October 15, 2024

Waldorf Astoria New York’s reopening delayed until spring

The reopening of the iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel has been postponed until next spring. The landmarked Midtown East hotel has been closed since 2017 for a major revamp, which includes turning its 1,400 guestrooms into 375 hotel rooms and 375 condo residences, according to Travel Weekly. The building, a New York City icon since it opened its doors in 1931, had most recently aimed to reopen in 2024.
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October 15, 2024

$65M Sutton Place penthouse is highest on East Side waterfront

The penthouse in the tallest residential tower on the Manhattan East Side waterfront is now available. The first residential tower designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen, Sutton Tower rises 850 feet and contains 121 one- to five-bedroom condos with views stretching from the East River to the Atlantic Ocean. The residence with the best view, though, is Penthouse 80, which spans floors 80 and 81 and measures a whopping 9,100 square feet. The duplex just hit the market for $65,000,000.
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October 15, 2024

Macy’s to host new holiday market at Herald Square flagship

Macy's will debut its first-ever holiday market at its iconic Herald Square flagship this season. In partnership with Urbanspace, which runs the popular open-air holiday markets in Bryant Park, Union Square, and Columbus Circle, Macy's Holiday Square will open on November 1 inside the store on 34th Street and feature local and holiday vendors. Following the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a new market dubbed the Herald Holiday Market will open on the plazas outside the store starting December 6.
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October 15, 2024

Rupert Murdoch finally finds buyer for Flatiron penthouse, takes $15M loss

News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch finally found a buyer for his New York City penthouse. Most recently listed for $28.5 million, the triplex top unit at One Madison in the Flatiron District entered contract last week after first listing for $62 million in 2022. The 93-year-old media titan paid $43 million for the apartment in 2014.
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October 14, 2024

Rental component of One Domino Square opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $2,832/month.

A housing lottery launched this week for 120 middle-income apartments at the rental portion of One Domino Square, part of the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment in Williamsburg. The first residential project designed by architect Annabelle Selldorf, One Domino Square consists of a 39-story building with 160 condos and a 55-story building with nearly 400 rental units, the latter of which is the tallest tower in the neighborhood. The affordable apartments will be available through a lottery to New Yorkers earning 125 and 130 percent of the area median income; apartments are priced from $2,832/month for studios to $4,415/month for two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
October 14, 2024

For $2.7M, this Crown Heights townhouse is a brilliant bohemian paradise designed for living

This one-of-a-kind two-family townhouse at 1459 Dean Street in landmarked Crown Heights, asking $2,695,000, consists of a spacious duplex atop a large garden flat. Both are spacious enough for family living, with a deck and a magical garden oasis. A recent renovation blessed the home with every possible comfort and modern detail; the interiors in both units elevate design to masterpiece level, adding up to a sophisticated bohemian paradise of the highest order.
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October 11, 2024

The best places in Central Park to see fall foliage

Some of the most breathtaking fall foliage can be found outside of NYC, but when it comes to autumnal bliss within the boroughs, not many places can compare to Central Park. The park experiences a different fall foliage season than other parts of the city because of the tall buildings that surround it and cast shadows on its trees. According to the Central Park Conservancy, the trees have a "distorted sense of the seasons," creating a later foliage season for Central Park. To make the most of this beautiful season, the Conservancy released its annual fall guide, complete with ideas for exploring the park, and their handy fall foliage map, which lets you know the best spots to see the park's 18,000 trees in all their yellow, orange, and red glory. Ahead, find eight spots that take the lead for leaf-peeping.
Get the guide to the best foliage spots
October 11, 2024

Chrysler Building ownership is in limbo

The owners of the Chrysler Building are fighting to hold onto the iconic Art-Deco skyscraper after falling behind on more than $21 million in rent. RFR, led by Aby Rosen, on Monday, made a legal filing accusing landlord Cooper Union, which owns the land under the Chrysler, of driving away tenants with its response to a campus protest last October, which influenced several tenants to cancel or terminate their leases, as reported by Crain's New York. But data from CoStar shows that the tower's occupancy rose to 85.7 percent as of September 30, up from 82.8 percent in 2023.
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October 11, 2024

New York City’s only revolving restaurant to reopen under Danny Meyer

Restaurateur Danny Meyer is reviving New York City's only revolving restaurant. Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) and the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel announced plans to renovate and reopen The View, an aptly named bar and restaurant on floors 47 and 48 that opened in Times Square in 1985. The new menu will feature American classics with a "theatrical twist."
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October 10, 2024

NYC unveils proposals to turn dreary areas under the BQE into vibrant public spaces

