City Living

Spotlight: Alex Gregg Is the Upper East Side’s Go-To Comic Book and Sports Card Guy
May 6, 2016

Spotlight: Alex Gregg Is the Upper East Side’s Go-To Comic Book and Sports Card Guy

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At a time when Batman and Captain America are all over the big screens and sports culture is becoming increasingly digital, one might think superheroes' and athletes' presence on paper is waning. But collecting cards and comics is alive and well in Yorkville, where Alex's MVP Cards and Comics has everything an X-Men-, Archie-, or sport-loving aficionado could want. Alex Gregg first opened a store on the Upper East Side 27 years ago. The business grew out of his own personal collection and interest and is now the place to locate that latest rookie card, newest comic, or buy a piece of memorabilia. Alex certainly knows a great deal about history - particularly New York history - having worked for 22 years as a bartender at the famed (and now closed) establishment Elaine’s. 6sqft recently spoke with Alex about how cards and comics have both changed and remained the same and about his days at Elaine’s.
Read the interview with Alex
The Garden State of New York: Jerseyans Move to Manhattan and Brooklyn More Than Anyone
May 6, 2016

The Garden State of New York: Jerseyans Move to Manhattan and Brooklyn More Than Anyone

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New Yorkers might want to stop hating on Jerseyans, because without the bridge and tunnel demographic the city would be a barren wasteland, at least according to this fun map from Very Small Array. First spotted by Brokelyn, the map uses census data to plot the state from which most people come in a given neighborhood (excluding those originally from New York). And as you can see, New Jersey makes up the majority of the city, followed not surprisingly by California. Florida, the third-place state, is a bit more unexpected, as is the fact that Mill Basin/Bergen Beach is full of Alaskans.
More data this way
Stuff You Should Know: How Eminent Domain Works

The Atlantic Yards (now known as Pacific Park) in Brooklyn where eminent domain was used to take property. Image via Atlantic Yards Report

May 4, 2016

Stuff You Should Know: How Eminent Domain Works

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It has been called the most coercive public policy after the draft. It has also been said that without it, construction in major cities would come to a shuddering stop. What is this powerful, controversial tool? Can both statements be true? Eminent domain is the policy by which a governmental agency can acquire or "take" property from an owner unwilling to sell in order to build something else there, and it has been around for centuries. Some say it derives from the medieval concept of the divine right of kings, empowered by God the Almighty to be sovereign over all. And by inference, that includes the land, which individual owners occupy and trade at the king's sufferance. When he wants it back, it is his right to take it. So under eminent domain, all land theoretically belongs to the state, which can assume control at any time.
more on eminent domain here
The Whole Foods Effect: Does the Green Grocery Increase Home Values?
May 3, 2016

The Whole Foods Effect: Does the Green Grocery Increase Home Values?

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Fairway Market, considered by many the quintessential New York City supermarket, filed for bankruptcy yesterday, citing competition from "natural, organic and prepared food rivals" and "online ordering and home delivery services," according to the Wall Street Journal. Perhaps their biggest threats are Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, which both seem to be in a very different boat. Yahoo! Finance looked at data of four million homes in the U.S. that are located in a zip code with either one of these stores, "finding that average property values in a ZIP code with Trader Joe's appreciated by about 40 percent since they were purchased, while homes with a Whole Foods in the ZIP code appreciated by nearly 34 percent." The reasoning is quite simple -- people will pay a premium for the convenience of being near their favorite stores. And proximity to a store like Whole Foods, often thought of as more high-end than other grocery stores, adds an air of prestige to a neighborhood. But the science behind it is a bit of a chicken or the egg situation -- does a retailer directly affect home values, or are these companies able to identify locations where they'll generate the most interest?
Find out this way
VIDEO: A Visit to the ‘Creepy’ Depths of the ‘90s Subway Finds Some Things Haven’t Changed
May 3, 2016

VIDEO: A Visit to the ‘Creepy’ Depths of the ‘90s Subway Finds Some Things Haven’t Changed

