All articles by Devin Gannon

August 30, 2018

With a higher cost and shorter route, de Blasio’s BQX streetcar plan is back on the table

The long-delayed plan to bring a light-rail trolley between Brooklyn and Queens has been revived, following the completion of a two-year feasibility study, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. But the proposal differs from the original idea for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) the mayor had first released in 2016. The cost of the revised project has jumped to $2.7 billion from $2.5 billion, the number of miles on the route has dropped from 16 miles to 11 miles and the city expects the cars to run by 2029, instead of the original projection of 2024.
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August 29, 2018

Measuring the quietness of New York City in August

You might notice it the first time you get your choice of seat on the subway during the morning rush or when your wait time in line at Whole Foods drops considerably. It's August in New York and the five boroughs are eerily quiet. While you can feel the emptiness, are the numbers there to back it up? The New York Times attempted to quantify this feeling of vacancy and did report a drop in subway ridership and beach attendance. But finding this data wasn't easy. The city is on vacation.
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August 29, 2018

See new photos of Jeanne Gang’s ‘solar carving’ tower take shape along the High Line

Four months after topping out, Jeanne Gang's tower at 40 Tenth Avenue is getting its geometric glass installed. New images released by Studio Gang show the 10-story commercial building taking shape between the High Line and the Hudson River, as well as its unique glazing system on the lower levels (h/t designboom). Formerly dubbed the Solar Carve Tower because of the way the building is "sculpted by the angles of the sun," 40 Tenth Avenue features a curtain wall made of diamond-shaped panels facing downward, with four triangular pieces around it.
See its progress
August 28, 2018

Kushner Cos., Michael Cohen accused of falsifying construction permits at rent-controlled NYC buildings

Kushner Companies, run by the family of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, allegedly falsified construction permits as a way to remove rent-regulated tenants from their New York City buildings, the New York Times reported. The city's Department of Buildings on Monday fined the Kushner Cos. $210,000 for 42 violations of submitting false applications across 17 buildings. According to a tenant activist organization, Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, also falsified documents at three of his properties in Manhattan at 237 Henry Street, 172 Rivington Street and 235 East 27th Street.
More this way
August 27, 2018

1,000 new affordable homes for NYCHA seniors coming to Central Brooklyn

New York State will finance 1,000 affordable homes for seniors who are residents of the city's public housing system, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday. The 100 percent affordable units will be constructed on underutilized land in Central Brooklyn that is owned by NYCHA. The $15 million plan falls under the governor's $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative, which aims to bring affordable housing, open space and recreation, new jobs and better healthcare services to the area, which includes the neighborhoods of Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, Ocean-Hill, Bushwick, Crown Heights and East New York.
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August 27, 2018

Airbnb sues NYC over new law mandating disclosure of host data

Airbnb filed a lawsuit against New York City on Friday, following the passage of a law that requires the website to disclose the names and addresses of hosts. The lawsuit claims the new law is an "extraordinary act of government overreach" and violates the U.S. Constitution. The new law, passed by the City Council last month, makes it easier for the city to regulate illegal units, or apartments rented for less than 30 days without the permanent tenant present.
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August 27, 2018

City kicks off Governors Island rezoning process

The city has launched the public review process for rezoning Governors Island, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. A notice announcing the first public hearing for the plan was posted by the city, a critical part of the environmental review process (h/t Crain's). The rezoning would create 4.5 million square feet of commercial, academic and cultural development, part of an endeavor to turn the 172-acre island into a 24/7 community.
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August 24, 2018

WeWork on track to become the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan

If WeWork leases just 74,000 square feet of office space, the co-working space company will become the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan, the blog recode reported Thursday. This means WeWork would bypass JPMorgan Chase & Co. as the largest private office tenant in the borough. WeWork currently has 57 locations in NYC and represents a little under three percent of office space in the city, but is expected to grow to represent between five and 10 percent over the next decade. How are they securing all of this square footage? Offering brokers 100 percent commissions and huge rental discounts for tenants.
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August 24, 2018

Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza to undergo a $9M restoration

The historic entrance to Brooklyn's Prospect Park is getting a makeover. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday a plan to restore Grand Army Plaza and its iconic Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch located in Prospect Heights. The $8.9 million project, overseen by the Prospect Park Alliance and the city's Parks Department, includes replacing the roof of the arch, cleaning and repointing the brick and stone structure, repairing the iron staircases, and updating the lighting. Plus, the plaza-framing landscaped berms will be replanted.
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August 24, 2018

Despite drop in average rent, Battery Park City is still the most expensive zip code in the U.S.

