Manhattan

The Frick Collection is set to reopen its newly renovated historic home at 1 East 70th Street on the Upper East Side in April 2025. The renovation, designed by Selldorf Architects, will provide a fresh and exciting way to experience the museum's legendary collections, featuring revitalized historic spaces, new amenities, and expanded galleries, including public access to the mansion's second floor for the first time. During the renovation, the museum temporarily resided in the iconic Breuer Building from 2021 until March 2024.
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Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

8th Avenue below 40th Street. Photo © Ondel Hylton

November 1, 2024

Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

New zoning tools will allow the city to build bigger apartment buildings in Midtown Manhattan, doubling the new housing units permitted under a proposed rezoning. The Department of City Planning on Thursday released an updated draft of the Midtown South rezoning plan to incorporate floor area ratio (FAR) caps of 15 to 18, enabled by the state's recent repeal of the 12 FAR cap. This change allows larger developments and roughly 9,700 new homes, up from a previous estimate of 4,000, in a 42-block area of Midtown where housing development has been largely prohibited.
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Kenny Scharf’s painted swings at Luna Luna in Los Angeles. Credit: Joshua White/Luna Luna, LLC

November 1, 2024

Resurrected avant-garde art carnival Luna Luna opens this month at The Shed at Hudson Yards

Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy, the world’s first art amusement park, is coming to The Shed at Hudson Yards this month. Lost to time since its debut in Hamburg, Germany in 1987, the avant-garde art carnival is being recreated to dazzle, delight, and perplex 21st-century visitors in New York City after a spectacular resurrection in Los Angeles earlier this year. You'll be able to experience the original colorful, surreal riot of carnival rides and immersive attractions created by iconic 20th-century art stars like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, David Hockney, Salvador Dalí, Roy Lichtenstein, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

All photos courtesy of Heidi Lee

October 30, 2024

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

"Canstruction," the beloved annual competition challenging teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to create intricate sculptures from cans, is returning for another year. As part of the contest, participants create large-scale structures using unopened food cans, all of which are donated to City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization, and distributed to food pantries afterward. Hosted at Brookfield Place, the event is free and open to the public, running from October 31 through November 11.
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Events & Things To Do

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

October 29, 2024

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

The streets of the Upper West Side will soon better suit community needs as part of a new initiative by the Department of Transportation. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday announced the launch of the agency's "Smart Curbs" pilot program on the Upper West Side, which will modernize the streets by adding neighborhood loading zones, bike corrals, and other amenities and policies to create cleaner, more vibrant, and less congested public spaces from West 86th to West 72nd Streets, between Broadway and Central Park West.
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Adams proposes Meatpacking District development with 600 apartments, open space, and Whitney Museum expansion

Photo by Elvert Barnes on Flickr

October 28, 2024

Adams proposes Meatpacking District development with 600 apartments, open space, and Whitney Museum expansion

Mayor Eric Adams on Monday unveiled a proposal to replace a Manhattan meat market with a mixed-use development with 600 apartments. The vision, dubbed Gansevoort Square, involves partially building on the lot of the Gansevoort Market Co-Op at the corner of Little West 12th Street and 10th Avenue in the Meatpacking District. The project calls for 600 mixed-income housing units, 300 of which could be affordable, a new open pavilion, and a possible expansion of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
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New Developments

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

Credit: Rahul Bhatt

October 28, 2024

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released its second-to-last limited-edition MetroCard before fully transitioning to the tap-and-go OMNY system. In collaboration with Sony, the special cards will feature pop star Olivia Rodrigo wearing the new Sony Linkbuds in her signature purple aesthetic. The MTA on Monday loaded machines at seven subway stations across the city with 50,000 limited-edition cards.
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This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

Photo courtesy of Tishman Speyer

October 28, 2024

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has been unveiled. The 74-foot-tall Norway Spruce hails from West Stockbridge in Massachusetts—the first tree sourced from the state since 1959—and will be cut down on Thursday, November 7, and make its journey to Manhattan. The spruce arrives at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, November 9. Following the tree's decoration with thousands of twinkling lights and its iconic Swarovski star, the annual tree lighting ceremony takes place on Wednesday, December 4.
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Events & Things To Do

Fifth Avenue’s tallest condo tower, 520 Fifth Avenue, tops out at 1,002 feet

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios unless otherwise noted.

