New York Note: Parks Commissioner, Delgado Declares for Governor, Mayoral Debate, Client Spotlight

June 9, 2025

Adams Appoints Rodriguez-Rosa as New NYC Parks Commissioner

Mayor Adams has appointed Iris Rodriguez-Rosa as the new Commissioner of NYC Parks. Rodriguez-Rosa previously served as the Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner, and has worked for the Parks Department since 1986. She will be the first Latina to serve as Parks Commissioner. Rodriguez-Rosa is replacing Sue Donoghue, who announced in May that she would be departing after four years in the role.

Antonio Delgado Declares Run for Governor

Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado has announced that he will be running for Governor in 2026. He will be challenging current Governor Kathy Hochul, who appointed him to the Lieutenant Governor position in 2022. Delgado previously announced in February that he would not be running alongside Hochul for another term, prompting many to speculate about his gubernatorial ambitions.

First NYC Mayoral Primary Debate

The first NYC mayoral primary debate was held last Wednesday evening, cohosted by WNBC, Telemundo 47 New York, and Politico. All nine candidates were in attendance (Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie, Andrew Cuomo, Whitney Tilson, Zohran Mamdani, Michael Blake, and Scott Stringer). Most of the candidates focused on critiquing Cuomo, particularly sexual assault allegations against him and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there were also questions for all candidates about their platforms on various issues including housing, affordability, antisemitism, and police funding. A second debate will be held this Thursday, June 12.

Client Spotlight: Gotham Park

Last Thursday, Gotham Park officially reopened “The Arches” beneath the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge. This will create two additional acres of accessible public space, one of NYC’s most valuable resources. Mayor Adams also announced a $50M investment for the Arches in FY26 to fund more public amenities, including lighting, landscaping, and seating.

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