All articles by Devin Gannon

Three new restaurants and possible bank could replace shuttered Union Square Coffee Shop

Via alphabetjenn on Flickr

October 24, 2018

Three new restaurants and possible bank could replace shuttered Union Square Coffee Shop

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One of New York City's beloved late-night spots will be replaced with three new restaurants and possibly a Chase Bank, Eater NY reported. The Coffee Shop, an iconic Union Square diner known for its fashion model customers and appearances on shows like Sex and the City, closed earlier this month. While no leases have been signed, the property manager told Eater three of the four retail spaces available will be reserved for new restaurants.
Find out more
Lin-Manuel Miranda joins effort to encourage travel between NYC and Puerto Rico

La Perla in San Juan; photo courtesy of Discover Puerto Rico

October 24, 2018

Lin-Manuel Miranda joins effort to encourage travel between NYC and Puerto Rico

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The tourism agencies of New York City and Puerto Rico are teaming up to boost travel between the two places. At an event on Tuesday hosted by Lin-Manuel Miranda, NYC & Company and Discover Puerto Rico signed a one-year alliance to encourage "reciprocal travel," with a new advertising campaign and swapping of marketing tips. Miranda is also bringing his award-winning show "Hamilton" to the island from January 8 to January 27 at the Univesity of Puerto Rico's San Juan campus. All proceeds from the engagement will go toward an art fund on the island founded by Miranda.
More here
Amazon to open a cashier-less convenience store at Brookfield Place

Amazon Go in Seattle via Wikipedia

October 23, 2018

Amazon to open a cashier-less convenience store at Brookfield Place

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Amazon will open its first cashier-less store in New York City in Battery Park City, Recode reported on Monday. Amazon Go is like a futuristic convenience store, offering ready-to-eat meals and groceries without having to wait in line. According to the company, "Just Walk Out Technology" is used, which automatically keeps tracks of products taken or returned via a virtual cart. With no lines or checkout, once you find an item you want, you can just leave.
More here
The full interior of 116-year-old Glaser’s Bake Shop is for sale

 © James and Karla Murray for 6sqft

October 23, 2018

The full interior of 116-year-old Glaser’s Bake Shop is for sale

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For those still struggling with the absence of Yorkville institution Glaser's Bake Shop, which sadly closed its doors in June, there's a chance to hold on to some of that sweet nostalgia. The complete interior of the beloved bakery, which first opened on the Upper East Side in 1902 and is credited with inventing black-and-white cookies, is for sale. The Demolition Depot announced this week they are selling classic features of Glaser's, including its apothecary-style wooden showcases, sliding glass doors, original silvered mirrors, milk glass upper panels, marble countertop, and more (h/t Vanishing New York).
Get the details
MTA will add 1,000 new roundtrips each week during the L train shutdown

Via Dan Phiffer Flickr

October 22, 2018

MTA will add 1,000 new roundtrips each week during the L train shutdown

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During the L train shutdown, 1,000 new alternate roundtrips will be added every week, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Starting in April, extra service will be added to the A, E, F, J, Z, M, and G lines, NBC reported. The L train will not run between 8th Avenue and Bedford Avenue for 15 months while the Carnarsie Tunnel, heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy, is repaired. About 275,000 of the L train's 400,000 daily riders are expected to be affected by the temporary shut down.
More this way
Newark and NYC appear to be favored for Amazon’s HQ2 site

Photo via Robert Scoble on Flickr

October 22, 2018

Newark and NYC appear to be favored for Amazon’s HQ2 site

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The hunt for Amazon's second headquarters is still on, more than a year after the company first announced its plan for HQ2. The tech-giant has narrowed its list of potential cities from over 200 to 20, with Newark and New York City both making the cut. Amazon executives recently revisited both of the cities, as well as others like Chicago and Miami, making it seem like the company favors an urban area, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
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With sales still sluggish, Trump Tower sees only its second deal of the year