Despite a year-over-year decrease in its average rent, Battery Park City ranks as the most expensive zip code for renters in the United States, according to a RentCafe report. In 2017, the average rent in this downtown neighborhood was roughly $6,000/month. And while it experienced a nearly two percent decrease this year, with average rent falling to $5,657/month, Battery Park City is still the not-so-winning winner. Not surprising but still bleak, 26 out of the 50 zip codes with the most expensive average rents in the U.S. are located in Manhattan.
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August 23, 2018

Another blow to Uber, ride-hailing app launches for NYC yellow taxis

Earlier this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a package of bills to limit for-hire vehicles, like Uber and Lyft, by placing a one-year cap on new licenses. And this week the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) approved a pilot program for a new ride-hailing app for yellow taxis, according to Curbed NY. Calling itself the "next generation taxi app," Waave promises to give New Yorkers upfront fares, surge-free pricing and estimated time of arrival before the car arrives, all features currently offered by Uber.
Get the details
August 23, 2018

Lottery launches for affordable apartments in Jersey City, from $1,014/month

Providing Jersey City residents some rental relief as the market continues to grow, a new housing building opened this week and launched a lottery for 100 percent affordable units. Located at 455 Ocean Avenue in the Greensville section of Jersey City, the five-story building includes 64 apartments, with five of the units set aside for homeless veterans and seven reserved for those earning at or below 30 percent of the area median income. Dubbed the Dr. Lena Frances Edwards Apartments, the rental's remaining units reserved for those earning 60 percent of the AMI ($66,500/year for a family of four) include $1,014/month one-bedrooms, $1,217/month two-bedrooms and $1,407/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
August 23, 2018

100 things to do in NYC that are completely free

Despite being one of the most expensive cities to live in, New York City offers many free activities, events, and attractions all year round, letting you pinch pennies when the rent check is due. From free lectures at the Met to free group meditation classes, there are tons of activities that don't cost a dime. To help New York visitors and natives alike, we've put together a guide of the 100 best wallet-friendly things to do in the Big Apple.
See the full list
August 22, 2018

Apply for 6 middle-income units on the Bushwick-Ridgewood border, from $1,988/month

Located in Bushwick at 387 Bleecker Street, a brand new building is accepting applications for six middle-income units. The rental is near the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenue subway station, right by the quirky Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the three $1,988/month one-bedroom and three $2,436/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
August 22, 2018

New tool maps every active construction project in NYC in real time

New York City's construction craze just got easier to track, thanks to a new tool that maps every major, active project across the five boroughs. The city's Department of Buildings released this week an interactive map and dashboard that provides real-time information on every active construction site in the city. According to the data, there are currently 7,437 active permits filed and nearly 198,000,00 total square feet of construction, as of Wednesday.
See just how construction crazy NYC is
August 21, 2018

For $2.5M, a West Soho condo with a peaceful garden sanctuary

With a private garden oasis accessed through floor-to-ceiling glass doors, this ground-floor apartment in West Soho offers a stunning indoor-outdoor balance. Asking $2.5 million, the two-bedroom home located at 22 Renwick Street, a full-service condo boutique building, has plenty of space to entertain. The listing describes the home as "country living in the city," and with its 15-foot tall river birch trees and beautiful flowers, it's not hard to see why.
See the enviable green space
August 21, 2018

My 5,400sqft: Inside father and finance pro Stephen Fox’s sprawling Long Island City condo

No, that's not a typo. Stephen Fox’s home really measures 5,400 square feet. And slightly more than half of that space comes in the form of two terraces--a lower one equipped with a grill and dining area and a huge rooftop area with more room to play and entertain than some city parks. Both spaces boast views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a front-row seat to the ever-evolving Queens neighborhood of Long Island City. After first purchasing a unit in the building, a former 19th-century factory, in 2006, Stephen and his wife Julie later snagged a larger apartment. The couple, who both work in finance, then bought the unit next door, combining them to make for an even more palatial home. They now share the light-filled space with their two children, three-year-old Mason and two-year-old Logan. Stephen recently gave 6sqft a tour of his home, shared what it was like to settle down in LIC, and told us how he's seen the neighborhood change over the last decade.
Take a look around
August 20, 2018

