All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Fifth Avenue’s sparkling snowflake is brighter than ever

Image courtesy of the Fifth Avenue Association

December 6, 2023

Fifth Avenue’s sparkling snowflake is brighter than ever

By Aaron Ginsburg

Fifth Avenue's famous snowflake, a cherished New York City holiday fixture for 40 years, is back and brighter than ever. The Fifth Avenue Association and the Stonbely Family Foundation on Sunday celebrated the lighting of the refurbished snowflake, which features 16,500 sparkling crystals and new high-intensity full-color LED lights. The twinkling 30-foot-wide snowflake is suspended 50 feet above Fifth Avenue and 57th Street from four buildings: the Aman Hotel, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC to launch public e-bike charging stations for delivery workers

Photo by Thomas Loizeau on Unsplash

December 5, 2023

NYC to launch public e-bike charging stations for delivery workers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Just a few days after New York City saw its 18th death caused by an electric bike battery this year, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced a new pilot program that will let some delivery workers charge their bikes outside. As part of the program, launching early next year, a variety of technologies to charge lithium-ion batteries will be tested at public docks across the city. Technologies include battery-swapping networks and secure e-bike parking docks with fast charging to docked e-bikes.
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MTA installs new turnstiles designed to stop fare evasion

Photo courtesy of Ray Raimundi / MTA on Flickr

December 5, 2023

MTA installs new turnstiles designed to stop fare evasion

By Aaron Ginsburg

The traditional turnstiles at a subway station in Queens have been fully replaced with new wide-aisle fare gates, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Monday. Designed to increase accessibility and prevent fare evasion, the new fare gates were deployed at the Sutphin Boulevard Archer Avenue-JFK Airport subway station in Jamaica. The fare gates replace the emergency exit gate at the end of the station; more than half of all fare evasion occurs through these emergency gates, according to the MTA.
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PATH begins tap-and-go fare payment pilot

Photo: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

December 5, 2023

PATH begins tap-and-go fare payment pilot

By Aaron Ginsburg

Contactless fare payment has finally made it to New Jersey. Starting Tuesday, five turnstiles at two PATH stations will accept tap-and-go payments as part of a test of the new Total Access PATH Payment (TAPP) system, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced. While TAPP is designed by the same company behind the MTA's OMNY, the two systems are not compatible.
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Stay in a ‘Wonka’ inspired suite at NYC’s Park Lane New York hotel

All images courtesy of Booking.com

December 4, 2023

Stay in a ‘Wonka’ inspired suite at NYC’s Park Lane New York hotel

By Aaron Ginsburg

Booking.com is giving candy lovers the chance to travel to a world of pure imagination with a stay in a Willy Wonka-themed hotel suite. Inspired by the release of Warner Bros. Pictures' film "Wonka" this month, the exclusive offer includes a two-night stay at the Park Lane New York in Midtown in a room transformed into a sugary wonderland. Booking at the sweet-filled suite opens on December 13 for a two-day stay on December 15-16, priced at $12.15 in honor of the film's release date.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

Renderings courtesy of the Elliott Bay Design Group

December 4, 2023

NYC receives $7.5M from feds for new Governors Island hybrid ferry

By Aaron Ginsburg

Ferry systems in New York City are getting a boost from the federal government. The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded the city over $10 million to modernize its fleet, including $7.5 million for the new Governors Island hybrid ferry and $3 million for a storage facility for the Staten Island Ferry. The funding stems from President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was enacted in 2021 and includes up to $108 billion for public transportation.
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Transit

Where to order Hanukkah takeout in NYC

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

December 1, 2023

Where to order Hanukkah takeout in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Break out the menorah and the dreidels because Hanukkah is nearly here. The Jewish Festival of Lights, which lasts eight days and eight nights, runs from December 7 to December 15 this year. Many hosts dread the preparation needed to whip together a big meal for Hanukkah, especially after cooking Thanksgiving dinner only a few weeks before. Here are some New York City restaurants that would happily take the stress out of Hanukkah this year, from a smorgasbord of Jewish culinary classics from Katz's Deli to swanky caviar potato latkes from Caviar Russe.
see the options

Food & Dining

NYC to improve safety conditions at 2,000 intersections per year

All photos courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation

December 1, 2023

NYC to improve safety conditions at 2,000 intersections per year

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday launched an initiative that will boost New York City's ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety by doubling the number of intersections that receive safety enhancements to at least 2,000 per year. Visibility improvements will be made to a minimum of 1,000 intersections per year using an effective method known as daylighting. The initiative comes after a tow truck driver killed a 7-year-old at an "undaylighted" intersection in Brooklyn last month.
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Second phase begins on affordable housing complex at former Bronx juvenile jail

