All articles by Devin Gannon

800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

Day one at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave Station; Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 10, 2020

800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

By Devin Gannon

On Monday, the first day of New York City's phase one reopening, more than 800,000 straphangers rode the subway. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, June 8 became the highest ridership day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The agency said ridership was up during afternoon peak hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Manhattan seeing a 20 percent increase in ridership from the week prior. However, this is still just 15 percent of regular ridership compared to last year.
Details here

Transit

Harlem’s Schomburg Center releases list of books that celebrate and explore the black experience

Book cover photos courtesy of NYPL

June 9, 2020

Harlem’s Schomburg Center releases list of books that celebrate and explore the black experience

By Devin Gannon

As the Black Lives Matter movement continues to grow across the country, take this opportunity to learn more about the experience of black Americans. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture on Tuesday released a list of 95 books that foster a greater understanding of black history and culture. The Black Liberation Reading List was curated by Schomburg staff and focuses on works by black writers and scholars.
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City Living

One Manhattan Square offers COVID-19 discount up to 20 percent on luxury units

Courtesy of Extell Marketing Group/One Manhattan Square

June 9, 2020

One Manhattan Square offers COVID-19 discount up to 20 percent on luxury units

By Devin Gannon

Not only is One Manhattan Square one of the last residential buildings in New York City able to entice buyers with a 421-a tax abatement, but the Lower East Side high-rise is also currently offering major discounts on its luxury apartments. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Extell Development announced last month discounts of up to 20 percent on all remaining units at the 800-foot-tall condominium.
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Here are the NYC museums and theaters opening their lobbies to help protestors

Photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr

June 8, 2020

Here are the NYC museums and theaters opening their lobbies to help protestors

By Devin Gannon

Although cultural institutions in New York City remain closed to the public because of the coronavirus, some are opening their lobbies to provide Black Lives Matter protestors a safe space, a restroom, snacks and water, WiFi, face masks, or just a place to recharge. The social media account "Open Your Lobby" launched last week on Twitter and Instagram to track the museums and theaters that are repurposing their space in support of protesters. According to the organizers, there are more than 70 organizations participating nationwide, with more than two dozen in New York City alone.
See the list

NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

14th Street Busway; Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 8, 2020

NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

By Devin Gannon

The busway on 14th Street in Manhattan will be made permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. The car-free strip of the street, which runs between 3rd and 9th Avenues, launched as part of a pilot program last October. The mayor called the busway, which has proven popular with riders, a "success by every measure." De Blasio also announced the phased-in addition of five new busways and 16.5 miles of bus lanes, which are meant to alleviate crowding for commuters as the city begins the reopening process.
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Transit

69 affordable senior apartments available near Shirley Chisholm State Park in East New York

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

June 8, 2020

69 affordable senior apartments available near Shirley Chisholm State Park in East New York

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery launched on Monday for 69 affordable apartments for seniors in the Spring Creek section of East New York in Brooklyn. The building at 10 Schroeder's Walk sits within the Fountains Development, an eight-building mixed-use complex currently under construction. The new Shirley Chisholm State Park and the Gateway Plaza Mall, which includes many restaurants and department stores, are located nearby. Applicants must be–or have at least one household member who is– 62 years of age or older and earn $45, 500 or less annually. Those who qualify will pay 30 percent of their income for the available one-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC to launch new mobile COVID-19 testing program

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 5, 2020

NYC to launch new mobile COVID-19 testing program

By Devin Gannon

Getting tested for the coronavirus in New York City is about to get easier. Starting next week, the city will launch a mobile testing program that will bring testing "trucks" to different neighborhoods, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The news comes after the city expanded free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers, a part of the Test and Trace Corps that kicked off this week ahead of the city's phase one reopening on Monday.
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Policy

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 5, 2020

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

By Devin Gannon

With up to 400,000 New Yorkers expected to return to the workforce under the city's phase one reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to add 60 miles of dedicated bus lanes to alleviate crowding. In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sarah Feinberg, interim president of NYC Transit, wrote a "robust bus system will be crucial" for the city's rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
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MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

Photo: Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

June 4, 2020

MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

By Devin Gannon

As the city prepares to enter phase one of reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released this week its plan to return to "regular" service, which no longer means 24-hour service. Subways and buses will run more frequently starting next week, but the subway system will still shut down between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for nightly disinfection. Mayor Bill de Blasio this week also released a plan for transit that calls for capacity limits and blocking off every other seat. But the MTA called the mayor's idea "utterly unworkable" and said his proposed capacity limits would allow the agency to serve just 8 percent of riders.
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20 mixed-income apartments available at new Downtown Brooklyn tower, from $690/month