Decrepit, drab spaces beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could soon be transformed into vibrant public areas. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday published a report with proposals to convert a space under the BQE at Park Avenue in Fort Greene into an e-bike charging and storage station for delivery workers and to redesign a congested intersection at West 9th Street to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The report also proposed capping trenched sections of the BQE in Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, and Bay Ridge to create parks and public spaces above the expressway.
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October 10, 2024

Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens this month

It's time to get into the holiday spirit in New York. The annual Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is returning for its 23rd season later this month. Starting on October 25, the festive event features New York City's only free-admission ice skating, the park's iconic open-air holiday market featuring more than 180 small businesses, a rinkside food hall and bar, heated private igloos, and more. The Winter Village is open through March 2, 2025.
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October 10, 2024

NYC to close Randall’s Island migrant shelter in February

The migrant shelter on Randall's Island that once housed 3,000 adults will close early next year as the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City declines. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced the humanitarian relief center will shut down at the end of February, following a 14-week decline in the number of migrants living in city shelters, which is now at its lowest point in over a year. In the coming months, the city will gradually reduce the center’s population and begin restoring the island’s athletic fields and parkland.
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October 9, 2024

Grimace joined Mets fans on the 7 train to Citi Field

From Pete Alonso's pumpkin to "OMG" signs, the New York Mets have had several quirky good luck charms that helped them go from below .500 at one point in the season to one win away from this year's National League Championship Series. Perhaps none greater than Grimace, the McDonald's mascot. To get to Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the purple cartoon character boarded a Citi Field-bound 7 train at Hudson Yards decked out in Grimace decals.
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October 9, 2024

Staten Island Railway gets new train cars for the first time in over 50 years

New subway cars have hit the tracks of the Staten Island Railway for the first time in over 50 years. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday launched new cutting-edge R211S subway cars into service that feature wider doors, security cameras, digital route screens in all cars, and enhanced accessibility features. To celebrate the new cars, MTA officials and commuters took an inaugural ride from St. George Terminal.
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October 9, 2024

NYC Council to host hearings on ‘City of Yes’ housing plan

The New York City Council will host two hearings on Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes housing proposal this month before it heads to a final vote. Speaker Adrienne Adams announced the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will hold two days of public meetings: October 21 reserved for testimony from City Hall officials and October 22 for public testimony. The speaker also said the Council will put forward its own "thorough housing action plan" that will consider "holistic solutions" in addition to zoning changes.
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October 9, 2024

Studio Museum in Harlem will reopen in new building in fall 2025

The Studio Museum in Harlem's new home will officially open next fall, the institution announced Tuesday. Designed by Sir David Adjaye, the building features stacked volumes over five stories and measures 82,000 square feet, increasing exhibition and public space by over 50 percent. Closed since 2018, the 125th Street museum will reopen with a presentation of the work of Tom Lloyd, an artist, educator, and activist featured in the Studio Museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition, held in a rented loft on Fifth Avenue.
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October 8, 2024

Uber launches shuttle between LaGuardia Airport and Midtown

Hailing a ride to and from LaGuardia Airport just got cheaper. Uber on Tuesday launched a new $18 shuttle service with two routes connecting Midtown Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport, operating daily every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. Stopping at Port Authority, Grand Central Terminal, and Penn Station, the passenger vans can carry up to 14 passengers with each rider allowed one personal item and one piece of luggage.
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October 8, 2024

Primark opening first Manhattan store in Herald Square

Primark, the international clothing retailer known for its affordable prices, is opening its first store in Manhattan. The company announced on Tuesday plans to open a flagship location in Herald Square at 150 West 34th Street, between 7th Avenue and Broadway and across from the iconic Macy's store and Penn Station. The new storefront will replace an Old Navy store that has been there since 1999.
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October 8, 2024

NYC unveils rules for 485-x tax break, office-to-residential incentive

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Monday released proposed rules for 485-x, the tax exemption that replaced 421-a, and the new 467-m incentive for converting offices into housing. The proposals must be finalized before HPD can approve applications for both programs, The Real Deal reported.
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October 8, 2024

The ‘great trees’ of NYC: Parks updates list for the first time in 40 years

Of New York City's seven million trees, these 120 rise above the rest. NYC Parks on Tuesday released its first update to the "Great Trees of New York City" list since 1985, adding 61 new trees across the five boroughs that stand out for their unique size, shape, species, and historical significance. The newcomers were selected from over 270 public submissions made between April 2023 and March 2024 and chosen by a committee of experts from colleges, civic institutions, authors, and arborists.
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October 7, 2024

$11M historic West Village home offers the privacy, parking, and outdoor space you’d find in a suburban subdivision

