Policy

Hudson Yards’ Vessel may close permanently after fourth suicide in two years

Photo © James and Karla Murray for 6sqft

July 30, 2021

Hudson Yards’ Vessel may close permanently after fourth suicide in two years

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The 150-foot climbable sculpture in Hudson Yards may shut down permanently after a teenager jumped to his death from the structure on Thursday. Vessel, an interactive public art piece designed by Thomas Heatherwick that opened in 2019 as the centerpiece of the $25 billion development, temporarily closed in January after three suicides, reopening a few months later with a new "buddy system." The death of a 14-year-old boy on Thursday marks the fourth suicide at Vessel in less than two years.
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Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group will require proof of vaccination at all restaurants

Photo of Gramercy Tavern by london road via Flickr cc

July 29, 2021

Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group will require proof of vaccination at all restaurants

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Union Square Hospitality Group CEO Danny Meyer announced that he will require proof of vaccination from staff and dine-in customers at all of his NYC and Washington D.C. full-service restaurants, which include Union Square Cafe, Blue Smoke, and Gramercy Tavern. "I’m not a scientist, but I know how to read data, and what I see is that this is a crisis of people who have not been vaccinated, and I feel strong responsibility, on our part as business leaders, to take care of our team and our guests, and that’s what we’re doing," said Meyer in an interview this morning on CNBC’s "Squawk Box."
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New York orders all state workers to be vaccinated or tested regularly

Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 28, 2021

New York orders all state workers to be vaccinated or tested regularly

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All workers employed by New York State will be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or get tested for the virus on a regular basis, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday. The governor put in place an even more stringent mandate for state hospitals: all patient-facing healthcare workers must now be vaccinated, with no test option offered. The announcement comes days after Mayor Bill de Blasio rolled out a similar requirement for all city workers and as President Joe Biden plans to announce all federal employees and contractors must be vaccinated or submit to testing.
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The CDC recommends all of New York City should wear masks indoors again

Screenshot taken on 7.27.21 of the CDC’s transmission map

July 27, 2021

The CDC recommends all of New York City should wear masks indoors again

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With the Delta variant and low vaccination rates causing some states to see record-high Covid rates, it was almost inevitable that the CDC would reverse its May guidance that vaccinated individuals can remove their masks indoors. And today, the federal agency issued new guidance that says even those fully vaccinated should "wear a mask indoors in public" in areas "of substantial or high transmission." While New York City's infection rates and hospitalizations remain much lower than a lot of the country, we are not immune to Delta's effect, and all NYC counties fall within the CDC's high-risk zones.
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Cuomo announces $15M community-focused vaccine initiative amidst rising Covid cases

A state-run mass vaccination site at the Bay Eden Senior Center in the Bronx. March 2021. Photo by Don Pollard/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

July 26, 2021

Cuomo announces $15M community-focused vaccine initiative amidst rising Covid cases

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A state-run mass vaccination site at the Bay Eden Senior Center in the Bronx. March 2021. Photo by Don Pollard/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Yesterday, New York State had 1,982 new Covid cases, up from 346 just one month ago. Of recent positive cases, 72.2 percent are linked to the Delta variant. Though 75 percent of the state's population is vaccinated, the numbers continue to rise among the 25 percent, or roughly 3.5 million people, who remain unvaccinated. To curb the spread, Governor Cuomo today announced a $15 million initiative to work with community-based organizations that can help advocate for the vaccine in communities with both high Covid spread and low vaccination rates.
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NYC will implement vaccine mandate for all city workers by September 13

Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

July 26, 2021

NYC will implement vaccine mandate for all city workers by September 13

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Last week, Mayor de Blasio implemented a new city policy that will require city health workers to either show proof of vaccination or participate in weekly Covid testing. Today, he announced that the protocol, called the Covid Safety Mandate, will apply to the entire city workforce, including teachers and members of the NYPD and FDNY, by September 13. In addition, any city employee who does not get vaccinated will be required to wear a mask indoors. Though 71 percent of NYC residents have received at least one vaccine dose, the number is lower among some city agencies, and concerns about the Delta variant and a potential third wave are looming.
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As possible third wave looms, 70% of NYC adults have received at least one Covid vaccine dose