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Here’s a video that drops a subway token on the dark ages of 1990, when the city's underground transit system may have been a little “creepy,” but buses still took forever. While our ideas of what’s merely unruly (afterschool hordes) and what’s downright dangerous (the NYPD, eek!) may have been changed by the intervening years, it’s interesting to note the things that have stayed the same (capacity crowds on the Lexington Avenue line). Our host, a Fonzie-meets-Geraldo-esque Newsday columnist by the name of Ellis Henican, skims the surface of the many, many things that are going on below it in the city’s subway tunnels of the day, including ghost stations, locked restrooms and more.
Find out what's changed, what hasn't and what's still creepy
Spotlight: Mommy Poppins’ Anna Fader Shares Tips for Raising Kids in NYC

Image courtesy of New York Family

April 29, 2016

Spotlight: Mommy Poppins’ Anna Fader Shares Tips for Raising Kids in NYC

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With school out for break this week, parents all over New York City have been looking for activities to occupy their youngsters. Many turn to Mommy Poppins, a local guide for the best preschools, classes, camps, events, trips, and generally fun stuff to do with kids in the city on every budget. The go-to site for parents was founded in 2007 by native New Yorker Anna Fader who wanted to share her vision for a "more artsy, educational, non-commercialized and community-oriented way to raise kids in New York City." It's since expanded to include Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, Boston, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, as well as an app that helps parents find things like playgrounds and restaurants on the go. 6sqft recently caught up with Anna to learn about her personal experiences raising a family downtown and get some insider tips on the best things to do with kids in New York.
Read the interview here
Don’t Look Up: Would Traffic Signals in the Pavement Protect NYC Phone Gazers?
April 29, 2016

Don’t Look Up: Would Traffic Signals in the Pavement Protect NYC Phone Gazers?

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We've already seen the creation of texting lanes for smartphone addicts (in Antwerp, Belgium and Chongqing, China) so pedestrians don't have to be stuck behind someone hunting for the perfect emoji. Recently the German city of Augsburg has taken the step of actually installing traffic lights in the pavement so text-walkers could be made aware of when it's unsafe to walk–by which we mean they're about to walk into the path of a 50-ton train. The idea came about after a 15-year-old girl was fatally hit by an oncoming tram while wearing headphones and looking down at her smartphone. As reported in The Telegraph, the lights look like ordinary road markers, but flat to the ground. Bavarian public-works/transportation provider Stadtwerke Augsburg has installed the experimental earthbound traffic signals in two rail stations. The LED lights blink green when it's safe to walk and red when a train is approaching. They're visible from a distance, so they might even give pedestrians some lead time to realize an intersection is up ahead.
Find out more
Stuff You Should Know: How NYC School Zones and Districts Work

Photo by Mary Frost of the Brooklyn Eagle

April 28, 2016

Stuff You Should Know: How NYC School Zones and Districts Work

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It’s a longstanding New York City tradition—families relocating to live in a desirable school district or zone. Currently, all five of the city’s boroughs are divided into districts and zones and both come with their own currency. Districts, which usually cover large swaths of a borough, impact students’ middle school and in some cases, high school choices. Zones, by contrast, can run just a few blocks and are usually the sole criteria for assigning students to schools at the elementary level. Like many things in New York City, however, a block can make a world of difference.
more on School Zones and Districts here
NYC Millennials Earn 20 Percent Less, Have More Debt Than Previous Generations
April 26, 2016

NYC Millennials Earn 20 Percent Less, Have More Debt Than Previous Generations

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If you were born between 1985 and 1996 and live in New York City, there's a good chance you're struggling. The Wall Street Journal looked at a report from city Comptroller Scott Stringer that examined the effects of the recession on millennials, which found they earn about 20 percent less than previous generations of their counterparts. Furthermore, the report says the economy has left this group with "greater debt than their parents" and "fewer high-wage job opportunities even as the cost of housing in the city has risen."
More good news ahead
FiDi Residents Get the Largest Tax Returns in the City, According to the IRS
April 25, 2016

