The Brian Lehrer Show Mayor Mamdani's Push to Build at Sunnyside Yard
Mar 9, 2026
David Brand, WNYC and Gothamist housing reporter who covers local development, breaks down the revived Sunnyside Yard platform plan. He outlines the scale, costs, and transit challenges. He walks through political dynamics, community reactions, and how the project connects to neighborhood growth and open space debates.
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Sunnyside Yards Scale Cost And Origin
- Sunnyside Yards is a 160-acre active rail yard under consideration for decking to create a new neighborhood with roughly 12,000 apartments.
- The project resurfaces from a 2020 master plan that estimated $14 billion and is now pegged around $21 billion with major infrastructure and transit costs.
Price Tag Rose Big Since 2020
- The estimated price jumped from $14 billion in 2020 to about $21 billion under Mayor Mamdani, and that likely understates future increases.
- Costs balloon because decking a massive 160-acre active yard requires extensive infrastructure, transit, and platform engineering.
Require Meaningful Community Input
- Ensure strong community engagement and use prior local rezoning processes as templates before finalizing any Sunnyside plan.
- Councilmember Julie Won and local groups insist on town halls because earlier master planning left many residents feeling excluded.