All articles by Devin Gannon

Grubhub maps all of the restaurants in NYC run by women

March 1, 2019

Grubhub maps all of the restaurants in NYC run by women

By Devin Gannon

Coinciding with the first day of Women's History Month, Grubhub announced on Friday that it is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to support initiatives that help advance women in the culinary field. Through the end of March, diners who order food on Grubhub can donate their change to the foundation's Women's Leadership Programs. And the delivery service company has added thousands of women-led restaurants to its nation-wide RestaurantHER map, which launched last year as the first of its kind.
More this way

Food & Dining

Long Island City restaurant owner traveled to Seattle in an attempt to revive Amazon deal

John Brown Smokehouse on 44th Drive in LIC via Flickr

February 28, 2019

Long Island City restaurant owner traveled to Seattle in an attempt to revive Amazon deal

By Devin Gannon

The owner of a Long Island City barbecue restaurant flew to Seattle on Monday in an attempt to revive the city's deal with Amazon. Josh Bowen, who owns neighborhood joint John Brown Smokehouse, met with executives from the company for two hours, according to Qns.com. Earlier this month, Amazon announced it would no longer open a headquarters at the proposed waterfront location in Queens after facing resistance from local politicians and activist groups. During the meeting, the businessman asked if they would reconsider their decision to pull out of the project. Their response? "Never say never," the executives told him, according to Bowen.
More here

Policy

City Winery files lawsuit against Trinity Church following $650M deal with Disney

February 28, 2019

City Winery files lawsuit against Trinity Church following $650M deal with Disney

By Devin Gannon

The Walt Disney Company announced last July it would move its offices from the Upper West Side to Hudson Square after buying the rights to develop a property owned by Trinity Church. For $650 million, Disney plans to develop 4 Hudson Square, which currently contains four buildings. One of those buildings was occupied by City Winery, an entertainment space whose flagship has been located at 143 Varick Street for over ten years. Now after being forced to relocate because of the deal with Disney, the venue's owner, Michael Dorf, is filing a lawsuit against its landlord Trinity Church seeking over $2 million in damages for “misleading” information.
More details here

Real Estate Trends

Senior housing complex at Elizabeth Street Garden site gets borough president approval

Rendering courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

February 27, 2019

Senior housing complex at Elizabeth Street Garden site gets borough president approval

By Devin Gannon

Update 3/6/19: The Elizabeth Street Garden (ESG) and the garden's creator Allan Reiver filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the city and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to challenge the development of Haven Green. The plan to build an affordable senior housing development at the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden in Nolita got a much-needed push forward on Tuesday after receiving approval from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. In December 2017, the city revealed plans for Haven Green, a passive house with units reserved for seniors earning between roughly $20,000 and $40,000 to be built on the site of the park. Elizabeth Street Garden advocates are fighting the city's plan to demolish the one acre of green space to make way for affordable housing and are taking legal action to save the park.
More here

Partial shutdown of Hudson River tunnel would cause NY and NJ home values to drop by $22B, report says

February 27, 2019

Partial shutdown of Hudson River tunnel would cause NY and NJ home values to drop by $22B, report says

By Devin Gannon

If the only rail link between New Jersey and Manhattan shuttered, homes in the region would see a drop in home value by $22 billion, according to a report released on Tuesday. An analysis from the Regional Plan Association highlights the economic effects of a partial shutdown of the Hudson River tunnel, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy and carries 200,000 daily passengers via Amtrak and NJ Transit. To make repairs to the 110-year-old tunnels, officials have called for a $13 billion project that would construct a second tunnel to keep service operating while the existing tunnel is restored. But President Donald Trump's administration said it will not support the Gateway tunnel project, making a partial shutdown of the tunnel more likely, according to the RPA (h/t Crain's).
Get the details

Cuomo and de Blasio endorse congestion pricing and reorganization of MTA in new 10-point plan

February 26, 2019

Cuomo and de Blasio endorse congestion pricing and reorganization of MTA in new 10-point plan

