“I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasn’t been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do…” – President Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
A REAL DISGRACE took place at the United Nations yesterday — Not one, not two, but three very sinister events! First, the escalator going up to the Main Speaking Floor came to a screeching halt. It stopped on a dime. It’s amazing that Melania and I didn’t fall forward onto the sharp edges of these steel steps, face first. It was only that we were each holding the handrail tightly or, it would have been a disaster. This was absolutely sabotage, as noted by a day’s earlier “post” in The London Times that said UN workers “joked about turning off an escalator.” The people that did it should be arrested! Then, as I stood before a Television crowd of millions of people all over the World, and important Leaders in the Hall, my teleprompter didn’t work. It was stone cold dark. I immediately thought to myself, “Wow, first the escalator event, and now a bad teleprompter. What kind of a place is this?” I then proceeded to make a Speech without a teleprompter, which kicked in about 15 minutes later. The good news is the Speech has gotten fantastic reviews. Maybe they appreciated the fact that very few people could have done what I did. And third, after making the Speech, I was told that the sound was completely off in the Auditorium where the Speech was made, that World Leaders, unless they used the interpreters’ earpieces, couldn’t hear a thing. The first person I saw at the conclusion of the Speech was Melania, who was sitting right up front. I said, “How did I do?” And she said, “I couldn’t hear a word you said.” This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the UN. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation. No wonder the United Nations hasn’t been able to do the job that they were put in existence to do. All security tapes at the escalator should be saved, especially the emergency stop button. The Secret Service is involved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Two Zuni men were sentenced to 33 months in prison each for a violent armed assault involving four victims.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on April 8, 2023, Kamron Kallestewa, 25, and Kaden Panteah, 20, both enrolled members of the Zuni Pueblo, assaulted four individuals at a residence on the Pueblo using firearms. Kallestewa hit two victims in the head and face with his weapon and pointed it at two of the victims. Panteah, meanwhile, aimed and fired his weapon toward the victims.
Upon their release from prison, Kallestewa will be subject to two years of supervised release and Panteah will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case.
Today, in remarks to the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald J. Trump delivered a powerful rebuke to the destructive globalism that has fueled endless conflict and chaos around the world. During the address, President Trump was unapologetic in proclaiming American strength as he unveiled a bold vision for sovereign nations to unite against the true threats of terrorism, unchecked migration, biological warfare, and loss of cultural identity.
Here are highlights from President Trump’s speech:
“America is blessed with the strongest economy, the strongest borders, the strongest military, the strongest friendships, and the strongest spirit of any nation on the face of the earth. This is indeed the Golden Age of America.” (Watch)
“Four months in a row, the number of illegal aliens admitted and entering our country has been zero… Our message is very simple: If you come illegally into the United States, you’re going to jail or you’re going back to where you came from.” (Watch)
“In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven ‘un-endable’ wars… No President or Prime Minister — and for that matter, no other country — has ever done anything close to that… It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them — and sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help.” (Watch)
“What is the purpose of the United Nations? The UN has such tremendous potential… All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter, and then never follow that letter up. It’s empty words — and empty words don’t solve war.” (Watch)
“Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize… but for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up with their mothers and fathers because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless and un-glorious wars. What I care about is not winning prizes, it’s saving lives.” (Watch)
“A dramatically better future is within our reach — but to get there, we must reject the failed approaches of the past and work together to confront some of the greatest threats in history.” (Watch)
“My position is very simple: the world’s number one sponsor of terror can never be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon.” (Watch)
“Now, as if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state… Instead of giving in to Hamas’s ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: release the hostages now!” (Watch)
“China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil — but inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy.” (Watch)
“Today, I’m also calling on every nation to join us in ending the development of biological weapons once and for all.” (Watch)
“Not only is the UN not solving the problems it should, too often, it is actually creating new problems for us to solve… The United Nations is funding an assault on Western countries and their borders… The UN is supposed to stop invasions, not create them and not finance them.” (Watch)
“What makes the world so beautiful is that each country is unique — but to stay this way, every sovereign nation must have the right to control their own borders.” (Watch)
“When your prisons are filled with so-called ‘asylum seekers’ who repaid kindness with crime, it’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders.” (Watch)
“Any system that results in the mass trafficking of children is inherently evil — yet that is exactly what the globalist migration agenda has done.” (Watch)
“To every terrorist thug smuggling poisonous drugs into the United States of America, please be warned — we will blow you out of existence.” (Watch)
“I’m telling you that if you don’t get away from the ‘green energy’ scam, your country is going to fail. If you don’t stop people that you’ve never seen before that you have nothing in common with, your country is going to fail.” (Watch)
“The entire globalist concept of asking successful, industrialized nations to inflict pain on themselves and radically disrupt their entire societies must be rejected completely and totally — and it must be immediate.” (Watch)
“The challenge with trade is much the same as with climate: the countries that followed the rules, all their factories have been plundered… by countries that broke the rules. That’s why the United States is now applying tariffs to other countries.” (Watch)
“Together, let us defend free speech and free expression. Let us protect religious liberty, including for the most persecuted religion on the planet today — it’s called Christianity.” (Watch)
During a live interview on WBAI’s What’s Going On!, Mayor Eric Adams discussed New York City’s progress in reducing gun violence, citing historic lows in shootings during the first seven months of 2025. Adams emphasized a dual strategy of enforcement and prevention, including the removal of nearly 24,000 illegal guns and the expansion of youth-focused programs—such as 100,000+ summer jobs, 11,000 paid internships, and targeted support for foster care and NYCHA youth. He also highlighted national efforts by the African American Mayors Association to address root causes of violence in underserved communities. Responding to concerns about school absenteeism, Adams stressed the city’s renewed focus on re-engaging chronically absent students and called for greater federal support to address long-term impacts of the migrant crisis and systemic disparities.
Mayor Adams Calls In for Live Interview on WBAI’s “What’s Going On!”
Isaac Ferguson: Good morning, Mayor Adams. Welcome to WBAI.
Mayor Eric Adams: Hey, how’s it going? Great to be on with you.
Ferguson: It’s been some time since we’ve talked, mayor. It’s my pleasure.
Mayor Adams: Thank you for allowing me to come on and chat with you.
Ferguson: Mayor Adams, you go straight to the point. I know you’re having a crazy busy morning. I know you’re part of a national organization of Black mayors. I believe you still are very much involved in that.
Mayor Adams: Yes, it’s called AAMA, African American Mayors Association.
Ferguson: Yes, and I believe that one of the main objectives of that organization is to deal with the matter of gun violence in Black and brown communities. Am I right?
Mayor Adams: Yes, it is.
Ferguson: Can you tell us some of the developments, what’s going on with that organization, what’s their current platforms, and have they been able to make any progress?
Mayor Adams: Yes, they have. When you look at the major cities across the country, you are seeing these Black mayors really bringing down shootings and homicides. Right here in New York, in the first seven months of this year, we saw the lowest number of shootings and people who are victims of shootings drop to the lowest number in recorded history.
But not only that, our upstream solutions, when you look at these different cities, it’s not just about law enforcement, but it’s also about how you do upstream. Instead of waiting for a young person to fall into the river of violence and pull them out downstream, we went upstream.
What we’re doing with paid internships, 11,000 in the DOE, our Summer Youth Employment [Program], over 100,000. And what we’re doing with formerly justice-involved young people through our CRED program, teaching them trades and skills. So, the goal is not only to grab a young person when they commit a crime, but how do you prevent the crime from taking place in the first place. And that’s that proactive and reactive approach that you’re seeing across the country with these Black mayors.
Ferguson: Yes, mayor. But I’m here talking with young people, and gun violence has become a serious problem of the young, and especially young males. And what we’re seeing is that before the pandemic, our chronic school absenteeism stood at around 15 percent across the country. Now, it’s up over 30 percent. So, the young people are not returning to school. We told them to stay out of school because of the crisis of the pandemic, and probably people took it for granted that after the pandemic was over, they’ll return.
Now, many, many of those young males are in the streets. They’re not in school. And they’re getting into gangs. They’re forming their own families based on, call it machoism, to use an old term, and teen violence. What is being done to get these young people back into schools or get them into some situation where they can be influenced away from gangs and gang violence?
Mayor Adams: And that is so true, as you talked about it. The chronically absent children after COVID, this is the byproduct of COVID. As you indicated, many young people did not come to school because we told them during COVID to stay home. And that continued.
And in the Department of Education, we are focusing on those chronically absent young people, communicating with their family members and loved ones, finding out those who are not returning to school, coaching them to come back into school. And you’re really seeing a problem in the area of those children who are unhoused, at the shelter, or living with a family member because of a housing issue. That is the long-term impact that we are facing when it comes down to some of the violence we’re seeing.
You know, it goes back to what I shared with many New Yorkers, the impact of the $7.2 billion we lost during the migrant and asylum seeker [crisis]. Those dollars, I should say, those dollars could have gone to things like targeting our chronically absent children. We could have easily spent that half a billion dollars on just focusing on that. And when I talk about the impact of the money we lost because the federal government did not pick up the price tag, these are the things that I’m talking about.
But we are focusing on those chronically absent children to get them back into school because if you don’t educate, you will incarcerate. And that is what we’re seeing across this entire country.
Ferguson: Mayor Adams, we have many, many callers on the line. I know we can only take a few. And it’s so vital to hear from our listeners. So, we’re going to try to get one caller right now. Many people want to ask you questions and talk to you. And callers, please, stick to the matter of gun violence. I want to get the mayor’s opinion on this out to the public. And I want you to address his concerns and the activities he’s involved in with that.
First caller. Caller, you’re on the line. This is WBAI. You’re on the line with Mayor Adams, with Isaac Ferguson, and with Terri Wisdom. What’s your name, where you’re calling from, and what you got for us?
[Crosstalk.]
Ferguson: Let’s go on. Terri, you had some questions for the mayor concerning the claims that gun violence is down across New York City.
Terri Wisdom: Yes. Thank you. And good morning, Mayor Eric Adams. Welcome. We’re honored to have you here. Thank you. Extremely important to hear from you and your voice—
[Crosstalk.]
Wisdom: So, Mayor Adams, one of the things that we are hearing continually is gun violence is down. Gun violence is down across the city. And as we’re hearing that every day, we’re hearing about somebody being shot in the street, whether it’s a grandmother on a walker. And it’s mainly in our Black and brown communities. We know that there are disparities.
So, the question is, what are we doing about this systemic problem? How are we addressing it? And if, in fact, this is true, it’s overall down across the city. But in our areas, it appears to be down some. But down, you know, down less than, let’s say, in Staten Island, you know, it’s down a lot. But in Harlem or in Manhattan, it’s not.
So, what are we really doing? What are you doing to just address this matter? Because when people hear gun violence, the numbers are down, but they’re hearing about people getting shot, you know, what are we doing? And you’ve addressed some of it, but specifically, if you could address what is being done.
Mayor Adams: First, I think it’s important to know what’s the history of the overproliferation of guns. They have historically been in underserved communities, as we’ve stated. Black and brown communities, for the most part. This has been the history.
When you look at violence in Brownsville, Harlem, South Bronx, many of our young people pick up these guns because they were not receiving the real services to ensure they could not deal with gang violence and gun violence. When you think about gun violence, almost 50 percent is dealing with some form of association or attachment to gangs.
This has been a history, long, not in the last three years to four years, but even when I was a child. And so, we knew we had to zero in on what are the feeders to this violence. What causes a young person to get involved in this violence? And who are they? And that was my focus when I came into office.
A lot of them are foster care children. And we were watching our foster care children age out at 18, six to 700 a year were aging out and slipping through the cracks. So, what do we do? We’re paying their college tuition and giving them life coaches after they’re 21 years old and giving them a stipend so that they could go on with their lives and get the support that they need as any child would do.
And we knew that violence like gun violence happens after the school hours. So, what are we doing? We’re doing universal after school programs so our young people can have a place to go and participate in some form of development of their full personhood. And we also knew that many of our young people are dealing with financial restraints. And so that’s why we have paid internships, 11,000 to be exact.
And then we looked at places like NYCHA. Our public housing has always been a location where violence occurs at a large number, particularly gun violence. And for the first time, you’re seeing a substantial decrease in crime in NYCHA. And we targeted our NYCHA young people with our Summer Youth Employment [Program]. We had jobs that were allocated just for them so we could bring them into employment and give them the support they need.
And during summer months, as you saw historically, gun violence goes up over the summer months. And what we did for so many years, they were called by advocates to have a larger number of summer jobs. We, for the first time, had over 100,000 summer jobs and had our young people in school all year round. Over 110,000 young people were able to be in school all year round where they were able to get the support they needed during the summer months.
