All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Prospect Park Zoo to reopen Memorial Day weekend after 8-month closure

Photo courtesy of WCS’s Prospect Park Zoo

May 16, 2024

Prospect Park Zoo to reopen Memorial Day weekend after 8-month closure

After being closed for nearly eight months due to flood damage, the Prospect Park Zoo will reopen this month. The Wildlife Conservation Society on Tuesday announced the Brooklyn zoo will open on Saturday, May 25 following $6.5 million in repairs needed after Tropical Storm Ophelia in September 2023. The storm dumped over 7 inches of rainfall on the zoo and caused major issues for its boilers, HVAC, electrical, and other systems.
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Events & Things To Do

Bryant Park to host 30+ free yoga classes this summer

Photos courtesy of Angelito Jusay

May 15, 2024

Bryant Park to host 30+ free yoga classes this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

Free yoga classes are returning to the lawn at Bryant Park this summer. Presented by performance apparel brand Calia, the classes kick off on May 29, with sessions hosted on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. on the park's upper terrace and on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. on the lawn. Running through September 25, the classes will be led by some of the city's most sought-after yoga instructors and open to participants of all experience levels.
NAMASTE THIS WAY

Events & Things To Do

MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

May 15, 2024

MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

Dozens of new all-electric buses will soon hit the road in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday introduced a fleet of 60 electric buses that will operate on routes in neighborhoods most vulnerable to poor air quality, according to a press release. The buses are part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.
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Park Slope development with 305 new apartments approved by City Council

Renderings courtesy of Brick Visual for MARVEL

May 15, 2024

Park Slope development with 305 new apartments approved by City Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

Park Slope will soon see the addition of two high-rise rentals, bringing more than 300 new apartments to the neighborhood. The City Council last month approved a rezoning application from Stellar Management to construct two new buildings at 341 10th Street, in addition to the existing apartment building on the site the developer already owns. The project includes new 17- and 19-story buildings that would wrap around the subway covering where the F and G trains go below ground, as The Real Deal reported. The project adds 305 new apartments, 162 of which will be income-restricted, bringing the total number of units from 154 to 459 at the property.
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New Developments

Vintage photos look back on the futuristic 1964 New York World’s Fair in Queens

Two observation decks at the New York State Pavilion provided a 360-degree view of the World’s Fair. Image Source Attributed to NYC Parks’ Archived Collection

May 14, 2024

Vintage photos look back on the futuristic 1964 New York World’s Fair in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. Taking place just 25 years after the 1939 World’s Fair in the same location, the World’s Fair was the largest international exhibition ever constructed in the United States, with 140 pavilions representing 80 nations, 24 U.S. states, and more than 45 corporations across 656 acres. The event, which took place for two six-month seasons between April 1964 and October 1965, provided a sense of optimism for a country embroiled in unrest both at home and abroad. Led by "master-builder" Robert Moses, the fair embraced the Space Age era, which included a creative, futuristic aesthetic inspired by advancing technologies and innovative architecture. Ahead, explore the World’s Fair with historic photos and hear from World's Fair expert, Bill Cotter, on the lasting legacy of the event in New York and beyond.
SEE WHAT THE FAIR WAS LIKE

NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

Image courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Corporation

May 14, 2024

NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is transforming a 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn's coastline into a dynamic, mixed-use community and modern maritime port. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced an agreement that gives the city full control of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, enabling its redevelopment into a vibrant community hub with housing, retail, green space, and a modern port. The development zone, primarily controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, spans over a mile from the southern edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park down to Red Hook, as Bloomberg reported. The deal is the city's largest real estate transaction in terms of size in 20 years.
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Lottery opens for 101 apartments at ODA’s new Williamsburg project, from $3,105/month

All renderings courtesy of Secchi Smith

May 14, 2024

Lottery opens for 101 apartments at ODA’s new Williamsburg project, from $3,105/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a chance to live at a new residential development in Williamsburg designed by architecture firm ODA. A lottery opened this week for 101 middle-income apartments at the "Williamsburg Apex," part of a curvy, two-building project at the corner of Lorimer Street and Boerum Street in Broadway Triangle. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, between $105,458 for a single person and $218,010 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, priced at $3,105/month studios, $3,317/month one-bedrooms, and $3,963/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

