All articles by Devin Gannon

Plan for a performing arts space at the World Trade Center moves forward

Rendering via REX Architecture

February 16, 2018

Plan for a performing arts space at the World Trade Center moves forward

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The project to bring a performing arts center to the World Trade Center is finally back on track, almost 15 years after the idea was included in the original vision for rebuilding the area post-9/11. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday an agreement for a 99-year lease between the Port Authority and the World Trade Center Performing Arts Center Inc. (PAC) for $1 per year, paving the way for construction to begin. Named for the billionaire who gifted $75 million to the project, the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center will include 200,000 square feet of space, three halls and a rehearsal space, a restaurant and a gift shop. If everything moves smoothly, the center could open as soon as the 2020 or 2021 season.
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Three chances to live off Crown Heights’ hip Franklin Avenue for $2,250/month

Little Zelda is a popular cafe in Crown Heights; photo via CityRealty

February 15, 2018

Three chances to live off Crown Heights’ hip Franklin Avenue for $2,250/month

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The lottery launched on Thursday for three middle-income units in a new building located just off Crown Height's hip Franklin Avenue. Within walking distance to tasty restaurants and eclectic stores, as well as the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park, 615 St. John's Place sits in one of the most coveted areas of Central Brooklyn. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the three one-bedroom apartments for $2,250 per month.
Find out if you qualify
A 10-minute walk to the subway could save you 10 percent on rent

Photo via Jeffrey Zeldman’s Flickr

February 15, 2018

A 10-minute walk to the subway could save you 10 percent on rent

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While amenities like on-site laundry and air conditioning are big selling points in New York City rentals, the building's proximity to the subway remains one of the most important factors when looking for new digs. And like other amenities, there is an added cost to live near the subway. New data from RentHop breaks down how much renters can save by living further from the subway in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. According to their report, as Curbed NY reported, apartments closest to the subway cost 6 to 8 percent more than the borough median, with the furthest costing 8 to 10 percent less.
Details here
Fearless Girl and Charging Bull statues might relocate from Wall Street

Fearless Girl and Charging Bull statues on Wall Street; via Anthony Quintano’s Flickr

February 15, 2018

Fearless Girl and Charging Bull statues might relocate from Wall Street

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The temporary bronze sculpture that has attracted millions of tourists and locals could become a permanent fixture in New York City, according to Adweek. Commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, the Fearless Girl statue was installed last March, a day before International Women's Day, sending a message to Wall Street for the need of gender equality in the financial world. With her chin up and hands firmly on her hips, the 250-pound statue defiantly faces the iconic Charging Bull statue, which has stood in the same spot since 1989. And now the city might relocate the pair of statues from Bowling Green Park in lower Manhattan to another, more pedestrian-friendly home to ease safety concerns.
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New York City’s priciest townhouse sets another record after $90M sale
February 15, 2018

New York City’s priciest townhouse sets another record after $90M sale

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Billionaire Len Blavatnik has broken the city's record for the most expensive townhouse after paying $90 million for an Upper East Side mansion, according to the New York Post. The seller, HNA Group, sold the home at 19 East 64th Street after recently picking it up in April for $79.5 million, a record at the time. Blavatnik, a music executive who already owns a home on 64th Street and paid $80 million for a home at 834 Fifth Avenue, has an estimated net worth of around $20.5 billion.
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RPA report envisions New Jersey’s Meadowlands as the first ‘Climate Change National Park’

Via ORG Permanent Modernity/Regional Plan Association

February 14, 2018

RPA report envisions New Jersey’s Meadowlands as the first ‘Climate Change National Park’

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Released last fall, the Regional Plan Association's (RPA) Fourth Plan includes 61 recommendations focused on improving and expanding the area's deteriorating infrastructure, transportation, and affordability, much of which revolves around climate change and its transformation of the region. According to the report, more than one million people and 650,000 jobs are at risk of flooding due to rising sea levels. In the plan, the RPA ambitiously recommends that the New Jersey Meadowlands, 21,000 acres of low-lying wetlands, becomes a national park as a way to mitigate impacts of climate change (h/t Curbed). Designating the region's largest wetland as a national park would restore the natural habits, protect nearby communities, and create a recreational space, becoming, the report says, a "Climate Change National Park." The Meadowlands National Park would adapt and grow with climate change by drawing and redrawing the boundaries of the park as coastlines change.
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Collection of antique Valentines explores expressions of love over three centuries