And as I stated, we also were proactive, I would say reactive, in that we removed 23,000 illegal guns off our streets, close to 24,000 actually. And we targeted those areas where we knew there was gun proliferation for the many years that we were conscious of.
And yes, it is down. And so, when you hear a high-profile shooting, it strikes your conscience and you begin to believe that these shootings are out of control. But in fact, the numbers don’t lie. We have the lowest number of shootings and victims of shootings in the recorded history of the city. The lowest number. And because we targeted those hot spots where the gangs were located.
Ferguson: Mayor, I believe we may be able to grab one caller. Caller, you’re on the line. What do you have for the mayor? People have been trying to get to you.
Question: Hi, Mayor Adams. My name is Gwen. I live in East Harlem. We met a long time ago. I wanted to put the spotlight on another part of this equation. And I think that this is, you know, this is not just a problem for New York City. This is a national problem. And one of the things we never discuss is the correlation between the legal drugs that we give children in school and gun violence.
And there are several studies, one of them Dr. Peter Breggin had spoken about, in the correlation between children that have been taking these drugs and gun violence. And actually, every single one of the kids that was involved in the mass shootings were children that had been taking legal drugs in school. They were taking Ritalin. They were taking Prozac. And now, if you read the bottles of these medicines, it tells you right there, at least on Prozac it does, that there’s a homicidal effect.
Now, it seems to me that we’ve done more to guard these, you know, drug companies than we have our own children. And I know you know this. I ran for City Council in New York City, that there are children, for example, like my neighbors, that weren’t allowed to go to school unless the parents would capitulate to be giving their drugs, like Ritalin, to their children. And this was just made easier for teachers so they didn’t have to deal with children—
Ferguson: Let Mayor Adams respond, because I believe he has to leave shortly. Can you quickly give us a response before you go, mayor, on that?
Mayor Adams: Yes. I don’t have any evidence, or I don’t know the review on this topic. I would love if there’s any reports—
Question: Dr. Peter Breggin. You can look at his work. But there’s several studies, and they’re well hidden there. I mean, it’s not something that’s right out there in the public. They don’t want you to know nationally that this could be a correlation. But, you know, you’re a smart man. And I think it would be really, really advantageous for you to look at the other sources of why this is going on.
I know how old you are. You’re around the same age as me. And when you and I went to school, we did not have mass shootings. We’ve had violence in Harlem, East Harlem, and other poor communities for different reasons.
Ferguson: Yes, ma’am. Your point is well taken. Thank you. I know the mayor has to leave at 7:45 [am]. He has informed me he has another engagement. Mayor Adams, I would love to have you back at some time to continue this discussion. It is such an important matter. And I’m asking you to continue to work for a total federal assault weapons ban and for more effective regulation of firearms. Thank you very much, mayor, for coming.
Mayor Adams: Thank you and have a good day. Take care.
Wisdom: Thank you, Mayor Adams. And I look forward to your plans to deal with gun violence if reelected. That’s what I’m looking forward to.
On September 22, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order officially designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. The order highlights Antifa’s involvement in violent, anarchist activities aimed at overthrowing the U.S. government and law enforcement through intimidation, coercion, and illegal tactics. The directive mandates federal agencies to investigate and dismantle Antifa-affiliated operations and funding networks. Citing a surge in violence—including assaults on ICE officers, attacks on journalists, and organized riots—Trump emphasized the urgent need to restore law and order across the country. This move underscores his administration’s broader campaign to combat domestic terrorism and protect American communities from politically motivated violence.
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Designates Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization
DESIGNATING ANTIFA AS A DOMESTIC TERRORIST ORGANIZATION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Order to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
The Order notes that Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that calls for the overthrow of the U.S. government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law—using illegal means, including violence and terrorism, to accomplish these goals.
The Order directs the Federal government to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle all illegal operations conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa. It also calls for investigating, disrupting, and dismantling the funding sources behind such operations.
DISMANTLING ANTIFA’S USE OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE: Antifa engages in coordinated efforts to obstruct enforcement of Federal laws, with the goal of achieving policy objectives by coercion and intimidation – this is domestic terrorism.
Antifa has engaged in armed standoffs with law enforcement, organized riots, violently assaulted ICE and other law enforcement officers, and engages in routine doxing of political figures and activists, threatening public safety.
ICE officers are now facing a 1000% increase in assaults against them.
An Antifa-affiliated group in Portland, Oregon, doxed ICE officers, publishing their names, pictures, and personal addresses online.
A journalist was violently assaulted by Antifa protestors while reporting on a protest in Portland.
Using pepper spray, baseball bats, and tasers, Antifa members violently attacked Trump supporters during a Patriot March in Pacific Beach, California.
The group recruits and radicalizes young Americans to engage in this violence and works to conceal identities of members and funding sources, frustrating law enforcement efforts.
Antifa’s efforts to advance political violence and suppress lawful political speech must be stopped.
RESTORING LAW AND ORDER: Every American deserves to be safe, and President Trump is dedicated to restoring law and order in communities across the United States.
President Trump: “I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices.”
President Trump has been relentless in his efforts to combat terrorism, from designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations to ordering military strikes on narcoterrorists.
President Trump has deployed Federal resources to stop the violence in our cities, including sending the National Guard to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis.
Governor Hochul Outlines Vision for Affordable, Vibrant New York at Economic Club
Governor Kathy Hochul, speaking at the Economic Club of New York, emphasized her commitment to making New York a top destination for families and businesses by tackling affordability challenges. Highlighting housing as the primary cost barrier, she discussed her push for increased housing development to lower rent and mortgage burdens, ensuring hardworking New Yorkers can achieve homeownership. Hochul also underscored her $2.2 billion investment in childcare, expanding subsidies to support 500,000 more children, and stressed its role as an economic driver for workforce participation. Additionally, she addressed New York’s competitive edge, citing its diverse tech workforce, vibrant culture, and world-class universities, while expressing concerns about federal policies impacting foreign-born talent. Her vision includes fostering a pro-business environment, enhancing public safety, and advancing infrastructure projects like the Second Avenue Subway and Interborough Express to keep New York thriving.
Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Joins the Economic Club of New York in Fireside Chat
Governor Hochul: “I want this to be the place that families want to come to. And I know the barriers. That’s why I’ve been leaning so hard into building more housing. The number one cost is your rent, and if you’re lucky enough to have a house, your mortgage. And it’s something that was always within reach for people who worked hard, my entire life. People are working hard today and are not able to reach that.”
Hochul: “I already called for universal child care in my last Budget, so that’s why I have $2.2 billion being spent now. But there is absolutely a path to do this. And you have great ideas, we’re looking at your plans on the fact that you can’t do it all in one year, but you have to give people hope.”
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined the Economic Club of New York in a fireside chat.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Reshma Saujani: Wonderful to be here with you, Governor. We have lots of conversations we’re going to have today about AI, about affordability, and how we keep New York vibrant and safe. So let’s dive in.
Governor, you’ve said that your priority is making New York a place that people want to move to and live. What do you see as the biggest driver of New York’s competitiveness?
Governor Hochul: It is truly the energy that we exude as New Yorkers. Outside of New York, they might call it a little bit of arrogance, but there’s that certain mojo we have, that can-do spirit that has defined us since the inception of this club 118 years ago. And so, I think that particularly after the pandemic, when you think about the young people that are coming here — this has become the number one tech jobs destination in our nation — the whole experience of being out in Silicon Valley and working in these suburban office parks that have miniature golf and big slides, I’ve been to them, but there was this remoteness. And I think after the pandemic, people lost that human connection. If they’re going to come to work, they want to be with other people, have those creative collisions with the barista. And so that’s what we offer here.
Also, the diversity. Our tech companies, especially from the West Coast where much of it began, are realizing that they’re creating platforms and solutions via technology and AI that have been very much slanted toward one perspective, which is that of the people who happen to work there, which is very homogeneous, I’ll politely say. They come to New York, they have more women in technology, something that you have focused on at Girls Who Code, which is an extraordinary program. I’ve been to so many classes and graduations around the state promoting it. But also, our ethnic diversity and people from around the world come here, so that’s something that sets us apart; the fact that 47 percent of new tech jobs and companies are being started by people who are foreign born. They’re gravitating to our city because they know it’s a welcoming place. I think at the high level, that is what sets us apart and continues to be part of our competitive strength as well as leveraging the superpower we have of our outstanding universities. Our graduates are second to none.
Reshma Saujani: That’s right. There was a moment in time where Florida was trying to take all our people, but now people are coming back.
Governor Hochul: Oh, they’re coming back.
Reshma Saujani: They’re coming back in droves.
Governor Hochul: They’re so over Palm Beach. Maybe not everybody in this room, okay, I’ll grant you better weather, but let’s get serious. Our arts, our culture, it’s like the vibe here. If you’ve been to Broadway lately or walked the streets — I walked two miles again this morning. I walk the streets of the city every single day when I’m here and I can feel it. And I think a lot of other cities and states have lagged behind in this post pandemic world, but we are that destination.
And I am concerned about policies out of Washington that are making it more difficult for foreign born students to be coming here. This has always been our strength because they come here, they’re educated and they stay and they build companies, they build wealth. So that’s a barrier that I think is something that doesn’t have to be, it’s self-inflicted and that’s going to hurt our whole nation. But we have to power through that.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. And one of the big drivers of how people decide or where people decide to live is affordability. Affordability is a huge component of competitiveness. Housing and safety matter as well. Child care is also a big driver of cost. How do you think about affordability holistically? Because I really do believe that you are the affordability-governor in the country.
Governor Hochul: How I think about it? I think about it nonstop, number one. I truly do. And this is not a new incarnation of a position for me, I’ve been talking about this for my entire life because I started out very humbly. My parents used to live in a trailer park and I was born in a little tiny place near the steel plant where my dad worked — at the factory, my grandparents, my grandpa worked there, my uncles worked there, and then we eventually were able to emerge out of that into a much more successful life because my dad was able to get a college degree and that took us out. But we struggled in the early years.
And so, I think just because of my life’s experience, even starting out as a new mom in Washington when I couldn’t find child care and had to leave a job. I was counsel to Senator Moynihan, and I loved that job, but I couldn’t find child care. My husband was working at a not-great-paying government job at the time. And so, those early struggles haven’t changed much for young people today.
And I want this to be the place that families want to come to. And I know the barriers. That’s why I’ve been leaning so hard into building more housing. The number one cost is your rent, and if you’re lucky enough to have a house, your mortgage. And it’s something that was always within reach for people who worked hard, my entire life. People are working hard today and are not able to reach that, and part of it is that we did not have the ambition in this state that — I’m sorry to admit this — was demonstrated by our neighbors, New Jersey and Connecticut, who built more housing. They broke through barriers and we’ve stagnated. So I’ve made that a real signature part of my work and we’re having tremendous success.
I spend time even on the far reaches of Long Island and convincing Republican supervisors like, “Come on, you don’t have the workforce. You don’t have a place for young couples to live in the neighborhood they grew up in. So let’s just start building.” I had a meeting with them yesterday.
So housing is number one. I’ve allocated a billion dollars for the “City of Yes” that Eric Adams launched and he needed that much money to get over the finish line. It was a late night call, “Governor, can you do a billion dollars?”
“It’s for housing? Yes.”
I don’t play games with this. If it’s good for the people of New York, I’ll do it. So housing, child care and I’m so proud of the work that you do with Moms First as well. Whatever you’re working on is really addressing society’s problems, and I appreciate that, Reshma.
But child care was a cost barrier. We already, in my Budget this year, we have $2.2 billion for child care. We changed the formula so 500,000 more children are eligible for subsidies. We have $110 million to build more facilities. But we have a long way to go. We’re not even close. But if I can tackle housing, more supply, drive down the cost, ultimately, build more, get the child care cost down. And also utility bills, I’m trying to go for a more robust, all the above approach. Obviously there’s very much criticism of some of my policies, but I don’t have a choice. I tried to go full on renewable. I had to save an offshore wind project that will now be because I saved it. The Trump administration literally shut it down in March and it’s going to generate power for half a million homes in Brooklyn next year to be powered by offshore wind. I could not let that go. I had to negotiate hard to get that back.
But that’s what I’m talking about, hydro and even nuclear. This is something that people don’t expect from a Democratic Governor, well, that’s a shame, because I want to power the economy that is waiting, knocking on our door. The innovation, the technology, artificial intelligence, quantum, but I have to have plentiful power to do it, as well as help drive down the cost for our consumers and local businesses. That’s my framing of what affordability looks like, is tackling all those areas, and we have strategies on each.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. And I want to go deep in some of those areas in a second. I want to ask you a question that’s probably on a lot of people in this room’s minds. You recently endorsed Zohran Mamdani. What assurances can you offer to city’s business leaders who’ve expressed some concerns about his election?
