All articles by Devin Gannon

Photograph by Ximena Exhague, @ximena_exhague

July 30, 2020

Powerful photos show the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of New Yorkers

The Museum of the City of New York will reopen on Saturday with a stunning new outdoor installation. The first phase of the museum's New York Responds project includes a photo exhibit depicting life in New York City in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests that kicked off in May and continue today. On view starting August 1, the powerful photographs have been installed at the Upper East Side museum's terrace and balustrade.
See it here

Events & Things To Do

‘No end in sight’: How NYC is dealing with the growing hunger crisis

City Harvest driver Ramon Vargas, July 17, 2020, in New York. Photo by Jason DeCrow for City Harvest

July 30, 2020

‘No end in sight’: How NYC is dealing with the growing hunger crisis

By Devin Gannon

While the spread of the coronavirus in New York is waning, another crisis shows no signs of slowing. The number of people experiencing food insecurity in New York City continues to grow, with a projected increase of 38 percent this year compared to 2018. In response, nonprofits like City Harvest, the city's largest food rescue organization, have tremendously scaled up their operations to meet demand. The group has rescued more than 42 million pounds of food since March, a 92 percent increase from the same period last year.
Learn more

Policy

Chinatown’s historic Mott Street is transformed into an outdoor dining oasis

All photos courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group

July 30, 2020

Chinatown’s historic Mott Street is transformed into an outdoor dining oasis

By Devin Gannon

Chinatown's Mott Street got a colorful upgrade on Wednesday with a block-long outdoor installation designed by architect David Rockwell. His firm, Rockwell Group, launched DineOut NYC earlier this summer to help New York City restaurants safely open outside by providing design templates for creative ways to use sidewalk and street space. Mott Street, now closed to cars between Mosco and Worth Streets, serves as the program's first community-wide dining area, with multiple restaurants on the strip using the facilities.
More here

July 29, 2020

This map explores NYC’s 19,000 acres of natural park land

By Devin Gannon

Contradictory to its "concrete jungle" nickname, New York City is home to over 19,000 acres of natural areas, consisting of forest, salt marsh, freshwater wetland, and streams. A new map from the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) highlights the location, size, and condition of natural resources throughout the five boroughs, while comparing the percentage of green space among neighborhoods, parks, and City Council districts. When the coronavirus pandemic hit the city, New Yorkers explored more wild parts of city parks as a way to get fresh air and maintain a safe distance from others. But according to the Conservancy, the increase in visitors is putting additional strain on park management, at a time when budgets across the country are being slashed because of COVID-19.
More here

City Living

235 chances to live in a luxury waterfront rental in Greenpoint, from $2,370/month

Courtesy of QuallsBenson

July 29, 2020

235 chances to live in a luxury waterfront rental in Greenpoint, from $2,370/month

By Devin Gannon

Two newly-constructed waterfront towers in Greenpoint are now accepting applications for rent-stabilized "affordable" apartments. A lottery is set to launch for 235 middle-income apartments at One Blue Slip and Two Blue Slip, a pair of luxury towers designed by Handel Architects that are part of Greenpoint Landing, a master plan developing 22 acres of the Brooklyn neighborhood. Households with combined annual incomes of between $81,258 and $183,300 can apply for the available units, including $2,370/month studios, $2,542/month one-bedrooms, $3,063/month two-bedrooms, and $3,530/month three-bedrooms. Qualified New Yorkers can submit one application for each building.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

These are the 10 library books New Yorkers checked out most during the shutdown

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

July 28, 2020

These are the 10 library books New Yorkers checked out most during the shutdown

By Devin Gannon

New York Public Library patrons kept busy during the citywide shutdown by reading lots of books. According to the library, since the temporary closure of all of its branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and on Staten Island on March 16, there were over two million checkouts of e-books. Plus, 65,000 new users signed up for the SimplyE, the library's free e-reader app. Now with some of the city's public libraries reopened, the NYPL released on Monday a list of the most checked out e-books during the lockdown, with Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism taking the top spot.
More this way

