Coronavirus

New York’s latest COVID antibody survey shows a rise in the Bronx and minority communities

Image by Scientific Animations via Wikimedia Commons

June 16, 2020

New York’s latest COVID antibody survey shows a rise in the Bronx and minority communities

Today, Governor Cuomo released the results of the state's second-phase COVID antibody test, which randomly surveyed 12,000 people between May 1 and June 13. When the survey commenced, 12.3% of New York residents tested positive, compared with 13.4% on Saturday. The new results are more telling, however, when it comes to disparities in New York City. Though overall there was only a 1.6% increase (19.9% to 21.6%), the Bronx increased by 5% and Brooklyn and Queens by 2.1%. There are also disparities when it comes to race, as the Black and Latino/Hispanic communities have seen increases of 3.4% and 5% respectively.
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Policy

Seven New York regions will be in phase 3 this week, gatherings of up to 25 now allowed

Slide from Governor Cuomo’s 6.15.20 press presentation

June 15, 2020

Seven New York regions will be in phase 3 this week, gatherings of up to 25 now allowed

By Dana Schulz

Last week, five New York regions entered phase three of reopening, which includes indoor dining and personal care services such as nail salons, tattoo parlors, and massage parlors. In addition to the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Central New York, Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier, Governor Cuomo announced today that Western New York will enter phase three tomorrow and the Capital Region on Wednesday. He also modified phase three to increase gatherings from 10 to 25 people.
More details here

Policy

New Jersey sues Asbury Park for ignoring state order on indoor dining

Photo Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons

June 12, 2020

New Jersey sues Asbury Park for ignoring state order on indoor dining

By Devin Gannon

Earlier this week, a beach town in New Jersey said it would allow indoor dining at some businesses next week, defying a recent executive order from Gov. Phil Murphy. The Asbury Park City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution to allow bars and restaurants to open their dining rooms at 25 percent capacity starting Monday. Earlier this month, Murphy signed an order that would allow for limited outdoor dining at restaurants starting June 15, but he said "we're not there yet," when it comes to indoor dining. In response, the governor announced today that the state would be suing Asbury to prevent this from happening.
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Food & Dining

Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

June 11, 2020

Ahead of city’s phase two of reopening, REBNY releases safety guidelines for real estate brokers

By Devin Gannon

As New York City looks ahead to phase two of reopening, the city's leading real estate trade group released this week safety recommendations for brokers to follow when conducting deals. Following public health protocols, the six guidelines created by the Real Estate Board of New York encourage face masks and social distancing, virtual preliminary meetings, appointment-only showings, and electronic contracts. Plus, REBNY created a COVID-19 screening questionnaire for all parties attending in-person showings to sign.
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New York’s first guidelines for indoor dining include 50% capacity

Photo by Mike Von on Unsplash

June 11, 2020

New York’s first guidelines for indoor dining include 50% capacity

By Dana Schulz

As it currently stands, restaurants in New York are allowed to reopen for outdoor dining in phase two, which will likely occur in early July in the city, and for indoor dining in phase three, which probably won't be any sooner than late July. In his press conference yesterday, Governor Cuomo laid out the first guidelines for indoor dining. Most notably, and expectedly, they include a 50-percent occupancy limit and rules for table spacing and table barriers.
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800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

Day one at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Ave Station; Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 10, 2020

800,000 commuters rode the subway on NYC’s first day of reopening

By Devin Gannon

On Monday, the first day of New York City's phase one reopening, more than 800,000 straphangers rode the subway. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, June 8 became the highest ridership day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The agency said ridership was up during afternoon peak hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Manhattan seeing a 20 percent increase in ridership from the week prior. However, this is still just 15 percent of regular ridership compared to last year.
Details here

Transit

NYC to launch new mobile COVID-19 testing program

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 5, 2020

NYC to launch new mobile COVID-19 testing program

By Devin Gannon

Getting tested for the coronavirus in New York City is about to get easier. Starting next week, the city will launch a mobile testing program that will bring testing "trucks" to different neighborhoods, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. The news comes after the city expanded free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers, a part of the Test and Trace Corps that kicked off this week ahead of the city's phase one reopening on Monday.
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Policy

All New York regions other than NYC will be in phase two of reopening next week

An aerial view of Buffalo, NY, part of the Western region. Photo by formulanone via Wikimedia Commons.

