Midtown

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

The 1931 tree, courtesy of Tishman Speyer

December 3, 2025

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

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The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, considered the "worldwide symbol of Christmas," will be lit on Wednesday, marking the 93rd tree lighting ceremony. Ahead, learn about the history of the iconic spruce, from its start as a modest Depression-era pick-me-up for Rockefeller Center construction workers to World War regulations to its current 900-pound Swarovski star.
More on the history here
Extell to buy $36M in air rights from Midtown’s St. Thomas church

Streetview of 678 Fifth Avenue © 2024 Google

November 17, 2025

Extell to buy $36M in air rights from Midtown’s St. Thomas church

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Extell Development has bought $36 million in air rights from a historic Midtown church as it continues to assemble large development sites across the neighborhood. According to Crain's, the developer has entered into a contract to acquire 123,000 square feet of air rights from the landmarked St. Thomas Church at 678 Fifth Avenue. It’s unclear which project Extell plans to use the rights for, but the firm is working on several nearby projects, including the former Wellington Hotel site and 655 Madison Avenue.
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Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

Credit: Fifth Avenue Association

November 10, 2025

Holiday open streets will return to Fifth Avenue for just one Sunday

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A large stretch of Fifth Avenue will once again be closed to vehicles for the holidays—but just for one day. The Fifth Avenue Association announced that Holiday Open Streets will return on Sunday, December 14, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., turning the iconic corridor between 47th and 57th Streets into a pedestrian-centric, holiday-themed promenade. The event, held across three Sundays in 2022 and 2023, was reduced to a single day in 2024, and will remain so in 2025 due to “logistical challenges” tied to increased security at Trump Tower, according to Gothamist.
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MTA completes five-year Grand Central-42nd Street station upgrades

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 29, 2025

MTA completes five-year Grand Central-42nd Street station upgrades

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After five years of work, the MTA has completed its long-awaited rehabilitation of three subway stations beneath 42nd Street in Midtown. The MTA on Tuesday announced the completion of the Grand Central–42nd Street Circulation Improvement Project, an effort that upgraded the Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central subway stations to improve accessibility and ease congestion for roughly 400,000 daily riders. Enhancements include new and widened staircases, additional escalators, and a 20 percent expansion of mezzanine floor space.
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This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree hails from upstate NY

Photo courtesy of Tishman Speyer

October 27, 2025

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree hails from upstate NY

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The towering spruce that will serve as this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, standing at the heart of New York City's holiday celebrations, has been revealed. Found upstate in East Greenbush, the 75-foot-tall tree will be cut down on Thursday, November 6, and make its journey to Manhattan, arriving on Saturday, November 8. After it’s adorned with tens of thousands of twinkling lights and crowned with its iconic Swarovski star, the annual tree lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, December 3.
details here
Bryant Park’s Winter Village is now open for the season

Photos by Colin Miller

October 24, 2025

Bryant Park’s Winter Village is now open for the season

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One of New York City’s most cherished holiday attractions has officially opened in Midtown, kicking off the season’s festivities. On Friday, the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park returned for its 24th season, bringing the city's only free-admission ice skating, a rinkside food hall and bar, and an open-air holiday market with more than 180 vendors to the beloved public space. The Winter Village is open through March 1, 2026.
'tis the season
Extell proposes 71-story mixed-use tower with 130 apartments at Wellington Hotel site

Hotel Wellington. Photo by Jazz Guy via WikiCommons

October 24, 2025

Extell proposes 71-story mixed-use tower with 130 apartments at Wellington Hotel site

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Extell Development wants to nearly triple the height of its proposed tower at the site of Midtown's former Wellington Hotel and make it residential. As first spotted by Crain's, Gary Barnett's firm filed plans with the Department of City Planning this month seeking to expand its project at 871 7th Avenue from a 27-story hotel to a 71-story mixed-use tower with 130 residential units, likely condos, and 156 hotel rooms. Extell is pitching upgrades to the nearby 50th Street subway station in exchange for a zoning bonus to allow for the 1,050-foot-tall tower.
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City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump
October 20, 2025