City Living

Electric moped service Revel shuts down in NYC after two deaths

Photo courtesy of Revel

July 28, 2020

Electric moped service Revel shuts down in NYC after two deaths

By Devin Gannon

Electric moped company Revel is suspending service in New York City after two riders died within two weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday. A 32-year-old man was killed in Queens early Tuesday morning after crashing the scooter into a light pole. CBS New York reporter Nina Kapur died earlier this month after being thrown off the Revel moped onto the street in Greenpoint. "Revel has made the decision to shut down their service for the time being and that is the right thing to do," the mayor said during a press briefing. "No one should be running a business that is not safe. Unfortunately, this has been proven to be not safe."
More here

NYC might get a COVID-19 memorial on Hart Island

Photo by David Trawin on Flickr

July 28, 2020

NYC might get a COVID-19 memorial on Hart Island

By Devin Gannon

A New York City elected official wants to create a memorial on Hart Island dedicated to those who died from the coronavirus. City Council Member Mark Levine is set to introduce on a bill on Tuesday that would create a task force to develop a way to honor the hundreds of COVID-19 victims buried on the Island, which has served as the final resting place for poor and unclaimed New Yorkers since the Civil War.
More here

Policy

New looks and name for Islanders’ home venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park

All renderings courtesy of UBS

July 28, 2020

New looks and name for Islanders’ home venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park

By Devin Gannon

The future home for the New York Islanders hockey team has a name. Wealth management service UBS last week secured a 20-year naming rights agreement for the new sports and entertainment venue in Nassau County. The UBS Arena at Belmont Park is expected to open for the Islanders' 2021-2022 season, with the team returning to Long Island after playing home games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn since 2015.
See it here

Real Estate Trends

NYC pol calls for rent relief, permanent outdoor dining, and other small business-saving measures

Gem Spa in the East Village permanently closed in May; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

July 27, 2020

NYC pol calls for rent relief, permanent outdoor dining, and other small business-saving measures

By Devin Gannon

Small businesses in New York City are struggling to stay afloat, especially those still unable to reopen because of the coronavirus pandemic. A survey from the Hospitality Alliance found that only 19 percent of city businesses paid June rent and only 26 percent of landlords waived rent. Council Member Keith Powers on Monday released a report detailing ways to save small businesses and prepare for a post-COVID-19 world by providing emergency rent relief using federal funds, waiving the commercial rent tax, making outdoor dining permanent, and other measures.
More here

Policy

New York suspends liquor licenses of six NYC bars in violation of COVID-19 regulations

By Devin Gannon

Six more bars and restaurants in New York City temporarily lost their liquor license last week for violating social distancing regulations. Following a statewide compliance check between July 21 and July 23, the State Liquor Authority found violations at 84 establishments and suspended the liquor licenses of 10 bars, of which six were in the five boroughs, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday. Over the weekend, an additional 105 violations were issued to bars and restaurants, the governor said on Sunday.
Find out more

De Blasio adds ‘play streets’ to some car-free blocks, but cuts nearly 3 miles from the program

Photo courtesy of city’s Department of Transportation on Flickr

July 24, 2020

De Blasio adds ‘play streets’ to some car-free blocks, but cuts nearly 3 miles from the program

By Devin Gannon

While the city is adding just under two miles of open streets to its roster of car-free blocks, nearly three miles will be removed from the program. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday announced 1.72 miles of open streets across the five boroughs, as well as a new initiative called "Play Streets," which will offer families a number of contactless activities, sports, and arts and crafts on 12 streets currently closed to cars. However, the mayor failed to mention during the press briefing that 2.77 miles will be cut from the program and returned to normal vehicle traffic at "underused locations."
Find out more

Inwood rezoning plan can move forward, appeals court rules

Photo of Inwood Hill Park by Dana on Flickr

July 24, 2020

Inwood rezoning plan can move forward, appeals court rules

By Devin Gannon

The plan to rezone Inwood can move forward, a state appeals court ruled on Thursday. The decision comes after a judge in December overturned the land-use changes approved by the City Council in 2018 to rezone 59 blocks of the northern Manhattan neighborhood. But in their decision, the appellate court said the City Council "acted properly and consistently" with review procedures.
Find out more

Policy

Return of 24/7 subway service in NYC would be required under new legislation

Photo: Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

July 23, 2020

Return of 24/7 subway service in NYC would be required under new legislation

By Devin Gannon

In May, for the first time in its history, the New York City subway system shut down overnight as part of a nightly disinfection plan to kill traces of the coronavirus on trains and buses. To ensure the subway resumes 24/7 service, seen as an integral part of the city that never sleeps' DNA, the State Senate on Thursday passed legislation that would require nonstop subway service when a state of emergency is not in effect.
Learn more

