All articles by Devin Gannon

Cynthia Nixon calls for congestion pricing and millionaires’ tax to fund subway repairs

Photo via Wikimedia

June 4, 2018

Cynthia Nixon calls for congestion pricing and millionaires’ tax to fund subway repairs

By Devin Gannon

Actress and candidate for governor Cynthia Nixon released last week her plan to fix New York City's transit system and many of the ideas look pretty familiar. To pay for much-needed subway repairs, Nixon's plan calls for congestion pricing, a concept supported by her opponent Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and a millionaires' tax, an idea backed by Mayor Bill de Blasio (h/t NY Post). Her campaign also details imposing a polluter fee on fossil fuel companies to "generate billions of dollars to be used to fund New York’s transition to green energy." And while disparaging the MTA remains one of the focal points of her campaign, Nixon's plan to upgrade the subways is nearly identical to the Fast Forward plan released by NYC Transit Authority President Andy Byford last month. Jon Weinstein, a spokesperson for the MTA, said in a statement: "After three months of slamming the MTA in the press, Ms. Nixon released a plan to fix the subways and it was the MTA’s plan. Thanks."
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Lottery launches for a boatload of affordable apartments across Brooklyn, from $850/month

Photo via CityRealty

June 1, 2018

Lottery launches for a boatload of affordable apartments across Brooklyn, from $850/month

By Devin Gannon

A lottery launched this week for 16 renovated, affordable apartments across five different Brooklyn neighborhoods: Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, Flatbush, Williamsburg and Bushwick. Units available include four studios, four one-bedrooms, six two-bedrooms and two four-bedrooms. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the affordable units ranging from $850/month studios to $1,427/month four-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Delayed feasibility study for proposed BQX streetcar costing taxpayers at least $7M

Photo via Friends of the BQX

June 1, 2018

Delayed feasibility study for proposed BQX streetcar costing taxpayers at least $7M

By Devin Gannon

The plan to bring a 16-mile light-rail trolley between Brooklyn and Queens has already cost taxpayers millions of dollars, even before the feasibility of the project has been determined. The study has cost the city $7 million in taxpayer money so far, according to the New York Post. And while the city's Economic Development Corporation promised to have the study completed last fall, this week the agency said they would not put a timeline on its release. Mayor Bill de Blasio first backed the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) project in February 2016, but a series of delays and funding concerns have put the trolley on hold. The proposed streetcar was left out of the city's budget proposal last month, further delaying studies into the project's plausibility.
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Apply for 3 middle-income apartments next to the Harlem River in Highbridge, from $1,200/month

Photo by Shinya Suzuki / Flickr

May 31, 2018

Apply for 3 middle-income apartments next to the Harlem River in Highbridge, from $1,200/month

By Devin Gannon

A lottery launched this week for three middle-income apartments in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. Located at 1072 University Avenue, the newly constructed building sits just steps from the Harlem River, with views of the High Bridge, a 170-year-old bridge that offers a shortcut to Manhattan. As the oldest bridge in New York City, the High Bridge first opened in 1848 and was closed for 45 years before reopening after renovations in 2015. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the three units: a $1,200/month studio, $1,500/month one-bedroom and a $1,800/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYCHA improvements mandated by federal government could cost NYC $1B

Photo via Wikimedia

May 31, 2018

NYCHA improvements mandated by federal government could cost NYC $1B

By Devin Gannon

New York City will likely have to cough up $1 billion over the next four years to pay for improvements to its public housing stock as part of an agreement with the federal government, Politico New York reported Wednesday. The settlement from federal prosecutors ordering repairs to buildings run by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will likely be reached in the next few days. The order comes after an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's District Office, which began in 2015, to check crumbling conditions across the 325 developments it operates. If the city does not follow the orders, the federal government could then take over the authority.
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Get a taste of Hell’s Kitchen with a food festival at the Intrepid this summer

May 31, 2018

Get a taste of Hell’s Kitchen with a food festival at the Intrepid this summer

By Devin Gannon

Photo via MrTMan on Flickr There is no shortage of food halls, food markets and food trucks in New York City to satisfy your every craving. However, none of these eating events take place next to an aircraft carrier on the Hudson River. Until now. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum announced this week that it will host a food festival at Pier 86, featuring more than 20 local vendors from the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. The waterfront food fest, WestsideEATS, runs from 10 am to 6 pm on June 9 and June 10 (h/t TimeOut).
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One week after the Brooklyn Bridge opened, a rumor of its collapse caused a fatal stampede