On a postcard-perfect West Village street, this 1830 Federal townhouse at 18 Commerce Street is at the center of one of Manhattan's favorite downtown neighborhoods; yet the charming brick home has the privacy, parking, and outdoor space–hot tub included–you'd find on a suburban cul-de-sac. At 25 feet wide, the historic home, asking $10,995,000, offers four floors for gracious living, with "secret" rooms, a tea porch, a patio, and gated off-street parking at the back.
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October 7, 2024

NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

New York City's compost program is now underway in all five boroughs. On Sunday, curbside compost collection began in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, requiring buildings with four or more units to provide storage areas and labeled bins for yard and food waste collection by Department of Sanitation workers. The program’s final expansion follows its success in Queens and Brooklyn and aims to prevent rat infestations while promoting sustainability.
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October 4, 2024

Experience the beauty of the Sistine Chapel at new Brooklyn exhibit

Forget a trip to Vatican City, a captivating new exhibition in Sunset Park brings the breathtaking frescoes of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel to Brooklyn. Debuting on October 11 in Industry City, "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" showcases 34 of the chapel's iconic frescoes, meticulously reproduced and enhanced to offer visitors an even more vivid experience. While tourists traveling to Italy must crane their necks 66 feet to view the original frescoes, the exhibition allows visitors to experience their stunning beauty up close.
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October 4, 2024

100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for its biggest year yet, featuring over 100 participating locations. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Thursday announced the "Trick-or Streets" initiative, which closes streets, plazas, and other commercial corridors across the five boroughs to cars to provide space for fun, spooky-themed activities throughout October.
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October 4, 2024

Watch the seasons of Central Park change from this $3.4M top-floor Upper West Side co-op

Every season is a spectacular sight in Central Park, from the reds and yellows of fall to the pinks and greens of spring. This top-floor Upper West Side co-op offers a front-row seat to the park's evolving natural beauty, with direct views from nearly two dozen windows. Asking $3,399,000, the co-op at 370 Central Park West preserves its pre-war character without sacrificing a modern perks.
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October 4, 2024

Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

Upper West Side legend Zabar's turns 90 this year and to celebrate, the gourmet deli is offering its loyal customers some special discounts. Throughout October, the grocery store at 2245 Broadway—known for its smoked fish, bagels, and coffee—will sell 90-cent cups of coffee and one-pound bags of its Anniversary Coffee Blend for $9.99. Zabar’s will also roll out a series of new specials through the end of the year.
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October 4, 2024

The Dupont offers luxury rentals on the Greenpoint waterfront, from $3,500/month

Greenpoint's latest luxury high-rise rental launched leasing this week. The Dupont is a 41-story building on the waterfront and part of the 22-acre Greenpoint Landing development. After an affordable housing lottery launched at the building earlier this summer, the market-rate rentals are now available, priced from $3,500/month to over $10,000/month for the penthouse units.
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October 3, 2024

NYC restores original ‘road diet’ plan for McGuinness Boulevard

In an unexpected reversal by Mayor Eric Adams' administration, Greenpoint's McGuinness Boulevard will get protected bike lanes after all. After revealing a scaled-back redesign of the corridor less than two months ago, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday announced that it will instead proceed with the original proposal to install protected bike lanes and reduce lanes of traffic by four to two along busy McGuinness Boulevard. Adams had previously supported a watered-down redesign that extended a bike lane but kept the same number of traffic lanes and excluded a protected bike lane due to community concerns.
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October 3, 2024

Penn Station needs expansion to boost train capacity, new report concludes

The only way to increase train capacity at Penn Station is to expand the Midtown Manhattan transit hub, a new report concludes. This week Amtrak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and NJ Transit released "Doubling Trans-Hudson Train Capacity at New York Penn Station," an engineering feasibility study exploring four concepts to double train capacity without expanding the station's size. Ultimately, none of these proposals were found feasible, marking a shift in focus towards options that would increase Penn Station's footprint.
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October 3, 2024

Elizabeth Street Garden served eviction notice by city

Despite last-ditch efforts from New York City icons like Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Little Italy's Elizabeth Street Garden received an eviction notice from the city this week. The nonprofit that oversees the garden said they have two weeks to vacate as the city moves forward with plans to build affordable senior housing and retail space on the unique green space. Elizabeth Street Garden said it plans to "continue to work with our legal team to address the eviction."
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October 3, 2024

SCAPE and Bjarke Ingels to turn former Connecticut power plant site into public park