Photo of NYC vaccine hub, The Jefferson by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

July 22, 2021

As possible third wave looms, 70% of NYC adults have received at least one Covid vaccine dose

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With the Delta variant surging across the country (it now accounts for 83 percent of U.S. cases), experts are predicting a third wave of the coronavirus. Here in New York City, Mayor de Blasio has been reluctant to reinstate an indoor mask mandate, saying that he fears such action will deter those still unvaccinated from getting the shot. In a press conference today, the mayor announced that 70 percent of NYC adults have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. But with only 13 percent of children aged 12 to 17 vaccinated, is that figure high enough to warrant a return to normalcy now?
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Cuomo’s $2.1B AirTrain to LaGuardia gets federal approval

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

July 21, 2021

Cuomo’s $2.1B AirTrain to LaGuardia gets federal approval

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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey can move forward with its proposal to build a $2.1 billion AirTrain to LaGuardia Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Tuesday. The 1.5-mile elevated rail would run between the airport and the eastern Queens neighborhood of Willets Point, with a connection to the subway and Long Island Rail Road. The agency's final decision was delayed last month after community groups and elected officials raised concerns about the review process and the logistics of building the AirTrain.
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New York City pol calls for renewal of indoor mask mandate as cases climb

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

July 19, 2021

New York City pol calls for renewal of indoor mask mandate as cases climb

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As New York City sees an uptick in coronavirus cases for the first time in months, an elected official is calling for the renewal of an indoor mask mandate. Council Member Mark Levine, who also chairs the Council's Committee on Health, plans on asking the state Health Department to reinstate the face-covering rule, even for those fully vaccinated, as the New York Post first reported.
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Delta is now the dominant variant of Covid in NYC

Photo by Laura James from Pexels

July 16, 2021

Delta is now the dominant variant of Covid in NYC

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Data released this week by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene show the contagious Delta variant now accounting for a majority of new coronavirus cases. Of the cases analyzed by the city between June 27 and July 3, Delta made up 69 percent, as first reported by Gothamist. That is up from 44 percent of cases the week prior. City officials say the growing spread of the Delta variant is behind the city's recent uptick in new virus cases, reported in nearly all residents who remain unvaccinated.
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Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

Photo by mari small on Unsplash

July 15, 2021

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

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Affordable housing has long been a topic at the forefront of NYC politics, but it gained even more attention with Mayor de Blasio's plan to preserve or build 300,000 affordable units by 2026, which has resulted in a slew of new lotteries, a new more user-friendly web portal, and an update to ease the process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers. But the topic is not without its issues, especially with the city reeling in the wake of the pandemic. Many still wonder if the city is doing enough for affordability and if some of the available units are really affordable. Ahead, we break down the different types of affordable housing programs, how you can qualify and apply, and what happens if and when you get in.
Everything you need to know about affordable housing
New York City’s marriage bureau will reopen for in-person weddings

Photo by Emma Bauso from Pexels

July 15, 2021

New York City’s marriage bureau will reopen for in-person weddings

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Save the date! New York City's marriage bureau will reopen next week for in-person appointments, nearly 16 months after the department closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The city's five marriage bureaus had been closed since 2020, although the city did permit virtual license appointments and ceremonies. The marriage bureau will reopen on July 19 with the first marriage licenses given out starting July 23, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced during a press briefing on Thursday.
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Over 8,300 Covid deaths prevented by NYC’s vaccination effort, study says

A vaccination site in Co-Op City in the Bronx on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