Drawing by a staff artist at Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper

May 30, 2018

One week after the Brooklyn Bridge opened, a rumor of its collapse caused a fatal stampede

By Devin Gannon

On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge officially opened, with roughly 1,800 vehicles and over 150,000 people crossing what was then the only passageway between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Less than a week later, 12 people were killed and over 35 others injured in a violent stampede. On that fateful day, the bridge was brimming with people celebrating the Memorial Day holiday and checking out the new overpass, which was considered the longest bridge in the world at the time. A woman had tripped and fallen down the wooden stairs headed toward Manhattan, which caused another woman to scream. In a grand misinterpretation, a rumor was started that the bridge was about to collapse, sending the crowd into complete hysteria. Pedestrians ran to get off the bridge, stampeding their way to the entrance and pushing others to the ground.
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History

Fresh set of renderings for Dock 72, the new home for WeWork at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Rendering of Dock 72 via Ekoomedia

May 30, 2018

Fresh set of renderings for Dock 72, the new home for WeWork at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

By Devin Gannon

New renderings have been unveiled of Dock 72, a 675,000-square-foot office building co-developed by Boston Properties and Rudin Management for the evolving Brooklyn Navy Yard. Surrounded by water on all sides but one, Dock 72, designed by S9 Architecture, features outdoor terraces, 35,000 square feet of amenities and unobstructed views of Manhattan. As the anchor tenant and co-developer, WeWork will occupy a third of the space, or 220,000 square feet. With its glassy facade installed, the 16-story office building is scheduled to wrap up construction in the fall, becoming one of the largest ground-up office buildings in the borough in nearly three decades.
See them here

Controversial expansion of the Frick Collection hits another road block

May 30, 2018

Controversial expansion of the Frick Collection hits another road block

By Devin Gannon

All renderings courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle and Selldorf Architects The planned expansion of the Frick Collection is delayed again after the Landmarks Preservation Commission decided Tuesday to not vote on the project, following hours of public testimony. Dozens of neighborhood advocates, preservationists and museum goers attended the hearing to discuss the Beyer Blinder Belle and Selldorf Architects-designed expansion, which would include 60,000 square feet of repurposed space and 27,000 square feet of new construction. The plan would expand the existing Upper East Side building's second level, add two set-back stories above the music room and an addition behind the Frick Art Reference Library. According to Curbed NY, critics of the expansion said the additions would be too large and block the design of the existing library. Despite a presentation from head architect Annabelle Selldorf, no decision was made about whether to grant the $160 million project its certificate of appropriateness.
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A mecca of African American history and culture, Central Harlem is designated a historic district

Photo via LPC

May 29, 2018

A mecca of African American history and culture, Central Harlem is designated a historic district

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday designated three blocks in Central Harlem as a historic district in recognition of the significant role African Americans played in social change in New York City and beyond during the 20th century. The Central Harlem District measures West 130-132nd Streets, the mid-blocks between Lenox and Seventh Avenues. LPC notes how Harlem residents used residential buildings to accommodate cultural, religious and political activities, starting with the Harlem Renaissance through the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "This collection of buildings is exactly why we designate historic districts: it's an architecturally distinctive and historically significant set of structures that together tell an essential piece of Central Harlem's story,” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said. The commission also launched an interactive story map as a way to illustrate the unique influence of this district through photos, maps and video.
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Popular Articles

From sacred conches to the world’s oldest piano, you can now listen to 2,000 years of music at the Met

Photo via The Metropolitan Museum of Art

May 29, 2018

From sacred conches to the world’s oldest piano, you can now listen to 2,000 years of music at the Met

By Devin Gannon

Following two years of renovations, the Metropolitan Museum of Art reopened its impressive music collection, which includes roughly 5,000 instruments dating from about 300 B.C. to the present, grouping them by period and type, rather than culture by which they were created. The redesign of the exhibit, called The Art of Music, places "Fanfare" as the first gallery. Drawing visitors into the instrument gallery, Fanfare features 74 brass instruments "spanning two millennia and five continents." It includes sacred conches, animal horns, a vuvuzela and more. And now, for the first time, the instruments can be heard through dynamic kiosks at the museum, or online.
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Events & Things To Do

Widespread oversight in thousands of NYC water tanks poses health risks, according to report

May 29, 2018

Widespread oversight in thousands of NYC water tanks poses health risks, according to report

By Devin Gannon

Photo via Ted McGrath on Flickr Thousands of wooden water tanks in New York City have not been properly inspected and cleaned for years, according to an investigation by City & State. And while the water towers have been an iconic part of the city skyline for over a century, the structures make it easy for pathogens and even dead animals to congregate and infiltrate the city's drinking water. According to the report, most building owners do not inspect and clean water tanks on a regular basis, despite newly updated health codes that require annual filings. City & State mapped more than 13,000 water tank inspection reports from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), letting the public know for the first time if and when a building's tank has been inspected and whether bacteria was found. Last year, just over 3,520 buildings with water tanks filed proof of inspection.
Has your building's water tank been inspected?

