All articles by Devin Gannon

May 2, 2017

Apply for 50 affordable units in the Bronx’s Mt. Eden, from $558/month

Located in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the South Bronx, this affordable housing building at 1561 Walton Avenue sits just off the Grand Concourse and a block south of the Cross-Bronx Expressway. The 11-story residence contains 60 units total and includes an on-site manager, rear patio, laundry, and storage space for bikes, as well as on-site college application assistance and work-readiness training. Applications are currently being accepted for 50 of the units, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,740/month three-bedrooms for those earning 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of the area median income.
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Affordable Housing

May 2, 2017

Nearly 80 percent of subway escalators and elevators don’t receive necessary maintenance

By Devin Gannon

The reason behind the incessant breakdown of the subway’s escalators and elevators? Nearly 80 percent of them do not receive the necessary maintenance by the MTA. After an 18-month audit, City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office found that in a random sample of 65 out of the city’s 407 total escalators and elevators, about 50 had not undergone any preventative maintenance service. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, only 20 percent of machines sampled by the comptroller’s office received the scheduled maintenance on time.
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May 2, 2017

Mapping New York City’s 280 miles of scaffolding

By Devin Gannon

Sidewalk sheds, or scaffolding, are so pervasive in New York City they almost become part of a neighborhood’s landscape. While used to protect people from falling debris, scaffolding continues to be an omnipresent eyesore that blocks sunlight and views, attracts crime and slows foot traffic. Now, thanks to a new map by the city’s Department of Buildings, residents can explore more than 7,700 sidewalk sheds, each labeled with a color-coded dot highlighting the reason for its construction, its age, and its size. As the New York Times covered, there are currently 280 miles of sidewalk scaffolding in front of 7,752 buildings in the city (way up from the 190 miles we covered just a little over a year ago), which is enough to encircle Manhattan nearly nine times.
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Target to open at Essex Crossing in the Lower East Side

Rendering of LES Target courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

May 1, 2017

Target to open at Essex Crossing in the Lower East Side

By Devin Gannon

New York City is experiencing a Target-takeover. The retailer has just signed a lease to open a 22,500 square-foot store in the Lower East Side at Essex Crossing, a 1.9 million-square-foot development stretching across several Manhattan blocks. As the Wall Street Journal reports, the new store will be located on the second floor of 145 Clinton Street, a 15-floor tower currently under construction. A Trader Joe’s supermarket will be on the lower level and apartments will be housed above.
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May 1, 2017

NYC’s Citywide ferry service officially sets sail today!

By Devin Gannon

The much-anticipated NYC Ferry service begins today, lessening the commute to Manhattan for many outer borough residents. The first commuter ferry took off from the new Rockaway route at 5:30 a.m. Monday, picked up more passengers at Sunset Park and then arrived in Lower Manhattan in just about one hour. Newly renovated ferries will also launch today on the East River Route, which services Midtown and Financial District communities. On Sunday, Mayor de Blasio held a christening ceremony and took the first ferry ride from the Rockaways to Wall Street.
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NYC anticipated to become a major hub for self-driving cars

Image of Uber’s self-driving vehicle via Nathan Ingraham for Engadget

May 1, 2017

NYC anticipated to become a major hub for self-driving cars

By Devin Gannon

On top of plans to roll out flying taxis in NYC within five years, ride-hailing company Uber, in addition to many similar companies, hopes to make driverless cars next on their list of proposals. As reported by Crain’s, shared driverless vehicles could account for a quarter of all miles driven in the U.S. by 2030. Since the cars would be shared, driverless and electric, the low-cost would allow many people to give up their personal cars, especially in densely populated cities. New Yorkers own fewer vehicles than residents in any other U.S. city, making it the biggest market for ride-hail services as well as the perfect guinea pig for companies to test driverless vehicles.
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April 29, 2017

A unique 19th-century Hudson Valley home can be yours for $485,000

By Devin Gannon

A beautiful 19th-century clapboard home in Millbrook, New York recently hit the market at an asking price of $485,000. The three bedroom, three bathroom home at 41 Elm Drive was built in 1890 and its original clapboard has been painted a fresh white color. Located on a quiet street in the Hudson Valley, this home, which offers an impressive example of 19th-century architecture, also includes a two-story barn.
See the 19th century pad here

Philip Johnson’s iconic New York State Pavilion to undergo $14.25M renovation

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

April 28, 2017

Philip Johnson’s iconic New York State Pavilion to undergo $14.25M renovation

By Devin Gannon

The iconic New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is set to undergo a $14.25 million renovation funded by the city. As first reported by the Queens Chronicle, repairs of the monument will begin next spring, which will include some structural conservation work and electrical and architectural improvements. The pavilion, which was originally designed for the 1964 World’s Fair by Philip Johnson and Lev Zetlin, has been ignored for the past few decades, largely in part because of the city’s failure to find the money for repairs.
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Architecture And Design