July 14, 2021

Over 8,300 Covid deaths prevented by NYC’s vaccination effort, study says

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New York City's coronavirus vaccination campaign saved more than 8,300 lives and averted roughly 250,000 cases and 44,000 hospitalizations, according to a new study by epidemiologists at Yale University. The analysis, which was supported by the Commonwealth Fund, determined the city's swift rollout of the vaccine has "played a pivotal role in reducing the COVID-19 burden and in curbing surges from more transmissible emerging variants," Dr. Alison Galvani, the director of the Yale Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, said on Wednesday.
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NYC says unvaccinated young people are behind Staten Island’s uptick in Covid cases

Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

July 13, 2021

NYC says unvaccinated young people are behind Staten Island’s uptick in Covid cases

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Some neighborhoods in New York City are seeing a slight increase in the number of coronavirus cases for the first time in weeks, as vaccinations slow and the Delta variant continues to spread. According to the city's Health Department, the city's seven-day average rate of positivity increased to 1.28 percent as of Monday, the highest rate in nearly two months, with 363 new cases on a seven-day rolling average. With a seven-day positivity of over 2.4 percent as of July 9, Staten Island has the highest test positivity rate of any borough. City officials point to those who remain unvaccinated, "particularly younger people," as the reason for this uptick.
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NYC replaces Trump Organization as operator of Central Park’s Wollman Rink

All renderings: VStudios, co-designed by Gensler and Rockwell Group

July 7, 2021

NYC replaces Trump Organization as operator of Central Park’s Wollman Rink

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A joint venture made up of businesses and some nonprofit groups will run Central Park's Wollman Rink, officially replacing the Trump Organization as the operator, the city's Parks Department announced on Tuesday. Earlier this year, the agency issued requests for proposals to operate and manage Wollman Rink and the Central Park Carousel, both of which were formerly run by President Donald Trump's company. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city would terminate any agreements with the organization following the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
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Cuomo’s ‘Circle of Heroes’ monument proposed for Battery Park City will be relocated after protests

Rendering courtesy fo Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

July 6, 2021

Cuomo’s ‘Circle of Heroes’ monument proposed for Battery Park City will be relocated after protests

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A new monument honoring essential workers will no longer be built in Battery Park City's Rockefeller Park after the community protested its location. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last month plans to construct at the Lower Manhattan park a "Circle of Heroes" memorial, which would include a circle of maple trees and an eternal flame. Opponents argue the monument would reduce green space and called out the governor's office for not working with the community. As seen in a video posted on Instagram last week and as first reported by Gothamist, George Tsunis, the chair of the Battery Park City Authority, told local residents: "This site is going to change. It's going to be a new site."
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New-York Historical Society expansion includes a home for the American L.G.B.T.Q.+ Museum

View along West 76th Street looking northeast. Rendering by Alden Studios for Robert A.M. Stern Architects, courtesy of the New-York Historical Society and NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

July 6, 2021

New-York Historical Society expansion includes a home for the American L.G.B.T.Q.+ Museum

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The New-York Historical Society, the oldest museum in the city, recently unveiled to the Landmarks Preservation Commission plans to expand by more than 70,000 square feet with a five-story extension at the rear of its Upper West Side lot. The $140 million expansion will be designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern and include additional classrooms and gallery space, as well as a permanent home for the American L.G.B.T.Q.+ Museum, the city's first museum dedicated to L.G.B.T.Q. history and culture, as the New York Times first reported.
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Everything you need to know about NYC’s ticker-tape parade to honor Covid heroes

Photo by Spurekar via Flickr cc

July 6, 2021

Everything you need to know about NYC’s ticker-tape parade to honor Covid heroes

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Update 7.7.21: Due to the extreme heat, the post-parade ceremony at City Hall Plaza has been cancelled.  In April 2020, when New York City was truly the world epicenter for the coronavirus, Mayor de Blasio said that the city would hold a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes for health care workers, first responders, and essential workers as soon as things reopened. Fast forward 15 months, and the Hometown Heroes Parade will take place this Wednesday, July 7. Queens nurse Sandra Lindsay, who in December received the first vaccine dose in NYC, will serve as the parade's Grand Marshal, while Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts will host the ceremony.
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Rent Guidelines Board adopts partial rent hike for NYC’s rent-stabilized units

