All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

March 19, 2025

Trump administration threatens to withhold MTA funds over transit safety

President Donald Trump's administration threatened to withhold federal funding for the New York City transit system unless the Metropolitan Transportation Authority submits a plan addressing transit safety. In a letter sent to the MTA on Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged Chair & CEO Janno Lieber to provide a detailed plan to reduce crime, combat violence against transit workers, minimize injuries and fatalities from suicide events and subway surfing, and address fare evasion. In response, transit officials pointed to publicly available data that shows major crimes trending down this year.
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Asian food hall to open in Long Island City this spring

Marathon Hong Kong Diner. All images courtesy of LIC Food Hall, unless noted otherwise

March 19, 2025

Asian food hall to open in Long Island City this spring

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new food hall showcasing the best of Asian cuisine is set to open in Long Island City this May. Dubbed the LIC Food Hall, the culinary experience will debut inside the Star Tower condo building at 27-17 42nd Road, as first reported by LIC Post. Featuring 10 established and emerging vendors, the hall will offer a mix of dine-in and takeout options, serving up Chinese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Japanese specialties.
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Food & Dining

41 middle-income apartments available at huge development on Astoria waterfront, from $3,261/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 18, 2025

41 middle-income apartments available at huge development on Astoria waterfront, from $3,261/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 41 middle-income apartments in two new residential towers on the Astoria waterfront. Located at 20 and 30 Halletts Point, the buildings are part of the second phase of the massive Halletts Point development, which aims to deliver over 2,000 new homes. The towers offer tenants brand-new, modern residences with stunning views of the East River and Manhattan skyline. New Yorkers earning 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,261/month studios to $4,194/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

March 18, 2025

MTA to host open houses for Interborough Express

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers, here's your chance to learn more and ask questions about the Interborough Express (IBX) train line, a proposed project to connect Brooklyn and Queens by public transit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on Friday that it will host open houses to share information and answer questions about the IBX project. The first open house takes place at the Queens Public Library in Ridgewood on March 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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March 18, 2025

350 Park Avenue supertall office tower officially enters public review

By Aaron Ginsburg

A proposed 1,600-foot-tall office tower set to reshape the New York City skyline officially entered public review this week. The Department of City Planning on Monday certified an application for 350 Park Avenue, a proposed 62-story building in Midtown East led by Vornado Realty Trust, Citadel, and Rudin Management, kicking off the seven-month uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). Designed by Foster + Partners, the project—the first new office building presented to the City Planning Commission in five years—calls for 1.8 million square feet of office space and a new public concourse, with Ken Griffin's Citadel and Citadel Securities as anchor tenants.
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36 bars to watch March Madness games in NYC

Image courtesy of Mustang Harry’s

March 17, 2025

36 bars to watch March Madness games in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

With the abundance of sports bars and pubs scattered across New York City, it can be hard to sort through to find the best ones to watch your favorite team. With the NCAA March Madness tournament approaching, 6sqft put together a list of some of our favorite sports bars in the city to watch the games, prepare a bracket, and enjoy some good food and drinks.
Full list here

Gracie Abrams buys Greenwich Village penthouse for $5.5M

Lead photo by BruceSchaff on WikiCommons. All other photos courtesy of Yale Wagner. Listing photos are virtually staged.

March 17, 2025

Gracie Abrams buys Greenwich Village penthouse for $5.5M

By Aaron Ginsburg

Pop star Gracie Abrams is the latest celebrity to call the star-studded 1 Fifth Avenue co-op home. The singer-songwriter paid $5,500,000 for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse at the Greenwich Village building, across from Washington Square Park. Abrams joins high-profile residents of the Art Deco tower, including The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, actress Jessica Lange, and filmmaker Tim Burton, alongside his ex-wife, actress Helena Bonham Carter.
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NYC proposes allowing mopeds on Brooklyn and Queensboro bridges

Photo by Marcin Wichary on Flickr

March 17, 2025

NYC proposes allowing mopeds on Brooklyn and Queensboro bridges

By Aaron Ginsburg

Moped riders may soon be allowed to ride alongside cars on the Brooklyn Bridge and the lower level of the Queensboro Bridge. Under a proposed rule by the Department of Transportation, registered mopeds with license plates would be allowed on the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges. The ban would remain on Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, and the upper level of Queensboro. There is currently no legal route for mopeds to travel across the East River, as riders are prohibited from using the motor vehicle lanes and protected bike lanes on all roadways. As first reported by Streetsblog, the city hopes the rule change prevents conflicts between moped riders, pedestrians, and cyclists.
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NYC’s population bounces back after pandemic exodus

Photo by Abhi Verma on Unsplash

March 14, 2025

NYC’s population bounces back after pandemic exodus

By Aaron Ginsburg

Five years after the pandemic triggered an exodus from New York City, new census data shows the city's population is growing again. According to census data released this week, the city's population grew by 87,184 to 8.48 million people between July 2023 and July 2024, up from 8.39 million the previous year. All five boroughs gained residents, with Manhattan leading the way with a 1.7 percent increase in population.
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$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

Credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations

March 14, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino and park proposal gets zoning approval from NYC Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's $8 billion casino proposal near Citi Field cleared a major hurdle this week. On Tuesday, the City Council voted 41-2 in favor of zoning changes for the Metropolitan Park development, a sports and entertainment complex planned for 50 acres of parking lots around the Mets stadium. While the approval grants Cohen and his partners the ability to make zoning changes on the site, which sits on city parkland, the project still requires approval from several local and state officials.
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93 affordable and supportive homes open at Bed-Stuy’s Woodhull Hospital

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 100 new affordable and supportive homes for homeless and low-income New Yorkers opened at Woodhull Hospital in Bed-Stuy. City officials on Thursday celebrated the opening of the second phase of Woodhull Residences, a $41.5 million, 93-unit building providing affordable and supportive housing for NYC Health + Hospitals patients experiencing homelessness, as well as low-income seniors and other New Yorkers. Located at 171 Throop Avenue, the project is part of the agency’s "Housing for Health" initiative, which aims to create 650 affordable homes over the next five years.
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Affordable Housing

Mayoral hopeful Lander proposes 50,000 new homes on NYC golf courses

Van Cortlandt Golf Course. Photo by Shannon McGee on Flickr

March 13, 2025

Mayoral hopeful Lander proposes 50,000 new homes on NYC golf courses

By Aaron Ginsburg

In a proposal likely to make golf lovers tee off, mayoral candidate Brad Lander wants to turn some of New York City's public golf courses into 50,000 new homes to tackle the housing crisis. The idea, included in the city comptroller's 36-page housing proposal released last week, is a key element of Lander’s vision to create 500,000 new homes across the five boroughs over the next decade, if elected mayor. In order to achieve these ambitious housing goals, Lander said he would declare a housing emergency to speed up construction and triple subsidies for affordable housing.
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Ride a vintage NYC subway train to the Yankees’ and Mets’ home openers

Images courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

March 13, 2025

Ride a vintage NYC subway train to the Yankees’ and Mets’ home openers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Kick off baseball season with a retro subway ride on opening day. The New York Transit Museum will run vintage trains for the Yankees' and Mets' home opener games on March 27 and April 4, respectively. The old-school trains depart from Grand Central-42nd Street to 161st Street-Yankee Stadium and from 34th Street-Hudson Yards to Mets-Willets Point. The event is free with subway fare.
all aboard!

Hell’s Kitchen rental opens lottery for 13 apartments, from $2,500/month

Photos © Ondel Hylton

March 13, 2025

Hell’s Kitchen rental opens lottery for 13 apartments, from $2,500/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery launched this week for 13 middle-income apartments at a residential tower in the heart of Hell's Kitchen. Located at 360 West 43rd Street, the 23-story building offers luxury apartments and amenities like a rooftop terrace and fitness center in prime Midtown West. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,500/month studios to $3,800/month two bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Central Park to open huge new rec center with pool and ice rink in April

Renderings courtesy of Susan T Rodriguez | Architecture • Design

March 12, 2025

Central Park to open huge new rec center with pool and ice rink in April

By Aaron Ginsburg

A transformative project set to reconnect the neighborhoods at Central Park’s northern edge to the Harlem Meer is slated to open next month. The new $160 million Davis Center will open on April 26, the Central Park Conservancy announced on Wednesday. The Davis Center replaces the aging Lasker Rink and Pool with a state-of-the-art facility featuring a pool in the summer, a winter ice skating rink, a paved boardwalk, public open space, and more. One of the most ambitious undertakings in the Conservancy's history, the project also transforms the surrounding landscape, improving park access for residents of the primarily low-income communities bordering the park to the north.
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Architecture And Design

Brooklyn Botanic Garden sound installation remembers Covid victims

Photos by Michael Stewart

March 12, 2025

Brooklyn Botanic Garden sound installation remembers Covid victims

By Aaron Ginsburg

To mark the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is bringing back a sound installation that originally debuted in 2021. Created by NYC-based composer Michael Gordon, "loved." is a site-specific installation featuring seven vibraphones playing meditative compositions every hour. On view from March 15 to 30, the installation provides a space for visitors to sit, reflect, and remember the people or things they lost during the pandemic.
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Events & Things To Do

Penn Station proposal moves Madison Square Garden, calls for classical train hall

Renderings courtesy of the Grand Penn Community Alliance, unless noted otherwise

March 11, 2025

Penn Station proposal moves Madison Square Garden, calls for classical train hall

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new proposal for the long-stalled redesign of Penn Station would move Madison Square Garden across the street and replace the existing station with a new train hall reminiscent of the its original grandeur. Spearheaded by architect and former chief urban designer for New York City Alexandros Washburn, the "Grand Penn" plan would create a public space the size of Bryant Park and a commuter train hall inspired by the original station, while relocating the famous arena across the street. The plan now joins two stalled proposals, including one from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and another from a private developer.
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March 11, 2025