Fold-open Valentine card, German (1900); courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

February 14, 2018

Collection of antique Valentines explores expressions of love over three centuries

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While a simple and perhaps less swanky gesture than diamonds and roses, a Valentine's Day card remains one of the most popular ways to say "I love you" every February 14. This year Americans will exchange about 190 million greeting cards during the holiday, spending nearly $1 billion on them. A collection of antique paper Valentines from The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens proves this is not a 21st-century phenomenon. The museum, located in San Marino, CA, acquired a collection of about 12,300 romantic greeting cards, sentimental notes and drawings made in Europe and North America from 1684 to 1970 (h/t NY Times). A historian from New Jersey, Nancy Rosin, put together the impressive collection of cards over four decades and her family recently donated them to the museum.
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986-foot Flatbush Avenue tower in Downtown Brooklyn gets revised renderings
February 13, 2018

986-foot Flatbush Avenue tower in Downtown Brooklyn gets revised renderings

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Ahead of its public review, Alloy Development this week released new details and renderings of its proposed mixed-use development at 80 Flatbush Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn. Developers amended the complex's design, first released in April, following backlash from the community and more than 100 meetings with local stakeholders. While the taller tower will keep its original design with 74 stories, the 38-story building's profile will be slimmed and feature a masonry facade to complement the neighboring Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower. 
More here
See NYC’s hot spots in real-time on Snapchat’s new crowd-sourced web map

Photo via Pexels

February 13, 2018

See NYC’s hot spots in real-time on Snapchat’s new crowd-sourced web map

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Snapchat on Monday announced that its "Snap Map," a feature which allows users to view posts from around the world, will be available on the web, giving those without the social media app a chance to check out events happening near them. In addition to now existing outside of the Snapchat app, the browser version of the map lets snappers embed content from the map onto web pages, much like how Twitter or Instagram permits (h/t WIRED). Hot spots on the map, areas with lots of posts, glow green or blue; heavy traffic locations light up red and orange. Today in New York users are filling up "Our Story" with posts from New York Fashion Week, the September 11th Memorial, and the Empire State Building.
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New York City’s subway system has a water problem- a 13 million gallon one

Workers pumping seawater out of the L-train tunnel after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

February 13, 2018

New York City’s subway system has a water problem- a 13 million gallon one

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The subway's crippling, century-old infrastructure is not the only reason behind the system's constant delays and disruptions. The other problem involves about 13 million gallons of water, or more depending on the rainfall, that gets pumped out from underground on a nearly daily basis. A perpetual hazard, water can drip onto electrified equipment, cause a short and create chaos, as the New York Times reported. After ineffectively using only sandbags and plywood to fight flooding in the past, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has turned to more high-tech solutions, like flood-proof doors and inflatable gaskets, which will be a part of its $800 million emergency action plan to fix the subway.
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Interactive map identifies the New York City neighborhoods most underserved by transit

Map via AllTransit

February 12, 2018

Interactive map identifies the New York City neighborhoods most underserved by transit

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Nearly 29 percent of New York City households are underserved by transit, according to data from the Center for Neighborhood Technology and TransitCenter. In a joint project, called AllTransit, the team put together a collection of transit data that includes 15,000 routes and 800 agencies in the United States. A tool called Gap Finder identifies gaps in U.S. cities where underserved communities would benefit from improved service.
Explore it here
Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure plan won’t fund Gateway project

Photo via The Gateway Program Development Corporation

February 12, 2018

Trump’s long-awaited infrastructure plan won’t fund Gateway project

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President Donald Trump on Monday released his $200 billion infrastructure plan and it does not look good for New York and New Jersey. Because the plan shifts the financial burden from the federal government onto states and localities, relying on incentives to spur private investment, major projects will struggle to find funding. This includes the Gateway Tunnel project, a proposal to construct a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River and repair the existing one. As the only intercity passenger rail crossing into NYC from NJ, the tunnel is a critical link for nearly 200,000 daily passengers. While the Obama administration considered Gateway a priority and committed half of the project's cost in 2015, the Trump administration has scoffed at the idea.
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New renderings revealed for SCDA’s flashy 11-story condo on the High Line

