Podcast: New York City’s Post-COVID Future

Kathryn Wylde of the Partnership for New York City and Tom Wright of the Regional Plan Association join Alec Baldwin in his most recent podcast episode of Here’s the Thing.

In the midst of a crisis it can be healthy to think of what comes after. In this episode of Here’s the Thing, two of the most influential New Yorkers when it comes to long-term economic planning join Alec to discuss whether the current economic crisis will end quickly when businesses can reopen, or whether instead, it’s the start of a longer decline. Kathryn Wylde is a veteran of the urban renewal battles of the 1980s and currently the head of the city’s elite business consortium, the Partnership for New York City. She worries that what makes New York special will now be associated with the spread of disease: its dense population and communal spaces like theaters, museums, bars, and vibrant workplaces. Tom Wright’s organization, the influential Regional Plan Association, is reshaping its long-term vision for the city based on the potential for reduced growth — but Wright says that New York is well-positioned to get back on track thanks to its experience overcoming past crises like 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy.