All articles by Devin Gannon

These neighborhoods had the biggest rent drops since March

Fifth Avenue and East 75th Street; Photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr

September 28, 2020

These neighborhoods had the biggest rent drops since March

By Devin Gannon

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March, rental prices in Manhattan have dropped by 24 percent. While the market is slowly recovering on the island, with asking rent slightly up over the last month, new data from CityRealty shows which neighborhoods are still reeling from the state-mandated lockdown and overall financial impact of the health crisis. According to the report, the Manhattan neighborhoods that experienced the largest drop in rental prices between March and September include the Upper East Side, specifically part of the southern portion of Fifth Avenue from 59th to 79th Street, and Noho.
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‘Notorious RBG’ exhibit to open at New-York Historical Society next year

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Administers the Oath of Office to Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Associate Supreme Court Justice at the White House (1993); Courtesy of the National Archives

September 28, 2020

‘Notorious RBG’ exhibit to open at New-York Historical Society next year

By Devin Gannon

A special exhibit dedicated to Ruth Bader Ginsburg will open at the New-York Historical Society next fall. Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on view from October 1, 2021, to January 23, 2022, will include archival photos and documents, a robe from Ginsburg's Supreme Court dress, and three-dimensional "reimaginations" of significant places of her life, including her childhood home in Midwood, Brooklyn. Ginsburg passed away at her home in D.C. on September 18.
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Events & Things To Do

Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

Photos courtesy of the Bronx Brewery

September 25, 2020

Bronx Brewery taps inventive empanada food lab as first full-time food partner

By Devin Gannon

Two South Bronx businesses are teaming up to bring New Yorkers a unique new culinary experience. The Bronx Brewery announced a deal last week to make Empanology a full-time food partner at the bar's spacious backyard. The partnership involves some tasty collaborations, including a BBQ sauce that incorporates the brewery's "World Gone Hazy" IPA and other limited-edition menu items.
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Food & Dining

NYC outdoor dining will be year-round and permanent

St. Marks Place outdoor dining; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

September 25, 2020

NYC outdoor dining will be year-round and permanent

By Devin Gannon

Outdoor dining will be a permanent, year-round feature for New York City restaurants, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The city's popular "Open Restaurants" program, which launched in June and allows restaurants to set up outdoor seating on sidewalks, patios, and on some streets closed to cars on weekends, was set to expire on October 31. During his weekly appearance on WNYC's The Brian Lehrer Show, de Blasio said the program will be "part of the life of the city for years to come." The "Open Streets: Restaurants" program, which has closed roughly 87 streets to traffic for car-free dining on weekends, will also be made permanent, the mayor said.
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Empire State Building’s Art Deco spire returns in all its glory after restoration

Progress of the restoration; Courtesy of the Empire State Realty Trust

September 25, 2020

Empire State Building’s Art Deco spire returns in all its glory after restoration

By Devin Gannon

What's old is new again. The iconic spire of the Empire State Building has returned to its original 1931 silhouette following a year-long restoration. The Empire State Realty Trust removed a network of archaic antennas and other unnecessary material found between floors 88 and 103 from the mooring mast, providing an obstacle-free look at the skyscraper's unique 200-foot Art Deco pinnacle.
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Architecture And Design

NYC opens new lab that will process COVID-19 tests within 48 hours

Image: Matt Monath Photography

September 24, 2020

NYC opens new lab that will process COVID-19 tests within 48 hours

By Devin Gannon

A lab dedicated to processing New York City coronavirus tests within 24 to 48 hours officially opened on Thursday. The "Pandemic Response Lab" is located in the Alexandria Center for Life Science on First Avenue and East 29th Street in Manhattan. The lab, led by the city's Economic Development Corporation and run by robotics company Openetrons, will expand testing capacity citywide while also providing a quicker turnaround time to get results from samples collected at NYC Health + Hospitals sites.
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Policy

