All articles by Devin Gannon

15 NYC bookstores offering curbside pickup and delivery

Photo by Renee Fisher on Unsplash

March 19, 2020

15 NYC bookstores offering curbside pickup and delivery

By Devin Gannon

Need a distraction? New York City's local bookstores are here to help. While many are not open for browsing, bookstores across the city are offering curbside pickup and delivery options instead. Get lost in a book (and take a break from reality) by supporting your neighborhood's shop from the comfort and safety of your home. Ahead, find 15 of our favorite stores offering pick-up and delivery, as well as other virtual resources, like live-streamed book clubs and author events.
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City Living

Waitlist opens for affordable units at luxury Yorkville rental, from $728/month

Streetview of 1775 York Avenue; Map data © 2020 Google

March 19, 2020

Waitlist opens for affordable units at luxury Yorkville rental, from $728/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are currently being accepted to replenish the waitlist for affordable apartments in a luxury Yorkville building. Located at 1775 York Avenue, the building, known as The Brittany, is a high-rise located on the East River waterfront. Apartments--set aside for New Yorkers earning 40 percent of the area median income--include one- and two-bedroom apartments for $728/month and $868/month, respectively.
How to apply

Affordable Housing

131 affordable apartments available near Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, from $667/month

Photo by Steven Pisano on Flickr

March 18, 2020

131 affordable apartments available near Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, from $667/month

By Devin Gannon

An affordable housing lottery launched this week for 131 apartments in a newly constructed building in the Bronx. The 13-story building at 150 Van Cortlandt Avenue East in Bedford Park sits near a handful of public parks and playgrounds, including the Williamsbridge Oval recreation center, Harris Park, and the city's third-largest park, Van Cortlandt Park. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50, 60, 90, 110 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $667/month studios to $2,346/month three-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

For $12M, combine these two historic Harlem townhouses for the mansion of your dreams

March 18, 2020

For $12M, combine these two historic Harlem townhouses for the mansion of your dreams

By Devin Gannon

Two neighboring Harlem townhouses have seen a big price drop since hitting the market last year. First listed for a combined $27 million, the historic homes at 32 and 33 Mount Morris Park West are currently listed separately for $7.95 million and $3.95 million, respectively. The 7,000-square-foot, five-bedroom property at 32 Mount Morris Park has been respectfully gut-renovated, while the townhouse next door, which has the same footprint and unique architectural elements, needs restoration work.
See the properties

Distinctive Homes

As NYC suspends land use and rezoning actions, some officials want to also ban construction

Photo by Nicolas J Leclercq on Unsplash

March 17, 2020

As NYC suspends land use and rezoning actions, some officials want to also ban construction

By Devin Gannon

All city land use and rezoning processes have been temporarily suspended as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. In an executive order, the mayor directed procedures "applicable to the city planning and land use processes" to freeze for the duration of New York's state of emergency.
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NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash

March 17, 2020

NYC bars and restaurants can now sell to-go cocktails

By Devin Gannon

To stop the spread of coronavirus, New York officials on Monday closed all restaurants and bars, with the exception of takeout and delivery services. The new rules, as mandated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Liquor Authority, allow businesses to sell to-go alcoholic beverages, including wine and liquor for the first time, as long as it is with a food purchase. This change in liquor laws will continue until April 15 but could be extended.
Details here

Brooklyn’s Ample Hills Creamery files for bankruptcy

Photo. of the Ample Hills Factory © Kate Glicksberg for 6sqft

March 16, 2020

Brooklyn’s Ample Hills Creamery files for bankruptcy

By Devin Gannon

Popular Brooklyn-based ice cream purveyor Ample Hills Creamery has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the Real Deal reported. The filing will enable the company to restructure its debt and organizations while keeping its 13 New York stores open. In a statement to the website, Ample Hills said the filing was not as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, but instead allows for the business to "course correct."
More here

Food & Dining

Photo by Nick Normal on Flickr

March 16, 2020

New York freezes evictions statewide indefinitely amid coronavirus pandemic

By Devin Gannon

Eviction proceedings have been halted until further notice in response to the coronavirus pandemic, New York officials announced Sunday. Effective Monday at 5 p.m., all proceedings and pending eviction orders will be suspended across the state, according to a memo written by New York's Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks.
Find out more

Policy

What you need to know about NYC’s school closures

Photo via Pixabay

March 16, 2020

What you need to know about NYC’s school closures

By Devin Gannon

All New York City public schools will be closed for at least four weeks in response to the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday. "This is a decision that I have taken with no joy whatsoever, with a lot of pain, honestly, because it's something I could not in a million years have imagined having to do," the mayor said. Starting Monday, the city's nearly 1,800 schools will be closed until April 20 at the earliest. The city, which is the largest public school system in the country with 1.1 million students, has pledged to provide grab-and-go meals to students, open enrichment centers to serve children of first responders and healthcare workers, and supply 300,000 iPads to students without access to devices.
Get the details