Rendering via Neoscape

February 9, 2018

New renderings revealed for SCDA’s flashy 11-story condo on the High Line

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A swath of new renderings of SCDA Architects' condo tower was released this week, more than three years after the project was first announced in 2014. As Curbed NY learned, the new renderings of the building, located, at 515 West 29th Street, show a glass fin facade and the interiors of the 15 planned apartments, including five penthouses. Forum Absolute Capital Partners is developing the tower, dubbed Five One Five, which will contain two- and three-bedroom units ranging from $4.3 million to $8.5 million. CORE is handling sales and marketing.
See it here
Google to expand footprint at Chelsea’s Pier 57

Rendering via RXR Realty

February 9, 2018

Google to expand footprint at Chelsea’s Pier 57

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Earlier this week, Google entered into a contract with Jamestown LP to buy the Chelsea Market building for nearly $2.5 billion, the second largest single sale in New York City's history. And on Friday, Google reached a tentative deal to expand its footprint at Pier 57, adding another 70,000 square feet of space to its prior 250,000-square-foot agreement. According to Crain's, the lease will include an additional 50,000 square feet of educational activities and a new ferry landing.
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A Queens festival will reimagine the World’s Fair with 100+ food vendors representing over 100 cultures

Photo courtesy of Bill Cotter/worldsfairphotos

February 8, 2018

A Queens festival will reimagine the World’s Fair with 100+ food vendors representing over 100 cultures

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Experience "diversity through cuisine" at CitiField this spring at an event paying homage to the iconic 1964 New York World's Fair. Dubbed the World's Fare, the event will feature over 100 food vendors from more than 100 cultures, as well as live music and art (h/t QNS). Highlights include an international beer garden that will offer tastings of 80 craft beers from 45 breweries and exhibits of LEGO Art and 4-D drawings.
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Live above Target in Extell’s new East Village rental, from $1,114/month

Rendering via Extell Development

February 8, 2018

Live above Target in Extell’s new East Village rental, from $1,114/month

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An Extell Development rental building in the East Village is now accepting applications for 50 newly constructed, middle-income units. Not only does the chic building at 524 East 14th Street boast amenities like a fitness center, pool and rooftop deck, it will also have a two-level Target, the chain's first location in the neighborhood. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $1,114/studios to $2,733/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you quality
Find and apply for current affordable housing lotteries in NYC with this new map
February 8, 2018

Find and apply for current affordable housing lotteries in NYC with this new map

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The Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Wednesday released an interactive map of housing lotteries currently accepting applications. Users can click icons displayed on the NYC Housing Connect Map for more information on a lottery, including required income levels, household size and the application deadline. Earlier this week, the department launched a map that displays all of the affordable housing units, buildings and projects which count towards Mayor Bill de Blasio's Housing New York 2.0 plan.
Explore the map
Passing $2B in sales, 432 Park becomes highest selling building in NYC ever

Photo via Douglas Elliman

February 7, 2018

Passing $2B in sales, 432 Park becomes highest selling building in NYC ever

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CIM Group and Macklowe Properties announced on Wednesday that the world's tallest residential building just broke another record: the single best-selling building in New York City. According to the developers, they have sold $2 billion in luxury condominiums at 432 Park Avenue, a 1,396-foot tower designed by renowned architect Rafael Viñoly. The building's most significant closings include 48 residences selling for more than $20 million each.
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Live around the corner from Central Park in a renovated Harlem rental, from $675/month

Photo of Randolph Houses via HPD

February 7, 2018

Live around the corner from Central Park in a renovated Harlem rental, from $675/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 106 newly constructed, affordable units at Central Harlem's Randolph Houses. Named in honor of civil rights leader, Phillip Randolph, the houses consist of 36 buildings along West 114th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $675/month studios to a $1,289/month three-bedrooms. Located at 265 West 114th Street, the building is just a five-minute walk to Central Park.
Find out if you qualify
Treat your sweetie (or yourself) to a chocolate tour of Brooklyn this Valentine’s Day
February 7, 2018