October 28, 2024

Fifth Avenue’s tallest condo tower, 520 Fifth Avenue, tops out at 1,002 feet

The tallest residential tower on Fifth Avenue has officially topped out. Developed by Rabina and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 88-story mixed-use tower at 520 Fifth Avenue has topped out at 1,002 feet, making it the second tallest structure on the iconic corridor after the Empire State Building. Slated for completion in 2025, the elegant skyscraper will feature boutique office floors on the lower levels, with luxury condos beginning on the 42nd floor.
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New Developments

World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

Babe Ruth batting in an exhibition game between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, April 1934. Image via WikiCommons

October 25, 2024

World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

In partnership with Major League Baseball, the World Trade Center will host free viewing parties of the 2024 World Series as the New York Yankees face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kicking off Friday for game one, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will show the games on a massive screen at the North Oculus Plaza on the World Trade Center campus. Attendees can enjoy food and beverages from the nearby Oculus Beer Garden, as well as offerings from Westfield World Trade Center shops and restaurants.
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Events & Things To Do

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

All photos courtesy of New York Public Library/Jonathan Blanc unless otherwise noted

October 25, 2024

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

After a three-year $34.4 million renovation, a landmarked New York Public Library branch in East Harlem is reopening this month. Designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1904, the building at 224 East 125th Street had fallen into disrepair and had been closed since 2021. The revamped building will celebrate its reopening on October 30 at 10 a.m.
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$4.5M Central Park West duplex in Hotel des Artistes gets color just right

Photo credit: Real Estate Production Network for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 24, 2024

$4.5M Central Park West duplex in Hotel des Artistes gets color just right

With its Gothic-style facade and rich history of being home to notable New Yorkers, the Hotel des Artistes co-op at 1 West 67th Street is a Manhattan icon. This freshly renovated 1,800-square-foot duplex was converted to a one-bedroom home with gracious proportions and luxurious details, highlighted by a perfectly curated color palette. Asking $4,495,000, the decidedly not-beige pre-war home comes with a separate guest/staff room on the same floor.
a stylish rainbow, this way

Distinctive Homes

Judge orders Rudy Giuliani to give up Upper East Side penthouse

45 East 66th Street. Photo by Epicgenius via Wikimedia Commons

October 23, 2024

Judge orders Rudy Giuliani to give up Upper East Side penthouse

Rudy Giuliani must turn over his valuable possessions, including his Upper East Side penthouse, as part of a $148 million defamation lawsuit the former mayor lost in 2023, a judge ruled this week. In Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Judge Lewis Liman said the former New York City mayor and lawyer for Donald Trump has seven days to transfer the possessions, which include, in addition to the apartment at 45 East 66th Street, a Mercedes-Benz, several watches, a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey, and more, to the two Georgia election officials he defamed, CNN reported.
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This $3.15M co-op embodies East Village cool, all grown up

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 23, 2024

This $3.15M co-op embodies East Village cool, all grown up

In a pre-war co-op building on classically chic East 6th Street, this three-bedroom residence captures the enduring charm of the neighborhood with sophisticated style. Asking $3,150,000, the creatively designed home at 232 East 6th Street is filled with striking features like bespoke floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, decorative wallpaper, and a full spectrum of paint hues, adding up to a rock-star look that's more polished than punk. As an additional perk, a full-sized laundry room ups the storage game beyond what you'd expect to find in the neighborhood.
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Distinctive Homes

Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

Credit: Filip Wolak

October 22, 2024

Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

The Whitney Museum of American Art will begin offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under starting in mid-December. The new program builds upon the museum's free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched in January.
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Events & Things To Do

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

The 13th Street Repertory Company. Photo (left): Courtesy of Village Preservation. Current view of the building (right): Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

October 22, 2024

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

A Greenwich Village row house, dating back to before the Civil War and closely tied to Black history and one of the city's first "Off-Off-Broadway" theaters, is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street. The 1845 row house was home to Jacob Day, one of NYC's most successful 19th-century African American businessmen, and the 13th Street Repertory Company, one of the city's oldest Off-Off-Broadway theaters.
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SHOP THE LISTING: Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy’s $9.75M West Village townhouse is an all-season urban refuge