FiDi Residents Get the Largest Tax Returns in the City, According to the IRS

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It's time for Uncle Sam to start writing tax refund checks, and according to the IRS he'll be shelling out the most in the Financial District. As the Post reports, "One-percenters living in the Financial District have the highest taxable income, the biggest tax bills and get the largest refunds in New York City."  Though zip codes 10012 and 10013 (which make up parts of the West Village, Soho, Tribeca and the Lower East Side) are the most expensive in terms of real estate, it's FiDi's 10005 that is the richest in terms of earnings. The average annual taxable income for residents here is $948,979, and they pay $254,835 in taxes and get refunded $74,079.
Which other neighborhoods topped the list?
Spotlight: The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay Talks Sports and Rules for Life in NYC
April 22, 2016

Spotlight: The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay Talks Sports and Rules for Life in NYC

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New Yorkers tend to have go-to writers who they read day in and day out -- with their morning coffee, on the subway, or winding down after a long day. For many, Jason Gay is on this team of journalists. As a sports columnist for The Wall Street Journal, he regularly provides sports coverage, insights, and opinions for the paper's readership. He writes extensively about specific players and teams, but also pens features that touch upon the human aspects and humor that can be found on and off the court. Jason has become known for his funny rule-centric columns, including the very popular "The 32 Rules of Thanksgiving Touch Football" and "The 27 Rules of Conquering the Gym." This passion for rules took shape as a book, "Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living," which takes seemingly banal topics -- parenthood, exercise, office life, travel, and the holidays -- and celebrates how the smallest accomplishments in life are often the most meaningful. 6sqft recently spoke to Jason about sports, writing for the Journal, and how "Yankees World Championships are like real estate closings."
Read the interview with Jason
How Long Should You Wait For the Subway Before Giving Up?
April 20, 2016

How Long Should You Wait For the Subway Before Giving Up?

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To wait or not to wait, that is the question that engineer Erik Bernhardsson answered in his recent analysis of the MTA's real-time API. In his post titled NY Subway Math he determined that if you're in a hurry, you should only wait for a train to arrive for 11 minutes (h/t Technically). At this point, the chance that there's a serious delay begins to rise. As he notes, "The interesting conclusion is that after about five minutes, the longer you wait, the longer you will have to wait. If you waited for 15 minutes, the median additional waiting time is another 8 minutes. But 8 minutes later if the train still hasn’t come, the median additional waiting time is now another 12 minutes.”
More on the conclusion
Annual Subway Ridership Hits 1.7 Billion, Highest Since 1948
April 19, 2016

Annual Subway Ridership Hits 1.7 Billion, Highest Since 1948

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The MTA has released its 2015 figures, which show the highest weekday subway ridership since 1948, reports the Daily News. Not only does this account for daily riders, which hit 5.7 million, but annual ridership as well, reaching 1.763 billion. Another interesting tidbit, especially considering the looming shutdown, is that L train usage decreased for the first time in about 20 years. This occurred from Third Avenue to Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn, resulting in a 4.2 percent increase along the J/Z and M lines.
More findings ahead
Spotlight: The Gefilteria’s Liz Alpern Is Making Gefilte Fish a Modern Passover Staple
April 15, 2016

Spotlight: The Gefilteria’s Liz Alpern Is Making Gefilte Fish a Modern Passover Staple

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As the co-founder and co-owner of The Gefilteria, a Brooklyn-based gefilte fish manufacturing business, Liz Alpern is hard at work making sure there's plenty of her product for her customers to serve at their Passover seders in just a week. Gefilte fish is a dish surrounded by lots of opinions; at seders, it's just as common for someone to ask for seconds as it is for others to kindly offer the dish to their neighbor. Liz understands this range of feelings, as she's found herself on both sides of it. When she was younger, she didn't partake in the course, but in adulthood, she was introduced to homemade gefilte fish-- instead of the pre-made variety found on store shelves--and a love affair began that developed into The Gefilteria, which she co-founded with Jeffrey Yoskowitz in 2012. 6sqft recently spoke with Liz to discuss the founding and evolution of The Gefilteria, how they're casting the Passover staple in a new light, and what it means to be part of her customers’ seders.
Read the full interview here
April 14, 2016