Governor Hochul: Listen, I’ve heard the concerns many times. I think people are starting to understand that — it’s hard for New Yorkers to accept this, I’m sorry to say it, but New York City is still a subdivision of the State. So the State of New York, the Governor —
Reshma Saujani: Yeah, we don’t think that.
Governor Hochul: I know. Generally, there’s been this tension between governors and mayors, historically, and I swore I would never do that, and I’m not going to go there. I worked with Bill de Blasio. I worked very closely with Eric Adams. We’ve worked to drive down the crime rates, which we’ve been successful at. So, I’m a person who will exercise my power where I need to, behind the scenes or in front, but my goal is to just deepen relationships. And so an endorsement like that allows me to have a relationship with someone who I believe is going to be the next mayor, which I think is going to be important for me to be involved in the transition team and the talents who surround him, because whoever the voters want as their mayor, it’s my job to make it all work out. I will never root against this city. I also represent the 8.3 million people who call New York City home. They’re my constituents as well. So I think there’s a path for us to work collaboratively. He’s an assemblymember. He understands what a Governor can do. Mayors historically come to us, it’s literally called Tin Cup Day, the mayors from every city come and ask for money and support, and they want to have a relationship with the Governor as well that’s productive because they want to go home with their tin cup as full as it can be.
So, there’s policies that are troubling to the business community, I understand that. But let’s get to a place — and he, the candidate, has focused intensely on affordability. And that is not just a buzzword, it’s a call to find meaningful solutions that start changing people’s lives and their perspectives of their lives immediately. And I look forward to working with him on that. But this does give me — what I need to do is be able to be a voice of influence that I think is necessary.
So I just tell everybody, don’t worry, we’re going to be okay. This is New York. We truly are going to be fine. We’ll work it out. He’s brought an energy to politics which I think is important. I don’t dismiss that at all. And a voice and an optimism and I think that’s what our city needs.
I said, I’ve always been a happy warrior. I represented the most Republican district in New York in Congress, and it was tough. They said I was the happy warrior. I just powered through it, won people over, and I believe that Zohran Mamdani has that ability as well.
Reshma Saujani: Thank you. I want to talk about AI. I had an opportunity to have a conversation with you about five months ago about the $400 million Empire AI investment. And since then, you’ve expanded it to over $500 million, launched a supercomputer that’s 11 times more powerful.
Everybody in this room wants to dunk on California—
Governor Hochul: Oh yeah. This is easy to do.
Reshma Saujani: —when it comes to AI.
Governor Hochul: This is an easy one for me to do.
Reshma Saujani: Right, we want to be leading the way in terms of education, in terms of innovation. If you’re a startup entrepreneur, you want to come here and build your company. What are you seeing? What concrete results are you seeing since you’ve made that investment that’s going to make us believe that we’re—
Governor Hochul: And it’s only been, it was a short time ago—
Reshma Saujani: That’s right.
Governor Hochul: —when the idea was presented to me. Had breakfast with an individual who was very much forward thinking. And he said, “I have this idea. It’s finally got a 10 percent chance of happening, but I want to plant it with you.”
And he says, “What if we are able to harness money from the stage?” Millions, literally millions. “Money from the private sector,” millions, “and bring in the superpower of our universities, our primary universities around the state,” our research institutions, “and bring it all together and build the first-in-the-nation institute, or empire, or for artificial intelligence dedicated to public good and research?”
So, it’s already working. It’s up at the University of Buffalo. It wasn’t just a hometown call, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s also, I had plentiful power. It’s right near the hydroelectric plant we have at Niagara Falls, so I could power this. There was plenty of space. What it does is it harnesses artificial intelligence in a way that the researchers — as we talk about innovating new therapies for diseases, they’re light years ahead of where they would’ve been.
Reshma Saujani: Right.
Governor Hochul: Because of everything, the speed of it. Also trying to figure out ways we can support businesses and overcome this fear of AI because it is having an effect on jobs — we have to put that right out there — and figure out how we can solve that. But we launched it. My friends from Silicon Valley all said, “Oh, we wish our Governor had thought of this because we’re the first-in-the-nation.”
So, this is power that’s not available to any other institutions in the country. This is the largest supercomputer in the nation that’s not in a private company’s hands. And then we already did our Beta.
Reshma Saujani: Yep.
Governor Hochul: Already, the next year, and it’s 11 times more powerful and we’re just getting warmed up.
And I was just on my way here at a meeting in my office talking to someone who’s looking to (make) a $50 billion investment in artificial intelligence Upstate with the power we have. So we’re just getting started. And he said, “When we open this, we can have 11 more companies that’ll come.”
Reshma Saujani: Yeah.
Governor Hochul: You’re just seeing the beginning of this, but we planted the seeds, we gave us the foundation we needed, and this will help not just the Upstate economy, but all the way from here to Long Island.
Reshma Saujani: Governor, what do you think though? What’s the next part of this conversation? And if you look at the recent jobs report, you can finally see the impact that AI is going to have on jobs.
I often think about — actually, an ECNY member board trustee said this to me. He said, “We thought it was bad in the ’80s with the auto industry in Detroit. What’s about to happen in the next three to five years is going to be that times a hundred,” in terms of the impact that you’re going to see. And you’re immediately going to see it with young people, right?
Because many of those entry level jobs are just simply not going to be open. And any nation that has a bunch of young people unemployed — it’s not good for social unrest. And so what I’m not seeing enough about in the policy discourse is what’s the plan on jobs?
Governor Hochul: Yeah. Let me break this into two parts.
Before I launched this, I had a meeting up at the Governor’s residence with the CEOs of the largest tech companies in the nation and a lot of people involved in workforce development. And I put out the question — it was a very thoughtful evening before we did this — I said, “What happens to the jobs of people right now?”
I said, “Tell me how you’re preparing for this, how I should prepare for this.” And when they talked about the fact that there’s a task that it would take someone an entire week to do and they can now get it done in a day. He says, “That enhances our productivity that much. That person’s not going to lose their job, we’re going to be that much more productive and, therefore, more profitable.” And that is one side of the equation.
On the other hand, we’ve been encouraging young people to study coding for years.
Reshma Saujani: Yes.
Governor Hochul: Who would’ve thought coding would be obsolete?
Reshma Saujani: Not me. Certainly.
Governor Hochul: No. No. Yeah, so you need to have “Girls Who AI,” I guess. “Girls Who AI.” So, it is a transition, and you don’t need to tell me about disruption from these economic transformations, disruptors, because I’m from Buffalo. We lost our identity for two decades when Bethlehem Steel left. I mean, that shuttered down 20,000 jobs overnight.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah.
Governor Hochul: My entire family — I come from a big Irish family, everybody had to leave the state because —
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. You know this, you’ve seen it.
Governor Hochul: I saw it. I lived it. And it was depressing. Unemployment was 14, 17 percent when I was growing up. The headlines were always another company leaving town. That’s why I’m so focused on creating jobs.
So, I am concerned about the plight of the young people who were promised that if you go into these skills, there’ll be jobs for you forever. But let’s figure out these companies who assure us, who are going to say “we’re going to be more productive and more profitable.” But also, I have so many more jobs — I have 200 individuals, part of a new program at the University of Buffalo who are learning skills to harness the power of AI, and do things that you can’t even imagine in this room right now.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah.
Governor Hochul: And that’s where we’ve got to shift the focus to those who would’ve been working in traditional coding to be able to be in a position for these opportunities. But, deeply troubling to me is the fact that the unemployment rate for recent college grads is going up.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah, it’s going up.
Governor Hochul: And I have to find more opportunities for them to shift into the job.
I have 700,000 open jobs in New York, by the way. Our unemployment is still very low in this state. Whether it’s health care, whether it’s advanced manufacturing, whether it’s the trades where I’m building so much. We have a huge shortage of people in the trades, but also, education. I don’t have enough nurses because I don’t have enough nursing teachers.
So, I have such a demand for people. We just have to point them out. And I have a — go to my Department of Labor website.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. I think it’s like figuring — I mean, there’s going to be more jobs than care. Listen, I think companies saying that they’re going to be more profitable as they reduce jobs is true.
The question is, what’s the role that business actually plays in ensuring that our next generation has an opportunity to march into the middle class? I have no doubt because you’ve seen this, that you’re going to help figure what that is.
Governor Hochul: We absolutely are. No, it is a challenge that we’re leaning into.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. I want to talk about my favorite topic now — childcare. As you know, you’ve invested $7 billion in childcare. You were one of the first Governors in the country to really see the potential — and not the potential of childcare as a personal issue, but as an economic issue.
Governor Hochul: That’s right.
Reshma Saujani: Workers can’t work without childcare, and businesses don’t work without childcare, period. It is the same problem. For those of us in this room who still may see it as a social policy issue and not an economic issue, can you educate?
Governor Hochul: I sure can.
Reshma Saujani: Thank you.
Governor Hochul: Especially after the pandemic, I was convening leaders of various businesses, different parts of the state — I remember one forum I did in Westchester. And a lot of the business leaders were saying, “The women aren’t coming back to work after the pandemic.”
Reshma Saujani: Yeah.
Governor Hochul: Because so many childcare facilities shut down during the pandemic, never reopened. And this was a real — all of a sudden they realized, “Oh, this is a problem that affects me now and my company, because I can’t get the workers back.”
Before it was always viewed as, “Well, you wanted to have kids, you figure it out,” right? That’s how I felt. It was no support system and I was having my children. And so I love the fact that businesses are seeing this as their problem as well. It’s a competitive issue because I believe that the companies that are enlightened enough to find and provide some form of child care would be the ones that people gravitate to.
And whether it’s onsite for large facilities — look at what I did with Micron, we landed the largest private sector investment in American history in Upstate New York, 50,000 jobs, a $100 billion investment. But I also said, “We’ll support you.” The Chips and Science Act put in about $5 billion we put in about $6 [billion] from the State, and believe me, that was not an easy lift with our Legislature. But it’s going to result in construction jobs and long-term jobs. But I also said, “We’re going to support you, which you need to support the community. I’m going to need you to have a child care facility on site. You got big land, you got lots of room, you got lots of money.”
Guess what they’re doing? They’re building it right now, onsite child care. They’ll be able to have the parents, men and women who want to be able to see their kids during break time or not worry about them if they have to work late. That’s how you start solving this. And even in areas that are the small downtowns I visit, why don’t the five businesses on this block come together and put together a consortium and help subsidize a little program in this empty storefront right here? And the problem with New York City is we have zoning that makes it impossible to expand because everything has to be on the ground floor.
Reshma Saujani: That or close to a park, as you had said.
Governor Hochul: Yeah, a park. So I think it’s time to just — not just in housing, but in child care — New York City, in order to be competitive and address this crisis, has to be more nimble and look at regulations. And I have a team that’s scouring our regulations to find the ones that are barriers to businesses and their success, and this is definitely one of them in the City. So let’s figure that out. And it shouldn’t have to be on a first floor when a lot of these children are living in high rise apartments themselves. Why do they have to be on a ground floor to go be taken care of by another person? So there’s not a logic to it. But I do put it on the businesses now who want to employ people and support and find ways to support the workers.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah, we’re just coming off a meeting with the Partnership and with business leaders and they realize that this is the number one impediment to them being able to hire the best people. It feels like there’s a pivotal moment right now, both in the City and the State, childcare was the number one mayoral election — was a defining issue as to how parents, how people voted, quite frankly, in the primary election. It will be the same thing in the general. Can you commit to working with the next mayor on this issue? And do you feel like there’s room in the 2026 Budget to help increase child care investments?
Governor Hochul: Already had the conversation. We’ve been speaking all summer to find whether or not there’s a commonality and I have found it in many areas, and many major disagreements, which are widely known. But this is one area where we talked about the fact that I could — in one year we could do it, but it’s $7 billion for New York City alone. I doubled that because the rest of the state I cannot leave behind, I’m talking $15 billion. I have about $14 billion in reserves, I have a $3 billion hole from the federal government in one year because of the cuts in Medicaid support. I had to figure that out and $750 million this year alone. So we talked about the logic of starting it. And I already called for universal child care in my last Budget, so that’s why I have $2.2 billion being spent now. But there is absolutely a path to do this. And you have great ideas, we’re looking at your plans on the fact that you can’t do it all in one year, but you have to give people hope that—
Reshma Saujani: You can phase it in.
Governor Hochul: You can phase it in. That’s exactly what you do, that’s exactly what you do. But I also believe we could, this will make us more competitive as a state.
Reshma Saujani: That’s right.