Policy

Go camping among the trees in this $195/night treehouse in Upstate New York

May 25, 2018

Go camping among the trees in this $195/night treehouse in Upstate New York

By Devin Gannon

Trade the racket of cars honking and music blaring, for the blissful sounds of whispering wind and singing birds at this charming airbnb getaway in Upstate New York. Not only is this rental off-the-grid (there is no WiFi or electricity), it's located in an actual treehouse. What the pad lacks in modern convenience, it makes up for in rustic charm and natural ambience. Located in the rural Upstate neighborhood of Argyle, the treehouse, called the Whispering Wind Treehouse on its listing, can accommodate two guests in its one bedroom, starting at $195 per night.
Take a look around

Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, the city closes 11-block stretch of Rockaway beach

Photo via Dan DeLuca on Flickr

May 25, 2018

Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, the city closes 11-block stretch of Rockaway beach

By Devin Gannon

Just days before New York City beaches were scheduled to open for the season, officials announced this week that a half-mile stretch of popular Rockaway beach will be closed this summer. The shuttered area spans roughly 11 blocks between Beach 91st and Beach 102nd Streets, considered by some to be the center of the beach. The city closed the section of the beach, previously set to open Saturday, because of safety issues from erosion, the New York Times reported. That particular area of the beach may be closed for many years because there "just isn't enough space to operate the beach" according to Liam Kavanagh, the first deputy commissioner for the city's parks department.
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Uncategorized

Lottery launches for three middle-income units in historic Weeksville for $2,700/month

Rendering via Samuel Wieder Associates

May 24, 2018

Lottery launches for three middle-income units in historic Weeksville for $2,700/month

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery launched this week for three middle-income units in the Crown Heights area of Weeksville, a historic Brooklyn neighborhood founded by freed African Americans about 180 years ago. Conveniently, the newly constructed rental at 233 Buffalo Avenue sits just a few blocks from the Weeksville Heritage Center, a museum dedicated to preserving the history of the 19th century African American community. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the $2,700/month three-bedroom units.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

LPC’s new interactive map shows pending and issued permits for landmarked buildings

May 24, 2018

LPC’s new interactive map shows pending and issued permits for landmarked buildings

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Wednesday launched a new interactive web map that displays applications and permits for work on individual, interior and scenic landmarks, as well as buildings in historic districts. Permit Application Finder users can search by community district and work type, allowing the public to see geographically where LPC has issued permits for the first time. "LPC reviews and approves thousands of permit applications for work on designated properties each year, and with this map, information on all of these projects is just a click away," LPC Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan said in a statement. "It is an excellent example of how we are leveraging technology to make our regulatory process more efficient and transparent.”
More details here

Policy

15 Central Park West still reigns as the best selling condo in New York City

15 Central Park West via Wikimedia

May 23, 2018

15 Central Park West still reigns as the best selling condo in New York City

By Devin Gannon

With 10 years of closings officially on record, 15 Central Park West takes the top spot as New York City's best performing building for yet another year. According to a CityRealty 100 report released Wednesday, the average price per square foot of units at Robert A.M. Stern's "Limestone Jesus" was roughly $6,405, between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018. In that time period the building saw a total of eight sales, including apartments which sold for $28 million and $21.5 million. Sales at the limestone tower were able to outperform newer developments, like One57 and 432 Park Avenue.
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Real Estate Trends

MTA releases aggressive plan to modernize New York City’s subway within a decade

Photo via Dan Phiffer on Flickr

May 23, 2018

MTA releases aggressive plan to modernize New York City’s subway within a decade

By Devin Gannon

Within 10 years, the subway system will feature a state-of-the-art signal system, become more accessible, have a new fare payment system and boast thousands of new subway cars and buses. These ambitious improvements are all part of a plan released Wednesday by New York City Transit Chief Andy Byford and the MTA, called "Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit." And the plan does intend to move very quickly. Byford expects work previously estimated to take nearly 50 years to be completed within the next decade. The top-to-bottom modernization of the system will no doubt inconvenience commuters, with possible changes to bus stop locations, as well as station closures and service disruptions. "Fast Forward" breaks down into two five-year plans, with the first half estimated to cost $19 billion and the next five years to cost $18 billion according to the New York Times. However, a cost estimate of the plan has not yet been officially released by the MTA.
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‘Little Haiti’ district will come to Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood

