Deals & development · 10/23/2026
Carriage horse ban could free up three Far West Side stable sites
The City Council voted Thursday to phase out carriage horse operations by 2028. The three main stables are on Manhattan's Far West Side, and broker Bob Knakal said the area near Hudson Yards could support office, residential or hotel use. The Council also passed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, giving nonprofits and joint ventures the first chance to buy certain distressed properties.
Reported by The Real Deal · New YorkRead the original ↗
What happened
The New York City Council voted Thursday to phase out carriage horse operations in the city by 2028, The Real Deal reported in a story published October 23, 2026. Stable owners and carriage drivers will have two years before the industry is banned.
The ban could affect the value of the lots where the horses are kept. The three main stables are on Manhattan's Far West Side: the four-story West Side Livery Stable at 538 West 38th Street, Central Park Carriages at 547 West 37th Street, and Clinton Park Stables at 618 West 52nd Street. The two stables on West 37th and 38th Streets are close to the new towers of Hudson Yards.
Commercial broker Bob Knakal told The Real Deal this summer that stables are probably no longer the highest and best use of those buildings if carriages are banned. He said the area's market is strong enough to support a new office, residential or hotel building. The Real Deal noted that the value will only be clear if the sites are put on the market. Mack Real Estate Partners owns the land between the two Hudson Yards-adjacent stables. Stable and carriage owners have pointed to the land's value as one reason the Council may be moving to ban the industry.
On the same day, the Council also passed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act. The Real Deal said it will give nonprofits and joint ventures the first opportunity to buy certain distressed properties. The outlet reported that there are fewer than 200 carriage drivers in the city, unionized with the Transport Workers Union, and about 180 working carriage horses.
Key facts
- Action
- City Council voted to phase out carriage horse operations
- Deadline
- Phase-out by 2028; owners and drivers have two years
- Stable 1
- West Side Livery Stable, 538 West 38th Street (four stories)
- Stable 2
- Central Park Carriages, 547 West 37th Street
- Stable 3
- Clinton Park Stables, 618 West 52nd Street
- Neighboring owner
- Mack Real Estate Partners owns the land between the two Hudson Yards-adjacent stables
- Workforce
- Fewer than 200 drivers, unionized with the Transport Workers Union; about 180 horses
- Related bill
- Community Opportunity to Purchase Act passed the same day
What it means
Buyers and owners
The three Far West Side stable sites could eventually reach the market as development sites. Their value will not be known unless they are listed.
Landlords
The Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, passed the same day, gives nonprofits and joint ventures first chance to buy certain distressed properties. Owners should learn which properties it covers before planning a sale.
Tenants and voucher holders
The material does not describe any direct effect on existing apartments or tenants. Any new housing on the stable sites would depend on future sales and development plans that have not been announced.
The highlights
- The Council voted to phase out carriage horse operations by 2028.
- Stables sit at 538 W. 38th St., 547 W. 37th St. and 618 W. 52nd St.
- Council also passed COPA, giving nonprofits first shot at some distressed buildings.
Why it matters Landlords
COPA gives nonprofits first rights to buy some distressed buildings, which may affect owners planning to sell.
What to do: Follow the COPA rules if you own a distressed building and may sell.
Not known yet
- Whether any of the three stables will be sold, and when
- What will happen to the horses and drivers after the phase-out
- Which properties count as distressed under the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, and when it takes effect
- Whether any future project on these sites would include housing or affordable units
Background
Bills passed by the City Council become local law after the mayor signs them or the Council overrides a veto. When a building's current use ends, owners and brokers often judge a site by its highest and best use, meaning the most valuable legal use allowed under zoning. Any new building would still need approved plans and permits from the Department of Buildings (DOB) before construction.
Summary written by Bulwark from The Real Deal · New York’s reporting. The original story is at therealdeal.com. This is general information, not legal advice.
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0