Governor Hochul: Because we’ll have the employers, but the employee workforce that attrition will be reduced. And I think as someone who’s been in this business a long time and helped start some family businesses and helped run some tech companies in my previous life.
You take care of your employees during these early years when they just need help. The kids are, from birth until kindergarten, that’s when you support them. They’ll be with you the next 20, 30 years. So this is an investment in people.
Reshma Saujani: That’s right.
Governor Hochul: That shows they matter. And after the pandemic, I think young people particularly, everybody’s priorities shifted more toward families are really important.
Reshma Saujani: Families are very important.
Governor Hochul: We’ve seen that loss of life that was so prevalent during the pandemic and realizing how precious it is. People really need that time with their families, and I think it makes them come back to work as a more engaged individual. And that’s why even paid family leave — my son just came off of paid leave two years ago with the new baby. My son-in-law is now going to be starting his four months to take care of the baby. So that also creates a relationship with children that just wasn’t there when my dad was working at the factory, the long hours they put in. But I think it’s really important and you’ll get a more well adjusted, happier, more committed employee. I think businesses need to look at the whole of that person, their happiness and contentment and you take care of their problems, makes them more productive for you.
Reshma Saujani: I’m going to take that as a yes, Governor.
Governor Hochul: Yes, oh yes.
Reshma Saujani: All right. I’m a mom of a five-year-old and a 10-year-old, and I think a lot about crime and safety. Oftentimes when I’m walking to school, I’ll see someone shooting up on the corner. Crime is a problem, a big problem in the city. How do you balance keeping New Yorkers safe?
Governor Hochul: This has been job number one since I’ve been in office, exactly four years. Right after the pandemic, our numbers were escalating at frighteningly high numbers. Whether it was the shootings, the murders, the assaults, subway crimes, and we’re trying to tell people, “the pandemic’s over, come back to work and please ignore the scary headlines about the crimes in the subway and get on the subway.” I knew that we had to make the subway safer before we could make that case to people to get back on your main primary vehicle of transportation to come to your jobs. And so we did.
We invested so much energy into this. I can’t tell you how many meetings I had with my law enforcement team just trying to strategize. And working with the mayor on how we could do this, and subway safety is something that I have more say over because basically the MTA is a creature of the State. So you saw what we did, several years ago we started, we launched cops, cameras and care. Cops. I said, “I need to flood the zone.” I need to have more police officers visible and to the extent that they couldn’t afford to do more in the city, I said, “I’ll pay for overtime.” You’ve never had this in the history of New York, but the Governor’s paying for law enforcement overtime to cover the subways. There’s two police officers on all the overnight trains.
Crime has plummeted, and that’s normally the most dangerous time when it comes to crimes. It’s on the overnight when we have our health care workers and our people in hospitality and the trains late at night and there are not many other people. So we focus on police officers.
Then, we are taking it down and I saw a little spike in March of last year and I said, “I can’t even have a little blip. I cannot start this trend upward again.” So I said, National Guard next. And again, I’m the one who deploys the National Guard in New York because I’m the Commander in Chief.
I’ve had this chat with the President about whose responsibility it is. I said, “I’ll give you a call.”
Reshma Saujani: To remind him?
Governor Hochul: I said, “I’ll give you a call if I need you,” and he said okay. So we’ll just put that over here. We’re good right now. But the National Guard there, not that they had a policing function. Or a military function, but the deterrent effect, and I can’t tell you who told me, like they just felt better. Like they just thought no one’s going to do anything bad with that guy standing there or that woman’s standing there. And so between the police, the National Guard, more MTA Police calming it all down, and then there’s a camera now on every train. And they told me it would take a few years. They said, “It will not take a couple years. You’re doing it now and we’re going to speed it up.” They doubled their time. Every train is a camera, so behave. When you’re on the trains, you’re being watched.
And also we talk about care. It is the people getting on the train in the morning and there’s been homeless individuals sleeping on the train overnight or someone sleeping on the platform. Or as soon as you come out, they create this sense of anxiety for people.
You don’t know if this person is harmless or are they going to do something harmful to you or your family member? And that’s the unease people feel. We took a lot of effort to put in the money and building out the supply of supportive housing. We took a thousand people who had been long-term homeless longer than a year, living in those confines there and getting them into supportive housing. But then there had been a historic approach to people with severe mental health problems — because not all people are homeless, have mental health problems — because some just literally can’t afford a place to live, may have lost their apartment.
So there’s that category, but those — some serious mental health problems. The conventional wisdom was always that they have a civil liberty right to be there. You can’t remove them. I took that on this year in the legislature and it was a tough one, and I was able to change the laws that allow for law enforcement and people who are mental health professionals to do an assessment and to remove someone — it’s called involuntary — get them into a hospital for care and evaluation and put them on a treatment plan and make sure that someone’s watching that is implemented so they don’t cycle right back to the streets. And we’re making a real difference there as well.
So, Reshma, I will tell you there’s still problems out there, but we just had the July and August statistics for the subway, the lowest crime rate in history — those two months and summertime, it usually you when things break down. And same thing with murders are down statewide, about 35 percent — shootings down about 27 percent. The numbers are trending in a great direction. Again, the trajectory was going up. We are going down. But there’s a psychological effect. It’s hard for people to wash away the earlier fears they had and say, “Oh, the Governor just said the statistics are good. I feel much better.” I’m realistic because there’s going to be still another horrific case tomorrow, and that one story is going to make people feel it could happen to them, even though we have the lowest crime rate of any big city in America. It just doesn’t feel like that. So that’s why I have to work on the psychology part of it now, and we’ll keep the investments going, but that is so important to me — statewide in the city. I’ve rolled out $3 billion in law enforcement money. No Governor has ever funded law enforcement at that scale. And we’re seeing some good numbers.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. It’s working. So after the pause on congestion pricing, business leaders want a credible MTA Capital Plan. How are you securing long-term capital for transit while keeping the city moving? And what’s the alternative funding package you’re advancing?
Governor Hochul: We’re good for the next Capital Plan for sure. That was not an easy lift when I was fairly new at being Governor, the MTA was hitting off the fiscal cliff. It had not been invested in at the levels it needed to just do the basic repair and maintenance, much less expansion. And so I had to put a lot of money and get credit for saving it from its demise, which was just a few years ago. And also the number of riders was way down because of the pandemic, and we’re trying to bring that up.
So then last year I had to structure a plan to fund a $68 billion Capital Plan for the next four years — five years. And that was hard, but I negotiated it with the Legislature. The Payroll Mobility Tax went up a little bit, but that is basically what is funding it for now. I’m committed to this and not just the existing projects and the safety and the new signalization and the other elements that need to be maintained, but I’m starting new projects.
The Second Avenue Subway, next phase is going to be completed. I’m working with the federal government to get that done. We’re working hard on that. It’s going to take time, obviously, but also the Interborough Express. I love this project because I know in Manhattan, the perception is the world revolves around Manhattan, but there’s actually a couple of other boroughs — four exactly — Queens in Brooklyn. A lot of people live and work out there or one or the other want to visit the family. You shouldn’t have to take the train into the city to go back out. So I’m creating a connection, a nine mile connection that uses abandoned rail lines. We’re already underway and I’m really excited about that. That’s being funded by this Capital Plan as well, the Interborough Express connecting Brooklyn and Queens.
So there’s a lot of good projects we’re doing and also I’m doing the bus station over and no one would do the bus station because it was too expensive. The alternative was like, let’s just leave it there and let somebody else worry about it. Those are the projects I lean into. Ones that people think they can just keep kicking down the road and ignoring, whether it’s that — I think it’s $10 billion to redo the bus station, but it’s going to be beautiful and change that neighborhood, it’s going to be so enhanced. And Penn Station
Reshma Saujani: It looks fantastic.
Governor Hochul: We haven’t even started yet. You’re looking at parts of it, some elements of it are done, but I talked to the President about — this is my first conversation with him back in November. I said, “Mr. President, I think there’s a lot we can do together. You’re a New Yorker. I’m a New Yorker. We can work out together.” And I said, “I’ll be honest with you, I’m going to have to hit you, criticize when I disagree or think you’re hurting New Yorkers or our values or our rights. But I also think there’s a lot of areas for collaboration.” And Penn Station was one of them, and we’ve been trying for three years to get Amtrak to get out of our way so I could burst through and start making some improvements there. And I told the President that and he changed the leadership and got Andy Byford now. And so we’re doing good things and then we had about $1 billion set aside for Penn Station, but it’s going to cost a lot more than that, probably seven, eight, nine billion dollars.
And I remember the Secretary of Transportation said, “We’re taking it over,” — pushing me aside. Thank you. Because you run it, I lease it.
And I just said, “You just saved me $1 billion.”
And I put the billion I took out of it and said, “You’re paying the whole cost,” and I put that toward the Interborough Express. So all’s good and I talked to the President about it not long ago about the plans and how grandiose you want to make them. You want me to bring the plans down? So we’re on a track to — and those are just not just the subway, not just infrastructure, but I really do love infrastructure projects. It puts a lot of people to work, helps a lot of our companies, the engineering firms, the design firms, the architect that puts a lot of people to work and the result is creating structures that have been just so abandoned and ignored and just taken for granted. It always has to be that way, and I just refuse to accept that. So I’ll always find a path for it.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah, I remember we were talking about the Second Avenue Subway when I ran for Congress in 2010. It’s like these infrastructure projects have been around for so long. Every time I’m on the Amtrak, I see these expensive trains that my tax dollars went to that’re just sitting there.
Governor Hochul: Second Avenue Subway expansion to create what is now a transit desert and bring people the ability to work in the rest of the City has been talked about since 1940. I literally went into the tunnels and they stopped it in the sixties. Because they didn’t have enough money or ambition. Yeah and so I said, “No, we’re getting this done.”
Reshma Saujani: So take the mood down even more. As of September, the State Budget Director is projecting a $750 million shortfall this fiscal year and a $3 billion deficit next year, much of it due to federal spending cuts. I mean these gaps are having enormous ripple effects for families and businesses. Talk about—
Governor Hochul: Both of those—
Reshma Saujani: The cuts to—
Governor Hochul: No, those are both directly correlated to what happened on July 4th, when the President signed what he calls a beautiful bill. I find it rather ugly when it comes to the impact on New York. Exactly. So, the $750 million was a direct cut to Medicaid for us this year. So, we were having to go look at our agencies, figure it out, trying to just find a path forward. $750 million I have to make up this year, and I have to make up $3 billion next year unless we’re going to tell people that they have no Medicaid and it is—
Reshma Saujani: Or no Head Start—
Governor Hochul: Oh no. And the nutrition programs. So here’s the problem. We get about $93 billion a year from the federal government, the State does, as part of my Budget. All kinds of programs that have historically been funded — that’s just how it is. And we send a lot of money to this federal government. I cannot, as the Governor, backfill cuts to the scale even we’re talking about. I just cannot make up for it. So, there are consequences to these actions that must be heard loud and clear. We didn’t do this, we didn’t ask for this, but I have almost two million people in New York State who are going to be at risk of losing their health care overall. What that does — it’ll destabilize our hospitals because people will still get sick and they’ll walk in the door and they will not have a Medicaid card to cover it.
Even in our rural areas, I was up in the North Country the other day opening up a brand new facility of 650 jobs we were able to save by bringing in — I digress, I get excited about bringing in jobs, but there’s intense anxiety about hospitals. There will be hospitals closing in rural parts of our state, and you don’t feel it right here, but most of our state is rural. Most of Upstate, most of our state geographically is by hospitals that are already far apart. You close a few of those. It’s going to have a devastating effect on people’s ability to get life-saving health care or just preventative care or testing. So, the point is, we have to make people know this. I have 400,000 people that are going to lose it. I already sent out the notices 90 days ago. I’m sorry, nine months from now.
I had to give 400,000 people, right off the bat, they’re getting a letter from me that’s going to say, if you don’t want this to happen, push your member of Congress to extend this or to stop this. So, I don’t think New York State should wear this. We’ll need to know where this came from, but I’ll have to deal with the fallout without a doubt. And it’ll have an effect on trying to figure out $3 billion here. That’s 3 billion less for other programs that we want to fund and we’re talking about. That’s what we have to manage.
We’ll get through it, but it is absolutely unnecessary at a time when our costs are going up because of tariffs — talk to a farmer in the North Country or around Central New York as I have. The tariffs are making it more expensive for them. They lost their markets in Canada — our biggest trading partner is Canada, $50 billion trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. And they want nothing to do with us. I’m heading up to Quebec and we are trying to meet some premieres and others to try and reset a relationship. But they still look at it: “We like you New York, but your country wants to take us over.” That’s a little hard. I don’t know what I can tell you there. It’s a little hard, but they’re boycotting our liquor, our stores are, they’re not coming over. It is a ghost town in the North Country, our little tourist places all summer long — Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Lake George. It is devastating and I think people up there are realizing, like this is from Congress accepting the President’s plan and there are going to be consequences.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah I hear that from small business owners all the time that are just getting crushed and they don’t have a lot of time to figure it out and they can’t actually impose the cost on customers anymore because everybody, all, every, everybody’s drowning.