After a private company's plan to develop waterfront housing languished, Manresa Island, an extension of Norwalk, Connecticut that reaches into Long Island Sound, sat in limbo, held captive by the hulking mass of a defunct 20th-century power plant that rose from its lush marshland. Area residents Austin and Allison McChord have unveiled a plan to transform the abandoned land into a fully accessible and dynamic natural park and community destination with event and recreation spaces by 2030. The couple enlisted the aid of internationally renowned architect Bjarke Ingels of BIG and award-winning landscape architecture firm SCAPE to design the next life for the island as a thriving community hub.
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October 2, 2024

See the $300M plan to turn historic church on Central Park into new Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Plans to transform a landmarked church on Central Park West into a new home for the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) reached a major milestone this week. The museum on Tuesday announced philanthropist Laurie M. Tisch donated $50 million to support the $300 million campaign for the institution's new home at 361 Central Park West, expected to open in 2028. In addition to the funding news, the museum also released new renderings of the project, highlighting the conversion of the historic structure into a "seven-story magical castle on the park" for the children of New York City.
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October 2, 2024

Skylift opens at Rockefeller Center: Top of the Rock ride offers new panoramic perspective

Rockefeller Center opened its new rooftop ride this week, adding another attraction to the Top of the Rock observation deck. From the 70th floor of 30 Rock, Skylift brings visitors up an additional three stories on a revolving open-air platform for a front-row view of the New York City skyline. Floating above the rooftop, the glass platform offers a unique 360-degree perspective of the city at 900 feet above street level.
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October 2, 2024

Open House New York Weekend is back, with tours and special access to 270 sites throughout NYC

October is a month of discovery for fans of New York City's architecture, and a great time to explore the city's unique spaces. In addition to the Archtober celebration, Open House New York Weekend 2024 has just announced this year's lineup for a behind-the-scenes view of the city from October 18 to 20, promising hundreds of tours, unique access opportunities, and other events. From subway tunnels and skyscrapers to treasures as diverse as the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine Textile Conservation Lab to the Apollo Stages and the Bronx Music Hall, read on to discover over 270 places, tours, activities, and more throughout the five boroughs.
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October 1, 2024

New Astoria rental launches lottery for 28 middle-income apartments, from $2,275/month

On a central Astoria block, a brand new rental is launching a lottery for below market-rate apartments. At 29th Street and Broadway, the Amara offers high-end apartments and amenities, including a parking garage and electric vehicle charging. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the 28 middle-income apartments, priced from $2,275/month studios to $3,700/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?
October 1, 2024

An art historian’s Village loft with pieces by Ai Weiwei and more asks $4.2M

This classic loft at 55 East 11th Street is in a pre-war co-op building on an idyllic Greenwich Village block; it comes with the option to acquire works of art that accompany its creative pedigree. The bright, renovated co-op has been the home of noted art historian John Tanock and Christophe W. Mao, founder of the Chambers Fine Art Gallery. Asking $4,200,000, the unit includes art pieces by Ai Weiwei, Lu Shenzhong, and Martin Kline, all offered for sale.
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October 1, 2024

Construction begins on new 96th Street bus lanes

The daily commute for 15,500 bus riders in Manhattan is about to speed up. Construction officially began this week on 1.7 miles of new bus lanes on 96th Street, stretching between West End Avenue on the Upper West Side and Second Avenue on the Upper East Side, the city's Department of Transportation announced Monday. The redesign of 96th Street includes dedicated bus lanes for the M96 and M106 routes, left-turn bays, and treatments to "calm turning drivers' speeds," according to the agency.
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September 30, 2024

1515 Surf is complete: 100% electric Coney Island rental is steps from the beach

New York City's first multi-family geothermal project has officially opened in Coney Island. Developer LCOR on Monday celebrated the grand opening of 1515 Surf Avenue, a 100 percent electric two-tower residential development featuring 463 apartments steps from the famed Brooklyn beach and boardwalk. Designed by STUDIO V Architecture, the innovative project offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, 13 luxurious penthouses, and an expansive suite of indoor and outdoor amenities with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and the iconic Riegelmann Boardwalk.
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September 30, 2024

Renderings reveal $8B Citi Field casino and public park proposal

Here's a first look at New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's proposed $8 billion casino complex next to Citi Field. Hard Rock International and Steve Cohen last week released renderings for "Metropolitan Park," a sports and entertainment complex with a public park, hotel, live music venue, restaurants, and a casino planned for 50 acres of parking lots around Citi Field. Cohen is one of several developers vying for one of the three casino licenses set to be issued in downstate New York.
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September 27, 2024