Photo via Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams on Twitter

May 22, 2018

‘Little Haiti’ district will come to Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood

By Devin Gannon

To celebrate the thousands of Haitian-Americans who have called Flatbush home for decades, city officials revealed last week plans to designate the "Little Haiti Business and Cultural District" in the Brooklyn neighborhood. The borough boasts one of the largest communities of Haitian-Americans in the country, with more than 90,000 individuals of Haitian descent living in Brooklyn. Once the City Council passes a resolution, an official Little Haiti district would be able to request funding earmarked for cultural initiatives, obtain permits easier, create a museum and build monuments, the Observer reported Monday. Marking the new district, lawmakers and locals on Friday unveiled a new street sign for Nostrand Avenue, where it meets Newkirk Avenue, which will now be co-named "Toussaint L'Ouverture Boulevard," to honor a leader of the Haitian Revolution.
More details here

Uncategorized

An open-air night market with diverse grub will open in the Bronx next month

Images via Bronx Night Market

May 21, 2018

An open-air night market with diverse grub will open in the Bronx next month

By Devin Gannon

Move over, Queens. The Bronx is getting an open-air, night market next month, the first of its kind to come to the borough. Setting up shop in Fordham Plaza, the festival will include food and craft beverages from more than 35 vendors, handcrafted items and live entertainment (h/t amNY). The event is free to attend and will run starting June 30 through October, happening on the last Saturday of every month.
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Since 1993, NYC has lost 152,000 regulated units after landlords increased rent, report says

Image by Jorbasa Fotografie / Flickr

May 21, 2018

Since 1993, NYC has lost 152,000 regulated units after landlords increased rent, report says

By Devin Gannon

In the midst of an affordable housing crisis, rents in New York City continue to rise, a record number of New Yorkers make up the city’s homeless population and the amount of rent regulated apartments are in danger of vanishing completely. An investigation released Sunday by the New York Times found rent-stabilized apartments have been disappearing since city and state lawmakers first eradicated rent laws in 1993. Since then, the city has lost more than 152,000 regulated apartments as a result of landlords exploiting weak regulations and pushing out rent-regulated tenants, with little or no consequence from city and state agencies. And another 130,000 more apartments have been lost due to expiring tax breaks and co-op and condo conversions.
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Three chances to snag a middle-income apartment in East Flatbush, from $1,733/month

Photo via Absolute Consulting/ Michael Avramides Architects

May 21, 2018

Three chances to snag a middle-income apartment in East Flatbush, from $1,733/month

By Devin Gannon

A recently constructed building in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn launched a lottery this week for three middle-income units. The rental units at 1544 Nostrand Avenue sit just a block from the 2 and 5 trains at Church Avenue and about a mile from the southern part of Prospect Park. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the $1,733/month one-bedroom and $2,089/month two-bedroom apartments. While the lottery offers a discount, it's relatively small, with market-rate one-bedrooms in Flatbush going for $1,917/month for a one-bedroom and $2,120 for a two-bedroom on average, according to RENTCafe.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Live in a new Art Deco-inspired rental in Crown Heights, from $1,080/month

Via CitiHabitats

May 18, 2018

Live in a new Art Deco-inspired rental in Crown Heights, from $1,080/month

By Devin Gannon

A Karl Fischer-designed rental in Crown Heights launched a lottery this week for 40 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments. Dubbed The Frederick, the building at 564 St. John's Place boasts a masonry and cast stone facade lined with stunning bay windows. To break away from the cookie-cutter look of new developments, the Frederick has residences with "state-of-the-art, but full of uncommon detail," according to the building website. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the affordable units, consisting of $1,080/month one-bedrooms and $1,223/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Image via Swarovski

May 18, 2018

Daniel Libeskind will redesign a new star for the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

By Devin Gannon

Swarovski has tapped architect Daniel Libeskind to redesign a new star to top the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, the first time it will be replaced in 14 years. Libeskind, who is best known for designing the master site plan for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, called the star "a symbol that represents our greatest ambitions for hope, unity and peace." According to Architectural Digest, Libeskind's geometric, angular designs made him an easy choice as the new topper's designer.
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