Governor Hochul: Inflation is not settling down. We are promised lower prices on day one. Remember that? Lower prices, lower utility. Everybody has promised. If they just stayed the way they were before we’d be okay. We could survive now to go on top of inflation. On inflation. Yeah. And what are we heading in for? Is it stagflation next? Is it, yeah, the long recession? There’s just so much uncertainty right now. And I look at life through the perspective of business as well. I look at businesses as my customers, and that’s the world I was in before as politics. Businesses aren’t going to make decisions without having some clarity, some certainty. They need to know the rules of the road. We can handle it. Just tell us what they are. Are there going to be tariffs on these products? Is my supply chain going to be affected, my supply chain going to dry up or not. And they, that’s suppressing a lot of growth here.
I have a council of economic advisors myself, the top, smartest people in the State were in my office yesterday as we try to work through this. And the indicators, again, not anything to do with the State of New York but out of Washington, it’s really complicated the ability for businesses to just see clear enough down the road and say, “Yes, we’re going to expand our line, we’re going to hire more people, we’re going to, expand our facility from Downstate up to Upstate.” Everybody’s in a holding pattern.
Reshma Saujani: Right.
Governor Hochul: And that is not how business stagnates if it doesn’t keep growing.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah, you can’t grow without stability.
Governor Hochul: And I want to foster a very pro-business environment. The jobs that are created, the economic benefit, the pride that we have when businesses are here. And I want people to know that I’m going to work very hard. So, people know that they’re always welcome in this state and this era of people feeling denigrated because of their success that you know, is not going to come back.
Reshma Saujani: Yeah. So, as we close out, for all the business leaders in this room, what’s one ask that you make of them?
Governor Hochul: Stay calm. Seriously. I think we rely so much on the business leaders to have confidence and to understand that there is, at least in the State of New York, I can’t speak for beyond New York, that we have calm, steady leadership that understands how important businesses are for my bottom line, number one the revenues we generate, but also just again, I go back to coming from an era when the jobs were just gone and every job mattered and no one could find a livelihood, and it just destroyed so many lives when I was growing up. I never lose it. So, I value businesses for their investments in our state tremendously, and the people that they’re giving the dignity of a good job so just stay the course.
Washington will manage. We’ll be okay with the city, the next mayor, I assure you, we’re going to be okay and I don’t want you to make a decision. And some have said we might leave the state. You don’t have to. You don’t have to. You’ll regret it because all the action right here in New York.
Reshma Saujani: All the vibes are here. That’s right. Thank you, Governor.
It’s the White House live stream of President Trump signing a presidential memorandum on Sept. 15, 2025—an order launching the “Memphis Safe Task Force,” part of a federal anti-crime push focused on Memphis (with Trump also hinting Chicago could be next).
Restoring Law and Order in Memphis
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY THE SECRETARY OF WAR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES THE ADMINISTRATOR OF DRUG ENFORCEMENT THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
SUBJECT: Restoring Law and Order in Memphis
Section 1. Background. The city of Memphis, Tennessee, is suffering from tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively. This situation has become dire in one of our Nation’s most historic cities. According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis in 2024 had the highest rate of violent crime per capita, including some of the highest per capita rates of murder, robbery, and aggravated assault, and property crimes such as burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft, in the country. The city, a beacon of American culture that was Elvis’s home and is often called the birthplace of rock and roll and the blues, should be safe and secure for all of its citizens and Americans who visit its historic landmarks such as Graceland, Beale Street, and the Memphis Pyramid. To restore public safety and order, State and local leaders have requested Federal assistance, and I will act quickly to ensure that Federal authorities assist Memphis law enforcement to the fullest possible extent.
Sec. 2. Memphis Safe Task Force. (a) There is hereby established a Memphis Safe Task Force (Task Force), whose objective shall be to end street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent through the promotion and facilitation of hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, complex investigations, financial enforcement, and large-scale saturation of besieged neighborhoods with law enforcement personnel, and which shall coordinate closely with State officials in Tennessee and local officials in Memphis to share information, develop joint priorities, and maximize resources to make Memphis safe and restore public order. The Task Force shall be chaired by an individual selected and appointed by the Attorney General, who shall direct all Task Force functions and who shall coordinate with the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor. The Task Force shall also include representatives from the following executive departments and agencies (agencies), as designated by the head of the relevant agency:
(i) the Department of the Treasury;
(ii) the Department of War;
(iii) the Department of Justice;
(iv) the Department of Health and Human Services;
(v) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(vi) the Department of Transportation;
(vii) the Department of Homeland Security;
(viii) the United States Marshals Service;
(ix) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(x) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
(xi) the Drug Enforcement Administration;
(xii) Homeland Security Investigations; and
(xiii) the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
(b) The Chairman of the Task Force may also designate other agencies to participate in the Task Force as the Chairman deems necessary, as well as Inspectors General from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the United States Postal Service, the Small Business Administration, and such other agencies as the Chairman of the Task Force determines. The head of an agency designated by the Chairman shall select a representative of the agency to serve on the Task Force.
(c) The Task Force may, to the extent permitted by law, request operational assistance from and coordinate with the Memphis Police Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Memphis Area Transit Authority, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Tennessee State Probation and Parole Office, the Tennessee Department of Corrections, the Arkansas State Police, the Mississippi State Police, the Shelby County Attorney’s Office, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, the Memphis City Prosecutor’s Office, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby County Pretrial Services, the Shelby County Probation Section, and other Federal, State, and local officials as appropriate.
(d) The Task Force shall utilize the strategies and principles of Federal, State, and local law enforcement coordination developed and deployed pursuant to Executive Order 14252 of March 27, 2025 (Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful), and Executive Order 14333 of August 11, 2025 (Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia), as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to coordinate and ensure effective integrated action by Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities to address extensive and pervasive criminal activity and reduce crime in Memphis; enforce Federal immigration law; provide the Memphis Police Department with assistance to facilitate the recruitment, retention, and enhancement of capabilities of its police officers; dramatically increase the Federal, State, and local law enforcement presence and Federal coordination with State and local law enforcement, as appropriate; and coordinate strict enforcement of applicable quality-of-life, nuisance, and public-safety laws, including those laws prohibiting assault, battery, larceny, graffiti and other vandalism, unpermitted disturbances and demonstrations, noise, trespassing, public intoxication, drug possession, sale, vagrancy and use, and traffic violations, to make Memphis safe and secure again.
(e) The Task Force shall report to me as necessary through the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor regarding safety in Memphis and the tasks set forth in subsection (d) of this section. As part of this reporting, the Attorney General, in consultation with the Task Force, shall assess whether public-safety circumstances in Memphis require additional executive action.
Sec. 3. Mobilizing the National Guard to Protect Memphis. (a) The Secretary of War shall request that the Governor of Tennessee, under section 502 of title 32, United States Code, make available National Guard units of Tennessee to support public safety and law enforcement operations in Memphis, in such numbers and for such duration as the Governor may deem necessary and appropriate to assist with the activities of the Task Force. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall request such National Guard support as necessary and appropriate to accomplish this mission.
(b) The Secretary of War is further authorized to coordinate with State Governors and authorize the mobilization and training of further National Guard personnel, under section 502 of title 32, United States Code, to support the activities of the Task Force as he may deem necessary and appropriate to augment this mission.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
In a Sept. 14, 2025 Empire Report op-ed from Albany, N.Y., Gov. Kathy Hochul warns of escalating political violence and urges leaders and voters to lower the rhetoric, reject dehumanizing language, and hold public figures to account. Citing recent attacks and threats, she argues that social-media amplification fuels extremism and says speech carries real-world consequences. Hochul outlines New York’s prevention strategy: strengthened red-flag protections, enhanced monitoring of credible online threats, and local Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) teams now operating in 52 counties plus New York City, with more than 2,000 interventions. Invoking the post-9/11 spirit of unity, she says democracy depends on debate—not bloodshed—and calls for collective action to stop violence before it starts.
ICYMI: Governor Hochul’s Op-Ed in Empire Report: Political Violence Deserves No Place in Our Democracy — And It’s on Us to Stop It.
Today, Empire Report published an op-ed by Governor Kathy Hochul about the alarming rise of political violence in America—and the responsibility we all have to to stop it.
An assassination attempt on President Trump. The assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman. A plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a firebombing at the home of Governor Josh Shapiro. The violent attack on our Capitol on January 6. And now, the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a disturbing and increasingly common pattern of political violence. And unless we take action, it won’t stop here.
Over the course of the past few days we’ve rightfully seen leaders from both sides of the aisle forcefully condemn the horrific violence that bore out in Utah on Wednesday. But we’ve also watched voices declare war on their fellow Americans and fan the flames of anger, no doubt contributing to the ensuing rise in swatting threats across the country at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and political offices.
All of us as Americans, but especially those in positions of leadership, must grapple with the fact that we allowed ourselves to reach a place where a growing number of people believe that using violence against those we disagree with is acceptable.
In an age defined by viral rhetoric and algorithmic amplification, the line between speech and violence has become increasingly blurred. Social media algorithms reward provocative, emotionally charged content. And as a result, extremist narratives are shared, liked, and recommended — not because they are truthful, but because they drive engagement.
And then here we are — in a feedback loop, where extreme language spreads, often unchecked, and someone eventually pulls the trigger.
What makes this pattern especially insidious is its built-in deniability. Because we often describe the perpetrators of these heinous acts as “lone wolves,” those whose rhetoric radicalized or mobilized them to violence can claim they can’t be blamed for actions they did not directly command. This shields the radicalizer from responsibility, even as the violence catalyzed by their language becomes more and more frequent.
Some will argue that this is an attack on free speech. I call B.S. The First Amendment protects citizens from government censorship, but it does not shield those of us in the public spotlight from accountability. Freedom of expression should not become a smokescreen for promoting hate or encouraging violence.
We must move beyond the fiction that speech exists in a vacuum. When influential voices frame opponents as less than human, they create the conditions in which violence becomes justifiable.
At this point however, identifying the pattern is not enough.
First, leaders must commit to toning down their rhetoric, and everyday Americans must hold us all accountable. There should be consequences at the ballot box and in the court of public opinion when we don’t.
Second, we must take real steps to try to help those who may be on the path towards violence, to turn around and walk the opposite direction.
During my first year in office, my hometown of Buffalo was rocked by the racially motivated murder of 10 Black New Yorkers who were targeted simply because of the color of their skin. In the wake of that tragedy, I knew that the only way we could possibly stop these horrors was to reduce the chances an unstable violent individual could possess a weapon by increasing our red flag laws, ensure law enforcement had the tools they need to monitor online threats, and embrace a prevention model that leverages comprehensive, multidisciplinary interventions to stop violence.
In New York, this approach is embodied by the creation of local Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) teams. They can include law enforcement, mental health professionals, school officials, large employers, the public safety net, and health care systems. Together, they assemble the puzzle pieces to identify behaviors that can ultimately lead to violence.
52 counties plus New York City now field TAM teams and have collectively intervened in more than 2,000 cases. Considering the rage and vitriol that is flooding the internet and airwaves, our objective is to prevent violence before it occurs — responding after the fact isn’t enough.
This week I stood on sacred ground to honor the lives of those lost 24 years ago on 9/11. I thought about what happened on September 12, 2001, when — in the face of unspeakable horror — our nation’s greatest strength was its unity.
I urge New Yorkers and Americans to harken back to that same sense of unifying purpose. Political violence has no place in America. A democracy thrives on debate, not bloodshed.
As broken as our nation can feel at times like this, I still believe to my core that the ties that bind us are much stronger than the forces that seek to tear us apart. Most of us, no matter where we fall on the political spectrum, have the same dreams: a safe place for our kids, our work, to have fun, and to live with a sense of purpose and dignity. That’s the America I hold in my heart, and I believe it should exist in everyone’s heart.
So in this moment, let us come together and resolve to forge a safer, more tolerant world, not just for today, for our children and our grandchildren. We have work to do, but as always, New Yorkers and Americans are up for the challenge.