Via Krystal T on Flickr

October 22, 2018

With sales still sluggish, Trump Tower sees only its second deal of the year

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A one-bedroom on the 57th floor of Trump Tower closed earlier this month for $1.825 million, marking just the second sale of 2018 at the Midtown building, as Mansion Global first reported. Comparatively, there were seven sales in 2017 and eight in 2016 at the building, developed by President Donald Trump. While the sales slump at Trump Tower reflects a broader decline in sales at luxury properties across Manhattan, politics surrounding the building may also be playing a role.
More here
Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest

A previous rendering (left) and new rendering (right) of 1 South First via DBOX for Two Trees Management

October 19, 2018

Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest

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Fully above ground, the second tower to rise at the massive Domino Sugar site has a pair of new renderings. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, 1 South First (previously 260 Kent Avenue) is a 42-story mixed-use tower on the Williamsburg waterfront development, which was formerly home to the sugar manufacturing facility. When 1 South First opens next fall, it will join already opened 325 Kent Avenue and Domino Park, all developed by Two Trees Management.
See them here
To kick off Halloween weekend, watch NYC architects face off in a pumpkin-carving contest

Bjarke Ingels Group’s pumpkin tower from 2017; photo by Daniel Cole for Center for Architecture

October 19, 2018

To kick off Halloween weekend, watch NYC architects face off in a pumpkin-carving contest

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Don't expect to see typical Jack-o'-lanterns at the Center for Architecture's pumpkin-carving event this Halloween. On Oct. 26, 20 New York City-based architecture firms will face off at Pumpkitecture!, the center's third annual competition, which tests the ability of architects to create amazing designs across any medium (ie: a round, orange gourd). Attendees can watch the architects live-carve inventive structures and vote for the People's Pumpkin.
More on the gourds
Over 70 affordable units up for grabs in new luxury Clinton Hill rental, from $913/month

Via RXR Realty

October 18, 2018

Over 70 affordable units up for grabs in new luxury Clinton Hill rental, from $913/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 73 affordable rentals in a new Brooklyn building located in the middle of Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, and Fort Greene. Developed by RXR Realty, the 12-story building at 810 Fulton Street is expected to open in 2019. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $913/month studios to $1,183/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Developers of controversial Two Bridges towers pitch $55M in transit and open space improvements

Via Handel Architects

October 18, 2018

Developers of controversial Two Bridges towers pitch $55M in transit and open space improvements

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During a City Planning Commission hearing on Wednesday, local residents and officials of the Two Bridges community voiced their strong opposition to four towers planned for the Lower Manhattan neighborhood. Those who testified against the buildings questioned the developer's draft environmental impact study (DEIS), which found the projects would not cause displacement, amNY reported. Developers also announced measures to mitigate the potential adverse effects on the neighborhood, which include upgrading the F train station at East Broadway, improving public parks, and implementing flood protection measures.
Find out more
Cuomo tours Hudson River tunnel to expose severe damage and calls on Trump for funding

Photo courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office on Flickr

October 18, 2018

Cuomo tours Hudson River tunnel to expose severe damage and calls on Trump for funding

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans on sending video footage of the damaged tunnel under the Hudson River to Washington to show why federal funds are necessary for the repair project. On late Wednesday night, Cuomo toured the century-old tunnel that was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy and called on President Donald Trump to fund the Gateway Tunnel Project, which includes fixing the existing tunnel and constructing a new tunnel under the river. While President Barack Obama had pledged to split the cost of the $30 billion project, the Trump administration has said it won't contribute federal funds.
See the damage
Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

Via CityRealty

October 17, 2018

Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

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While 130 percent of the area median income is technically considered affordable in New York City, paying $2,253/ month for a one-bedroom apartment in East Williamsburg is still hard to swallow. The neighborhood does have a lot to offer in terms of nightlife and cultural activities, but the area's transit options, mainly the soon-to-be-shuttered L train, leave a lot to be desired for those commuting to Manhattan. But if you can look past the price and the far-out location, consider applying for eight middle-income units at 310 Graham Avenue, a newly constructed seven-story building. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the AMI can apply for the apartments ranging from $2,253/month one-bedrooms to $3,132/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
PHOTOS: See how the Statue of Liberty’s new museum is shaping up
October 17, 2018