June 5, 2020

All New York regions other than NYC will be in phase two of reopening next week

By Dana Schulz

As of Wednesday, seven of New York's 10 designated regions were in phase two of the state's four-part reopening plan--Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country, Southern Tier, Western New York (the Buffalo area), and the Capital Region. And yesterday, Governor Cuomo announced that the Mid-Hudson Valley is on track to enter phase two on Tuesday, June 9th and Long Island on Wednesday, June 10th. With state guidelines and social distancing measures in place, this allows office-based workers, real estate services, in-store retail shopping, outdoor dining, and some barbershop services to resume.
More details here

Policy

Photo courtesy of Course of Trade

June 4, 2020

How this Brooklyn non-profit is producing 500,000+ isolation gowns for NYC hospitals

By Dana Schulz

As of this week, Industry City-based nonprofit workforce development organization Course of Trade has produced 219,279 hand-sewn isolation gowns for New York City hospitals, with an ultimate contract of 520,800 from the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Course of Trade was started by Malia Mills’ production director Libby Mattern to offer free sewing instruction and job placement assistance in the garment industry. When COVID hit the city, Libby knew it was time to innovate yet again, and she put in place a partnership with the city in which a 300-person team across South Brooklyn is sewing these life-saving gowns.
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MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

Photo: Patrick Cashin / MTA New York City Transit

June 4, 2020

MTA says de Blasio’s subway plan would only serve 8 percent of riders

By Devin Gannon

As the city prepares to enter phase one of reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority released this week its plan to return to "regular" service, which no longer means 24-hour service. Subways and buses will run more frequently starting next week, but the subway system will still shut down between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for nightly disinfection. Mayor Bill de Blasio this week also released a plan for transit that calls for capacity limits and blocking off every other seat. But the MTA called the mayor's idea "utterly unworkable" and said his proposed capacity limits would allow the agency to serve just 8 percent of riders.
More here

Navigating rental leases in NYC during COVID: Negotiating, re-signing, moving

By Dana Schulz

The summer months are typically the busiest when it comes to real estate in New York City, especially the rental market. But with the city still not out of the woods of the coronavirus crisis, and with so many facing job and financial uncertainty, the idea of signing or renewing a lease becomes increasingly complicated. With this in mind, 6sqft spoke to real estate agents and building managers to get their thoughts on how to navigate this situation, from requesting your lease go month-to-month to setting up a payment plan. We also provide information on what to do if you're struggling to pay rent.
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Real Estate Trends

NYC expands free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers

COVID-19 testing site sat the Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan on May 19, 2020. Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

June 3, 2020

NYC expands free COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers

By Devin Gannon

All New Yorkers will now be able to get tested for the coronavirus for free, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. The universal testing is part of the city's Test and Trace Corps program, which launched on Monday and remains a critical component of the city's reopening, expected to start on June 8. There are about 150 testing sites across the five boroughs, with the ability to test 20,000 people total each day.
Find a testing site near you

Policy

A giant mural memorializes NYC doctor who died from COVID-19

GreenPoint Innovations / Eduardo Amorim for Gerada Art

June 3, 2020

A giant mural memorializes NYC doctor who died from COVID-19

By Devin Gannon

A massive art mural that honors a New York City doctor who died from the coronavirus has taken over a parking lot in Queens. Spray-painted by Cuban-American artist Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada, the land art, titled "Somos La Luz" depicts Dr. Ydelfonso Decoo, a Dominican immigrant who lived in Washington Heights and skipped retirement to treat patients during the pandemic. The project also aims to memorialize all front line employees in New York City, particularly Hispanic and African American workers who continue to face disproportionate rates of infection and death caused by the virus.
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Events & Things To Do

The Met Opera will not resume performances until New Year’s Eve

Photo by Seth Hoffman on Unsplash

June 2, 2020

The Met Opera will not resume performances until New Year’s Eve

By Dana Schulz

After last performing on March 11 and facing revenue losses nearing $100 million, The Met Opera has announced that it's cancelling its fall season with hopes to resume with a New Year's Eve gala. The opera's general manager Peter Gelb told the New York Times that "It’s transparently obvious that social distancing and grand opera cannot go together. It’s not just the audience; it’s the health of the company. You cannot put a symphony orchestra inside a pit, and performers and a chorus in intimate proximity on the stage of the Met."
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New Jersey set to open hair salons, in-store retail, and outdoor dining this month

Photo of Asbury Park commercial district by Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons

June 2, 2020

New Jersey set to open hair salons, in-store retail, and outdoor dining this month

By Dana Schulz

In his press conference yesterday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that his state was looking to enter stage two of its reopening on Monday, June 15. On this date, outdoor dining and limited in-store retail would begin, with hair salons and barbershops following on the 22nd and youth summer programs in early July. This second stage would also phase in museums and libraries, as well as limited capacity at gyms and in-person government services such as motor vehicles.
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Policy

The Brooklyn Museum transforms into a pop-up food bank this week

Photo by Howard Brier on Flickr

June 1, 2020

The Brooklyn Museum transforms into a pop-up food bank this week

By Devin Gannon

Starting on Monday, the Brooklyn Museum is temporarily transforming its parking lot into a weekly food bank. The institution announced last week a partnership with The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH), a Bed-Stuy based nonprofit that has served about one million meals to New Yorkers in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The museum has been closed since March 13.
More here

Events & Things To Do

New York adds 10 new testing sites in city’s COVID-19 ‘hot spots’

Photo by Payton Chung on Flickr

June 1, 2020

New York adds 10 new testing sites in city’s COVID-19 ‘hot spots’