April 28, 2017

Nearly 900 affordable housing apartments are currently empty

By Devin Gannon

An investigation by Public Advocate Letitia James’ office found that nearly 40 percent, or 884, of the 2,322 apartments in the Tenant Interim Lease (TIL) program sit unoccupied. After hearing multiple complaints from constituents at town halls, the public advocate’s office launched a full review of the program and discovered it does not meet its goal of providing New Yorkers with self-sufficient, low-income rentals (h/t NY Post). Even more shocking, at one TIL building on 615 West 150th Street, tenants had to move out in 1996 for what was supposed to be a two-year renovation. Per a policy briefing by the public advocate, they still have not been able to return to the units, and their possessions are locked up without access.
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April 28, 2017

Port Authority Bus Terminal unlikely to be built anew; gets updated timeline

By Devin Gannon

After multiple feuds, budget concerns and delays, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey may have finally reached an agreement on a timeline to replace or renovate the bus terminal. As the Associated Press reports, the plan to replace the Port Authority Bus Terminal has shifted attention back to the existing midtown Manhattan, instead of relocating it one block west. Board members of the bi-state agency said a study of the original site will be finished by the end of July to determine the cost and schedule of renovation. Following that study, an environmental review is expected later this year, which could take about two years. Construction cannot begin until the review is completed.
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De Blasio’s new budget boosts funding for anti-Airbnb enforcement

By Devin Gannon

With the announcement of Mayor de Blasio’s new executive budget on Wednesday, the shaky relationship between the short-term rental company Airbnb and New York City continues. As reported by Crain’s, the city plans to crack down on illegal short-term rentals by spending an extra $2.9 million over the next two fiscal years. For the fiscal year 2018, the mayor plans to pour $1.6 million into expanding the city’s Office of Special Enforcement, which inspects and fines landlords who rent entire apartments out for fewer than 30 days.
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Policy

April 27, 2017

First fleet of electric buses will be rolled out in NYC this year

By Devin Gannon

In recognition of Earth Week, Governor Cuomo announced a new pilot program to bring electric buses to New York City this year. The MTA board has approved to lease the first five electric buses, and the lease for the next five will be presented later this year. The program will cost $4 million for three-year leases, which includes six depot charging stations. A charging station will be located at the Grand Avenue Depot in Maspeth, where buses will charge overnight. The first leg of the pilot will also include one "en-route" charging station at the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza in Brooklyn, which will serve as the hub for nine routes.
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Transit

April 26, 2017

Uber hopes to bring flying taxis to NYC within five years

By Devin Gannon

The sky is the limit for the popular ride-hailing app, Uber. The company announced Tuesday that it intends to roll out a network of flying cars, or VTOLs (aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing) beginning in Dallas-Fort Worth and Dubai by 2020. And as reported by the NY Post, one of Uber’s partners, Blade helicopter service, aims to make New York City a target for its plan within five years. If so, these vehicles, which travel at 200 mph, could take passengers from Manhattan to JFK Airport in as little as five minutes.
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April 26, 2017

Hear the natural sounds that made up life in 17th century Manhattan (interactive)

By Devin Gannon

For most modern New Yorkers, it’s hard to imagine the city being anything more than a crowded, noisy, concrete jungle. However, with the website Unsung.NYC, users can now explore the natural sounds of Manhattan, present during the 1600s before European settlers arrived. As the Times reports, “Calling Thunder” lets listeners hear all the chirps, croaks, and laps of waves, all of which coincide with images from four main points in Manhattan—the Collect Pond Park, the High Line, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Inwood Hill Park.
learn more here

April 26, 2017

Apply for eight affordable units in the Bronx’s Crotona Park East, from $1,348/month

By Devin Gannon

Adding to the development boom in the South Bronx, eight newly constructed units are available to rent at 1417 Longfellow Avenue. Located in the Crotona Park East neighborhood, which was rezoned six years ago to allow more residential buildings in the former industrial area, the building contains 38 apartments that each are about 636-square units. New Yorkers who qualify can apply for four $1,348 one-bedrooms and four $1,521 two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 25, 2017

New bill would force landlords to disclose bedbug infestations

By Devin Gannon

Whether you want to know or not, NYC landlords may soon be required to tell you of any past or current bedbug infestations in your building when you sign or renew a lease. As reported by the NY Post, a new city council bill would force landlords to file infestation histories with the Department of Housing and Preservation Development and to either publicly post them in the buildings or distribute them to tenants. The agency would also require all histories to be posted on their website.
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Policy

April 25, 2017

Sale of Brooklyn Navy Yard air rights could fund the BQX streetcar

By Devin Gannon

Although Mayor de Blasio’s proposed BQX project, which would connect the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts via streetcar, received praise from many, finding money to fund it may be tougher than expected. Earlier this month, a leaked memo obtained by the Daily News laid out a tough assessment of the construction logistics and financial problems facing the project. And while the mayor admitted last week that his plan for the BQX to be self-funded through tax revenue from higher real estate values may not pan out, an article in Crain’s laid out an idea for the city to sell air rights in the Brooklyn Navy Yard neighborhood to raise money for the project.
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April 25, 2017