PHOTOS: See how the Statue of Liberty’s new museum is shaping up

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With the construction of the new Statue of Liberty Museum in its final stages, 6sqft on Tuesday toured the 26,000-square-foot site and its landscaped rooftop. This is the first ground-up building overseen by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the nonprofit which has raised $100 million in private funds for the project. Designed by FXCollaborative with exhibits created by ESI Design, the angular-shaped museum will feature three immersive gallery spaces with one wing showcasing the Statue of Liberty's original torch and the iconic monument framed behind it through floor-to-ceiling glass.
See its progress
To boost travel from Southeast Asia, NYC tourism agency opens new office in Singapore

Via Wikimedia

October 16, 2018

To boost travel from Southeast Asia, NYC tourism agency opens new office in Singapore

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New York City is looking to attract more tourists from the Southeast Asian region. NYC & Company, the official tourism agency for the five boroughs, announced on Tuesday plans to open a satellite office in Singapore, to stipulate travel from countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand to the Big Apple. The announcement comes after Singapore Airlines launched this month an 18-hour flight between Newark and Singapore, now considered the longest non-stop flight in the world. According to amNY, this outpost will be NYC & Company's 17th satellite office.
Find out more
Ride-share service Via tackles weekend L-train shutdowns with special discount pass

Via Roshan Vyas on Flickr

October 16, 2018

Ride-share service Via tackles weekend L-train shutdowns with special discount pass

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced this summer that the L-train will not run between Brooklyn and Manhattan for 15 weekends, including every Saturday and Sunday in October. To ease the impact of the L-train's mini shutdown before the 15-month shutdown scheduled for April, ride-share service Via is offering riders this month an affordable option to travel to and from Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Lower Manhattan. According to the company, the L-Train ViaPass costs $19 per week and provides riders with four shared rides per day on weekends in October, between Friday night and Saturday morning.
More here
Reserve tickets to celebrate Halloween with de Blasio at Gracie Mansion

Via de Blasio’s office

October 15, 2018

Reserve tickets to celebrate Halloween with de Blasio at Gracie Mansion

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray on Friday opened the free ticket giveaway for festivities at Gracie Mansion this Halloween. From Friday, October 26 to Sunday, October 28, guests will be able to tour the historic home decked out in a haunted theme and enjoy activities like face painting, story-telling, a magic show, and arts and crafts. Expect both tricks and treats from the couple at this annual spooky celebration.
Here's how to get tickets
See the TWA Hotel’s airplane-turned-cocktail lounge make the 300-mile journey to JFK via tow truck

Connie passes under the Eastern Trail in Maine; Courtesy of TWA Hotel, photo by Aaron Flacke

October 15, 2018

See the TWA Hotel’s airplane-turned-cocktail lounge make the 300-mile journey to JFK via tow truck

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Over the last week, a 1958 Lockheed Constellation, or "Connie," made its way from Maine to its new home in Queens at JFK Aiport, where it will become a cocktail lounge at the TWA Hotel. Traveling 300 miles through five states, the Connie, with a "Queens or Bust!" sign on its back, was disassembled, loaded on two separate tow trucks, and escorted by state police and civilians. Connie, one of only four remaining L-1648As in the world, will sit on the "tarmac" outside of the 512-room hotel.
More on the journey here
Sales launch at Extell’s Central Park Tower, the world’s tallest residential building

Via Extell

October 15, 2018

Sales launch at Extell’s Central Park Tower, the world’s tallest residential building

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Sales have launched for Central Park Tower, the tallest residential tower in the world, Extell Development announced Monday. Located at 225 West 57th Street, the 1,550-foot tower is rising on Billionaires' Row, a strip of ultra-luxury residences at the southern end of Central Park in Midtown. While Extell hasn't officially released pricing for its 179 condos, the Real Deal reported last year that 20 of the units have a price tag of $60 million and higher, with a $95 million penthouse being the most expensive. If the building achieves its projected $4 billion sellout, the tower would become the most expensive condo project in New York City.
More here
How a Greenwich Village brownstone became known as the ‘House of Death’