MTA to host town hall meetings on ambitious Fast Forward plan

Instead of airing grievances about the subway on Twitter, you will soon be able to complain to the boss of the system face-to-face. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced on Sunday that Andy Byford, president of NYC Transit, will host a series of town hall public meetings about the Fast Forward plan, the ambitious proposal to modernize the subway over the next decade. The first meeting will take place at York College in Queens on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.
Get the details
August 20, 2018

Interactive map displays changes in New York City’s street grid over the last 90 years

The Department of City Planning (DCP) launched on Monday a digital tool that compiles more than 8,000 historic maps of New York City, dating back to 1924. The tool, called NYC Street Map, allows users to find the official mapped width and status of specific streets and how that relates to specific properties. According to DCP, NYC Street Map lets New Yorkers explore historic street and building images, find protected bike lanes and locate streets and public areas named in honor of 9/11 victims.
Explore the map
August 17, 2018

Lottery launches for affordable units across from Lincoln Terrace in Crown Heights, from $938/month

Located across from the Lincoln Terrace/ Arthur S. Somers Park in Crown Heights, a newly constructed building has 10 affordable apartments up for grabs. New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which include $938/month studios, $1,080/month one-bedrooms and $1,223/month two-bedrooms. In addition to being across from 21 acres of public park, the rental at 24 Ford Street also features a fitness center, lounge, a bike room, and parking.
Find out if you qualify
August 17, 2018

The real value of $100 in New York is just $86.51

A $100 in New York State has a real value of just $86.51, according to a report released this week by the Tax Foundation, an independent tax policy research group. And while New Yorkers know the cost of housing here ranks among the highest in the country and drives up the cost of living, everyday goods, including groceries, are also more expensive than most other states.
Not all that surprising
August 17, 2018

Battery Maritime Building’s hotel-restaurant conversion is back on track

The plan to convert the landmarked Battery Maritime Building into a hotel and Cipriani rooftop restaurant is back on schedule after an injection of capital into the project, Crain's reported on Thursday. Developer Midtown Equities will take a 30 percent stake, allowing construction to resume this fall or winter. In 2009, the city first approved a plan to redevelop the building, which sits at 10 South Street in the Financial District, but was delayed after a series of legal and financial setbacks.
More details here
August 16, 2018

Apply for 35 affordable apartments in Bed-Stuy, from $745/month

A six-story building in Bed-Stuy launched a lottery this week for 35 affordable apartments. Developed in collaboration between Comunilife and NYC Health + Hospitals, the Woodhull Residence at 179 Throop Avenue contains 89 studio apartments, designed as supportive and affordable housing. The apartments up for grabs through the lottery are set aside for individual New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income, or between $27,463 and $43,860 annually, and include $746/month and $903/month studios.
Find out if you qualify
August 16, 2018

Tenement Museum will open an info kiosk at the Market Line inside Essex Crossing

The Tenement Museum will open a new kiosk at the Market Line inside the Essex Crossing development on the Lower East Side, developer Delancy Street Associates announced on Thursday. The kiosk will feature a screen with tour times and other information about the museum. When it opens later this year, the Market Line will run three city blocks and include 100 locally-sourced food, art, fashion and music vendors. The market, projected to be the largest of its kind in New York City, sits inside Essex Crossing, a 1.9-million-square foot mixed-use development.
Get the details
August 16, 2018

From Rheingold Brewery to the Denizen: Inside Bushwick’s most unique rental

A new rental development designed by ODA Architecture has been dubbed by its developers as a building "made for Bushwick." And once you tour the sprawling, two-block site, that bold declaration makes more sense. Located on part of the former site of Brooklyn's Rheingold Brewery at 54 Noll Street (with its still-under-construction sister site at 123 Melrose Street), the Denizen Bushwick features a fragmented facade with rust-colored, deeply-recessed windows. But what stands out the most at the building, in addition to its bisecting green promenade and interconnected courtyards, remain the corridors of large-scale art that stand seven stories tall.
Take the tour