John Lennon’s former ‘Lost Weekend’ penthouse in Manhattan asks $5.5M

Photo Credit: James Smolka/ Brown Harris Stevens

September 24, 2020

John Lennon’s former ‘Lost Weekend’ penthouse in Manhattan asks $5.5M

By Devin Gannon

One of New York City's most storied apartments has just hit the market. John Lennon's former penthouse at 434 East 52nd Street, where he briefly lived with his mistress May Pang during the 1970s and famously spotted a UFO, is asking $5.5 million. The 4,000-square-foot triplex in the Southgate co-op, located where Sutton Place, Beekman, and Midtown East meet, was also where the iconic photos of Lennon wearing a tank top that said "New York City" were taken.
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10 NYC apartments you can buy for under $600K

September 24, 2020

10 NYC apartments you can buy for under $600K

By Devin Gannon

For roughly $600,000, would you prefer a two-bedroom in a pre-war building located across from a park in south Brooklyn or a studio on a high floor of a Park Avenue co-op in Murray Hill? A recently renovated studio in Lincoln Square with Central Park views or a two-bedroom corner unit in Bay Ridge? Whether you're prioritizing square footage over location or green space access over public transit options, you'll be able to find a home in New York City that meets your specific needs, thanks to record-high inventory. Ahead, we've rounded up 10 apartments across the city now on the market for under $600,000.
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Distinctive Homes

Industry City developers withdraw rezoning application

Photo by Steven Pisano on Flickr

September 23, 2020

Industry City developers withdraw rezoning application

By Devin Gannon

Plans to rezone Industry City in Sunset Park are dead after developers behind the project decided to withdraw their application on Tuesday. As Politico New York first reported, the decision to pull out of the plan, first proposed six years ago, comes as developers were unable to convince Brooklyn residents and officials, particularly Council Member Carlos Menchaca, the local representative, to support the rezoning efforts. Supporters of the rezoning said it would have brought thousands of new jobs to the city, which currently is seeing an unemployment rate of about 20 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Policy

New COVID-19 clusters found in South Brooklyn and Queens, where virus cases have tripled

Borough Park, Brooklyn; Photo via Wikimedia

September 23, 2020

New COVID-19 clusters found in South Brooklyn and Queens, where virus cases have tripled

By Devin Gannon

Urgent action is required in four areas across Brooklyn and Queens where there has been a serious uptick of positive coronavirus cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday. The city's Health Department identified a new cluster in Midwood, Borough Park, and Bensonhurst, which officials are calling the Ocean Parkway Cluster, after the avenue that connects the neighborhoods. Health officials have also found an increase in cases in Edgemere-Far Rockaway, Williamsburg, and Kew Gardens. The new cases account for 20 percent of all cases citywide as of September 19.
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Policy

Popular Articles

New York pol calls on Cuomo to reopen comedy clubs

Photo by ajay_suresh on Flickr

September 22, 2020

New York pol calls on Cuomo to reopen comedy clubs

By Devin Gannon

New York gyms, malls, museums, and restaurants, have all been given the green light from officials to reopen. Why not comedy clubs? State Sen. Michael Gianaris is proposing new measures that would allow comedy venues to immediately reopen under the same coronavirus restriction placed on other indoor activities, which would include a 25 percent capacity limit. "I challenge anyone to explain why comedy clubs would be less safe to operate than restaurants or bowling alleys," Gianaris, who represents parts of Queens, told the New York Post.
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101st-floor restaurant at 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining next month

Photo by Charissa Fay

September 22, 2020

101st-floor restaurant at 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining next month

By Devin Gannon

The restaurant on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards will reopen for indoor dining on October 6. Peak, which first opened to the public in March and then closed later that month because of the coronavirus pandemic, has again started taking reservations for its massive 10,000-square-foot dining room, which sits one floor above Edge, the 1,100-foot-high outdoor sky deck. The restaurant said it will not take any parties larger than 10 guests and will not accept cash payments.
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Food & Dining