Photo of 1 Flatbush Avenue courtesy of Alexander Severin

June 4, 2020

20 mixed-income apartments available at new Downtown Brooklyn tower, from $690/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for 20 mixed-income apartments at a new Brooklyn high rise. The 19-story tower located at 1 Flatbush Avenue sits between Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene, conveniently located near a dozen subway lines, major shopping thoroughfares, and entertainment venues like the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. New Yorkers earning 40 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $690/month studio to a $3,063/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Popular Articles

NYC expands free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan on May 19, 2020. Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

June 3, 2020

NYC expands free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

All New Yorkers will now be able to get tested for the coronavirus for free, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. The universal testing is part of the city's Test and Trace Corps program, which launched on Monday and remains a critical component of the city's reopening, expected to start on June 8. There are about 150 testing sites across the five boroughs, with the ability to test 20,000 people total each day.
Find a testing site near you

Policy

A giant mural memorializes NYC doctor who died from COVID-19

GreenPoint Innovations / Eduardo Amorim for Gerada Art

June 3, 2020

A giant mural memorializes NYC doctor who died from COVID-19

By Devin Gannon

A massive art mural that honors a New York City doctor who died from the coronavirus has taken over a parking lot in Queens. Spray-painted by Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada, the land art, titled "Somos La Luz" depicts Dr. Ydelfonso Decoo, a Dominican immigrant who lived in Washington Heights and skipped retirement to treat patients during the pandemic. The project also aims to memorialize all front line employees in New York City, particularly Hispanic and African American workers who continue to face disproportionate rates of infection and death caused by the virus.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC will have 8 p.m. curfew until Sunday with no traffic south of 96th Street

Photo of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in 2016 by Nicole Baster on Unsplash

June 2, 2020

NYC will have 8 p.m. curfew until Sunday with no traffic south of 96th Street

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio extended the citywide curfew to Sunday and said it will start three hours earlier at 8 p.m. following a night of looting. The mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday jointly announced an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and an increase of police enforcement following a weekend of protests. The NYPD announced that after 8 p.m. the only vehicles allowed south of 96th Street in Manhattan will be essential workers, buses, and delivery trucks. Likewise, Citi Bike has been required to shut down service for the duration of the curfew.
More here

Policy

Lottery opens for income-restricted units in Brooklyn’s historic Weeksville, from $2,245/month

Rendering courtesy of S. Wieder Architect

June 1, 2020

Lottery opens for income-restricted units in Brooklyn’s historic Weeksville, from $2,245/month

By Devin Gannon

A lottery launched on Monday for 16 middle-income apartments in Crown Heights' historic Weeksville neighborhood. The Brooklyn community was once home to the second largest free black community in the country. Located at 1515 Park Place, the new building sits between Buffalo Avenue and Rochester Avenue, just around the corner from the Weeksville Heritage Center. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, including $2,245/month one-bedrooms and $2,710/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

The Brooklyn Museum transforms into a pop-up food bank this week

Photo by Howard Brier on Flickr

June 1, 2020

The Brooklyn Museum transforms into a pop-up food bank this week

By Devin Gannon

Starting on Monday, the Brooklyn Museum is temporarily transforming its parking lot into a weekly food bank. The institution announced last week a partnership with The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH), a Bed-Stuy based nonprofit that has served about one million meals to New Yorkers in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The museum has been closed since March 13.
More here

Events & Things To Do

New York adds 10 new testing sites in city’s COVID-19 ‘hot spots’

Photo by Payton Chung on Flickr

June 1, 2020

New York adds 10 new testing sites in city’s COVID-19 ‘hot spots’

By Devin Gannon

As New York City prepares to enter phase one of reopening next week, officials are targeting areas where the coronavirus continues to spread. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday announced that the state will open 10 new COVID-19 testing sites in zip codes considered 'hot spots,' which includes neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The 10 ZIP codes, which consist of predominantly low income and minority communities, have seen higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death caused by the virus.
Details here

