Midtown and Downtown Manhattan are the major job centers of the region, but they are no longer the only ones. Other boroughs in New York City and communities in New Jersey are growing at an incredible pace, with new downtown areas developing. We already see Downtown Brooklyn, Long Island City, Jersey City, Newark, and many others with their own definable skylines.

What if we imagine New York’s central business district as a network of strategically located regional centers? Identifying other places in New York City and the greater region that are transit-rich and have the potential to grow into true downtowns could help diffuse population density and stress on the city’s infrastructure. It could also begin to address the population and jobs mismatch that creates long commutes and limits accessibility.

We propose two distinct but related strategies for encouraging major new development in these outer-borough downtowns. First, identify the growth areas of the future and act now to rezone for additional density and mixes of uses. Second, expand transit access to areas that are already developing rapidly but lack critical infrastructure.

A prime example could be Central Harlem — served by multiple subway lines and Metro North, adjacent to Central Park, and with easy access to LaGuardia Airport. What if we could adjust the zoning of this area to create a true uptown business district?

Or, perhaps the future is entirely new downtowns, in locations such as Hunts Point or a redeveloped Co-op City in the Bronx. There is latent potential in every borough for one or even a series of downtowns, and the right mix of investment and city policy will open them up for growth.

What’s next?

The ideas offered here are a starting point. No doubt, the changes in the city’s physical, economic, and political realities required to accommodate a growing population are numerous and diverse. We’ve hardly scratched the surface. We will keep exploring these topics — with deeper dives into those of particular interest to us as designers and urbanists — in the months ahead. Our hope is that this becomes an ongoing and broad dialogue about the future of the city we call home.