Photo of 14 West 10th Street via Wikimedia; Photo of Mark Twain via Wikimedia

October 12, 2018

How a Greenwich Village brownstone became known as the ‘House of Death’

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Despite its picturesque exterior, the building at 14 West 10th Street in Greenwich Village has a not-so-cute history. Since being constructed in the 1850s near the start of the Civil War, 22 people have died in the home, referred to as the House of Death. And as the New York Post reported, some of their spirits allegedly have never left. Residents have reported sightings of the spirit of Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain, who lived at the building between 1900 and 1901, and other bone-chilling ghosts who have haunted the Greenwich Village block for over a century.
More on the haunted home here
Marvel Architects reveal condo conversion of 200-year-old Nolita school
October 12, 2018

Marvel Architects reveal condo conversion of 200-year-old Nolita school

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Marvel Architects has completed its school-to-condo conversion in Nolita, bringing seven condos and one private townhouse to the former site of the Old St. Patrick's School on Prince Street. The project restored the facade of the four-story building, which was built in 1826, as well as its dormer windows and arched doorways. Because the interiors of the building, dubbed the Residences at Prince, were not landmarked, the architects were able to add new modern elements like steel columns and white oak floors while retaining original brick walls and roof timbers.
See it here
Lottery launches at brand new rental in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,525/month

Via Jonathan Kirschenfeld Architects

October 11, 2018

Lottery launches at brand new rental in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,525/month

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Applications are now being accepted for 51 middle-income apartments and The Clark, a newly constructed 8-story building in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. The Brooklyn building, located at 310 Clarkson Avenue just a short walk from Prospect Park, features a ton of amenities, including an attended lobby, in-unit washer/dryer, dog run, fitness center, a media room, co-working space, and a furnished penthouse space. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments ranging from $1,525/month studios to $2,635/month three bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Troubled Upper East Side mansion tries again for $88M after record-breaking deal fell through
October 11, 2018

Troubled Upper East Side mansion tries again for $88M after record-breaking deal fell through

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Fourth time's the charm? A 20,000-square-foot townhouse on the Upper East Side with its own movie theater and a panic room has hit the market again for $88 million. While the palatial home at 12 East 69th Street went into contract last December for $80 million, which at the time would have been the most expensive townhouse ever sold in New York City, the deal fell through this summer. The seven-bedroom home, built in 1884, was previously listed in 2013 for $114 million and then for $98 million in 2014. But if you're not ready to commit permanently to the mansion lifestyle, the home is also available to rent for $175,000.
See inside
MTA launches ‘transit tech lab,’ seeking solutions for NYC’s subway and bus crisis

Via rhythmicdiaspora on Flickr

October 10, 2018

MTA launches ‘transit tech lab,’ seeking solutions for NYC’s subway and bus crisis

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To find innovative solutions for New York City's crumbling subway and bus system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is turning to tech companies. The MTA launched on Wednesday the nation's first "transit tech lab," an accelerator designed to find and test new transit technology, as first reported by the Verge. The agency is seeking answers to two major challenges: How can we better predict subway incident impacts and how can we make buses run faster and more efficient?
More here
$20M Brooklyn Heights penthouse could be the borough’s priciest sale ever

Via Moso Studio

October 10, 2018

$20M Brooklyn Heights penthouse could be the borough’s priciest sale ever

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A combination penthouse at Quay Tower, a brand new luxury condo building on the Brooklyn Heights waterfront, went into contract this week for over $20 million. If closed, the deal would become the most expensive residential sale in Brooklyn history, breaking the previous record of $16.645 million for a penthouse picked up by actor Matt Damon last year. And before that, a $15.5 million brick carriage house in Cobble Hill held the record for most expensive single residence sale in Brooklyn, which was purchased by photographer Jay Maisel in 2015.
More on the deal this way
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