Rendering courtesy of WXY Studios

November 30, 2023

Second phase begins on affordable housing complex at former Bronx juvenile jail

By Aaron Ginsburg

The five-acre mixed-use development at a former juvenile jail site in the Bronx is moving forward. New York City officials on Wednesday broke ground on the second phase of the Peninsula, which will bring over 700 affordable homes and a manufacturing building to Hunts Point. The project's second phase includes two buildings with 359 apartments, a public plaza, a parking garage, and community space. The mixed-use complex is rising on the site of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, which closed in 2011 and was notorious for its mistreatment of children.
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Drivers will likely pay $15 to enter certain parts of Manhattan as part of congestion pricing plan

Photo by Raidarmax on Wikimedia Commons

November 30, 2023

Drivers will likely pay $15 to enter certain parts of Manhattan as part of congestion pricing plan

By Aaron Ginsburg

Drivers entering certain parts of Manhattan could be charged a $15 toll as part of New York City's congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the nation. As first reported by the New York Times, the Traffic Mobility Review Board released a report on Thursday detailing the pricing structure for the tolls for the Central Business District Tolling Program, which covers an area of Manhattan from 60th Street to the Battery. The program aims to alleviate traffic, encourage the use of public transit, and reduce pollution, all while generating $1 billion in annual revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
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Popular Articles

Lottery opens for 36 mixed-income apartments in Park Slope, from $834/month

All images courtesy of S. Wieder Architects

November 29, 2023

Lottery opens for 36 mixed-income apartments in Park Slope, from $834/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 36 mixed-income units at a new residential development in Park Slope. Located at 375 Dean Street, the building, dubbed "Signum," rises 17 stories and contains 143 luxury residences. New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, 100, and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $31,543 for a single person and $165,230 for a household of three, can apply for the apartments, priced from $834/month for studios to $2,852/month for two-bedroom units.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC reopens scaled-down Corona Plaza street market

Photo of the plaza in 2018. Courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

November 29, 2023

NYC reopens scaled-down Corona Plaza street market

By Aaron Ginsburg

The popular street market at Corona Plaza in Queens is returning with far fewer vendors and more regulations after being shut down by the city this summer. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced plans to restore the marketplace at 103rd Street and Roosevelt Avenue with just 14 vendors compared to the more than 80 merchants located there before the shutdown in July. The city said regulating the community vending area became necessary after complaints over public safety and cleanliness increased fivefold in one year.
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Where to see holiday lights in NYC this year

November 28, 2023

Where to see holiday lights in NYC this year

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of the best ways to celebrate the holiday season in New York City is to bear witness to the extravagant twinkling light installations and displays that illuminate the five boroughs. Ahead, discover the city's most iconic holiday light displays, from more than two million twinkling lights scattered throughout Hudson Yards to festively illuminated trails at the New York Botanical Garden.
DELIGHTFUL DISPLAYS THIS WAY

Events & Things To Do

NYC proposes zoning change to make it easier to develop casinos

Freedom Plaza rendering by Negativ

November 28, 2023

NYC proposes zoning change to make it easier to develop casinos

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is proposing an update to its zoning rules to make it easier for developers to build casinos across the five boroughs. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Monday started a seven-month public review process for a zoning text amendment that would permit the construction of casinos as of right in specified commercial and manufacturing districts without going through the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). Instead, casino proposals would only need approval from the state and the NY Community Advisory Committee to move forward. The proposal, officially filed on Friday, comes as several developers publicly bid for one of three downstate licenses.
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Policy

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

Photo by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay

November 28, 2023

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

By Aaron Ginsburg

The famous Bow Bridge in Central Park will close for two months for renovations. The Central Park Conservancy on Sunday announced in a social media post the iconic bridge will not be open to the public from November 27 through January 2024 for repairs that include replacing its wood decking. Parkgoers will still be able to access the Bethesda Terrace and Ramble area from the East and West Drives through West 77th, West 78th, East 74th, and East 78th Streets, as well as from Belvedere Castle going south, according to TimeOut.
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Policy

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

Photo by Shahar Azran

November 27, 2023

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

By Aaron Ginsburg

Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater will open the doors to new performance space in February. The highly anticipated expansion, the first in the institution's 90-year history, will deliver a new 25,000-square-foot facility with two theaters, office space, a central lobby, and gallery space on the third and fourth floors of the Victoria Theater on West 125th Street. The Apollo Stages at The Victoria will open on February 1.
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New Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 22 middle-income apartments, from $2,924/month

All renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

November 27, 2023

New Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 22 middle-income apartments, from $2,924/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 22 middle-income units at a new residential development in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 131 Concord Street, Amnia offers tenants brand-new residences, luxurious amenities, and a prime spot in the heart of one of Brooklyn's most popular neighborhoods. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $100,252 for a single person and $198,250 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, priced at $2,924/month for studios, $3,126/month for one-bedrooms, and $3,733/month for two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

City unveils new bike boulevard on Berry Street in Williamsburg

All images courtesy of NYC DOT

November 22, 2023

City unveils new bike boulevard on Berry Street in Williamsburg

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has transformed Brooklyn's Berry Street into a permanent two-way bike boulevard. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Tuesday unveiled the new street design, which includes the reconfiguration of every intersection, new loading zones, and a series of one-way vehicle traffic reversals from Broadway to North 12th Street in Williamsburg. The street design builds upon the corridor's success as a pedestrian-focused open street and better connects to Domino and McCarren Parks and the Williamsburg Bridge.
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KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 22, 2023

KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is releasing a limited-edition KISS MetroCard in honor of the iconic New York City-native rock band's final shows at Madison Square Garden. To mark the "End of the Road" shows on December 1 and 2, the MTA will load MetroCard machines at two busy Manhattan subway stations with 50,000 limited-edition cards. MetroCards featuring a portrait of the band will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis starting Monday, November 27.
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Events & Things To Do

The best books of 2023, according to the NYPL

Image courtesy of the NYPL

November 22, 2023

The best books of 2023, according to the NYPL

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York Public Library on Tuesday released its annual list of the best books of the year. The recommendations were curated by eight NYPL committees that reviewed nearly 3,000 books and selected 240 of the best titles for children, teens, and adults in 2023. You can use the NYPL's Best Books of 2023 list as a tool to help you find a new book for yourself or as a holiday gift for a loved one.
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City Living

NYC to pay 15 homeowners up to $400K to build apartments on their properties

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of City Planning

November 21, 2023

NYC to pay 15 homeowners up to $400K to build apartments on their properties

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Tuesday launched the "Plus One ADU" pilot program to help qualifying homeowners add an additional small home on their properties, known as an accessory dwelling unit. The city will pay 15 owners of single-family homes up to $395,000 to build the units, which could be backyard cottages, attic conversions, garage studios, basement apartments, or in-law suites. The pilot program aims to spur the creation of affordable housing amid the city's current crisis while also providing homeowners with extra income.
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JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

Photos courtesy of Max Touhey for JPMorgan Chase unless otherwise noted.

November 21, 2023

JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's largest all-electric skyscraper has topped out in Midtown East. JPMorgan Chase on Monday announced the placement of the final steel beam at 270 Park Avenue, a nearly 1,400-foot-tall building that will serve as the company's global headquarters. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 60-story tower will house 14,000 employees across 2.5 million square feet of flexible space. The net-zero building features a striking "fan-column" structure that rises roughly 80 feet above street level and outdoor space on Park and Madison Avenues.
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Architecture And Design

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

All images courtesy of Fernando Sandoval/MW

November 20, 2023

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

By Aaron Ginsburg

Travelers will now have a much easier time entering Penn Station. The transit hub's busiest entrance at 7th Avenue and 32nd Street reopened on Sunday following a renovation led by Amtrak and Vornado Realty Trust. The passageway is now fully ADA-accessible, with a 50 percent wider entrance, a new elevator, two new escalators, and a new glass canopy designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners that replaces the original concrete overhang.
take a look

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s new ice skating rink is now open

All images courtesy of @glidebk

November 17, 2023

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s new ice skating rink is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

Strap on your skates! Brooklyn Bridge Park's first-ever ice skating rink is now open. Located under the Brooklyn Bridge at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, the rink, called Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park, offers skating for guests of all ages, rinkside food and beverages from the nearby Time Out Market, and spectacular Manhattan skyline views. The rink is open through March 1, 2024.
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Events & Things To Do

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

All photos courtesy of Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM

November 17, 2023

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

By Aaron Ginsburg

The $100 million restoration of Park Avenue's famous Lever House tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the iconic building's original architects, has been completed. The project revitalized the tower for the 21st century while preserving the distinct architectural aesthetic the building has expressed since it was first completed in 1952. Lever House features a reimagined lobby, ground-level public plaza, modernized building systems, and a new indoor and outdoor hospitality suite called the Lever Club.
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Architecture And Design

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