The best ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City goes all out for St. Patrick's Day, celebrating the Emerald Isle with parades, pubs, pints, and performances throughout March. With deep Irish roots, the city's Irish community has played a vital role in shaping its identity, and so on St. Patrick's Day, New Yorkers come together to celebrate the culture, people, and history of Ireland, as well as the contributions of Irish Americans. Ahead, here are some ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the five boroughs, from enjoying Irish whiskey flights and pints of Guinness at pubs across the city to experiencing traditional Irish song and dance at Radio City Music Hall and the New York Irish Center.
Find ways to celebrate, ahead

Redesign of Central Park drives will add space for pedestrians and cyclists

Photo by Dietmar Rabich on Wikimedia

March 10, 2025

Redesign of Central Park drives will add space for pedestrians and cyclists

By Aaron Ginsburg

The redesign of Central Park's six-mile loop road is moving forward, with repaving set to begin next week. On Thursday, city officials announced milling and repaving work will begin on Monday, March 17, to improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and e-vehicle users along the route by clearly separating their spaces. The project will begin by revamping the middle and southern sections of the Central Park loop, from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street on the East Drive, with repaving of the northern section scheduled for next year.
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NYC launches task force to improve public safety around Washington Square Park

Photo by Simi Iluyomade on Unsplash

March 10, 2025

NYC launches task force to improve public safety around Washington Square Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is deploying a multi-agency initiative to tackle quality of life and public safety concerns in Greenwich Village, the West Village, and near Washington Square Park. Mayor Eric Adams and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. on Thursday launched the "Village Interagency Task Force" to address issues like open drug use and sales, retail theft, and other quality of life concerns from West 3rd to West 9th Street, between Washington Square Park and 6th Avenue, including the area around the West 4th Street Washington Square subway station.
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Policy

Time Out to open new food hall in Union Square this fall

Credit: Filip Wolak

March 7, 2025

Time Out to open new food hall in Union Square this fall

By Aaron Ginsburg

Time Out is opening its second food hall in New York City this fall. Set to occupy the ground floor of Union Square's Zero Irving tech hub, the 10,000-square-foot Time Out Market will feature a curated selection of the city's premier culinary and cultural experiences. The 300-seat space will include seven kitchens, a fully stocked bar, an outdoor terrace, and a stage for live performances by local artists, according to Time Out.
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Food & Dining

JetBlue’s flagship terminal at JFK Airport set for major NYC-themed makeover

Renderings courtesy of JetBlue

March 7, 2025

JetBlue’s flagship terminal at JFK Airport set for major NYC-themed makeover

By Aaron Ginsburg

Big changes are coming to JetBlue's flagship Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is set to undergo a major New York City-inspired makeover. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) on Thursday announced a major refresh of Terminal 5, which includes adding more than 40 new concessions, art installations, and a redesigned center concourse inspired by the city's parks. The first new concessions will open later this year, with the terminal improvements set for completion by the end of 2026.
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Architecture And Design

Lottery opens for 330 apartments at huge office-to-residential conversion in FiDi, from $932/month

Rendering courtesy of Streetsense

March 6, 2025

Lottery opens for 330 apartments at huge office-to-residential conversion in FiDi, from $932/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's your chance to live in the nation's largest office-to-residential conversion in the Financial District. A housing lottery launched this week for 330 affordable apartments at 25 Water Street, a former 1960s office tower once home to JPMorgan Chase and the Daily News that now holds 1,320 luxury apartments. New Yorkers earning 40, 80, and 90 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $932/month studios to $3,286/month three bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

The NYC Half Marathon is Sunday: Here’s what to know

Credit: kristofarndt on Flickr

March 6, 2025

The NYC Half Marathon is Sunday: Here’s what to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

The annual United Airlines New York City Half Marathon returns on Sunday, March 16. For the first time in the race's history, runners will cross the Brooklyn Bridge to enter Manhattan because of construction on the Manhattan Bridge. The 13.1 mile race will feature 27,000 participants with a route that starts near the Brooklyn Museum, moves through Prospect Park, across the East River, along the FDR Drive, up Times Square, and finishing in Central Park. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about this year's event, from the route and start times to the best ways to watch (or avoid) the race.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC proposes wider bike lanes along 12 blocks of Sixth Avenue

A new, wider-bike lane segment installed in 2024 along Manhattan’s Sixth Avenue. Credit: DOT

March 5, 2025

NYC proposes wider bike lanes along 12 blocks of Sixth Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

With vehicle traffic down since the start of congestion pricing, New York City is moving forward with plans to widen bike lanes along a roughly 12-block stretch of Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. During a presentation to Manhattan Community Board 5's transportation committee last week, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled plans to upgrade the protected bike lane along Sixth Avenue from 14th Street to 35th Street. The proposal includes removing one lane of traffic to make space for a 10-foot-wide cycling lane, building on a project from last summer that widened the bike lanes from West 9th Street to West 13th Street.
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All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

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