NJ yoga, pilates, and martial arts studios can reopen for indoor classes

A yoga class at Pier A in Hoboken courtesy of the City of Hoboken

July 23, 2020

NJ yoga, pilates, and martial arts studios can reopen for indoor classes

By Devin Gannon

Some fitness studios in New Jersey can resume indoor classes at limited capacity, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Wednesday. The governor clarified an executive order issued this week that allowed for outdoor control drills and practices to resume for "high-risk" organized sports, including football, cheerleading, wrestling, and others.
More here

Policy

Susan Sarandon lists massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9M

Photos: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 22, 2020

Susan Sarandon lists massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9M

By Devin Gannon

The dramatic Chelsea duplex owned by actress Susan Sarandon for nearly 30 years has hit the market for $7.9 million. Located at 147 West 15th Street within the luxury co-op building La Fabrique, the massive 6,000-square-foot apartment boasts a flexible layout with six bedrooms, four exposures, and a gallery foyer on the eighth floor. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Academy Award winner, a native of Queens, said she plans to downsize to a smaller pad nearby and has no intention of leaving the city. "I’ve always been a New Yorker and I’ll continue to be a New Yorker," Sarandon said.
Take the tour

No reopening plans for NJ’s American Dream mall as tenants flee and owner skips mortgage payments

Rendering courtesy of Triple Five Group

July 22, 2020

No reopening plans for NJ’s American Dream mall as tenants flee and owner skips mortgage payments

By Devin Gannon

After nearly two decades of construction delays, New Jersey's mega-mall American Dream partially opened last October. Six months later, the three-million-square-foot venue was forced to close its doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, even as the state continues its gradual reopening, there is still no reopening date for the $5 billion mall. As NJ.com reported, owner Triple Five Group has missed three consecutive mortgage payments and retail tenants are getting out of their leases at the space.
Find out more

New Developments

July 22, 2020

10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining

By Devin Gannon

Since Mayor Bill de Blasio rolled out the open restaurants program last month, allowing eateries to serve diners on sidewalks and in adjacent parking spots, over 9,000 eateries have reopened for outdoor dining. Offering another lifeline to the struggling industry, especially now that indoor dining has been postponed indefinitely, the city has also closed more than 40 blocks to traffic for its weekend-only open streets dining program, overseen by community organizations and neighborhood Business Improvement Districts. With so many al fresco dining options available, we're rounding up the most iconic New York City streets and establishments now open for outdoor dining, from the most photographed block in Brooklyn and New York's oldest bar in Queens to open-air plazas with views of city landmarks.
More this way

Food & Dining

Field of sunflowers exhibit takes over Four Freedoms Park to honor 100 years of women’s suffrage

Courtesy of FDR Four Freedoms Park Conservancy

July 21, 2020

Field of sunflowers exhibit takes over Four Freedoms Park to honor 100 years of women’s suffrage

By Devin Gannon

A massive field of sunflowers has been installed at the monumental staircase at FDR Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island. The park's new exhibit, which was created together with the New-York Historical Society and the League of Women Voters, comes ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment's ratification and aims to symbolize the continued push for full equality today. The installation measures 12 feet by 100 feet and features text from the amendment, which was ratified on August 18, 1920: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."
More this way

Events & Things To Do

July 20, 2020

NYC’s latest Whole Foods store opens at new Hudson Yards development

By Devin Gannon

New York City's newest Whole Foods Market opened in Hudson Yards on Friday, becoming the grocery store chain's 14th Big Apple location. Located at 450 West 33rd Street, the market sits on the ground level of 5 Manhattan West, a 15-story office tower that is part of the six-building complex Manhattan West. The new Whole Foods measures more than 60,200 square feet and features a number of local vendors, like Threes Brewing, Café Grumpy, and Beecher's Handmade Cheese, as well as a spacious set up for outdoor dining.
Details here

Uncategorized

July 17, 2020

322-unit affordable complex with healthcare center and courtyard planned for East Flatbush

By Devin Gannon

Another proposal has been chosen for a new affordable development in East Flatbush as part of the state's effort to revitalize neighborhoods in Central Brooklyn. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced plans for a 322-unit complex called "Utica Crescent" that will be constructed on a lot next to the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. The project is part of the $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative that will ultimately bring 4,000 units of affordable housing, improved health and wellness options, jobs, and additional open space to underserved Brooklyn neighborhoods.
More here

