While this plan is aimed toward speeding up construction on city projects, design experts are worried that design quality and oversight will come at the cost. Design Trust for Public Space Executive Director Matthew Clarke issued the following statement in response:

“While there are positives to rethinking how NYC delivers public projects, like reducing procurement time and speeding up contract approvals, these advances cannot come at the expense of design excellence, which has a proven record of making New York an inclusive, welcome, and vibrant place to live,” said Clarke.

“The city has made great progress elevating design excellence and design justice as top concerns over the past few decades. The Public Design Commission ensures equitable inclusion in public infrastructure and accountability for our public realm and all the parks, libraries, museums, streets, and public spaces that define New York.

Design is an important tool for building sustainable infrastructure that works for all New Yorkers and supports a thriving, healthy city. The DDC must continue to engage New York’s community members and design experts in defining the projects that get built here.”