Treat your sweetie (or yourself) to a chocolate tour of Brooklyn this Valentine’s Day

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This Valentine's Day, leave the heart-shaped candy box at Duane Reade and enjoy locally-made chocolate instead. Explore Brooklyn released their "Brooklyn Chocolate Trail Map" this month with 12 must-eat delicious destinations in the borough. The list includes chocolatiers, factories and tasting rooms. Follow the chocolate trail and taste-test your way through Greenpoint, DUMBO, Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn. What could be sweeter?
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A glamping retreat will open on Governors Island this summer

Photo courtesy of the Trust for Governors Island

February 7, 2018

A glamping retreat will open on Governors Island this summer

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Tired of the bitter cold? Already devising warm-weather activities for the summer? Thankfully, the Trust for Governors Island just made planning a lot easier. The Trust announced on Wednesday its plan to open a temporary glamping retreat to the Island from Collective Hotels & Retreats, a group that brings the accommodations of a five-star hotel to the outdoors. As part of a three-year license, the company will transform six acres of the 172-acre island into an "environmentally-friendly overnight lodging retreat with unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty."
Get the details
97 affordable apartments up for grabs at FiDi’s latest glassy skyscraper, from $788/month
February 7, 2018

97 affordable apartments up for grabs at FiDi’s latest glassy skyscraper, from $788/month

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A 762-foot skyscraper in the Financial District is now accepting applications for 97 affordable apartments. Developed by Carmel Partners and designed by Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel and SLCE Architects, the residential development at 118 Fulton Street (also known as 19 Dutch Street) contains 483 rental units. The glassy tower will have over 8,000 square feet of retail space on the cellar, first and second levels. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $788/month studios to $1,025/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Lottery launches for 258 rentals at TF Cornerstone’s West 57th tower, from $613/month
February 6, 2018

Lottery launches for 258 rentals at TF Cornerstone’s West 57th tower, from $613/month

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The lottery for TF Cornerstone's massive building at 606 West 57th Street officially launched on Tuesday, offering 258 mixed-income rentals in the brand new 42-story tower. Designed by Arquitectonica, the rental, dubbed 606W57, boasts a unique, boxy design and will hold over 1,000 apartments. It sits near other West Side architectural standouts like the pyramid-shaped, Bjarke Ingels-designed Via57 West, as well as the Helena. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a $613/month studio to a $2,902/month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify
Google to buy Chelsea Market building for $2.5B, the second largest single sale in NYC history

Photo of Chelsea Market via Wikimedia

February 6, 2018

Google to buy Chelsea Market building for $2.5B, the second largest single sale in NYC history

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Editor's Note: The New York Post reports Google will buy Chelsea Market for $2.5 billion, which would make it the second biggest single sale in the city's history. It closely follows the $2.8 billion purchase of the GM Building in 2007. Google has entered contract with Jamestown LP to buy the Chelsea Market building for over $2 billion. As 2018's first billion dollars plus transaction in New York, the deal is expected to close sometime in the next two months, according to the Real Deal. This will further the tech giant's presence in the Manhattan neighborhood; it is currently the biggest tenant at 75 Ninth Avenue and its headquarters are located across the street at 111 Eighth Avenue.
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As New York struggles with basic maintenance, global cities build cheaper, better infrastructure

Construction workers giving a tour of the Second Avenue subway; photo via the MTA on Flickr

February 6, 2018

As New York struggles with basic maintenance, global cities build cheaper, better infrastructure

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The exorbitant construction costs of building transit projects, coupled with project delays, could make the New York region lose jobs and businesses to other global cities that are completing transit projects in a more timely, and economical, fashion. A report released on Tuesday from the Regional Plan Association (RPA) says high-costs and delays are ingrained in every part of the public-project delivery, including too-long environmental reviews, inaccurate project budgets and timelines and a lack of communication with labor unions. In their report, the RPA analyzed three projects and their costs and delivery issues: the Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access and the extension of the 7-train.
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