1,500 maps showing 450 years of development in Brooklyn now available online

Created by the Olmsted and Vaux firm, this map shows the original plans for Prospect Park, as well as the historic reservoir at Grand Army Plaza (1871)

July 17, 2020

1,500 maps showing 450 years of development in Brooklyn now available online

By Devin Gannon

The Center for Brooklyn History, a collaboration between the Brooklyn Historical Society and the Brooklyn Public Library, launched a user-friendly online portal that contains the institution's collection of nearly 1,500 maps of Brooklyn dating back to 1562. While researchers will no doubt appreciate the new accessibility to the unique maps, the tool is also a fun way for all residents of the borough to explore the evolution of their neighborhood over the last four centuries. From rare Revolutionary War maps and original plans for Prospect Park to a subway map detailing how to get to Ebbets Field, the maps span more than 450 years and include transit maps, cultural maps, survey charts, and more.
More this way

History

July 16, 2020

During the pandemic’s peak, low-income New Yorkers lacked access to quality green space

By Devin Gannon

Parks and public green space proved to be a lifeline for New Yorkers during the peak of the pandemic, for both their physical and mental wellbeings. But not all parks are created equal, as reports from the city's Independent Budget Office and the Trust for Public Land found. In many low-income and minority neighborhoods, where cases and rates of death from COVID-19 were experienced disproportionately, residents lacked access to quality green space, especially when space like playgrounds and basketball courts, closed for nearly three months.
Find out more

Policy

July 16, 2020

The highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere is set to reopen at Hudson Yards

By Devin Gannon

Edge, the 1,100-foot-tall outdoor observation deck at Hudson Yards, is expected to reopen next week with safety precautions taken to "new heights." The sky-high deck first opened to the public on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards in March, only to close two days later because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, as New York City prepares to enter phase four of reopening, Related Companies says visitors could start experiencing Edge as soon as July 20, with new timed-entry tickets and public health measures created in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System.
What you need to know

City Living

All articles by Devin Gannon

Powerful photos show the COVID-19 crisis through the eyes of New Yorkers

‘No end in sight’: How NYC is dealing with the growing hunger crisis

Chinatown’s historic Mott Street is transformed into an outdoor dining oasis

This map explores NYC’s 19,000 acres of natural park land

235 chances to live in a luxury waterfront rental in Greenpoint, from $2,370/month

These are the 10 library books New Yorkers checked out most during the shutdown

Electric moped service Revel shuts down in NYC after two deaths

NYC might get a COVID-19 memorial on Hart Island

New looks and name for Islanders’ home venue, UBS Arena at Belmont Park

NYC pol calls for rent relief, permanent outdoor dining, and other small business-saving measures

New York suspends liquor licenses of six NYC bars in violation of COVID-19 regulations

De Blasio adds ‘play streets’ to some car-free blocks, but cuts nearly 3 miles from the program

Inwood rezoning plan can move forward, appeals court rules

Return of 24/7 subway service in NYC would be required under new legislation

For $20.5M, West Village townhouse meets suburban mansion behind a historic facade

NJ yoga, pilates, and martial arts studios can reopen for indoor classes

Susan Sarandon lists massive Chelsea duplex for $7.9M

No reopening plans for NJ’s American Dream mall as tenants flee and owner skips mortgage payments

10 iconic streets and spots in NYC open for outdoor dining

Field of sunflowers exhibit takes over Four Freedoms Park to honor 100 years of women’s suffrage

NYC’s latest Whole Foods store opens at new Hudson Yards development

322-unit affordable complex with healthcare center and courtyard planned for East Flatbush

1,500 maps showing 450 years of development in Brooklyn now available online

During the pandemic’s peak, low-income New Yorkers lacked access to quality green space

The highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere is set to reopen at Hudson Yards

201 East 74th Street in Lenox Hill

All articles by Devin Gannon

Pitch a Story

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Distinctive Post Form

Get in Touch

Send us a Tip

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Thinking about selling your home?

Sell a Home (Footer)

Before You Move On from this Page.

Your Daily Doseof NYC Life!

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Your Daily Dose
of NYC Life!