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed congestion pricing and a proposal to reorganize the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in a joint 10-point plan released on Tuesday. The joint plan, which requires legislative approval, calls for tolls to be collected south of 61st Street in Manhattan, with the exception of FDR Drive. Cuomo said on Tuesday he hopes the package of transit proposals is included in the state budget, which lawmakers must pass by April 1. The tolls would not take effect until December 2020, if approved.
Find out more

Pied-à-terre tax backed by NYC Council members

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

February 26, 2019

Pied-à-terre tax backed by NYC Council members

By Devin Gannon

Update 2/26/19: Council Members Mark Levine and Margaret Chin announced on Monday that they plan on introducing a resolution in support of the pied-à-terre tax, as amNY reported. The tax would be modeled after the measure sponsored by State Sen. Brad Hoylman and apply an annual surcharge on non-primary homes worth more than $5 million. Last month, billionaire Ken Griffin closed on a penthouse at 220 Central Park South for over $239 million, making it the most expensive home ever sold in the United States. Griffin, the founder of the hedge fund Citadel, said he will not use the pricey pad as a primary residence, but instead as "a place to stay when he's in town." The staggering sale has renewed support from public officials for a pied-à-terre tax, which would place a yearly surcharge on homes worth $5 million and up, and apply to non-primary residences, as reported by the New York Times.
Learn more

MTA touts subway improvements as more service disruptions lie in wait

Via Colin Mutchler on Flickr

February 25, 2019

MTA touts subway improvements as more service disruptions lie in wait

By Devin Gannon

The subway has seen its best on-time performance and the fewest number of delays across the system in four years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Sunday. But while the stats reveal a promising start for the Subway Action Plan, launched by the agency and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2017, the gains come at a cost for straphangers with off-peak commutes. The rescue plan, as well as New York City Transit President Andy Byford's $40 billion plan to fix the subway, both which require new sources of funding, will require many subway lines to close on nights and weekends for years, as the New York Times reported.
Learn more

Transit

Plan for affordable housing and industrial space back on the table for ex-Amazon site in LIC

A rendering from 2017 depicting the proposed mixed-use site; courtesy of TF Cornerstone

February 25, 2019

Plan for affordable housing and industrial space back on the table for ex-Amazon site in LIC

By Devin Gannon

The city's plan to bring a thousand residential units and a mix of industrial space to Long Island City is back on the table after Amazon last month announced it will not open a complex in the neighborhood. James Patchett, the president of the city's Economic Development Corporation, said during the Crain's New York Business breakfast on Thursday that the city will forge ahead with its original plan of bringing a mix of businesses and homes to the Queens neighborhood, Gothamist reported.
More here

Affordable Housing

Leasing launches for first rental at Astoria’s Halletts Point mega-development, from $2,150/month

February 21, 2019

Leasing launches for first rental at Astoria’s Halletts Point mega-development, from $2,150/month

By Devin Gannon

Leasing has officially begun at 10 Halletts Point, the first tower of seven to rise at the Durst Organization's development in Astoria. Designed by Dattner Architects, the rental building features two towers, at 22- and 17-stories, originating from the same base. The no-fee rentals at 10 Halletts Point start at $2,150/month for studios, $2,525/month for one-bedrooms, and $3,595/month for two-bedrooms. According to a Durst spokesperson, two studio apartments rented the same day leasing opened and "a couple of thousand" more people have expressed interest. Current concessions offered include one free month of rent on a 13-month lease, and two months free on a 26-month lease.
Details this way

Popular Articles

Sip 1960’s-inspired cocktails at the TWA Hotel’s restored retro bar, opening this May

Image of Sunken Lounge pre-construction in 2017, courtesy of MCR and Morse Development; Photo: Max Touhey

February 20, 2019

Sip 1960’s-inspired cocktails at the TWA Hotel’s restored retro bar, opening this May

By Devin Gannon

When its retro cocktail bar opens this May, TWA Hotel guests will be able to sip Sixties-style beverages in an expertly designed space. The Sunken Lounge will not only offer classic drinks like Old Fashioneds and Martinis but also views through its floor-to-ceiling windows of the 1958 Lockheed Constellation airplane parked outside. MCR and MORSE Development announced on Wednesday that Gerber Group, of Mr. Purple and The Campbell bar fame, will operate the restored Sunken Lounge, which will officially open on May 15, the same day the first guests will be welcomed to the hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport.
Drink it in