On WBLS 107.5’s “Hear From the Mayor,” Eric Adams reflected on the 24th anniversary of 9/11 and New York’s resilience, then welcomed retired NYPD inspector Paul McCormack, now legally blind from 9/11 injuries, to spotlight Ground Zero 360—the traveling exhibition he and photojournalist Nicola McLean created, now installed in City Hall’s Rotunda with personal effects from 11 fallen first responders and more than 100 artworks, with hopes to return for the 25th anniversary. McCormack honored Officer Moira Smith and noted that deaths from 9/11-related illnesses have surpassed the initial toll, thanking the Mount Sinai 9/11 health program. Callers raised concerns about Bed-Stuy seniors losing homes due to high property taxes and deed theft; Adams said he’s pushing tax reform in Albany and praised AG Letitia James and DA Eric Gonzalez for aggressive deed-theft prosecutions. The show closed with a call for unity and an invitation for New Yorkers to stay engaged and connect with the mayor online.
Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts “Hear From the Mayor” Radio Show
Gary Byrd: Each and every second Sunday of the month, as you know by now, WBLS is proud to welcome a brother. He’s the 110th mayor of New York City, the second mayor of color and the first hip hop mayor in the city’s history. It’s time for us to hear from the mayor, Eric L. Adams. And the mayor wants to hear from you right here from 107.5 WBLS. Let’s get it started. Good morning, Brother mayor. Good to have you with us as always.
Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Great to be with you also, Gary. And to all the listeners out there. As you tune in to hear from the mayor and your mayor, Eric Adams. If this is your first time tuning in, the purpose is just really to share dialogue with you and other New Yorkers.
Listeners should give me a call and hear directly from me or hear some of the things that we’re doing to building a better city. Or you can sign up to hear more from me by visiting NYC.gov/hearfromEric. And you can also sign up on our website to text with Eric and talk with me on WhatsApp. But today, this morning, Sunday, this is a beautiful day out, by the way. Get outdoors and enjoy it. You could also call me at (212) 545-1075.
As many of you know, this past Thursday was September 11th, 2025. We reflect on what took place over 24 years ago on September 11th, 2001, when we lost nearly 3,000 people who perished on that terrible, terrible day when two planes flew into our World Trade Center. And it just created so much havoc throughout our country, because, as you know, we also had a plane that flew into the Pentagon. And we saw a plane that crashed in the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. And the names of those lost during this terrorist attack were read aloud during the testimony and ceremony during the ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial. And so 24 years, we have not forgotten them and we want to keep them in mind.
The most remarkable thing I always say is not the tragedy of what happened on September 11th, but what took place September 12th. We got up, teachers taught, builders built, retailers sold their goods. And we showed those who thought they would impact us of our level of resiliency as New Yorkers. And our resiliency cascaded throughout the entire country. And we saw our country stand up and state that we would not be terrorized by terrorists.
And one person who really personifies that is my guest today, Paul McCormack. Amazing, amazing individual, former New York City Police Department inspector. He was the CEO of the 13th precinct. And he turned what I like to say, he turned pain into purpose. He didn’t sit back and say, what was me? He said, why not me? Let me be the leader from the front. And when he retired due to his injuries sustained in the line of duty on 9/11, it left him legally blind.
He continued to make sure that we would never forget this moment. He’s the CEO of Ground Zero 360. It’s a traveling exhibition honoring the victims of 9/11 and their families. And earlier this week, I had the honor of unveiling the art installation at the Rotunda at City Hall. If you haven’t seen it, please come out and see it.
It is an accumulation of 14 years of work that he has put together and moved around the country, visited 60 cities, featuring photography, artifacts, and artwork. It tells the real story of the courage, the loss, and the resiliency. And the exhibition includes personal effects of 11 fallen first responders and 100 artworks reflecting on 9/11.
It is really an important exhibit. And I just want to thank him and his wife, his wife, Nicola McLean, a photojournalist who was working in New York City on that terrible day of September 11. And the two of them married and created Ground Zero 360 together. So I want to turn it over to you, Paul. That was a mouthful of what you have done and accomplished. Tell us the concept of your exhibit and how did it come about?
Paul McCormack, CEO, Ground Zero 360: Well, first off, mayor, thank you for having me here. And thank you for having us at City Hall. It was a tremendous honor and privilege to be there. And very, very kind of you to have us there. As I said, I was the commanding officer of the 41st Precinct on 9/11 in the South Bronx. And my wife was working for the Irish Voice and Irish American Magazine on 9/11. And my wife was down there on the 11th. And when the towers fell, in the days and weeks thereafter, there was a lot of people showing up with missing posters.
I think any of your listeners that were around at the time, missing posters started going up everywhere in the city at all of the bus shelters, train stations, hospitals. People were desperately looking to find their lost loved ones. And it was desperately sad. It was really sad. And my wife got really affected by it. She knew then that she wanted to do something to honor the victims and their families. And she and I, she created Ground Zero 360. And as most wives do, she came to me looking for help. What am I going to do? Say, whatever you want, hon, whatever you want.
But no, she created an incredible exhibition to honor the victims. And the mission is to keep the memory alive and never forget the sacrifice of so many on that terrible day. And a lot of the pictures that she took, it was on 35mm film, were of messages that were written in the dust from. There was a lot of firefighters. There were 343 firefighters who were lost, 23 members of the NYPD, 37 Port Authority police officers. And there were some, like, really sad messages that were written on the car windshields, on the store windows. And she asked me to track down some of the families that were in the messages, and we did.
And as you mentioned earlier, we actually have 13 family members that lost loved ones on 9/11. And I went to the families and asked them if they would be involved in the project, because we wanted to remember their families. And they’re all basically family members of ours right now. We have their personal effects in the exhibition. And it’s an emotional thing, Mr. Mayor, but it’s a privilege to be able to do it every year. It’s a labor of love. And like you mentioned, being a member of the NYPD, you said September 12th it would show the true nature of our country.
By God, it did. Like, I remember traveling down from the Bronx to Ground Zero. For three months, I was traveling down there, and the people were lined up in the streets. And I think every American became a New Yorker after 9/11. We became—America became a community. And by God, I was never—and I mean never—as proud to be a New Yorker. I was never as proud to be a member of the NYPD or as proud to be an American as I was at that time. Because there was no left or right, Democrat, Republican. None of that nonsense. We were all a united country. And Jesus, I wish we could get back to that, to that united feeling.
But the exhibition for the 10th anniversary, Nicola wanted to do—it was basically going to be a three-week memorial in her hometown in Dublin at the National Museum of Ireland. And that has turned into a 14-year odyssey right now, where you mentioned we have artists from all over the world. Fifteen countries have created pieces of art that they’ve given to us to show their—it affected everybody worldwide. It really did. It was so—so many countries and so many people affected. And, like, I remember for the 20th anniversary, my wife gave me a list of 15 artists. And she said, I’d like you to contact these people to do some art for us. And they were like big names, like Sean Scully and Hughie. And I was like, these guys are going to tell me to go jump in a river.
But it was quite the opposite. They were all like, we’d love to do something to honor the victims. And it went from 15 artists to over 100 artists right now. But it’s people like yourself. I remember speaking to you on St. Patrick’s Day this year about this event. And you didn’t even hesitate. You were like, yeah, we’re going to have this in City Hall. And we’re going to give it the right space, the right place to show this. And you didn’t even hesitate. And it’s people like yourself that really make us feel good about what we’re doing, because you make it so easy for us. And thank you so much for just a magnificent venue. Thank you.
Mayor Adams: No, so true. You know, like they say, we all gave something, but some gave all. And we should remember those who gave all. And as your work, it really allows us to reflect on it through the visual art, which is very powerful. And some of the paintings really reflect the spirit and the energy. What is the next destination for the exhibit?
McCormack: Well, we’re going to be at City Hall for the next few months. We’re hoping to return next year. The 25th anniversary is probably going to be the biggest anniversary since it happened. And as I said to you on Monday at City Hall, there’s no place like home. So we want to have it in New York again. So God willing, we can have it back at City Hall, because it’s the right venue to honor these victims and their families. And it was a very special.
We had a few families there. Jimmy Smith, who lost his wife Moira, was there. Really powerful. Like, I remember being in my office in the 41st Precinct with my executive staff. And my most vivid memory of 9/11 was when the first tower fell. A female police officer came over the radio calling for help. And you know yourself, mayor, as a cop, there’s nothing worse than hearing a fellow officer, especially when it’s a female. Not being sexist, but when it’s a female calling for help, it’s a different call. And there’s nothing more sickening in your gut when there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
And I remember that female voice was police officer Moira Smith. And Jimmy, who’s a retired cop from the 13th Precinct, Jimmy gave us Moira’s personal effects as part of the exhibition. And one of the paintings right at the bottom of the steps of the rotunda is a painting that Jim Fitzpatrick did of Moira, who is probably the greatest example of courage, selflessness, heroism that you’ll ever find as a police officer. And one example for cops worldwide. Just an unbelievable inspiration for all of us. And something we could strive to be like. She ran in there. Her last picture was taking a bloodied guy out of the towers. And she went right back in afterwards and made the ultimate sacrifice. So for us to be able to honor people like that is just a privilege.
Mayor Adams: So true, and now due to your work there, you lost your sight. What is your personal story?
McCormack: Well, I got chemicals in my eyes. So my eyesight deteriorated rapidly after 9/11 to the point where I couldn’t drive and I couldn’t shoot anymore. Not much use as a cop if you can’t do those two things. But I had to retire from the job. I loved being a cop. But I turned, as you said, I tried to turn that into doing things to help people.
I started up The Finest Federal Credit Union to help law enforcement in New York City, which is now rolled into New York State. I teach for a promotional school called The Key. You probably know that. I think you were one of our students back in the day, I believe, when you were studying for captain. I think you were one of my students, by the way.
So, yeah, but delighted to be continuing helping cops. And I was a big sports person. And one of the things, like, I used to play a lot of golf. And I had to give it up cold turkey for 13 years. And then I got involved with the United States Blind Golf Association. And I didn’t even know that there was such thing as blind golf. Like, people, they say blind golf. What the hell are you talking about, blind golf? But there are so many organizations out there that can help the blind and visually impaired.
I wound up joining the [The United States Blind Golf Association,] which gives you an outlet. Being blind and visually impaired can be a very dark and lonely and depressing place. It can. It’s frustrating. I can tell you, if I have five kids and to not be able to see them playing sports from the sideline and see things that other adults and parents can see, it can be depressing.
But when you can get involved with organizations like the United States Blind Golf Association, and you get out to outings where you can socialize and meet people, and it’s just a healthy way. It’s healthy for your mind and body. And, like, you represent your country at certain events. And I had the honor of representing New York and the United States at the World Blind Golf Championships in Canada last month. So I was delighted to do that.
Mayor Adams: You know, it’s a powerful story because sometimes we believe that after the buildings collapsed and the rebuilding, people still had to rebuild their lives. And, you know, oftentimes when you’re going through these difficult moments, it really calls on you. You know, faith is crucial. And hearing your story of how that terrorist attack also impacts your vision, impacts the lives of others. But you have truly turned that pain into purpose.
McCormack: You mentioned faith, mayor. I grew up a Catholic in Ireland. Went to Mass every week, every weekend. But when, you know, I moved over to America, emigrated to America in 86. I worked construction, joined the Police Department. And you kind of get away from your faith. But it’s amazing how events like that can bring you back and closer to God.
I remember Trinity Church was right there beside, still there, and was such a source of inspiration and hope. And I remember going in there and just praying. It got me closer to God, that event. And I remember going in and praying, reflecting, resting. And I think a lot of people felt that way. Sometimes it’s sad to say, but it takes events like that to really get you closer to God and make you realize the important things in life. It makes us reset.
Mayor Adams: You know, I hear the music, and we’re going to move to a break. Please stay with us. Paul has more to share. And if you have any questions, you could call us again. The number is (212) 545-1075.
Byrd: The program is Hear From the Mayor. And in addition, the mayor wants to hear from you. As you heard, (212) 545-1075 is the number to call. (212) 545-1075. We’ll come back with the mayor and his special guest right after this. From 107.5 WBLS.
[Commercial Break.]
Byrd: The program is Hear From the Mayor, and the mayor wants to hear from you. Stand by, he’ll be taking your calls in just a moment. Let’s welcome back Mayor Eric Adams and his special guest.
Mayor Adams: Thank you so much, and I’m here with Paul McCormack, retired inspector of the NYPD and CEO of Ground Zero 360. Before we go to calls, Paul, tell me about the continuous death. We hear about the 3,000 on September 11, 2001, but there are many deaths that are taking place even now.
McCormack: I think that’s something that a lot of people don’t realize, Mr. Mayor. I think there’s more than double the amount that got killed in the attacks, have died since 9/11, of cancers, respiratory diseases, and other illnesses. It’s really sad.
