Bill De Blasio

Outdoor dining in NYC will be extended through October

Open streets dining outside the Beatrice Inn; Photo (cropped) by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

July 17, 2020

Outdoor dining in NYC will be extended through October

Since NYC entered phase 2 of reopening on June 22, more than 8,600 restaurants have begun participating in the Open Restaurants program, which allows restaurants to set up seating on sidewalks, curb cuts, in adjacent parking spots, and on certain designated open streets. Indoor dining in the city, however, has been postponed indefinitely. So to keep outdoor dining expanding and thriving, Mayor de Blasio announced today that he's extending the program through October 31.
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After NYC’s first day with no COVID deaths, Mayor warns of virus spread among 20-year-olds

Photo of New Yorkers drinking on St. Mark’s Place in May by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

July 13, 2020

After NYC’s first day with no COVID deaths, Mayor warns of virus spread among 20-year-olds

On April 7, at the peak of the pandemic, New York City saw more than 800 COVID-related deaths in a single day. But on July 11, the city reported zero coronavirus-related deaths for the first time since March. Across New York State, that number has remained near or below 10 for several weeks. And though this is an incredible feat, especially considering that New York was the global epicenter of the pandemic not too long ago, Mayor de Blasio warned in his press conference today that the city is seeing a rise in positive cases among 20-29-year-olds. To remind these young adults that they're "not impervious," the city will launch a new outreach effort that includes messaging from social media influencers.
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NYC cancels all large events through September

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft

July 10, 2020

NYC cancels all large events through September

By Devin Gannon

All major events that require a city permit have been canceled through September 30, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. The city said it will not issue a permit for any event that would be located within a designated Open Streets or Open Restaurants area, an attempt to "prioritize open spaces for public use." This means annual street fairs and parades, like favorites the Feast of San Gennaro and the West Indian-American Day Carnival, will not take place this year.
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Events & Things To Do

See the ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural in front of Trump Tower

All photos by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

July 9, 2020

See the ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural in front of Trump Tower

By Devin Gannon

After announcing last month that he'd be painting "Black Lives Matter" in front of Trump Tower, Mayor de Blasio today helped paint the mural in bright yellow letters outside the building on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets. "Let’s show Donald Trump what he does not understand, let’s paint it right in front of his building for him," the mayor said today.
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Policy

NYC enters phase three of reopening today

Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash

July 6, 2020

NYC enters phase three of reopening today

New York City is officially the final region in the state to begin phase three of reopening, but unlike other parts of New York, the city's third phase will not include indoor dining. However, outdoor recreation like basketball and tennis courts, dog runs, and personal-care services like nail salons and tattoo parlors will reopen with social-distancing measures in place. The decision to postpone indoor dining came from the governor's office last week amidst a surge in COVID outbreaks across the country and a continued presence of large gatherings in the city.
More details ahead

See the 5,650+ restaurants open for outdoor dining in NYC

Mayor de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray celebrate the launch of Phase 2 reopening by eating dinner at Melba’s in Harlem; Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 26, 2020

See the 5,650+ restaurants open for outdoor dining in NYC

By Devin Gannon

Restaurants and bars officially reopened for outdoor dining this week as part of New York City's phase two of reopening. Since Monday, more than 5,650 restaurants have applied, self-certified, and opened their sidewalk, patios, and adjacent parking spots to diners. To make it easier to find which establishments are open for al fresco dining in your neighborhood, the Department of Transportation on Friday released a dashboard and an interactive map that let New Yorkers search for open restaurants by borough and ZIP code.
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Food & Dining

NYC beaches will open for swimming July 1

Photo of Coney Island by Dan DeLuca on Flickr

June 24, 2020

NYC beaches will open for swimming July 1

By Devin Gannon

Swimming will be allowed at New York City beaches starting July 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. Although Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the green light for state beaches to reopen last month in time for Memorial Day Weekend, the mayor had said the city was "just not ready" to handle the crowds of beachgoers, particularly on public transit. But with the city now in phase two of reopening, the ocean is no longer off-limits, as the Wall Street Journal first reported.
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NYC will now have 67 miles of open streets, the most in the U.S.

Photo looking south on open West End Avenue, taken by 6sqft on 5.16.20

June 24, 2020

NYC will now have 67 miles of open streets, the most in the U.S.

New York City will add 23 new miles of open streets, bringing the total to roughly 67 miles of streets closed to cars citywide, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. When the mayor first announced the program, he committed to opening 100 miles of streets throughout the pandemic. "This is going to be great for people looking for a break this summer with all the things going on, a place for kids to exercise and run around," the mayor said during a press conference. "It's growing, and we're going to keep adding to it."
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Macy’s July 4th fireworks will last for three days across NYC

Photo by John Saeyong Ra via Flickr cc

June 23, 2020

Macy’s July 4th fireworks will last for three days across NYC

After Macy's announced yesterday that their annual July 4th Fireworks display in NYC would go on despite the pandemic, headlined by John Legend, Mayor de Blasio said in his press conference today that the show will take on a new life this year. There will be five-minute "brief but mighty" bursts of fireworks throughout the five boroughs from June 29th through July 1st, culminating in a finale on Saturday, July 4th, which will be televised from the top of the Empire State Building. On their website, Macy's says they "expect to announce details of the reimagined event soon."
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Here are the five NYC streets getting a ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural

Photo by Anthony Quintano on Flickr

June 19, 2020

Here are the five NYC streets getting a ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday unveiled the five streets that will be painted with a "Black Lives Matter" mural. The large artwork will be designed along Centre Street in Manhattan, Richmond Terrace on Staten Island, Joralemon Street in Brooklyn, 153rd Street in Queens, and Morris Avenue in the Bronx. Earlier this month, the mayor said the streets will also be renamed after the movement, in addition to the street painting. A similar mural dedicated to Black Lives Matter was painted on Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy last weekend.
Details here

Popular Articles

NYC reveals outdoor dining plan ahead of Monday’s phase two reopening

Photo by Krisztina Papp on Unsplash

June 18, 2020

NYC reveals outdoor dining plan ahead of Monday’s phase two reopening

By Devin Gannon

New York City is officially entering phase two of reopening on Monday. The news has led to questioning of the de Blasio administration as to their plan for outdoor dining, with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and others rallying for immediate action yesterday. In his press conference on Thursday, the mayor laid out details of the city's Open Restaurants program that will allow restaurants to set up sidewalk seating and curb lane seating, convert adjacent parking spots into seating, utilize plaza seating through Business Improvement Districts, and, come July, add seating areas on streets currently closed to cars.
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NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

14th Street Busway; Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

June 8, 2020

NYC makes 14th Street busway permanent, adds five more car-free routes

By Devin Gannon

The busway on 14th Street in Manhattan will be made permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. The car-free strip of the street, which runs between 3rd and 9th Avenues, launched as part of a pilot program last October. The mayor called the busway, which has proven popular with riders, a "success by every measure." De Blasio also announced the phased-in addition of five new busways and 16.5 miles of bus lanes, which are meant to alleviate crowding for commuters as the city begins the reopening process.
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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

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

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

June 5, 2020

MTA calls on NYC to add 60 miles of bus lanes as city reopens

By Devin Gannon

With up to 400,000 New Yorkers expected to return to the workforce under the city's phase one reopening on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants to add 60 miles of dedicated bus lanes to alleviate crowding. In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sarah Feinberg, interim president of NYC Transit, wrote a "robust bus system will be crucial" for the city's rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
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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.
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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.
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Policy

NYC will have 8 p.m. curfew until Sunday with no traffic south of 96th Street

Photo of a Black Lives Matter demonstration in 2016 by Nicole Baster on Unsplash

June 2, 2020

NYC will have 8 p.m. curfew until Sunday with no traffic south of 96th Street

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio extended the citywide curfew to Sunday and said it will start three hours earlier at 8 p.m. following a night of looting. The mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday jointly announced an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and an increase of police enforcement following a weekend of protests. The NYPD announced that after 8 p.m. the only vehicles allowed south of 96th Street in Manhattan will be essential workers, buses, and delivery trucks. Likewise, Citi Bike has been required to shut down service for the duration of the curfew.
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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.
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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.
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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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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

Antibody testing shows coronavirus is still spreading in NYC’s minority communities

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

May 20, 2020

Antibody testing shows coronavirus is still spreading in NYC’s minority communities

By Devin Gannon

The coronavirus continues to spread in lower-income communities and communities of color in New York City, according to antibody test results released by the state on Wednesday. New York earlier this month partnered with Northwell Health and city churches to test residents of low-income neighborhoods, with 8,000 antibody tests conducted to date. According to preliminary data from those tests, 27 percent tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to the city's overall antibody rate of 19.9 percent.
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Policy

NYC releases map with COVID deaths broken down by ZIP code

Screenshot of map courtesy of NYC Health Department

May 18, 2020

NYC releases map with COVID deaths broken down by ZIP code

By Devin Gannon

The city's health department on Monday released for the first time the coronavirus death rate by ZIP code. A table and interactive map reveal the death rate per 100,000 residents in each neighborhood, along with the number of confirmed cases, case counts, death counts, and the percent of people who tested positive. The new information confirms earlier data that found a disparity in deaths caused by the virus among people of color and those who live in low-income neighborhoods.
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Policy

NYC will limit access to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow this weekend

Photo of Sheep Meadow on May 4, 2020 © 6sqft

May 15, 2020

NYC will limit access to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow this weekend

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday said police will limit access to parts of some parks, as well as deploy additional Parks Department officials to patrol city beaches this weekend, with temperatures expected to be in the 70s. The NYPD will restrict the number of people allowed to enter the Sheep Meadow lawn in Central Park to avoid overcrowding and curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. And police will again limit access to Piers 45 and 46 at Hudson River Park in the West Village and monitor crowds at Domino Park in Williamsburg for the second weekend in a row.
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Policy

NYC ramps up COVID-19 contact tracing effort, will hire 2,500 tracers by June

Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 12, 2020

NYC ramps up COVID-19 contact tracing effort, will hire 2,500 tracers by June

By Devin Gannon

The city plans to hire about 2,500 contact tracers by next month in an effort to track and stop the spread of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday. The citywide effort involves finding close contacts of someone who tested positive for the virus, and then interviewing and testing them. According to the mayor, the city has received 7,000 applications for contact tracing positions and more than 500 are currently undergoing training.
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Policy

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