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Trash containers replace Brooklyn parking spaces in New York's bin rollout

Trash containers replace Brooklyn parking spaces in New York's bin rollout

Built World New York, NY local

Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Boerum Hill lose curbside spots to Empire Bins; citywide plan targets 29,842 parking spaces by 2032

Yesterday: Empire Bins replace Brooklyn parking spaces

Overview

Updated Yesterday

Curbside parking in Brooklyn Heights is giving way to waist-high trash containers. The city's Empire Bin program, which replaces sidewalk garbage bags with lidded bins, has expanded into Brooklyn's Community District 2, which covers Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Boerum Hill.

The trade-off is citywide and permanent: the Department of Sanitation projects 29,842 parking spaces will vanish by 2032 to make room for 66,000 bins. Manhattan's Upper East and Upper West Sides lose the most at about 10 percent of spots each; Brooklyn loses 1.65 percent.

Why it matters

If the rollout proceeds as planned, nearly 30,000 curb parking spots disappear citywide, permanently changing street space in Manhattan and Brooklyn's densest blocks.

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Key Indicators

29,842
Parking spaces projected lost by 2032
Citywide figure from DSNY draft environmental impact statement
66,000
Empire Bins planned citywide
Total containers in the containerization plan
1.52%
Share of city's 1.96 million parking spaces lost
Citywide average across all five boroughs
6.42%
Manhattan's parking loss rate
Highest of the five boroughs; Upper East and Upper West Sides each lose about 10%

Voices

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People Involved

Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Zohran Kwame Mamdani
Mayor of New York City
Expanding citywide trash containerization program
 Eric Adams
Eric Adams
Former Mayor of New York City
Launched the trash containerization initiative

Organizations Involved

DS
New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY)
City agency
Administers Empire Bin program

City agency managing waste collection for New York City's five boroughs and administering the Empire Bin containerization program.
New York City Department of Transportation
New York City Department of Transportation
City agency
Co-determines Empire Bin placement with DSNY

City agency that manages streets, curbs and parking; works with DSNY on bin placement decisions.
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
Consulting firm
Advised on containerization planning

Global consulting firm that assisted with the 'Future of Trash' report shaping the Empire Bin program.

Timeline

June 2025 October 2026

4 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Empire Bins replace Brooklyn parking spaces

    Latest Implementation

    Gothamist reports containers occupying curbside spots in Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Boerum Hill.

  2. City study projects 29,842 parking spaces lost

    Report

    DSNY draft environmental impact statement shows 1.52% of city parking gone by 2032; Manhattan hardest hit at 6.42%.

  3. Mayor Mamdani expands containerization citywide

    Policy

    Buildings over 30 units required to use Empire Bins; rollout planned across five boroughs by early 2030s.

  4. West Harlem becomes first fully containerized neighborhood

    Implementation

    1,100 Empire Bins installed, making West Harlem the city's first fully containerized area.

Scenarios

1

Empire Bins installed citywide; 30,000 parking spaces gone

Likely Resolves by End of 2032

Discussed by: DSNY and Mayor Mamdani's office

The program proceeds on schedule. Buildings over 30 units must use bins, and installations finish across all five boroughs by 2031-2032. Parking losses reach the projected ~30,000 spaces. Opposition remains localized and does not change policy. DSNY officials have already called the trade-off 'extremely worthwhile.'

2

City Council votes to trim Empire Bins after parking backlash

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Resident groups in affected districts, some council members

Sustained complaints from car owners in Brooklyn Heights and the Upper East Side push the City Council to amend the mandate. The city reduces required bin counts, exempts certain districts, or slows the timeline. Residents quoted by the New York Post said losing parking for trash is 'not feasible' and 'not realistic.'

3

Empire Bins mandated for smaller buildings after early success

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: DSNY officials, Mayor's office

Positive results in West Harlem and Brooklyn prompt the city to extend the mandate beyond buildings over 30 units. Smaller residential buildings are brought into the program, increasing total bins and parking losses beyond current projections. DSNY has noted the program proved 'extremely popular' in West Harlem.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2020-2023

NYC outdoor dining sheds (2020-2023)

During the pandemic, New York City allowed restaurants to claim curbside parking for outdoor dining structures. Wooden and plastic sheds spread across all five boroughs, removing thousands of parking spaces and reshaping street life.

Then

Restaurants survived COVID restrictions, and street dining became a defining feature of pandemic-era New York.

Now

The city made the program permanent in 2023 with seasonal limits and stricter design rules. Some neighborhoods still oppose the sheds, but the trade-off became institutionalized.

Why this matters now

A recent precedent of New York deciding parking spaces should yield to street-level amenities. Shows the backlash cycle and how the city eventually made a curbside reallocation permanent.

2007-2013

NYC protected bike lane expansion (2007-2013)

Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city installed hundreds of miles of bike lanes, removing car parking and traffic lanes. The first protected lane opened on Ninth Avenue in Manhattan in 2007, drawing immediate complaints from merchants.

Then

Some business owners protested that parking loss would kill local commerce.

Now

Bike lanes became standard infrastructure. Ridership grew sharply, and the lanes are now rarely contested as a policy matter.

Why this matters now

Demonstrates how parking removals in New York typically play out: initial anger, then acceptance once the infrastructure exists. Empire Bins may follow a similar arc.

1990s-present

Barcelona's containerized waste collection

Barcelona moved much of its waste collection to street-level and underground containers, eliminating sidewalk bags. The city has since refined container designs for aesthetics and usability, and some cities have sunk receptacles below grade to reduce visual clutter.

Then

Sidewalk bags were eliminated and collection became more efficient.

Now

Containers became a permanent part of the streetscape, though visual impact remains a point of debate.

Why this matters now

NYC is importing this European model. The difference: Barcelona has far lower residential density than New York's heaviest neighborhoods, so bins may feel more prominent block by block.

Sources

(3)
Gothamist New York Post The Architect's Newspaper