By Devin Gannon

As New York City prepares to enter phase one of reopening next week, officials are targeting areas where the coronavirus continues to spread. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday announced that the state will open 10 new COVID-19 testing sites in zip codes considered 'hot spots,' which includes neighborhoods in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The 10 ZIP codes, which consist of predominantly low income and minority communities, have seen higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death caused by the virus.
Details here

Policy

Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

May 29, 2020

NYC is on track to start reopening week of June 8

By Devin Gannon

New York City is gearing up to begin the reopening process the week of June 8, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. During a press briefing, the governor said the city should be able to join the state's nine other regions in reopening phase one businesses, which includes all construction, manufacturing, and some retail stores. "I am proud of the way New York is figuring it out," Cuomo said.
More here

Policy

As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

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

May 29, 2020

As NYC prepares to reopen, questions about public transit remain

By Devin Gannon

New York City will likely begin the reopening process early next month, with as many as 400,000 employees expected to return to work during this first phase, Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week. While the mayor on Thursday released guidelines for phase one businesses to safely reopen without a resurgence of the coronavirus, no plan has been issued from City Hall on how employees returning to the workforce will commute there safely.
Get the details

9 of 10 New York regions have met reopening metrics, NYC still waiting

Screenshot from the State’s new Regional Monitoring Dashboard as of 5/28/20

May 28, 2020

9 of 10 New York regions have met reopening metrics, NYC still waiting

By Dana Schulz

After the New York PAUSE order was put into effect on March 22, all but one of the state's 10 regions have met the metrics to start phase one of reopening since it expired on Friday, May 15. As outlined on an interactive dashboard that monitors regional status, New York City is the only region not to have hit this benchmark. The city has not reached a 30 percent threshold of the share of total hospital beds available and has not gotten its contact tracing program up to the required level. As 6sqft reported, phase one allows construction, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and select retail that can offer curbside pickup to reopen.
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Policy

NYC Council will introduce bill that requires open street space be used for outdoor dining

Photo by almapapi on Pixabay

May 28, 2020

NYC Council will introduce bill that requires open street space be used for outdoor dining

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council is set to introduce legislation on Thursday that requires the city to use open space for outdoor dining during the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants and bars have now been closed for in-person service for over two months because of the state's "pause" order that shuttered all nonessential businesses. And while takeout and delivery options remain available, the restaurant industry has taken a tremendous hit, with many longtime restaurants forced to close permanently.
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Jack holds a box of face shields ready to be delivered

May 27, 2020

Meet iMakr, the Brooklyn 3D-printer that’s made 5,000 face shields for NYC’s healthcare workers

By Dana Schulz

When the Mayor and the Governor spoke out about the city's dire need for PPE, many hero companies stepped up to the plate, including Industry City's iMakr, an outpost of the world's largest 3D-printing and 3D-scanning store. They knew they had enough equipment and the know-how to create simple but much-needed face shields, and so their three-man team in Brooklyn immediately got to work. To date, they've distributed more than 5,000 face shields to more than 20 local hospitals. Ahead, we chat with Jack Keum, iMakr's business manager, to learn more about the company's mission to help our frontline workers through this crisis.
Hear from Jack

With Long Island and Hudson Valley cleared to reopen, MTA boosts train service

Photo by Phillip Capper via Wikimedia

May 27, 2020

With Long Island and Hudson Valley cleared to reopen, MTA boosts train service

By Devin Gannon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is boosting service on the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North as two more New York regions are officially cleared to start reopening. The Hudson Vallery region and Long Island have met the state's metrics to begin reopening phase one businesses, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week. Starting Wednesday, the MTA will increase capacity by 26 percent on Metro-North with 18 additional trains during peak service, as well as add 105 Long Island Railroad cars to meet restored demand for service.
Details this way

Policy

Watch the winner of New York’s mask-awareness video competition

Photo by Julian Wan on Unsplash

May 26, 2020

Watch the winner of New York’s mask-awareness video competition

By Dana Schulz

After a photo of a jam-packed Hudson River Park filled with non-mask-wearers went viral earlier this month, Governor Cuomo launched a new competition that asked New Yorkers to submit videos that show why it is so important to wear a mask in public. After receiving more than 600 submissions, the state narrowed it down to five finalists last week. And today, after 186,117 votes were counted, the winning video was announced, titled "We <3 New York."
Watch the winner and the runners up here

Policy

NYC Council urges mayor to open city beaches for swimming

Photo of Rockaway Beach via Dan DeLuca on Flickr

May 26, 2020

NYC Council urges mayor to open city beaches for swimming

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council on Saturday urged Mayor Bill de Blasio to open the city beaches this summer safely amid the coronavirus pandemic, including allowing swimming. Currently, swimming is not permitted, but local residents are allowed to walk or sit on the beach. A number of council members this weekend released 10-point beach reopening guidelines, which include limited capacity, social distancing markers, mask requirements, and increasing transit options to beach communities.
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Policy

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