I’d like to do a thank you to the Mount Sinai Medical Program for what they do for the sick and injured. Every year, anybody that was down there, probably yourself included, should be getting checked up. But every year we go to the Mount Sinai program, but it’s sad. We have a sergeant that worked for me, Steve Chaffee. We honor him in the exhibition as well. He died of cancers from 9/11, and we’re honored to honor him in our exhibition as well. It’s something that police think and pray for all of the people that work there.
Mayor Adams: Yes. Before we go to the callers, callers, if you have a question for Paul or myself, Mayor Adams, you’re on the air, caller.
Question: Good morning, mayor. Good morning. I’m calling on behalf of the senior citizens, especially in Bed-Stuy. Our senior citizens are losing their homes at an alarming rate, primarily because of the taxes. They pay higher taxes in Bed-Stuy than they do in Park Slope. And a lot of our senior citizens are getting to the point where they can’t pay their taxes.
Somebody comes along and they offer them a loan, and they get into these predatory loans, and they get into deed theft. Is there anything, a bill, that can be put in place where you can put an abatement on senior citizens so their tax rate won’t be so high?
Mayor Adams: Yeah, and thank you for that. And I’m one of them. You know, I own property in Bed-Stuy, and I was going to join the original suit that Martha Stark, former finance commissioner, was put in place. I couldn’t join because I was an elected official at the time. But you are right. We have been, one, put in place changes in Albany to do tax reform because one, communities should not be paying higher. The out-tax laws are wrong.
They are unfair, particularly to communities like Bed-Stuyvesant and other moderate, middle, low-income communities. And we are going to try to push that legislation through Albany. But two, the Attorney General Letitia James and DA Eric Gonzalez are looking to prosecute those who go after our property owners with deed theft. This is something that has been plaguing the community, and they have been extremely aggressive. It was something I was fighting for even when I was born president. So there’s a combination of the two that we are really looking at this real problem. Caller, you’re on air.
Question: Hello?
Mayor Adams: Yes, how are you, caller? We have a little amount of time, so we want to get to your question, okay.
Question: Thank you to the 9/11 Memorial with Officer McCormack there. I am one of the workers from the 9/11 Mount Sinai program. And I just wanted to thank you all for your service. And just share with you that I appreciate Officer McCormack saying that we should, it would be good to get back to a state of unity. You know, because at the 9/11 program, I served previously. I’m not there anymore.
But at the time when I served right after 9/11, the actual Ground Zero tragedy, we did not care who the person voted for, what political party they were part of, or what their life choices were. We served everybody, anybody, and we came unified to try to bring some healing and some help and some coordination for everybody that participated, or lived around and was affected by the 9/11 tragedy, either physically there or emotionally or psychologically. And I still have that practice today, that it doesn’t matter who you voted for, what you are.
Mayor Adams: You’re right, sister. I’m sorry, sister, you’re right. That music is, we’re ending, but we got the spirit of what you were saying. And I thank you so much for what you have done and the energy you’re putting out right now. And I want to thank all our listeners in WBLS for allowing us to communicate with you. Thank you, and have a great, great weekend.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced 20 recommended additions to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, spotlighting New York’s diverse heritage from a c.1750–1870 Pine Street African Burial Ground in Kingston to community-driven affordable housing like Brooklyn’s Fulton Park Plaza developed by Jackie Robinson, and Buffalo’s McKinley Parkway Historic District, slated to be the state’s largest with 5,000+ buildings. Reviewed on September 10, 2025 by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation in Albany, the nominations span all regions and eras—public health landmarks such as the Mott Haven Health Center (Bronx), early education sites like Clifton Park’s “Little Red Schoolhouse,” and industrial and immigrant history in Buffalo and Solvay. Listing makes properties eligible for grants and state/federal historic rehabilitation tax credits; New York leads the nation with $7.17B in rehab costs (2018–2024), $16.4B in project spending since 2009, 91,386 jobs, and $1.79B in tax revenue (2019–2023)—advancing preservation, revitalization, and pride of place statewide.
Governor Hochul Announces 20 Nominations for State and National Registers of Historic Places
Nominations Represent Diverse Histories and Unique Stories Across New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced recommendations by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to add 20 properties and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The nominations include a c. 1750-1870 African burial ground in Kingston, a barn that was a creative workspace for influential historic preservationists in Newfield, an affordable housing complex developed by legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson in Brooklyn, and the McKinley Parkway Historic District in Buffalo – which is slated to become the largest single historic district in the state with more than 5,000 buildings.
“New York’s history is one of our greatest treasures,” Governor Hochul said. “These sites are more than buildings or landmarks — they are powerful connections to the people and stories that shaped our state. By adding these properties to the State and National Registers, we are reaffirming our commitment to honoring and preserving New York’s rich, diverse history for generations to come.”
The nominations were reviewed September 10, 2025, at the 200th meeting of the New York State Board for Historic Preservation. In addition to acknowledging the milestone of this meeting with a special presentation about the history of the National Register program in New York State, the board recognized the service of former board member Jay DiLorenzo and welcomed two new board appointees, Ruth Pierpont and Felicia Mayro.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “As we work to expand and diversify listings in the State and National Registers of Historic Places, we’re looking to identify and recognize the places that help tell New York’s whole history now and into the future. With listings, historic resources become eligible for support programs that can aid in preservation and rehabilitation efforts — which encourage community revitalization and enhance pride of place. Plus, through this process, we document our knowledge about our state’s history and continue to share compelling new research with the public.”
State and National Register listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation Daniel Mackay said, “At the Division for Historic Preservation, we are dedicated to expanding the State and National Registers of Historic Places and to connecting communities with the resources they need to help preserve and promote these historic assets so that pieces of our past can have a meaningful role in the present. Listing in the registers is a critical step in connecting property owners with resources that can help them steward this shared history.”
New York State continues to lead the nation in the use of historic tax credits, with $7.17 billion in total rehabilitation costs from 2018-2024. Since 2009, the historic tax credit program has stimulated over $16.4 billion in project expenditures in New York State, creating significant investment and new jobs. According to a report, between 2019-2023, the credits in New York State generated 91,386 jobs and over $1.79 billion in local, state and federal taxes.
The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archaeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are more than 128,000 historic properties throughout the state listed in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as components of historic districts. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.
Once recommendations are approved by the Commissioner, who serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, the properties are listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed by the National Park Service and, once approved, entered in the National Register. More information, with photos of the nominations, is available on the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website.
New York City
Brooklyn Garden Apartments (Navy Yard), Brooklyn, Kings County
The Brooklyn Garden Apartments is a privately owned affordable housing complex located in the Wallabout neighborhood of Brooklyn. Built between 1929-1932 and designed by architect Frank H. Quinby, the complex was a direct result of the New York State Housing Law of 1926, which encouraged private development of affordable housing by authorizing limited-divided housing corporations (whose profits were capped at 6 percent), offering tax abatements, and allowing the use of eminent domain to assemble building lots. This project was the first development to utilize the eminent domain provision of the law and was backed by some of New York’s most notable advocates of improved affordable housing including Housing Board member Louis H. Pink, Governor Alfred Smith, and financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. The complex is also notable for its garden apartment-style plan, which comprises two U-shaped buildings enclosing a central courtyard.
East 152nd Street-Courtlandt Avenue Houses, Bronx, Bronx County
The East 152nd Street-Courtlandt Avenue Houses is a public housing development in the Melrose neighborhood of the South Bronx designed by the architectural firm of Ames Kagan Stewart. The complex officially opened on August 31, 1973 and reflected local efforts to revitalize the South Bronx as part of the larger Melrose-Morrisania Study. Beginning in 1968, the New York City Planning Committee worked closely with the Melrose Planning Council (formed by residents of Melrose) to develop an urban renewal plan that would benefit their community. The planners conducted extensive surveys and held public hearings about individual urban renewal sites scheduled around residents’ availability. This process represents a successful collaboration between local government and neighborhood residents. The complex is also an example of NYCHA’s vest pocket and turnkey programs. Vest pocket housing developments were defined by their size—sites were a city block or less and the complex comprised one to four residential buildings—and were designed to minimize demolition and displacement while promoting neighborhood-scale redevelopment. The turnkey program allowed a private developer to construct a housing project and then turn the keys over to the housing authority, ideally speeding construction and reducing costs.
Fulton Park Plaza, Brooklyn, Kings County
Fulton Park Plaza is a publicly subsidized, privately owned affordable housing complex located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Built between 1972 and1974 and designed by the architectural firm of L.E. Tuckett & Thompson, the complex was developed by legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson with considerable input from the area’s Black residents and community organizations. Fulton Park Plaza was the result of a lengthy and sometimes contentious effort to revitalize Bedford-Stuyvesant. During the 1960s, the city proposed an urban renewal program that would have demolished a substantial number of buildings in the vicinity of Fulton Park. The neighborhood’s network of community organizations—most notably the Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council and the Fulton Park Community Council, both championed by local activist Elsie Richardson—quickly organized against the proposal. In the end, what these groups sought, and ultimately achieved, was community input into the form the renewal program would take, who would build it, and who would operate it once completed. Fulton Park Plaza fulfilled these community requests: in form, the complex was a vest-pocket development situated on a relatively small site and fitting in with the low-scale character of the neighborhood; the architects were founding members of the New York Coalition of Black Architects; and its developer was a famed civil rights icon.
Jackie Robinson Houses, New York, New York County
The Jackie Robinson Houses, constructed in 1973-1974, is significant for its association with public housing programs in East Harlem after World War II and specifically for its association with the history and development of a small area in northeastern Harlem known as the Harlem Triangle. In the post-war period, East Harlem witnessed an unprecedented number of new public housing projects, many championed by Robert Moses, who, after taking charge of the city’s public housing program, formed the Mayor’s Slum Clearance Committee in 1948. The committee gave him license to deem vast areas of the city as slums, raze them, and build large new public housing complexes in their place. Within this era of mass demolition and building, a city report condemned the tiny Harlem Triangle as “one of the most blighted and rundown areas in Harlem … and wholly unsuitable for housing.” This designation led to the city’s efforts to level the area and redevelop it with industrial resources. Beginning in the 1960s, two local groups, the Community Association of the East Harlem Triangle (CAEHT) and the Architects’ Renewal Committee in Harlem (ARCH), took a strong interest in the area’s future and worked to thwart the city’s plans, which faced strong opposition from residents. CAEHT, led by prominent activist Alice Kornegay, and ARCH, led by important African American architect J. Max Bond, fought the neighborhood’s designation as “blighted and run down,” forcing the city to amend its urban renewal plan to permit housing on the periphery of the triangle. In 1966, CAEHT partnered with ARCH to create the East Harlem Triangle Plan, which gave voice to residents’ concerns and proposed new redevelopment plans that favored those who lived there. Although the East Harlem Triangle Plan was never completely developed, the Jackie Robinson Houses emerged directly from it. The building was designed by Bond, Ryder and Associates and composed of two of the most prominent Black architects in New York City, J. Max Bond Jr. and Donald P. Ryder.
Messiah Lutheran Church, Staten Island, Richmond County
Located on Staten Island, the Messiah Lutheran Church is an example of Late Gothic Revival ecclesiastical architecture designed by architect Leonard Burd. Built in 1931, Messiah Lutheran served as a place of worship for Scandinavian settlers of Annadale and their descendants as the only church in the neighborhood for most of its lifespan. Historically the church was a center of community activity and aid in Annadale. The church was home to various Scandinavian, Lutheran, and non-sectarian cultural and social organizations and played a major role in youth education and development.
Mott Haven Health Center, Bronx, Bronx County
The Mott Haven Health Center was one of fourteen neighborhood health centers built by the City of New York during the Great Depression/New Deal era. First proposed in 1931 and opened in 1937, the building was designed by architects William H. Gompert and Kenneth M. Murchison. The neighborhood health center movement began in the early 1900s when New York City created thirty health districts intended to reduce mortality and morbidity rates – especially in the city’s densely populated tenement areas such as Mott Haven. During the Great Depression, fourteen of these districts received purpose-built health centers funded by the Public Works Administration (PWA). The Mott Haven building is architecturally notable for its Modern Classical style. The exterior design fused a modern sensibility with classical forms and featured a symmetrical buff-brick and limestone façade with stylized ornament including bronze grilles and spandrels with medical iconography. The interior was organized into functional quadrants devoted to specific types of preventative care (i.e. maternity and infant care and dental services) and sicknesses (i.e. tuberculosis and venereal services). Of particular note is the double-height light therapy room, where tuberculosis patients were exposed to natural light that could eradicate disease-causing microbes. The building is also significant for its later history as the Lincoln Detox People’s Program, a drug rehabilitation program established by a group of revolutionary doctors and community organizers in the early 1970s. At a time when drug users faced rampant stigmatization and discrimination, the program helped generate national recognition of acupuncture—a natural, chemical-free healing option—as an accepted drug addiction therapy.