MTA releases Ice Spice MetroCards to celebrate Bronx rapper’s debut album

Image courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

May 13, 2024

MTA releases Ice Spice MetroCards to celebrate Bronx rapper’s debut album

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has released a limited-edition MetroCard featuring rapper, and Bronx-native, Ice Spice to celebrate her debut album "Y2K." In collaboration with Capital Records, the MTA has loaded MetroCard machines at four select stations in the Bronx and Manhattan with 50,000 limited edition cards featuring the "Munch" artist.
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Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

All photos courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

May 13, 2024

Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park has a solution to a very New York problem. As first reported by NY1, the Central Park Conservancy introduced a clever recycling bin designed specifically to fit pizza boxes to address the pileup from picnics and parties. Located in the busy East Pinetum section of the park, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the bin can store up to 50 pizza boxes. Conservancy staff will check the bin up to three times a day.
check it out

Policy

Luxury spa on Governors Island to undergo major expansion in July

Panoramic of QC New York’s Building 111 (left), which will opening in mid-July 2024, and Building 112 (right), which opened in 2022. All images courtesy of QC New York

May 10, 2024

Luxury spa on Governors Island to undergo major expansion in July

By Aaron Ginsburg

The luxurious Italian wellness spa on Governors Island, QC New York, is gearing up for a major expansion this summer. QC NY on Thursday announced plans to open a 15,000-square-foot addition in July, featuring sensory saunas, waterfalls, a salt room, a lavender room, an ice room, a relaxation room with waterbeds, and a 142-seat restaurant. The new multi-million dollar expansion will be located in Building 111.
SEE IT HERE

Events & Things To Do

NYC looks to install 500 secure bike parking facilities

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city is looking to build hundreds of free, secure bike parking locations across the five boroughs to prevent theft and encourage more New Yorkers to bike. The Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a request for proposals seeking operators for a network of 500 secure biking parking facilities to be built starting next year. The new storage spaces would accommodate the continued growth in bike ridership across the city, which is seeing more than 600,000 trips daily.
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Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

Photo courtesy of 7beachbum on Flickr

May 9, 2024

Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

A parade dedicated to Japanese culture is returning to New York City for its third year. On Saturday, May 11, the Japan Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Central Park West and West 81st Street and heads south to 68th Street. The parade will feature live music, martial arts, traditional dance and drum performances, appearances by prominent Japanese organizations, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

Artist Felipe Pantone’s biggest mural yet dazzles the Jersey City skyline

Photos courtesy of FPStudio

May 9, 2024

Artist Felipe Pantone’s biggest mural yet dazzles the Jersey City skyline

By Aaron Ginsburg

Renowned Argentinian artist Felipe Pantone's largest installation yet brings a burst of vibrancy to Jersey City. "OPTICHROMIE for Jersey City" covers 25 floors of a residential building in Journal Square with a dazzling digitized-style gradient mural of geometric patterns. The towering artwork contrasts the darker tones seen in the background of the Manhattan skyline and the mural's bold colors.
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Architecture And Design

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

All photos courtesy of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

May 8, 2024

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

First promised 20 years ago, a Downtown Brooklyn park commemorating the borough's abolitionist history is finally open. City officials on Wednesday cut the ribbon on the 1.15-acre Abolitionist Place, located at 225 Duffield Street. Designed by landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Jones, the park offers a playground, a water play feature, a central lawn, a paved area with boulders, seating, and a dog run. The green space was part of the 2004 upzoning of Downtown Brooklyn and planning officially began in 2010. Financial issues and design changes delayed the project several times.
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Architecture And Design

A giant, confetti-shooting hot dog is now on view in Times Square

All photos © 6sqft

May 8, 2024

A giant, confetti-shooting hot dog is now on view in Times Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

A confetti-shooting, 65-foot-long hot dog now sits in the heart of Times Square. Created by artists Jen Carton and Paul Outlaw, the animatronic sausage sculpture "Hot Dog in the City" seeks to celebrate the American hot dog while delving into the interconnected themes of consumption, capitalism, class, and culture within the context of the iconic New York City fast food. Located in Duffy Square, the installation, accompanied by programs and talks, is on view to the public through June 13.
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Events & Things To Do

A new grocery store for Two Bridges: Brooklyn Fare opens at One Manhattan Square

Photos courtesy of One Manhattan Square

May 8, 2024

A new grocery store for Two Bridges: Brooklyn Fare opens at One Manhattan Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

Over a decade after the longstanding Pathmark store closed, residents of Two Bridges this week celebrated the opening of a new grocery store in the neighborhood. Brooklyn Fare Kitchen & Market has opened at the base of luxury condominium One Manhattan Square at 227 Cherry Street. The new store measures 25,500 square feet, features an all-glass storefront and 20-foot ceilings, and offers a variety of fresh produce, prepared foods, and more, at an affordable price.
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Food & Dining

NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 7, 2024

NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City officials this week broke ground on an ambitious project to defend Lower Manhattan from climate change. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the start of work on the city-funded Battery Coastal Resilience Project, a $200 million plan to rebuild and raise the wharf promenade in The Battery, part of a larger effort to protect Lower Manhattan from sea level rise and storm surge. Slated for completion in 2026, the project will protect 100,000 residents, 300,000 jobs, and 12,000 businesses in the area, according to the city.
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Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

Photo courtesy of Etienne Frossard

May 6, 2024

Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

By Aaron Ginsburg

Williamsburg's original Domino Sugar Factory sign has been given new life as an art installation. Two Trees Management last week unveiled "Untitled (reverse virgule)," which repurposes the iconic yellow Domino Sugar Factory sign into an 11-foot by 36-foot wall sculpture. Created by artist Virginia Overton, the piece sits in the lobby of the Refinery at Domino, a new office building that opened last year within the historic sugar factory building.
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Architecture And Design

May 6, 2024

289-unit condo proposed for Crown Heights site next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Crown Heights property that has seen several development proposals over the years traded hands again. A limited liability company tied to Yitzchok Schwartz's YS Developers paid $64 million for 960 Franklin Avenue, which sits a block from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and is home to a former spice factory, as The Real Deal reported. YS Developers acquired the site from Isaac Hager and Daryl Hagler and on Friday filed plans for a seven-story residential building with 289 condos. A previous plan that called for two 34-story towers with over 1,500 apartments was successfully stopped by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and local residents, who feared the high-rises would block sunlight to its nearby greenhouses.
details here

New Developments

NYC looks to activate outdoor pool space during the off-season

Astoria Pool. Photo courtesy of Global Jet on Flickr

May 3, 2024

NYC looks to activate outdoor pool space during the off-season

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is looking for creative ways to repurpose outdoor pool space during the fall and winter. The city's Parks Department on Thursday issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI), seeking innovative ways to reimagine six outdoor pool decks for recreation, services, programming, and concessions during the off-season, from October through March.
details this way

Policy

Four years after start of Covid, Green-Wood Cemetery opens community art memorial honoring New Yorkers

Photos courtesy of Erik McGregor

May 3, 2024

Four years after start of Covid, Green-Wood Cemetery opens community art memorial honoring New Yorkers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Four years after the start of the pandemic, a new memorial at Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery remembers the lives lost to Covid-19 and those still affected by the pandemic. Created by Naming the Lost Memorials (NTLM) and City Lore, "A Big, Slow, Majestic Covid Memorial" features tributes created by 22 community groups from across New York City. The memorial, stretching 200 feet across the cemetery's historic wrought-iron fence near the main entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street, is on view through June 3.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC to expand car-free access in Manhattan ahead of congestion pricing

Image courtesy of Pranay Pareek on Unsplash

May 2, 2024

NYC to expand car-free access in Manhattan ahead of congestion pricing

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is stepping up its effort to improve car-free access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan to prepare for the start of congestion pricing, scheduled in just a few weeks. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday released a report detailing 37 new projects and 47 existing projects that enhance car-free access to and around Manhattan's Central Business District (CBD) as the city's congestion pricing program goes into effect on June 30.
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135 middle-income apartments available in Mott Haven, from $3,088/month

Rendering courtesy of Michaelis Boyd

May 2, 2024

135 middle-income apartments available in Mott Haven, from $3,088/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery has launched for 135 middle-income apartments at a new luxury residential project in Mott Haven. Located at 138 Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx, the 12-story mixed-use building offers spacious units, luxurious amenities, and proximity to the Bronx waterfront. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $105,875/month for a single person and $218,010 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, which range from $3,088/month studios to $3,939/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

MTA launches pilot program allowing Fair Fares discount on OMNY cards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 2, 2024

MTA launches pilot program allowing Fair Fares discount on OMNY cards

By Aaron Ginsburg

After a long delay, transit riders who are part of New York City's half-priced fare program will soon be able to tap-and-go. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday officially launched a Fair Fares pilot program on OMNY, allowing commuters who are part of the city's half-priced fare program to use the contactless payment system. The 90-day pilot program starts with 50 Fair Fares riders and will allow the MTA to collect feedback and finalize a rollout for all qualifying customers later.
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All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

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