Mayor’s Affordable Housing Push Brings Tough Questions on Racial Integration

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Affordability vs. racial inclusion may sound like an odd battle to be having, yet it's one that often simmers below the surface in discussions of neighborhood change. The words "Nearly 50 years after the passage of the federal Fair Housing Act..." are, of course, no small part of the reason. And in a city known for its diversity–one that often feels more racially integrated than it is–the question of how housing policy might affect racial makeup tends to be carefully sidestepped, but the New York Times opens that worm-can in a subsection called "Race/Related."
Is there a tradeoff between integration and affordability?
Tips for Keeping Pets Happy and Healthy in an Apartment
April 13, 2016

Tips for Keeping Pets Happy and Healthy in an Apartment

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6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. This week we offer up helpful tips on how to live with a furry family member (or members) from choosing the right furniture to actually getting your pet OK'd to move into a new place with you. Owning a dog or cat in the city is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Not only can small apartments and loud noises be stressful for humans, but animal anxiety can also be exacerbated by these external elements (and de-stressing for them isn't as easy for them as getting a massage or happy hour). On top of this, pet messes and their manic outbursts can seem exponentially larger when compacted into an home that's barely 500 square feet. Ahead, with the help of Erin McShane, owner of Manhattan's new cat cafe and teahouse Little Lions, we've rounded up a few tips and things to consider when it comes to making apartment living with dogs and cats comfortable for all—especially humans.
A happy home, happy pet and happy you this way
POLL: Will You Miss the MetroCard Swipe?
April 13, 2016

POLL: Will You Miss the MetroCard Swipe?

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The ye-olde MetroCard swipe has made national headlines in recent weeks, thanks to Hilary Clinton’s inability to get through the turnstile and Bernie Sanders’ belief that we’re still in the dark ages using subway tokens. The fact that these snafus are so attention-grabbing goes to show how intrinsic the simple act of swiping a MetroCard is […]

Vinyl, Kale or Condos: It’s Your Move in the ‘Settlers of Brooklyn’ Board Game
April 12, 2016

Vinyl, Kale or Condos: It’s Your Move in the ‘Settlers of Brooklyn’ Board Game

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In the Settlers of Brooklyn (pronounced inexplicably in the lost tongue of the High Middle Ages), an "award-winning game of entitlement, self-discovery and brunch," there are five resources available: coffee, vinyl, bicycles, skinny jeans, and kale. All of which sound like reasonably life-enhancing additions, but when combined with a tableful of flannel-wearing gits, such as those portrayed in the video below, set on engineering the perfect endless brunch, the whole picture begins to grate like the line outside Egg on a Sunday morning. So the best thing to do may be just to roll with it, which is the idea behind this quick video sendup from snarkmeisters Above Average.
Watch the full video here
Do Poor New Yorkers Live Longer? Study Says Yes, Despite the Income Gap

“The Association Between Income and Life Expectancy in the United States, 2001-2014,” by the Journal of the American Medical Association; Life expectancy for all income quartiles.