Amazon will not move to Long Island City

Via CityRealty

February 14, 2019

Amazon will not move to Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

Amazon said on Thursday it will no longer build a new headquarters in Long Island City, the New York Times reported. The online retail giant selected the Queens neighborhood last year for its "HQ2" campus following a 14-month nationwide contest. Amazon had promised to bring 25,000 jobs to New York City in exchange for nearly $3 billion in state and city incentives. In a statement, the company said it does not plan to look for another location at this time.
Details here

Policy

The TWA Hotel at JFK is now accepting reservations

Photo by David Mitchell

February 14, 2019

The TWA Hotel at JFK is now accepting reservations

By Devin Gannon

The TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport is now accepting reservations for its 1960s-themed guestrooms, ahead of its soft opening on May 15. Rooms, decorated with Eero Saarinen-designed Knoll furnishings and martini bars, start at $249 per night. The 512-room hotel sits in two low-rise buildings behind Saarinen's iconic TWA Flight Center, which has been closed since 2001 and which will serve as the hotel's lobby.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

Plan for an all-day ‘busway’ on 14th Street will likely be scrapped as L train alternative

Via Oran Viriyincy on Flickr

February 13, 2019

Plan for an all-day ‘busway’ on 14th Street will likely be scrapped as L train alternative

By Devin Gannon

With the L train shutdown called off last month after years of preparing for its impact on commuters, many New Yorkers were left wondering what would happen to the mitigation efforts planned for both Manhattan and Brooklyn. According to amNY, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority no longer sees the need for a busway on 14th Street, which was intended to limit car traffic during the L train shutdown. While the MTA said it intends to run buses as often as every three minutes on 14th Street when L train service is reduced this spring, critics say buses will move at a sluggish pace.
More here

Transit

NYC Council Members to introduce legislation that limits security deposits and broker fees

February 13, 2019

NYC Council Members to introduce legislation that limits security deposits and broker fees

By Devin Gannon

A package of legislation being introduced in the City Council on Wednesday aims to make renting in New York City more affordable. The bills, drafted by Council Members Keith Powers and Carlina Rivera, would limit broker fees and security deposits each to one month's rent, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The bills come after a report by City Comptroller Scott Stringer released last summer found that New Yorkers paid over $507 million in security deposits in 2016.
Get the details

Policy

New renderings for Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed redevelopment of One Madison Avenue

February 13, 2019

New renderings for Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed redevelopment of One Madison Avenue

By Devin Gannon

Last December, SL Green announced plans to renovate its building at One Madison Avenue with an 18-floor addition and modern interiors. On Tuesday, CityRealty uncovered a few new renderings of the planned redevelopment, which is being designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox. The developer will reduce the 13-story building to its ninth floor and then add the 18 column-free floors above, as well as wraparound and rooftop terraces overlooking Madison Square Park.
See them here

Architecture And Design

A majority of New Yorkers want Amazon in Queens, new poll shows

Rendering via NYCEDC

February 12, 2019

A majority of New Yorkers want Amazon in Queens, new poll shows

By Devin Gannon

News broke last week that Amazon was reconsidering its move to New York City after facing opposition from residents and local officials. But a new poll released on Tuesday shows a majority of New York voters actually support the deal for the tech company to open its headquarters in Queens. According to the Siena College Research Institute, 56 percent of voters in the state back the project, while 36 percent disapprove. City residents support the Amazon deal even more, with 58 percent approving, according to the poll.
Details here

Policy

Designs sought for two new waterfront parks in Inwood

Inwood Hill Park via Flickr

February 11, 2019

Designs sought for two new waterfront parks in Inwood

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration is seeking ideas for two new waterfront parks in Inwood, as first reported by Curbed. The city's Economic Development Corporation released a request for proposals on Monday for a consultant or team to design a pair of parks along the Harlem River in the Manhattan neighborhood. The plan falls under the Inwood rezoning, which was approved last August and intends to deliver $200 million in public investments. During the process, stakeholders pushed for new open space and upgraded parks to be included in the rezoning, as the waterfront remains inaccessible to many in the community.
More here