In Union Square, a massive ‘climate clock’ counts down to Earth’s deadline

Photo by Zack Winestine

September 21, 2020

In Union Square, a massive ‘climate clock’ counts down to Earth’s deadline

By Devin Gannon

The massive electronic clock in Union Square that has puzzled New Yorkers for over two decades has been repurposed as a count down to climate disaster. Created by Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, the "Climate Clock" displays the years, days, hours, minutes, and seconds the world has left to make significant changes before the effects of global warming become permanent. The new installation comes as Climate Week NYC kicks off this week, alongside the United Nations General Assembly.
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Uncategorized

Huge hound sculptures made of recycled materials take over Midtown

Photos by Alexandre Ayer/Diversity Pictures for the Garment District Alliance

September 21, 2020

Huge hound sculptures made of recycled materials take over Midtown

By Devin Gannon

Over-sized sculptures of dogs have been installed along Broadway in Midtown's Garment District. Created by artist Will Kurtz, the gigantic public art exhibit "Doggy Bags," features six sculptures of different breeds of dogs, all made out of recycled single-use materials, like plastic bags. The exhibit, which can be found between 38th and 40th Streets, will be on display through November 20.
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Events & Things To Do

New York will construct a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her native Brooklyn

Ruth Bader Ginsburg at her confirmation hearing / R. Michael Jenkins, Congressional Quarterly. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

September 21, 2020

New York will construct a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her native Brooklyn

By Devin Gannon

United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be recognized with a statue in her hometown of Brooklyn, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday, just one day after the death of the trailblazing icon. Born in 1933 to Russian-Jewish immigrants and raised in a clapboard house on East 9th Street in Midwood, Ginsburg attended the city's public schools and later Cornell and Columbia Universities. In 1993, Ginsburg, who fought for gender equality her entire career, became the second woman to ever serve as a justice on the Supreme Court.
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Uncategorized

In Westchester, a historic bank building is now a $1.9M contemporary home

Photos by Rob Shaw, RHS Photography

September 18, 2020

In Westchester, a historic bank building is now a $1.9M contemporary home

By Devin Gannon

A unique industrial loft in a former 20th-century bank building has hit the market in the Westchester village of Dobbs Ferry. The home, where "Tribeca meets Main Street USA," as the listing describes, was formerly the Greensburgh Savings Bank and has been converted into a one-of-a-kind townhouse. Asking $1.899 million, the four-bedroom home at 81 Main Street measures over 6,300 square feet, has a private backyard, and features remnants of its past life, like a bank vault and super tall ceilings.
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Distinctive Homes

35 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new East Williamsburg rental, from $924/month

Photo by Korye Logan on Flickr

September 18, 2020

35 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new East Williamsburg rental, from $924/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for 35 mixed-income apartments at a new apartment building in East Williamsburg. Located at 222 Johnson Avenue, the seven-story rental is located just one block from the L train and is surrounded by some of Brooklyn's best restaurants and entertainment venues. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 125, 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $924/month studios to $2,876/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

See the ambitious proposal for a climate change research center on Governors Island

Rendering of the western promenade; Credit: WXY architecture + urban design/bloomimages

September 17, 2020

See the ambitious proposal for a climate change research center on Governors Island

By Devin Gannon

Plans to bring a climate change research center on Governors Island are moving ahead. The Trust for Governors Island on Thursday unveiled a proposal for a new research center that would be dedicated to studying the impacts of climate change and serve as a platform for environmental justice organizations and solutions-based public programs. The project involves rezoning the southern end of the island to make space for up to about 4 million square feet of development. The rezoning proposal is expected to enter the city's formal public land-use review process next month.
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Architecture And Design

NYC delays in-person learning at public schools again

Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza tour New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn to observe the school’s PPE delivery and reopening preparations; Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 17, 2020

NYC delays in-person learning at public schools again

By Devin Gannon

New York City schools will no longer open in-person instruction for most students on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. Just four days before city school buildings were set to physically reopen for students, the mayor delayed in-person learning for the second time after complaints from school staff over safety and staffing. In-person instruction will now start in phases, with preschool students starting on Monday, K-8th grade students on September 29, and high school and some middle-school students on October 1.
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Policy

NYC restaurants can charge diners an extra 10 percent fee during COVID-19 pandemic

