New Initiative Seeks to Kick-Start New York City’s Recovery

Manhattan Institute and City Journal seek to develop agenda for post-pandemic NYC

NEW YORK, NY – The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis have sent New York City—not to mention the country at large—into a recession, put millions out of work, and crippled public services, inviting questions about the city’s future. But Gotham will bounce back—and the Manhattan Institute (MI), which this month launches its New York City: Reborn initiative, will be there to help spark its renaissance.

New York City: Reborn is a wide-ranging project that will encompass research, journalism, and event programming. MI will begin the initiative by convening a series of symposia, bringing together business, civic, and academic leaders from around the city with MI scholars to discuss key issues, including public transit, housing, the city budget, infrastructure, education, public safety, and small-business competitiveness. Participants will then join issue-specific working groups, led by MI scholars, to develop innovative policy ideas and draft a series of issue briefs. Those briefs, in conjunction with MI’s usual research output, will ultimately form a comprehensive agenda for the city’s recovery and a policy blueprint for its future leaders.

This work will complement an ongoing series of features in City Journal’s online and print editions. Already in City Journal, James B. Meigs has written a guide to retrofitting offices to stave off Covid-19, MI senior fellow Rafael A. Mangual has warned about the effects of depolicing on public order, and MI senior fellow Nicole Gelinas has outlined a plan to save the MTA. City Journal will continue to publish articles under the New York City: Reborn umbrella through the project’s duration.

Post-coronavirus, the Manhattan Institute envisions a growing New York City with a thriving economy, healthy finances, accessible housing, effective infrastructure, flourishing education, safe streets, and increasing competitiveness. New York City: Reborn will help turn that vision into reality. As a recent MI poll found, New York City adults are worried about their city but generally united around the policy solutions that would improve it. For the next year, New York City: Reborn will develop solutions to help the city recover from its current crisis—solutions that will restore fiscal sustainability and order to the city, preserve its public services, and resonate with a broad majority of New Yorkers.

Click here to learn more about the project.