Photo courtesy of Alejandro Leon/DD Reps

October 17, 2024

SHOP THE LISTING: Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy’s $9.75M West Village townhouse is an all-season urban refuge

From the wine cellar to the terraces, roof deck, and outdoor kitchen, the West Village home of actors Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy is a dreamy four-story urban refuge with prize-winning interiors by the architecture firm of BKSK. Profiled in the New York Times, the celebrity pair wanted more space for their family; they put the 3,890-square-foot home at 19 Downing Street on the market for $9,750,000 in August. The pair quickly found a buyer for the Greek Revival-style townhouse, according to the Post, and the home is now in contract. If you love the interior design of this home, we’ve sourced a few key pieces that are identical or similar to the items in the listing photos, so you can get the look for your own space.
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Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

Iván Argote, Dinosaur, 2024. A High Line Plinth commission. On view October 2024 – Spring 2026. Photo by Timothy Schenck. Courtesy of the High Line.

October 17, 2024

Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

A giant pigeon sculpture now gazes down upon bustling 10th Avenue. The High Line this week installed Iván Argote’s "Dinosaur" above the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street as part of its High Line Plinth program. The 16-foot-tall, hyper-realistic sculpture, cast in aluminum, aims to challenge the typical power dynamic between humans and birds by elevating the pigeon above car-filled streets and High Line visitors. The sculpture will be on view for 18 months.
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Events & Things To Do

See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

Images courtesy of City Hall

October 17, 2024

See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

Here's a peek at what a pedestrian-friendly Fifth Avenue could look like. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday revealed a proposed redesign of the iconic thoroughfare between Bryant Park and Central Park into a pedestrian-focused corridor by cutting the number of traffic lanes from five to three, nearly doubling the width of sidewalks, shortening crosswalks, and planting more than 200 trees. The $350 million project, the first major alteration to Fifth Avenue in its 200-year history, aims to turn the boulevard into a grand shopping street, akin to the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Ginza in Tokyo.
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$10B Port Authority Bus Terminal replacement project moves forward

Rendering courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

October 17, 2024

$10B Port Authority Bus Terminal replacement project moves forward

The $10 billion project to replace the decrepit Port Authority Bus Terminal is moving forward. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve the Midtown bus terminal's revamp project, which replaces the dreary, aging 74-year-old facility with a vibrant, modern transit hub featuring ground-floor retail space and a public park. Plans to replace the terminal first surfaced more than 10 years ago to account for the expected growth in ridership. The plan now heads to the City Council for a vote.
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October 16, 2024

Exhibition recreating Anne Frank’s secret annex opening in NYC

A full-scale recreation of the annex where Anne Frank spent two years hiding during World War II will be displayed in New York City next year. The Anne Frank House and the Center for Jewish History will present "Anne Frank The Exhibition," a replica of the rooms where Frank, her parents, sister, and four other Jews lived in secret to evade Nazi capture. Opening on January 27, the exhibition will include 100 original collection items from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, including photo albums and poetry and letters written by Frank.
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Events & Things To Do

Pier 97 opens in Hudson River Park after $47.5M transformation

Images courtesy of Hudson River Park

October 16, 2024

Pier 97 opens in Hudson River Park after $47.5M transformation

Pier 97, the northernmost pier in Hudson River Park, reopened this week following a $47.5 million transformation. Designed by !melk in collaboration with the Hudson River Park Trust, the project turned a former docking pier and parking lot into 2.5 acres of public open space, complete with a playground, athletic field, sloping sun lawn, and more—all surrounded by over 16,000 square feet of vibrant flowers and plants. A new building with restrooms and concessions is expected to open this winter.
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Architecture And Design

Waldorf Astoria New York’s reopening delayed until spring

Rendering by Noë &Associates / The Boundary

October 15, 2024

Waldorf Astoria New York’s reopening delayed until spring

The reopening of the iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel has been postponed until next spring. The landmarked Midtown East hotel has been closed since 2017 for a major revamp, which includes turning its 1,400 guestrooms into 375 hotel rooms and 375 condo residences, according to Travel Weekly. The building, a New York City icon since it opened its doors in 1931, had most recently aimed to reopen in 2024.
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South view. Photo credit: Kate Glicksberg

October 15, 2024

$65M Sutton Place penthouse is highest on East Side waterfront