St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church, Staten Island, Richmond County
St. Paul’s Methodist Episcopal Church, located in the Tottenville neighborhood, is connected to the early growth of Methodism in Staten Island where it served as a hometown church that fostered a strong sense of altruism and community. Built in three separate campaigns (1859, 1862, and 1961) the church is notable for its Romanesque Revival ecclesiastical architecture, use of brick instead of more commonly used wood for its construction, stained-glass windows with Masonic symbolism, and a rare and elaborate Felgemaker pipe organ from Germany.
Long Island
Corwith-Jones Farmhouse, Southampton, Suffolk County
The Corwith-Jones Farmhouse is a Greek Revival style residence in Southampton’s historic Hayground area. The house was built for the Corwiths – one of the earliest English families to settle in the Bridgehampton area – and it represents the evolution of a vernacular Long Island “Half House” that was expanded and adapted to reflect the owner’s increasing affluence and changing needs. The home’s center wing was likely built between 1800-1820 and the main block was likely built following an 1843 fire. In 1866, the farm was sold to the Hand family, who raised potatoes. In 1908, it was sold again to the Jones family, who bred swine. The property was sold to Katharine Parsons Feibleman in 1967, who was a professional member of the American Institute of Decorators. Her restoration work sought to return the house to a more historically appropriate Greek Revival appearance while adapting it to modern living standards.
Capital Region
Chestertown Historic District Boundary Increase and Amendment, Chestertown, Warren County
The original Chestertown Historic District – three adjacent properties located along U.S. Route 9 (Chestertown Main Street): the Fowler House (1837), the Church of the Good Shepherd (1884), and the former Chester High School (1912) – was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The expanded district adds 161 contributing resources across a 154-acre area that comprises the core of the hamlet of Chestertown, capturing its evolution from a milling and tanning hub into a summer resort community. It includes a mix of residential, civic, commercial, and religious architecture in a variety of architectural styles from the 1830s to the 1960s. The district has had minimal infill and, despite some material alterations over the years, retains its appearance and feeling as a rural village nestled in the eastern Adirondack Mountains.
School No. 5 “The Little Red Schoolhouse,” Clifton Park, Saratoga County
School No. 5 “Little Red Schoolhouse” in the Town of Clifton Park was built in 1903 and is historically significant for its association with one-room schoolhouse education during the formative years of New York’s public education system. School No. 5 offered public education to the Clifton Park community until its closure in 1953, when 22 schools were combined to form the Shenendehowa Central School District. After a brief period of disuse, a local group of parents purchased the Little Red Schoolhouse in 1960 and formed the Clifton Park Nursery School Cooperative Preschool, which continues to occupy the building today. Of the original schools that combined to form the Shenendehowa Central School District, the Little Red Schoolhouse is the only one that retains historical integrity and continues to function as a school.
Mid-Hudson
Pine Street African Burial Ground, Kingston, Ulster County
The Pine Street African Burial Ground in the City of Kingston is locally significant as the city’s first burial ground for enslaved people, their descendants, and free persons between 1750 and ca. 1870. The burial ground, located at 157 Pine Street and portions of adjacent properties, was established by the Trustees of Kingston in 1750 and was used until ca. 1870, when the site became a lumberyard. The site later became a residential property in the early twentieth century. In 1990, the burial ground was reidentified upon the discovery of bones in the adjacent property, and comprehensive archaeological evidence was gathered in 2018 and in the early 2020s by the SUNY New Paltz Archaeological Field School. Harambee Kingston, a non-profit community organization, purchased the property at 157 Pine Street in 2019 and established a cultural center and museum that interprets the history of the Pine Street African Burial Ground. Given limited historical information – specifically regarding the histories of African enslavement and African Americans in Kingston and the mid-Hudson Valley more broadly – further archaeological and historical documentation of the site has the potential to contribute significantly to knowledge of these histories.
Central New York
Pozzi Building, Solvay, Onondaga County
Constructed by inventor, businessman, and padrone of the local Tyrolean community Angelo Pozzi in 1917, the Pozzi Building is a landmark in the Village of Solvay and served many purposes over the years, including as a residential hotel, a grocery, a café/saloon, a savings and loan company, and an oil and lubricant business. The red brick building design emulated classical details of larger Colonial Revival hotels emerging in major cities at the time, lending a stylish dignity to the Pozzi family’s business enterprises. The building served as an immigration gateway to generations of men from Pozzi’s homeland, which was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and became part of Italy after World War I. Pozzi helped these men travel and find jobs at the Solvay Process (later Allied) plant across the street, while renting rooms and providing various services to them. The building’s commercial spaces remain substantially intact, as do the upstairs lodgings. The building remained a popular local dining and gathering spot through the closing of Allied in 1985.
Roswell Beckwith Sr. House, Cazenovia, Madison County
Built in 1804, the Roswell Beckwith Sr. House in the Town of Cazenovia is a 1 ½ story, center-chimney, timber-frame house with walls of wooden clapboards. The interior of the house retains integrity to its initial 1804 plan and appearance, with much of the original Federal period features and detailing intact, including its large, center chimney with cooking hearth and bake oven. The house is one of the town’s oldest existing buildings and is architecturally significant as an early example of dwellings constructed by the first settlers arriving in Cazenovia from New England.
Southern Tier
1883 Barn, Newfield, Tompkins County
The 1883 Barn on Elmira Road in the Town of Newfield began life as a substantial Victorian era hay barn in the early 1880s, but between 1965 and 1977, two pioneering historic preservationists of the region, Victoria Romanoff and Constance Saltonstall, purchased the barn and used it as a laboratory for developing skills, experience, and ideas for future and more public endeavors. Romanoff and Saltonstall rescued the local landmark to serve as their seasonal residence and private art gallery. Newspapers covered the barn’s conversion and later art exhibitions which raised the public profile of historic preservation regionally. The women went on to consult and work on major early historic preservation projects throughout Tompkins County including Ithaca’s Boardman House and Clinton House. The barn’s conversion reflects the broader ethos of this particular era, when historic preservation aligned with a counter-cultural movement that embraced a return to the land, traditional folkways, and environmentally and economically conscious reuse.
Johnson City High School, Johnson City, Broome County
The Johnson City High School, on Main Street in Johnson City, is one of three examples of outstanding Tudor Revival Style public high schools designed in the 1910s in the triple cities of Binghamton, Johnson City, and Endicott. Features such as its low-slung pointed entry arch, turrets with pepper pot domes, and surface patterning all lend the structure a rich set of references to the English Renaissance. Prominent local architect C. Edward Vosbury designed two of the three, including the nominated buildings. Johnson City High School is an intact example of standardized school construction from the 1910s. Schools from this period followed state and national regulations aimed at safety concerns, responding to theories about optimizing student health and preventing school fires. Among other features, the interior was configured with rows of classrooms on each floor’s north and south sides, with a central corridor running through the center of the building from the east entrance, reflecting the school design standards of this period. While the east wing was constructed in 1914, the plan was completed with the addition of the matching west wing in 1928. At the same time, a compatible gymnasium was added at the rear of the building. The Johnson City High School retains outstanding integrity of its exterior design and many historic features and finishes on the interior.
Western New York
Beth Jacob Cemetery, Buffalo, Erie County
Beth Jacob is the last surviving Jewish cemetery within the City of Buffalo. Located on the city’s East Side, it is a rare and tangible record of the religious, cultural, and social practices of Buffalo’s Orthodox Jewish immigrants – particularly those from Russia and Lithuania – who settled in Buffalo from the 1880s through the 1920s. Beth Jacob Cemetery offers insight into the migration experience, communal organization, religious life, and artistic expression of identity and memory. The cemetery reflects popular and mass-produced American grave makers from the late nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, illustrating adaptation by the Jewish immigrant community to American funerary tastes, but applying unique Jewish symbolism and inscriptions to reflect their cultural and religious identity. The burial practices, configuration, marker typology, gravestone symbolism, and the cemetery’s location offer insights into evolving religious affiliations, immigrant assimilation, and community cohesion. While earlier Jewish cemeteries in the city have vanished beneath urban infrastructure, or moved to Pine Ridge, Beth Jacob Cemetery remains an important physical reminder of the Jewish heritage of Buffalo’s East Side.
Buffalo Lounge Company Building, Buffalo, Erie County
The Buffalo Lounge Company Building, located in the City of Buffalo’s Hydraulics/Larkin neighborhood, is an example of heavy timber-frame fireproof mill construction and was a site for two major businesses. The Buffalo Lounge Company built the sprawling four-story brick-clad building in 1901 to house its production of upholstered furniture. Noted for its high-quality materials and construction techniques, Buffalo Lounge sent its furniture to major dealers and department stores from Maine to Virginia and as far west as Cleveland and Pittsburgh. As consumers’ ability to purchase suites of fine living room furniture declined during the Great Depression, the company’s fortunes waned until it went out of business in 1934. Craver-Dickinson Seed Company purchased the building and used it as a warehouse and distribution center. Both a major importer of seeds from abroad and a vendor of more common products like pine tree seeds and bluegrass seeds, Craver-Dickinson thrived at the location into the mid-1980s.
Iroquois Door Company Building, Buffalo, Erie County
The nation’s first professional female architect, Louise Blanchard Bethune (1856-1913) designed the Iroquois Door Company Building in Buffalo’s Hydraulics/Larkin neighborhood to house the company’s factory and office facilities. An example of heavy timber-frame fireproof mill construction, it received three additions and a fourth floor by 1925, the size of the building mirroring the company’s financial success. A notable local employer of skill laborers, Iroquois Door Company prolifically produced exterior and interior architectural trim from its inception, particularly in the Craftsman and Colonial Revival Styles. The company also promoted storm doors and storm windows as a path towards energy savings as early as the late 1910s. Iroquois Door later expanded to Syracuse and Albany (its post-World War II era base) with the Buffalo building remaining at the center of its production and distribution.
McKinley Parkway Historic District, Buffalo, Erie County
The McKinley Parkway Historic District is a large, architecturally and culturally significant neighborhood that reflects the growth and development of South Buffalo. Spanning both sides of the Olmsted-designed McKinley Parkway, the district encompasses more than 5,000 buildings. The district’s location south of the Buffalo River meant that the area developed somewhat isolated from downtown Buffalo. But in the 1890s with the creation of the Olmsted Park System, access to the city center increased and the availability of near-by employers (such as the Lackawanna Steel plant) encouraged more intensive development of South Buffalo. The proximity to steel plants and grain elevators attracted a growing population of Irish immigrants and Irish Americans looking for good paying jobs and later established community centers, Roman Catholic churches, and commercial storefronts. The isolated location, development potential, and large immigrant population helped to forge a distinct community that was more suburban than was typical within the city limits. The relative prosperity and stability of the neighborhood is reflected through the repeated patterns of development that extended well into the 1960s. Notably, the McKinley Parkway Historic District is slated to become the largest National Register historic district in New York State.
Meteor Manufacturing Corporation Building, Buffalo, Erie County
A simple one-story steel and brick building just off Main Street in Buffalo’s Cold Spring neighborhood, the Meteor Manufacturing Corporation Building was built in 1923 to serve as an auto repair shop alongside the many other automotive-related businesses in the neighborhood. It is primarily significant, however, for its use between 1935 and 1958 as the incubator workshop for two businesses that later went on to flourish and move to larger facilities. The first of these, the Sponge-Aire Seat Company, pioneered vehicle seats made from shock-absorbing foam rubber, lending more comfort to the driver and passenger experience than the previous bouncy coil-based cushions. The second company, the Meteor Manufacturing Corporation, produced miniature wrench and ratchet sets that enjoyed nation-wide distribution via mail-order advertisements in magazines, as well as quirkier items such as gumball machines and cheese slicers. Both companies received patents for their inventions, as well as military contracts. The Meteor Manufacturing Corporation Building embodies the sort of modest and affordable mid-twentieth century space where invention could pave the way for entrepreneurial success.
State Senator José M. Serrano said, “Congratulations to the 20 properties and districts being recommended to be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places! The 29th Senate District proudly represents two of the recommendations, East 152nd Street-Courtlandt Avenue Houses and the Mott Haven Health Center, both in the Bronx. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Board for Historic Preservation for recognizing the unique and diverse stories that these nominations represent throughout New York State.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L Gibson said, “The story of East 152nd Street-Courtlandt Avenue Houses reflects the history of our great borough,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I want to thank Governor Hochul and the New York State Board for Historic Preservation for valuing our local legacy and taking steps to preserve it for future generations.”