Policy

23 chances to live in a new Boerum Hill building, from $1,262/month

Photo via CityRealty

May 29, 2020

23 chances to live in a new Boerum Hill building, from $1,262/month

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery launched on Friday for 23 middle-income apartments in one of Brookyn's most bustling and transit-friendly neighborhoods, Boerum Hill. Located at 346 Bergen Street, the six-story rental sits two blocks from the Atlantic Avenue Terminal, which holds the 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q, R, and Long Island Rail Road trains. New Yorkers earning 70 or 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $1,262/month one-bedroom to a $2,803/month two-bedroom.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

May 29, 2020

NYC is on track to start reopening week of June 8

By Devin Gannon

New York City is gearing up to begin the reopening process the week of June 8, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. During a press briefing, the governor said the city should be able to join the state's nine other regions in reopening phase one businesses, which includes all construction, manufacturing, and some retail stores. "I am proud of the way New York is figuring it out," Cuomo said.
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Policy

As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

May 29, 2020

As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

By Devin Gannon

New York City will likely begin the reopening process early next month, with as many as 400,000 employees expected to return to work during this first phase, Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week. While the mayor on Thursday released guidelines for phase one businesses to safely reopen without a resurgence of the coronavirus, no plan has been issued from City Hall on how employees returning to the workforce will commute there safely.
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9 virtual things to do this weekend: Loisaida Festival, guided meditation, dachshund fiesta, and more

Photo of last year’s Loisaida Festival by editrixie on Flickr

May 29, 2020

9 virtual things to do this weekend: Loisaida Festival, guided meditation, dachshund fiesta, and more

By Devin Gannon

If you've run out of Netflix shows and can't look at another jigsaw puzzle, there is still plenty of ways to stay entertained this weekend. From a virtual stand-up comedy show and a spring fiesta for dachshunds to guided meditation and a historic discussion on New York City's Chinatown, we've rounded up nine virtual events to keep boredom at bay.
Get the full list

Events & Things To Do

Hilary Swank’s stunning former townhouse in the West Village sells for $9.8M

May 28, 2020

Hilary Swank’s stunning former townhouse in the West Village sells for $9.8M

By Devin Gannon

The four-story West Village townhouse once owned by actress Hilary Swank has sold for $9.794 million. The historic home at 33 Charles Street has been renovated with modern elements while original details--including restored woodwork and built-ins--still shine. The current owner, former president of Macy's Harry A. Lawton III, put the property on the market earlier this year for just under $11 million.
Take a look around

Lottery opens for 29 units at Williamsburg waterfront rental, from $1,101/month

Image courtesy of Input Creative Studio

May 28, 2020

Lottery opens for 29 units at Williamsburg waterfront rental, from $1,101/month

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery launched on Thursday for 29 income-restricted apartments in Williamsburg. The Kent House, located at 187 Kent Avenue, sits a block in from the waterfront and between two popular green spaces, Bushwick Inlet Park and Domino Park. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced between $1,101/month studios and $2,710/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC Council will introduce bill that requires open street space be used for outdoor dining

Photo by almapapi on Pixabay

May 28, 2020

NYC Council will introduce bill that requires open street space be used for outdoor dining

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council is set to introduce legislation on Thursday that requires the city to use open space for outdoor dining during the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants and bars have now been closed for in-person service for over two months because of the state's "pause" order that shuttered all nonessential businesses. And while takeout and delivery options remain available, the restaurant industry has taken a tremendous hit, with many longtime restaurants forced to close permanently.
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With Long Island and Hudson Valley cleared to reopen, MTA boosts train service

Photo by Phillip Capper via Wikimedia

May 27, 2020

With Long Island and Hudson Valley cleared to reopen, MTA boosts train service

By Devin Gannon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is boosting service on the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North as two more New York regions are officially cleared to start reopening. The Hudson Vallery region and Long Island have met the state's metrics to begin reopening phase one businesses, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week. Starting Wednesday, the MTA will increase capacity by 26 percent on Metro-North with 18 additional trains during peak service, as well as add 105 Long Island Railroad cars to meet restored demand for service.
Details this way

Policy

New York Public Library considering curbside pickup service

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

May 27, 2020

New York Public Library considering curbside pickup service

By Devin Gannon

The New York Public Library is reviewing plans for curbside pickup service as the organization prepares to reopen after the coronavirus pandemic. As first reported by THE CITY, cardholders would be able to order books or other materials by phone or online for grab-and-go pickup, under one plan being considered. Books could be picked up in the lobbies or on the sidewalks of some branches.
Details here

City Living

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