Mayor Bloomberg charting a course for the future of New York City.

One of the most encouraging developments of 2002 was the emergence of Mayor Michael Bloomberg as an advocate for long-term strategic investment in New York City From the Olympics to housing to the city's vast waterfront, Bloomberg has demonstrated an emphasis on planning that has not been seen out of City Hall in years.

Just as impressive as his advocacy for revitalization and development is his timing. The natural temptation of public officials during times of recession and growing budget deficits is to focus narrowly on the most pressing needs while avoiding long-range planning and investment until finances improve. Such was the strategy during the fiscal crisis of the 1970's, and it is now well known how much the city suffered for that approach. But the building community should be greatly encouraged by the Bloomberg administration's determination and ability over the past year to frame a coherent and achievable vision for the future of New York City, even as its fiscal woes mount.

In December, Bloomberg laid out his comprehensive vision for the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan. In his words, "Lower Manhattan must become an even more vibrant global hub of culture and commerce, a live-work-and-visit community for the world." The mayor called for 10,000 new apartments; important transportation projects to make the area more accessible to residents, commuters and visitors; the introduction of cultural and educational amenities; and a new waterfront park stretching from the Brooklyn Bridge to the South Street Seaport.

The Bloomberg administration has also made the long-discussed development of Manhattan's West Side a high priority. During a December forum co-sponsored by the New York Building Congress and NYC & Co., Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff outlined a vision for a distinctive 24/7 community, blending residential and office development with vastly improved transit options, additional open spaces and waterfront access. Doctoroff said the city is prepared to work with the State to provide developers government-owned land and offering incentives for development He also suggested that the city could fund improvements that would be offset by future property and sales tax revenues.

It is well established that anew West Side stadium and an expanded Jacob Javits Convention Center are vital to the city's bid to become the site of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Bloomberg and Doctoroff carried the torch for the city in its successful bid to become The United States candidate to host the Games. According to the city's proposal, the designation of New York as the official host city in 2005 would result in $5 billion of investments in parks, sports complexes, subways and housing throughout the five boroughs. Most, if not all of that investment, would be funded by proceeds from the international event and from other uses of the new facilities.

Bloomberg further signaled his determination to comprehensively address New York's critical issues by announcing a $3 billion plan to create and preserve more than 65,000 homes and apartments over the next five years. According to the housing plan, approximately 25,000 new units would be built and an additional 38,000 would be preserved in existing buildings. The mayor also called for new ways to streamline the city's zoning and building regulations to encourage housing construction.

As Bloomberg well recognizes, New York City is a constantly evolving metropolis requiring sustained investment -- during periods of boom and decline -- if it is to retain its status as the world's capital. A recently released New York Building Congress draft report; Building for Growth: a Development Strategy for New York City's long-term Prosperity (available on-line at www.buildingcongress.com), also recommends these investments be accompanied by a rational development strategy covering a period of 20-25 years.

The report is intended to encourage discussion with various community, industry and government groups over the coming year. The Building Congress goal is to create a dialogue about what the public and private sectors must do to ensure the city grows, prospers and maintains its competitive position in the national and global economies. The Bloomberg administration is doing its part by proposing bold and comprehensive plans even at this time of economic uncertainty. Those of us in the design, construction and real estate industry have a responsibility to support and encourage the Mayor's approach and make our own contributions to New York's long-range plans. We owe it to the future of this great city.