Search Results for: brooklyn history

Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery announced on Thursday the opening of a new art installation created by the 184-year-old institution's first-ever artist in residence. Located within the property's catacombs, a portion of the cemetery that is usually off-limits to the public, Heidi Lau's Gardens as Cosmic Terrains consists of sculptures that hang from skylights. The installation opens to the public on Saturday, May 7, and will be on view through July 3.
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Events & Things To Do

Coney Island’s Luna Park to open this weekend

Photo of Coney Island by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

March 31, 2022

Coney Island’s Luna Park to open this weekend

Coney Island's Luna Park is set to open for the 2022 season on Saturday, April 2. The iconic Brooklyn amusement park is hosting its traditional opening-day ceremonies, including the egg-cream christening of the Cyclone rollercoaster, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year. The first 95 rides on the coaster will be free to celebrate this milestone and each lucky rider will receive a free egg cream.
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Events & Things To Do

New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

All images courtesy of The New York Public Library

March 17, 2022

New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

The New York Public Library on Wednesday opened its 14th branch on Staten Island and the first net-zero energy library in New York City. Located in the Bricktown Commons shopping center on the South Shore in Charleston, the $17 million, 10,000-square-foot building was designed by Ikon 5 Architects to be energy efficient, with solar panels providing nearly 100 percent of the energy the building will use. Managed by the city's Economic Development Corporation with the Gilbane Building Company, the new branch offers patrons a variety of amenities, including dedicated spaces for adults, teens, and children and flexible multi-purpose rooms for programs and classes.
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Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

Photo showing storefront stands on Ninth Ave. looking south from just north of West 40th St., 1936.(Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library.

March 14, 2022

Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced 21 nominations for possible placement on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The list of nominations includes a diverse set of locations that are intricate to the history of New York. Nominations include early automobile manufacturing sites in Buffalo and Syracuse, a Mohawk Valley cemetery home to the author of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the only remaining 19-century textile mile in Troy. Of the total nominated places, five are located in New York City, including an abandoned Bronx train station designed by Cass Gilbert and an area in Hell's Kitchen once home to a famed open-air market.
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Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

Interior photos courtesy of Nicole Franzen, unless otherwise noted

February 25, 2022

Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

A 19th-century townhouse once home to a beloved Irish saloon that refused to move during the construction of Rockefeller Center is getting a new life as a glamorous multi-level bar. Set to open on February 28, Pebble Bar will stretch across three floors at 67 West 49th Street, where the pub named Hurley's served New Yorkers for over 100 years. Designed by Gachot Studios, Pebble Bar features a bar overlooking Sixth Avenue, a moody 35-seat dining room with a marble-lined oyster bar, and fourth-floor flexible event space and "secret" entrance.
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Food & Dining

NYC begins effort to ‘harden’ 20 miles of protected bike lanes

Image courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

February 22, 2022

NYC begins effort to ‘harden’ 20 miles of protected bike lanes

The New York City Department of Transportation is implementing new strategies to keep cyclists safe while navigating the hectic city streets. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced the start of a new project that will fortify half of all delineator-protected bike lanes in NYC, which better protects cyclists and keeps lanes clear of vehicles. Originally set to be completed within the first 100 days of Rodriguez's term, as Streetsblog reported, the city now aims to harden 20 of the city's 40 miles of delineator-protected bike lines by the end of 2023.
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NYC cultural landmarks and public libraries will distribute free at-home Covid testing kits

Image courtesy of Gerardo Romo/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

February 14, 2022

NYC cultural landmarks and public libraries will distribute free at-home Covid testing kits

The NYC Test & Trace Corps has partnered with 14 city cultural sites and 27 branches of the city's public libraries to hand out free at-home covid-19 testing kits. Starting on February 14, libraries across the city's three branches and cultural sites will be conducting weekly walk-up distributions of the free kits, which will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis with a limit of one per person.
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Pablo Delano, “Dancers at Dominican Day Parade,” Midtown, 1994-1995. Museum of the City of New York, 20211.15.15. Courtesy of Pablo Delano

February 11, 2022

New MCNY photo exhibition is a love letter to NYC

A photo installation that captures the essence of New York City is opening this month. The Museum of the City of New York will open the new exhibition, "Celebrating the City: Recent Acquisitions from the Joy of Giving Something," on February 18. The series features roughly 100 photographs selected from more than 1,000 that were recently gifted to the East Harlem museum by Joy of Giving Something, a non-profit organization devoted to photography.
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Events & Things To Do

Landmarks approves design for $77M renovation of Delacorte Theater in Central Park

Rendering courtesy of Ennead Architects.