Architecture And Design

Amazon is rethinking its move to Long Island City

February 8, 2019

Amazon is rethinking its move to Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

After facing months of intense backlash from residents and local officials, Amazon is rethinking its plan to open a massive complex in the Queens neighborhood of Long Island City, the Washington Post reported on Friday. Sources told the newspaper, which is owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, that executives at the tech company have had discussions to reassess the plan to open its "HQ2" in New York City. "The question is whether it's worth it if the politicians in New York don't want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming," a source told the Post.
Find out more

Policy

10 sculptures of women to be installed in NYC this summer as part of ‘Statues for Equality’ project

February 7, 2019

10 sculptures of women to be installed in NYC this summer as part of ‘Statues for Equality’ project

By Devin Gannon

Ten bronze statues of inspiring women will be installed in New York City this summer as part of a project that hopes to address the lack of monuments of women in the city. Artists Gillie and Marc, the couple behind Astor Place's 17-foot-tall rhino sculpture, on Thursday launched "Statues for Equality," which aims to increase the number of statues of women in NYC by 200 percent. Currently, only five of the city's 150 statues depict nonfictional women.
More here

Events & Things To Do

Lyft is providing a free ride to black history museums and cultural sites in NYC this month

February 7, 2019

Lyft is providing a free ride to black history museums and cultural sites in NYC this month

By Devin Gannon

To celebrate Black History Month, ride-hailing company Lyft is offering one free ride to black-owned businesses, history museums, and memorials in New York City. According to the company, 82 percent of Lyft drivers identify with a minority group, which makes the company "see the importance of celebrating the diversity that we have right around us."
More here

Transit

De Blasio administration approves $7M study for proposed BQX streetcar

Rendering via EDC

February 6, 2019

De Blasio administration approves $7M study for proposed BQX streetcar

By Devin Gannon

The plan to build a streetcar between Brooklyn and Queens got a much-needed push forward on Wednesday. The city's Economic Development Corporation awarded consulting firm VHB $7.25 million to complete an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the proposed Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX). First announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2016, the streetcar plan has faced many roadblocks, delays, and doubts from public officials. But last year, the mayor announced a revised proposal, which includes a higher price tag, fewer miles on the route, and a delayed start date.
Get the details

Cuomo announces $344M revamp of JFK’s Terminal 8

February 6, 2019

Cuomo announces $344M revamp of JFK’s Terminal 8

By Devin Gannon

American Airlines and British Airways will invest $344 million over the next three years to revamp its terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday. The project includes expanding and improving the customer experience at Terminal 8, where British Airways will move to from its current location in Terminal 7. The project falls under Cuomo's $13 billion plan to overhaul JFK announced last October. The Port Authority is not contributing funds to the Terminal 8 project; 90 percent of the governor's JFK plan will be privately funded.
More here

Transit

Trump’s childhood home in Queens hits market for $2.9M

February 5, 2019

Trump’s childhood home in Queens hits market for $2.9M

By Devin Gannon

President Donald Trump's boyhood home in Jamacia Estates is set to hit the market this week for a pricey $2.9 million. The home, which is not owned by Trump or his organization, is decorated somewhat as a shrine to the president, with lots of framed photos of him, a copy of "The Art of the Deal," and a life-size cut out of the Queens native in the living room. The owner, who bought the property in 2017 for $2.14 million under the guise of Trump Birth House LLC, requests offers be submitted via email, along with proof of funds. The home will then be sold through a closed bidding process, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Real-time security checkpoint and taxi wait times now available for NYC airports

February 5, 2019

Real-time security checkpoint and taxi wait times now available for NYC airports

By Devin Gannon

Travelers who frequent New York City airports will now be able to plan a slightly smoother trip. Real-time tracking of security and taxi wait times have rolled out at Port Authority-operated terminals at John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia, and New York Stuart International airports, the agency announced Monday. Using a real-time measurement tool "BlipTrack," passengers can track the wait times online for TSA checkpoint screening areas and taxi stands at 14 terminals across the four airports.
Details here

Transit

77
78
79
80
81