April 11, 2016

Do Poor New Yorkers Live Longer? Study Says Yes, Despite the Income Gap

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The New York Times recently took a look at the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Using data compiled from anonymous earnings records and death certificates, the results offer some provocative insights into the importance of geography to how long people live–poor people in particular. There is, as we've already assumed, a longevity gap between the rich (in this study, people with household incomes of over $100,000 per year) and poor (those with incomes less than $28,000). In Manhattan, for example, the average poor person will die about six years before the average rich one. But that gap is about a year and a half smaller than the same income/longevity gap for the United States as a whole. Tulsa and Detroit, for example, were two cities with the lowest levels of life expectancy among the low-income population, with the results already adjusted for differences based on race.
Find out what the numbers look like where you live
Spotlight: Stepping Behind the Camera with FOX5 and Hot 97’s Lisa Evers
April 8, 2016

Spotlight: Stepping Behind the Camera with FOX5 and Hot 97’s Lisa Evers

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When it comes to reporting news in New York, Lisa Evers does not shy away from hard topics. As a reporter for FOX5, Lisa regularly covers breaking news, community issues, crime, and counter-terrorism. She also serves as the go-to interviewer for the likes of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. In addition to her work on television, Lisa is widely known for hosting radio station Hot 97’s popular news and community affairs program Street Soldiers. On the show, she addresses topics ranging from hip hop lyrics to gender to drug use, with a guest panel of music artists and community leaders. Earlier this year, FOX5 brought Street Soldiers to television, where viewers can now tune in to Lisa and her guests in the studio on Saturday nights. 6sqft recently spoke with Lisa to find out how she approaches her work, the experience of bringing Street Soldiers to FOX, and what she's learned about the city through her reporting.
The full interview ahead
This Map Tells You How Frequently NYC Subways Actually Run
April 7, 2016

This Map Tells You How Frequently NYC Subways Actually Run

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This New York City Transit Frequency map, from Ft. Collins, Colorado-based public transit enthusiast and urban adventurer Tyler A. Green, is a mapped visualization of how frequently the city’s subways and buses travel along each line. You can use it to see where—and on which days—trains and buses run most and least often. The darker the color of a transit line on the map the more frequent your prospects are going to be. Four viewable data layers on the map represent buses and trains on Fridays and Saturdays. Hover over lines to see exactly how many trains or buses run in an hour between any two stops.
Take a look at the map
POLL: Do You Prefer Starbucks Over the City’s New Cafes?
April 7, 2016

POLL: Do You Prefer Starbucks Over the City’s New Cafes?

By

It was announced yesterday that Starbucks is opening its largest store in the world in the base of Rafael Viñoly’s forthcoming Meatpacking District building at 61 Ninth Avenue. The 20,000-square-foot facility will be a Roastery-branded store, “part of a push to bolster growth with larger locations that offer experiences to customers,” reports Crain’s. The decision may be due to the […]

Famed Tiny Apartment Architect Says He ‘Doesn’t Really Believe in Tiny Living’
April 6, 2016

Famed Tiny Apartment Architect Says He ‘Doesn’t Really Believe in Tiny Living’

By

By now you’ve surely seen Tim Seggerman‘s practically iconic 240-square-foot apartment on Pinterest and on design blogs across the web. But while the architect has made a name for himself creating innovative solutions for small living in the city, what might come as a surprise is that he doesn’t really advocate squeezing into a small space. […]

This 1970s East Village Windmill Was Decades Ahead of Its Time

Raising the windmill on the roof of 519. Photo credit: Travis Price via Gothamist

April 5, 2016

This 1970s East Village Windmill Was Decades Ahead of Its Time

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If you want to build a windmill today, you can thank a handful of dedicated tenants in a building at 519 East 11th Street in the East Village of the 1970s. The story of the Alphabet City windmill is one of many stories, recounted in Gothamist, from the bad old days of Loisaida–as the East Village's far eastern avenues, also known as Alphabet City, were once called–the kind the neighborhood's elder statesmen regale you with, knowing well that you know nothing firsthand of a neighborhood of burned-out buildings and squatters who bought their homes for a buck. But this particular story isn’t one of riots or drug deals on the sidewalk; it’s one of redemption, no matter how brief in the context of time. The windmill was installed above an East Village building that was saved by the community, built and lifted to the roof by hand–or many hands. According to legend, the windmill kept the lights on during the chaos of the 1977 blackout.
Read all about it
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