There is no question about the underlying importance to New York City's economy of the nearly $24 billion unionized construction industry. There is also no question but that high costs in every sphere--land, labor, materials, logistics, regulatory burdens--combined with the enduring recession and lack of financing have brought the industry to a critical moment in which serious reform may be imminent because it is so necessary.

With the expiration on June 30, 2011 of 23 crucial labor contracts (along with six others throughout the year)--at a time of serious unemployment among building trade union members--"Construction Costs in New York City: A Moment of Opportunity" provides an in-depth analysis of the structure and costs of a notably secretive industry.

This report is not focused on wages and benefits, though they are discussed. It is about work rules and practices that impede productivity--and that are driving union developers and contractors to choose open and merit shops rather than union contracts. Open shops (union and nonunion) have grown from just 15 percent of the market in the 1970s to about 40 percent now and are 20-30 percent less expensive than union shops, Most of this differential could be bridged by enforcing a fully productive 8-hour workday earning an 8-hour paycheck.

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with a foreword by Peter W. Huber

New York City needs power and it needs land. The closer electrical substations are to the businesses and homes they serve, the better--but neighbors don't want ugly, scary substations near them.  Tucking substations beneath buildings and public spaces, utilities in New York's competitor cities London and Tokyo show that facilities can fit in. The Neighborly Substation explains how to update New York's antiquated zoning code to unlock valuable land and build substations where they need to be, in a manner neighbors will accept.

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Just about every aspect of constructing a building has long been more expensive in New York City than elsewhere in the nation. Most of the cost factors responsible are beyond any individual's direct control, being subject to the dynamics of national and global markets in materials and labor. The high and rising levels of these costs in the face of shrinking credit, growing unemployment, and declining income growth suggest that the economic context of supply and demand for housing is becoming less robust than it has been in recent years.

Economist Rosemary Scanlon investigates the many factors contributing to New York's excessively high cost of construction and recommends a range of policy actions to reduce it -- from streamlining permitting and approval processes to increasing the supply of available land through zoning changes.

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with a foreword by Richard Ravitch

New York City's environmental review process was instituted so that public officials would understand the full environmental implications of a development project and could plan for any necessary changes to municipal infrastructure and services. Over time, the process has evolved to become a hindrance to all developers, especially small-scale ones. Rethinking Environmental Review offers simple and effective suggestions for reform.

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Based on research with focus groups of residents, commuters, and business owners, transportation expert Bruce Schaller (now the head of sustainability initiatives for New York City's Department of Transportation) shows that New Yorkers would embrace congestion pricing, but only as part of a comprehensive solution to traffic problems.

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