January 26, 2022

Landmarks approves design for $77M renovation of Delacorte Theater in Central Park

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans for the revitalization of Central Park's Delacorte Theater, the city's first major post-pandemic outdoor theater investment. The new design's main goals are to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, protect the building from the ravages of a changing climate, and improve efficiency and comfort.
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Architecture And Design

The MV John F. Kennedy in 2015. Photo: Godsfriendchuck via Wikimedia commons

January 21, 2022

SNL’s Pete Davidson and Colin Jost rescue retired Staten Island Ferry boat for $280K

"Saturday Night Live" stars Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, along with comedy club owner Paul Italia, were the high bidders for the retired Staten Island Ferry boat John F. Kennedy, the NY Post reports. The boat, recently retired from the Staten Island Ferry fleet, was listed for $125,000 at a public auction that ended Wednesday. The auction price of the vintage vessel, retired after over five decades of service, had been slashed in half, but its new owners bid $280,000 in a last-minute bidding war, armed with plans to transform the ferry into a live entertainment venue.
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Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

Rendering of the Sensory Garden and Rustic Arbor. Image courtesy of Prospect Park Alliance

December 17, 2021

Prospect Park’s Vale to undergo $40M restoration

On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the allocation of $40 million to restore Prospect Park’s Vale. This funding is the largest in the history of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that manages the park. The Vale, also known as the “Vale of Cashmere,” is a 26-acre portion of the park's northeast corner known for its breathtaking foliage.
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Architecture And Design

Monument honoring investigative journalist Nellie Bly opens on Roosevelt Island

Image credit: Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

December 15, 2021

Monument honoring investigative journalist Nellie Bly opens on Roosevelt Island

A monument honoring trailblazing investigative journalist Nellie Bly opened to the public on Friday. The structure was designed by Amanda Matthews of Prometheus Art to bring attention to women who have overcome adversity. Located at the tip of Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island, the monument is named after Bly’s first published work, "The Girl Puzzle."
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Events & Things To Do

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

Photo by Charley Lhasa on Flickr

December 9, 2021

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center may be the most popular conifer in New York City, with 125 million people visiting the tree each year, but it certainly is not the only one. Every holiday season, spruces adorned with colorful lights and ornaments pop up across the five boroughs. The city’s many holiday trees each offer a unique take on the tradition, which began in NYC in 1912 when the first public Christmas tree was erected in Madison Square Park. For those looking to skip the Midtown crowds this year, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best holiday trees, from the origami tree at the American Museum of Natural History to the flotilla of trees in Central Park’s Harlem Meer.
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Ice skating, sledding, fire pits, and more coming to new winter village on Governors Island

Governors Island in winter; Photo: Trust for Governors Island

December 2, 2021

Ice skating, sledding, fire pits, and more coming to new winter village on Governors Island

For its first winter season ever, Governors Island is pulling out all of the stops. The Trust for Governors Island on Thursday announced it will transform its historic Colonels Row into a winter village with an ice skating rink, fire pits, sled rentals, games, festive food and drinks, and more. Dubbed Governors Island Winter Village, the seasonal destination will open on December 17.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC plans to replace Coney Island boardwalk with sustainable plastic decking

Photo via Shinya Suzuki’s Flickr

November 29, 2021

NYC plans to replace Coney Island boardwalk with sustainable plastic decking

The New York City Parks Department announced this month $114.5 million in funding will be used to kick off the reconstruction of Coney Island's landmarked Riegelmann Boardwalk in the first such overhaul since the wooden walkway was built in the 1920s. But not everyone is on board with the reconstruction, which involves replacing the length of the hardwood boardwalk with recycled plastic decking as part of a sustainability plan. Some residents feel the synthetic material is a poor choice for the waterfront icon.
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Thanksgiving ‘ragamuffins’ started a door-to-door tradition that preceded Halloween

Photo via the Library of Congress

November 24, 2021

Thanksgiving ‘ragamuffins’ started a door-to-door tradition that preceded Halloween