Netflix director asks $800K for his crafty Soho pad

March 13, 2020

Netflix director asks $800K for his crafty Soho pad

By Devin Gannon

German film writer and director Tom Tykwer, known for his work on Netflix's Sense8 and Run Lola Run, is selling his lovely one-bedroom apartment in Soho for $800,000. Located at 105 Thompson Street, the co-op sits on the fifth floor of a pre-war building and successfully mixes old-school charm with modern upgrades.
See inside

Popular Articles

$18.3M sustainable playground breaks ground at the Battery

The “bluffs” zone includes five granite slides and boulder scrambles; renderings courtesy of BKSK Architects & Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners

March 13, 2020

$18.3M sustainable playground breaks ground at the Battery

By Devin Gannon

As the threat of climate change grows, parks in New York City are working to become more resilient. Officials on Thursday broke ground on an $18.3 million waterfront playground at the Battery in the Financial District. The Battery Playscape, as it's being called, is expected to be one of the city's largest sustainable parks. It will triple the size of the current playground and will feature a rainwater runoff system and a wide variety of durable plants.
See the design

This Greenwich Village rental with Parisian panache is asking $7,500/month

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 13, 2020

This Greenwich Village rental with Parisian panache is asking $7,500/month

By Devin Gannon

Custom wooden shutters, a wood-burning fireplace, and original casement windows bring a European flair to this Greenwich Village rental. A two-bedroom corner unit in the Windsor Arms co-op building at 61 West 9th Street is asking $7,500/month and it comes fully-furnished with "designer-grade pieces," according to the listing.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

2,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income apartments across East Harlem

The building at 1660 Madison is near Central Park’s Conservatory Garden; Photo by Cultivar 413 / Flickr cc

March 12, 2020

2,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income apartments across East Harlem

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery is launching to replenish the waitlist for a number of rental buildings in East Harlem. Starting Monday, applications will be accepted for 2,000 spots on a waitlist for buildings at 1890-1990 Lexington Avenue, 1940-1962 First Avenue, 420-455 East 102nd Street, 1295-1309 Fifth Avenue, and 1660 Madison Avenue. New Yorkers earning 150 and 160 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $1,667/month studios to $3,714/month four-bedroom apartments. Eligible applicants will be randomly selected and placed on the waitlist for future vacancies.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Bronx Brewery to open second location in the East Village

Photo by Carlos Corona

March 12, 2020

Bronx Brewery to open second location in the East Village

By Devin Gannon

The Bronx Brewery is moving downtown. The local brewing company announced on Wednesday plans to open a pilot brewery and taphouse this fall in a multi-level East Village spot at 64 Second Avenue. The Bronx Brewery East Village will also feature a kitchen with "special guest" chefs and space for live music.
Details here

Uncategorized

See inside Peak, the 101st-floor restaurant at Hudson Yards

Peak’s main dining room and views, photo by Charissa Fay

March 11, 2020

See inside Peak, the 101st-floor restaurant at Hudson Yards

By Devin Gannon

Hudson Yards is already home to restaurants from acclaimed chefs like José Andrés, David Chang, and Thomas Keller, but as of tomorrow, a new modern American dining option opening in the neighborhood will create an even higher standard, literally. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant and bar Peak will sit on the 101st floor of 30 Hudson Yards, the development's tallest tower. Not only does it connect to the 1,100-foot-high sky deck Edge below, but it offers insane 360-degree views and a chic design scheme. Ahead, see some of the first photos of Peak.
Details and views here

Food & Dining

Airbnb contest seeks world’s most outrageous home designs

All photos courtesy of Airbnb

March 11, 2020

Airbnb contest seeks world’s most outrageous home designs

By Devin Gannon

Airbnb is searching for the world's most unique and unusual short-term rental home as part of a new contest. Ten people will be awarded $100,000 each to design a groundbreaking home that is both livable and a space for social good, the company announced on Tuesday. Proposals can include renovations to an existing Airbnb property, a project in progress that needs funding, or a totally unbuilt project.
More details here

Governors Island announces free programming ahead of May 1 opening

Photo by Kreg Holt

March 11, 2020

Governors Island announces free programming ahead of May 1 opening

By Devin Gannon

With the weather finally warming up, it's time to start planning spring and summertime activities. The Trust for Governors Island on Monday unveiled its lineup of free programming for the island's 2020 season, which officially kicks off on May 1. Throughout the season, more than 30 organizations will bring installations, exhibitions, workshops, and more to the 172-acre site, with most programs focusing on visual art, climate change and environmental science, and culture.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

City seeks ideas for two 100 percent affordable senior complexes on NYCHA land

The site of the proposed affordable senior housing building in Morrisania; Map data © 2020 Google