Photo by 6sqft

September 17, 2020

NYC restaurants can charge diners an extra 10 percent fee during COVID-19 pandemic

By Devin Gannon

Restaurants in New York City can charge diners a fee of up to 10 percent of the total bill for in-person dining under new legislation passed by the City Council on Wednesday. The "COVID-19 Recovery Charge" aims to offset losses businesses have suffered since the start of the health crisis in March. The surcharge will be permitted until 90 days after full indoor dining resumes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo this month said indoor dining can reopen on September 30 at 25 percent capacity.
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‘Ode to NYC’ poster campaign spreads love across the five boroughs with heartfelt artwork

New York Forever poster designed by Giona Maiarelli; Pizza poster designed by Dr. Crol Bentel

September 16, 2020

‘Ode to NYC’ poster campaign spreads love across the five boroughs with heartfelt artwork

By Devin Gannon

A new citywide poster campaign will launch next month as a tribute to New York City in response to one of the most challenging times in its history. NYCxDesign this week announced the "An Ode to NYC" campaign, a collection of posters designed by local artists that reflect their love for New York. The original artwork will be on display in design showrooms, restaurants, retail stores, and iconic spots across the five boroughs, including the Oculus at the World Trade Center.
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Morris Adjmi’s mixed-use towers top out in Dumbo

Rendering by Williams New York

September 16, 2020

Morris Adjmi’s mixed-use towers top out in Dumbo

By Devin Gannon

Architect Morris Adjmi's latest residential project officially topped out in Dumbo last month. A former parking lot, 85 Jay Street is now home to two sleek 21-story towers comprised of residential units and space for retail. Dubbed Front & York, the complex will bring a mix of 728 condo and rental units to a full block in the neighborhood when it opens next year, making it one of the largest developments in Dumbo. Current availability for the condos ranges from a one-bedroom for $965,000 to a four-bedroom penthouse for $7.85 million.
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New York Botanical Garden’s landmarked glass conservatory reopens after $18M restoration

Photo courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden

September 15, 2020

New York Botanical Garden’s landmarked glass conservatory reopens after $18M restoration

By Devin Gannon

The palm dome of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden reopened on Monday after an $18 million restoration project. Constructed by Lord & Burnham from 1899 to 1902, the stunning glass greenhouse features 11 galleries with plants from around the world, including the garden's Palms of the World gallery. The Haupt Conservancy, which has been closed since March 15 because of the coronavirus pandemic, will reopen to the public at limited capacity on September 22.
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Architecture And Design

NY Botanical Garden and Douglaston reach deal on ground leases at Bronx affordable housing project

Courtesy of Douglaston Development

September 14, 2020

NY Botanical Garden and Douglaston reach deal on ground leases at Bronx affordable housing project

By Devin Gannon

Plans to bring hundreds of new affordable apartments for seniors and low-income families in the Bronx are moving forward. The New York Botanical Garden and Douglaston Development this week closed on two separate 99-year ground leases at 2856 Webster Avenue and 410 Bedford Park Boulevard, which will hold a two-building, 100 percent affordable development. Located just a block from the Botanical Garden, the project includes a new 12,000-square-foot Cherry Valley Marketplace store on the ground floor. The existing Cherry Valley grocery store, located at the site of the project, will remain open throughout construction.
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Affordable Housing

87 streets in NYC are now car-free outdoor dining destinations

Rockwell Group’s DineOut NYC in Manhattan’s Chinatown; Photo courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group

September 14, 2020

87 streets in NYC are now car-free outdoor dining destinations

By Devin Gannon

Even as the city prepares to resume indoor dining this month, more restaurants will be able to take advantage of the program that allows expanded street and sidewalk seating. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week seven new locations for outdoor dining on open streets across the five boroughs, bringing the total to 87 streets and nine pedestrian plazas designated for restaurant use on weekends. The latest batch of outdoor dining streets will be overseen by a number of neighborhood restaurants, including Gertie's in Williamsburg, Kheo-Yo in Tribeca, Ray's Bar on the Lower East Side, and others.
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Food & Dining

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