By Emily Nonko

Before Thanksgiving became a holiday known for stuffing down food with the people you love, it looked a whole lot like Halloween. That is thanks to the Thanksgiving "ragamuffins," children who dressed up in costume and wandered the streets in search of swag, asking passerby and shop owners, "Anything for Thanksgiving?" The practice could be found everywhere from Missouri to Los Angeles, but it was a particularly strong tradition in New York City. "Thanksgiving masquerading has never been more universal," said a New York Times report from 1899. "Fantastically garbed youngsters and their elders were on every corner of the city. Not a few of the maskers and mummers wore disguises that were recognized as typifying a well-known character or myth. There were Fausts, Uncle Sams, Harlequins, bandits, sailors. All had a great time. The good-humored crowd abroad was generous with pennies and nickels, and the candy stores did a land-office business."
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Photo: FAD Holiday Market

November 18, 2021

The 15 best NYC holiday markets of 2021

Even a pandemic can't keep a New York City shopper down. The city's retail landscape may look different now, but that hasn't dimmed the sparkle of beautiful baubles, clever crafts, and the company of fellow shoppers. While most of the city's holiday markets went virtual last year, many of our favorites have returned in their fabulous original form. The big Manhattan markets at Union Square, Bryant Park, and Columbus Circle are still impressive, but smaller, more intimate neighborhood gems shine brightly on their own. They're all great places to find seasonal delights like ice skating, live music, drinks, food, and family fun designed to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
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Events & Things To Do

Gowanus rezoning deal reached, with affordable housing and sewer upgrades on board

Photo by Danny Navarro / Flickr cc

November 11, 2021

Gowanus rezoning deal reached, with affordable housing and sewer upgrades on board

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious plan for the rezoning of Brooklyn's formerly industrial Gowanus neighborhood was finally approved by the city's Land Use Committee on Wednesday, after a decade of debate and drama. As Gothamist reports, the rezoning plan, the current administration's largest, was given the green light after Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, the borough's Community Board 6, and members of the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice reached a deal with City Hall that includes more investment in public housing and sewer infrastructure.
Find out more about what's ahead for Gowanus

What it was like the day the NYC subway opened in 1904

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “City Hall Subway Station, New York” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1906.

October 27, 2021

What it was like the day the NYC subway opened in 1904

By Emily Nonko

The Interborough Rapid Transit Subway, or IRT, was the first subway company ever in New York City. The company formed as a response to elevated train lines springing up around the city--it was time to go underground and build a rapid transit railroad to help combat street congestion and assist development in new areas of New York, according to NYCsubway.org. On October 27, 1904, the first IRT subway line opened with the City Hall station as its showpiece. It's no overstatement to say that after this date, the city would never be the same. And the day was one to remember, with pure excitement over the impressive feat of moving the city's transit system underground.
Here's what you need to know

10 offbeat haunted spots in New York City

St. Paul’s Chapel via Flickr cc

October 25, 2021

10 offbeat haunted spots in New York City

By Lucie Levine

'Tis the season to voluntarily spook yourself! But if haunted houses and tourist-friendly ghost tours are not for you, New York's bustling burrows are home to a slew of the more naturally born spirits. You’ll find Dracula’s extended family on 23rd Street, a host of oracles on Orchard Street, and the site of the cruel crime that led to the nation’s first recorded murder trial on Spring Street. If you’re searching for a necropolis in the metropolis, here are ten of the best sites in New York to spot specters.
See all the haunted haunts here!

History

The best 2021 Halloween happenings and spooky spectacles in NYC

Photo of 2015 Village Halloween Parade by Peter Burka on Flickr

October 18, 2021

The best 2021 Halloween happenings and spooky spectacles in NYC

New York City really shows its creative side for Halloween, and after a year of laying low, everyone's ready for some trick-or-treat action. The epic Village Halloween Parade is back on, parks and pumpkin patches are putting their fall bounty on display, and our favorite gathering, shopping, and dining spots are stocking up on candy and planning fun events. For the best ideas, browse our list of Halloween haunts and happenings from family-friendly to wicked and wild.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC’s Governors Island will be open year-round for the first time

Photo by Kreg Holt

September 28, 2021

NYC’s Governors Island will be open year-round for the first time

Starting November 1, Governors Island will be open to the public year-round for the first time in its history, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. Located in the heart of New York Harbor, the 172-acre island has typically had a limited season that ran between May and October but plans to make the site a 24/7 community have been in the works for nearly two decades. With the island open all year, the city also announced it will make Governors Island a daily stop on NYC Ferry, as well as launch a new route that departs from the Lower East Side.
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City Living

12 best spots for beers and brats in NYC this Oktoberfest

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels

September 17, 2021

12 best spots for beers and brats in NYC this Oktoberfest