but rather to the accessibility of the city to the manufacturers, designers, and salespeople working in them.
In the 1920s, New York City was building enough new homes to keep up with population growth—keeping rents from skyrocketing, even as buildings did. The five boroughs averaged nearly 73,000 new homes a year.
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