March 10, 2020

City seeks ideas for two 100 percent affordable senior complexes on NYCHA land

By Devin Gannon

The city is looking to construct two affordable senior complexes with between 150 and 200 housing units each. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Friday released a request for proposals for two underused city-owned sites, one in the Bronx's Morrisania neighborhood and the other in Crown Heights in Brooklyn. The developments fall under Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration's "Seniors First" housing program, which aims to serve 30,000 senior households by 2026 through the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
Find out more

With court decision delayed, broker fees live on (for now)

Photo courtesy of CityRealty

March 9, 2020

With court decision delayed, broker fees live on (for now)

By Devin Gannon

Real estate agents can continue to charge New York renters broker fees until at least June, Crain's reported. Last month, the state department updated a set of guidelines for last year's rent reform laws to prevent brokers who are hired by landlords from charging tenants a fee as part of the application process. Industry groups, including the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and a number of brokerages, filed a petition last month to stop the new rule, which resulted in a temporary restraining order. The office of State Attorney General Letitia James on Friday asked for a three-month extension to respond to the lawsuit, pushing the court date from this week to June 12.
Get the details

15 ways to celebrate Women’s History Month in NYC

March 4, 2020

15 ways to celebrate Women’s History Month in NYC

By Devin Gannon

What better place to celebrate women than in New York? The state hosted the country's first women's rights convention in 1848, Union Square held the first large-scale suffrage parade in 1908, and New Yorkers came up with the idea to honor women for one month every year. This Women's History Month, which marks the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage, honor the trailblazing New Yorkers who forged the paths for feminists today with lectures, art exhibits, and bites from women-owned vendors. Ahead, find our favorite events, from a Wikipedia edit-a-thon at the Museum of Modern Art to a trolley tour of Woodlawn Cemetery.
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Events & Things To Do

Gracie Mansion’s largest art exhibition explores social justice and inclusion

All photos by Michael Appleton/NYC Mayor’s Office

February 25, 2020

Gracie Mansion’s largest art exhibition explores social justice and inclusion

By Devin Gannon

A new art exhibition is open at Gracie Mansion, the fourth and final installation of Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray's tenure. Catalyst: Art and Social Justice, which will also be the largest ever hosted at the historic home in Yorkville, features more than 75 works created by over 50 artists since the 1960s. With a focus on inclusion, the exhibit explores the connection between art, justice, and the social change movements behind it all.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Public gardens revealed at former Jehovah’s Witnesses HQ in Brooklyn Heights

February 24, 2020

Public gardens revealed at former Jehovah’s Witnesses HQ in Brooklyn Heights

By Devin Gannon

As the former Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters continues its transformation into a modern, five-building mixed-use complex in Brooklyn Heights, photos of the project's first phase have been revealed. Designed by landscape architecture firm terrain, the former Watchtower complex, now known as Panorama, features three public gardens at grade level, as well as an architectural staircase. An open-air courtyard facing Furman Street will serve as a landscaped pocket park steps from the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Get the details

Architecture And Design

For $1.25M, an Upper West Side one-bedroom one block from Central Park

February 20, 2020

For $1.25M, an Upper West Side one-bedroom one block from Central Park

By Devin Gannon

A one-bedroom in a beautiful Upper West Side brownstone has hit the market for $1.25 million. Located between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West less than one block from the park, the parlor-floor co-op at 61 West 68th Street is packed with charming pre-war details, including oversized arched windows, exposed brick, two rounded entryways, and two fireplaces. In addition to its lovely interiors, the apartment's location, at the nexus of UWS, Lincoln Square, and Central Park West, is hard to beat.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Plan to renovate Central Park North rink and pool opposed by local skaters and swimmers

Rendering courtesy of Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture | Design and the Central Park Conservancy

February 19, 2020

Plan to renovate Central Park North rink and pool opposed by local skaters and swimmers

By Devin Gannon

The $150 million plan to build a new pool and ice rink at the northern end of Central Park is facing backlash from local swimmers and skaters. Last September, the Central Park Conservancy revealed a project to replace the aging Lasker Rink and Pool and create space for year-round recreation. But a group of hockey players and swimmers is asking the conservancy to revise its plan, which they claim would reduce the space they can use, eliminating some of the programs offered.
Details here

Architecture And Design

Electric Citi Bikes return to NYC after brake redesign

Photo courtesy of Lyft

February 19, 2020

Electric Citi Bikes return to NYC after brake redesign

By Devin Gannon

Citi Bike's popular pedal-assist fleet has returned to New York City, nearly a year after the company pulled them from service because of a safety issue. The bike-share company, operated by Lyft, announced on Wednesday plans to start rolling out "several hundred" e-bikes, which will be available to rent at the nearly 900 Citi Bike stations found across the city.
More here

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