Project to protect Staten Island shores and restore marine life is complete

After over a decade of effort, a coastal resilience project designed to protect Staten Island shores with livable habitats for sea creatures is complete. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced the completion of Living Breakwaters, an $111 million project creating 2,400 feet of breakwaters to safeguard homes and businesses in Tottenville from future extreme weather events. The project features eight partially submerged structures that will break storm waves, decrease erosion, and serve as habitats for marine life.
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September 27, 2024

Turkish House: The Turtle Bay skyscraper at the center of Adams’ indictment

A Midtown Manhattan skyscraper is at the center of Mayor Eric Adams' historic indictment. According to the five-count indictment, Adams allegedly pressured the city's Fire Department to allow the Turkish Consulate to occupy a new high-rise tower at 821 United Nations Plaza, despite not passing fire safety inspections, in exchange for paid and discounted travel benefits from the Turkish government. Designed by Perkins Eastman, the 36-story glass tower, known as the Turkevi Center or Turkish House, sits across from the United Nations and features a curving facade, "inspired by the Turkish crescent." The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, charged Adams with five federal charges of bribery, fraud, and soliciting illegal foreign donations, which prosecutors say began when he was Brooklyn Borough President and continued after becoming mayor.
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September 26, 2024

Minetta Lane townhouse with an 83-foot rock climbing wall asks $20M

One of New York City's most unique homes hit the market this week. The Greenwich Village townhouse at 16 Minetta Lane underwent a 10-year renovation led by owner architect Adam Kushner that transformed the original building and rear carriage house into one unbelievable compound. Leaving the exterior structures intact, Kushner constructed a new interior separate from the original building, creating a front courtyard between old and new. Asking $20,065,000, the home measures an incredible 4,200 square feet, with four full bedrooms, a rooftop lounge, and an 83-foot outdoor rock climbing wall.
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September 26, 2024

Emma’s Torch and the Children’s Village open training kitchen at new Inwood development

Emma's Torch, a Brooklyn-based non-profit that provides refugees with culinary training, on Tuesday announced a new partnership with the organization Children's Village. A new training site will open at The Eliza, a new affordable housing development and public library in Inwood, in collaboration with Children's Village. This new facility will expand services and outreach for both organizations, better connecting refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking to career opportunities in the culinary industry.
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September 26, 2024

NYC’s first mixed-use affordable housing and industrial development opens in Brownsville

New York City’s first mixed-use development combining affordable housing and manufacturing space is now complete in Brownsville. The $118 million project converted the former Fox's U-Bet Chocolate Syrup factory into 39,000 square feet of light industrial space on the ground floor with 174 units of affordable and supportive housing above it. Designed by THINK! Architecture and Design, the complex addresses two city priorities by adding affordable housing and supporting new jobs.
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September 25, 2024

Archtober 2024: The best design tours to book during this year’s festival

It's beginning to feel like Archtober. In its 14th year, the annual festival dedicated to architecture and design kicks off next month with the theme "Tracing the Future," focusing on New York City's evolving landscape through affordable housing, infrastructure projects, and sustainable design. Archtober's Building of the Day series returns this year, offering architect-led tours of the projects across the city. Our must-visit list includes the sunrise-inspired Far Rockaway public library branch designed by Snøhetta, the new bike path and pedestrian space on the East Midtown Greenway, and Annabelle Selldorf's first residential project.
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September 25, 2024

$475K Bed-Stuy co-op is a cozy home in a historic mansion

The Romanesque Renaissance Revival mansion at 237 Hancock Street, originally designed by architect Peter Lauritzen for clothier Wilson Randolph in 1890, possesses the curb appeal and historic charm coveted in landmarked Bedford-Stuyvesant. Within, this one-bedroom second-floor co-op, asking $475,000, offers a well-appointed refuge for modern life–surrounded by the neighborhood's vibrant social scene.
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September 25, 2024

‘City of Yes’ housing plan approved by City Planning Commission

In a win for Mayor Eric Adams, the City of Yes housing proposal has cleared the first hurdle of the approval process. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday voted 10 to 3 to approve Adams' City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan, which aims to address New York City's housing shortage by creating more than 100,000 new homes over the next 15 years through a series of zoning changes. Now, the plan heads to the City Council, where a more contentious debate is expected, as some council members have already voiced opposition to several major proposed changes in their districts.
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September 25, 2024

30 Rock’s new ‘Skylift’ platform takes visitors 900 feet above NYC

The view from one of New York City's most iconic observation decks is about to get even better. Opening on October 1, Skylift at the Top of the Rock takes visitors above the 70th floor at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on an open-air platform that offers unobstructed, 360-degree city views. The new experience starts at $35 as an optional add-on to general admission to the Top of the Rock.
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