Photo by Rachel Martin on Unsplash

June 24, 2021

Rent Guidelines Board adopts partial rent hike for NYC’s rent-stabilized units

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Rents at New York City rent-stabilized apartments will freeze for six months and then increase by 1.5 percent for the next six months, under the proposal adopted by the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) on Wednesday. The unusual guidelines are meant to serve as a compromise between tenant activists who called for a rent freeze and landlords who wanted increases, as the city continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
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New York City ends to-go and delivery cocktails for restaurants

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

June 24, 2021

New York City ends to-go and delivery cocktails for restaurants

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Governor Cuomo announced that as of today, the Covid-19 State of Emergency he put in place for New York on March 7, 2020, would end, given the success in vaccinations and declining hospitalization and positivity rates. This comes after the governor lifted almost all Covid-related restrictions last week. So although restaurants can now operate as they did pre-pandemic, they will also have to go back to not being allowed to offer to-go or delivery alcoholic beverages. The State Liquor Authority, who authorized the temporary pandemic-related privileges under the State of Emergency, made the announcement yesterday.
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NYC agency approves removal of racist Theodore Roosevelt statue at AMNH

Renderings courtesy of NYC Parks/ AMNH

June 23, 2021

NYC agency approves removal of racist Theodore Roosevelt statue at AMNH

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The New York City Public Design Commission on Monday approved plans to remove and relocate the Theodore Roosevelt statue from the steps of the American Museum of Natural History, about a year after officials called for the controversial sculpture to be taken down. The city's Parks Department and AMNH presented their proposal last week to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but the agency was unable to reach a decision. On Monday, The PDC voted unanimously to remove and relocate the statue to a relevant cultural institution.
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Trump Organization sues NYC over canceled Bronx golf course contract

Photo by Dan DeLuca on Flickr

June 22, 2021

Trump Organization sues NYC over canceled Bronx golf course contract

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The Trump Organization on Monday sued New York City, claiming the cancelation of its Bronx golf course contract earlier this year was politically motivated. In January, just days after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to terminate several agreements with former President Donald Trump's company, including the contract for Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point. As first reported by ABC News, the lawsuit argues the mayor had a "pre-existing, politically-based predisposition to terminate Trump-related contracts, and the city used the events of January 6, 2021 as a pretext to do so."
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Kimlau War Memorial becomes NYC’s first landmark related to Chinese American history

Photo by Ken Lund on Flickr

June 22, 2021

Kimlau War Memorial becomes NYC’s first landmark related to Chinese American history

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New York City gained its first landmark related to Chinese American history and culture on Tuesday. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Kimlau War Memorial, a tribute to Chinese American veterans located in Chinatown. Designed by architect Poy Gum Lee, the memorial honors Americans of Chinese descent who died during World War II and has served as a gathering place for veterans.
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See NYC’s Flower District transformed with public courtyards, outdoor markets, and more

All renderings courtesy of SeeThree and ODA

June 21, 2021

See NYC’s Flower District transformed with public courtyards, outdoor markets, and more

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When the coronavirus pandemic hit New York City last spring, the city launched a successful effort to give pedestrians safe outdoor space through its"Open Streets" program, which closed some streets to cars. Extremely popular with New Yorkers, the initiative, along with its Open Restaurants and Open Culture counterparts, was expanded and made permanent this year. A local architecture firm is looking to capitalize on this reclamation of public city space with a new proposal aimed at reviving the once blossoming Flower District.
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New York hits 70% vaccination rate, Cuomo lifts all Covid restrictions

Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash

June 15, 2021

New York hits 70% vaccination rate, Cuomo lifts all Covid restrictions

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Last week, Governor Cuomo announced that when New York hit a 70-percent vaccination rate among those 18+, he would lift reopening guidance across commercial and social settings. And as of today, the state has hit that milestone. In a celebratory press conference from the World Trade Center, the governor said, "We can now return to life as we know it." To mark the occasion, there will be 10 fireworks displays across the state tonight, including one in New York Harbor.
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