Score an affordable apartment near Yankee Stadium from $963/month

By Devin Gannon

Located just a few blocks from Yankee Stadium, this affordable housing project with a beautiful shared courtyard is truly unique, as it was developed on one of the last vacant city-owned lots. Applications are now being accepted for one- and two-bedroom rentals at 12 East Clarke Place and 27 East 169 Street in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, including $963/month one-bedrooms and $1,166/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 24, 2017

‘Beerdom’ map shows 19th century Lower East Siders drank more

By Devin Gannon

While today’s Lower East Side has no shortage of bars and clubs, New Yorkers of the late nineteenth century may have imbibed way more than current Big Apple dwellers. Slate shared this map drawn in 1885 and published in the Christian Union that details the number of bars per block in the neighborhood. Although the coinciding article described the social effects of LES drinking culture, overall the report found residents to be quite happy. It may have had something to do with the 346 saloons found in the area, compared to today’s mere 47 establishments.
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History

April 24, 2017

Before hitting the Harbor, NYC Ferry captains train with a boat simulator

By Devin Gannon

With the launch of the much-anticipated NYC Ferry quickly approaching, crews responsible for manning the boats continue to train in preparation. As amNY shares in a new video, before captains can operate the ferries, they must first master a digital simulation at SUNY Maritime in the Bronx. In a small room shaped like a ferry wheelhouse with wraparound screens that provide a 360-degree view of the New York Harbor, captains in training must steer past digital boat traffic and landmarks like the Statue of Liberty. Overseen by staff members from Hornblower Cruises, the simulator tests an applicant's decision-making skills, navigational abilities, and understanding of Coast Guard Regulations.
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Transit

7 chances to buy an affordable condo in the West Village’s posh 100 Barrow Street, from $90K

Photo via Field Condition

April 24, 2017

7 chances to buy an affordable condo in the West Village’s posh 100 Barrow Street, from $90K

By Devin Gannon

Beginning today, qualifying New Yorkers can apply to buy seven affordable condominiums at 100 Barrow Street in the West Village. The luxury residential building, developed by Toll Brothers City Living and designed by Barry Rice Architects, has 26 units total and sits at the corner of Barrow and Greenwich Streets. Market-rate apartments start at $4 million, but those available through the lottery range from a $90,000 studio to $170,000 two-bedrooms for individuals earning no more than 125 percent of the area median income.
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Affordable Housing

April 21, 2017

100-year-old New Jersey ‘castle’ with 58 rooms hits the market for $48M

By Devin Gannon

One of the most expensive residential listings in New Jersey recently hit the market at an asking price of $48 million. The 100-year-old, nearly 50,000-square-foot mansion sits on 12.5 acres in Mahwah with views of the Ramapo Mountains (h/t Wall Street Journal). The enormous house, originally built in 1907 by George Crocker, son of railroad tycoon Charles Crocker, was modeled after a Jacobean-style English castle and today boasts a 45-foot-tall organ, 29 bathrooms, 21 bedrooms, and two full kitchens, one equipped to serve an impressive 250 meals at a time.
See photos of the incredible mansion

April 21, 2017

Work to begin this spring on Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex

By Devin Gannon

This spring, the 650,000 commuters who travel through Penn Station daily may finally start to witness Governor Cuomo’s $1.6 billion plan to revamp what he called the “overcrowded, decrepit and claustrophobic” station into a more spacious and high-tech transit hub. As the Daily News reports, the first phase of the overall Moynihan Station Development Project will begin soon, extending Penn Station’s West End Concourse to reduce congestion. The second phase will transform the James A. Farley Post Office into the new Moynihan Train Hall, which will hold more than 112,000 square feet of retail and 588,000 square feet of office space, in addition to new ticketing and waiting areas for Amtrak and Long Island Railroad passengers.
More details right this way

April 21, 2017

For one week only, get an up-close view of Staten Island’s proposed aerial gondola

By Devin Gannon

While the city continues to develop ways to quicken commutes between Manhattan and the outer boroughs (like the soon-to-be-launched NYC Ferry), the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) has taken matters into their own hands and created an idea for an aerial gondola. Similar to the East River Skyway proposal, which would transport passengers across the East River to ease the inconvenience of the impending L train shutdown, the gondola would take commuters in the sky from the borough to Bayonne, NJ where they'd connect to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and ultimately the PATH. As WYNC learned, starting this week and for seven days only, the gondola will be touring Staten Island on the back of a flatbed truck to boost support from officials to fund the project.
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April 20, 2017

Affordable housing lotteries fail low-income residents and favor middle-income earners, says new report

By Devin Gannon

In every state and major city in the country, extremely low-income renters face a shortage of affordable housing. Although low-income applicants in New York City display a higher need for affordable housing, policies created by Mayor de Blasio and his administration continue to set aside more units for middle-income applicants. In a detailed report, City Limits analyzed affordable housing in Brooklyn and compared the need for affordable housing to the actual number of allotted low-income and middle-income units. For just one building, the tower at 535 Carlton, nearly 95,000 households entered the lottery for its “100 percent affordable” units. However, only 2,203 applicants were eligible for the 148 middle-income units, and over 67,000 households applied for the 90 low-income units. The data shows low-income households in search of affordable housing face much tougher odds than middle-income applicants.
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