City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump

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New York City halted a plan to add a busway to Manhattan's 34th Street after the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funding for other projects. Unveiled by the city's Department of Transportation in May, the project adds a dedicated bus lane for a 1.1-mile stretch of the busy corridor, from Third to Ninth Avenues, as a way to speed up notoriously slow bus service. Last week, Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster said the agency had several concerns with the busway, including the absence of a plan "to accommodate truckers" and "maintain access for emergency vehicles."
details here
Prada plans Fifth Avenue skyscraper with ultra-luxury apartments

Streetview of 720-725 Fifth Avenue © Google 2025

October 17, 2025

Prada plans Fifth Avenue skyscraper with ultra-luxury apartments

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Prada is teaming up with Related to build a mixed-use skyscraper at 720-724 Fifth Avenue, with a store on the ground level and office space and luxury apartments above, as first reported by Commercial Observer. The building may be attached to the Aman New York, a 26-story hotel-condo next door, and share the gilded tower's flashy amenities.
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Midtown office tower to become 107 studio apartments, first major conversion under rezoning

Streetview of 29 West 35th Street, © Google 2025

October 8, 2025

Midtown office tower to become 107 studio apartments, first major conversion under rezoning

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An underutilized Midtown office building is set to become over 100 studio apartments in its next life. Infinite Global Real Estate and Buttonwood Development, in partnership with 400 Capital Management, have acquired 29 West 35th Street, with plans to turn the 12-story tower into a rental building. The project marks the first major office-to-residential conversion in the neighborhood following the Midtown South rezoning, approved by the City Council this summer.
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Louis Vuitton files plans for 25-story Fifth Avenue flagship

Photo © Ondel Hylton

September 15, 2025

Louis Vuitton files plans for 25-story Fifth Avenue flagship

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Louis Vuitton wants to make its Fifth Avenue flagship even more luxurious. Just in time for New York Fashion Week, LVMH has filed plans with the Department of City Planning (DCP) to construct a 25-story tower at 1 East 57th Street, replacing the existing 20-story building. The proposed project would rise 485 feet and feature a 10-story flagship store, a cafe and terrace with Central Park views, public exhibition space, a luxury spa, a top-floor bar and garden, and other upscale amenities.
details here
City landmarks five Garment District buildings ahead of major changes in Midtown

The Furcraft Building on West 30th Street. All photos courtesy of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

August 12, 2025

City landmarks five Garment District buildings ahead of major changes in Midtown

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Midtown South could look a lot different in the coming years, with a neighborhood rezoning imminent, but at least five buildings will remain protected. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate five buildings that not only are unique architecturally, but also reflect the development of the Garment District and the importance of the fashion industry to New York City. The designation comes as the City Council prepares to vote on the Midtown South Mixed-Use plan this week.
details this way
NYC’s Dominican Day Parade: What you need to know

Photo by S Pakhrin on Wikimedia

August 8, 2025

NYC’s Dominican Day Parade: What you need to know

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Colorful parade floats, vibrant costumes, and lively music will return to Midtown this Sunday for the 43rd annual National Dominican Day Parade. Celebrating New York City’s Dominican community—the largest in the country—the event features a festive procession with beautiful costumes, traditional food, dance, and more. Taking place on August 10, this year's theme is "Unidos en Cultura y Tradicion (United in Culture and Tradition)," honoring Dominican heritage in the Dominican Republic, the United States, and abroad, with Dominican-American baseball player Nelson Cruz serving as the grand marshal.
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TF Cornerstone plans to convert Billionaires’ Row office tower into 350 apartments

Photo by Tdorante10 via WikiCommons

August 7, 2025

TF Cornerstone plans to convert Billionaires’ Row office tower into 350 apartments

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A prominent New York City developer wants to convert a 32-story Billionaires' Row office tower into over 300 apartments, joining the city’s growing wave of office-to-residential conversions. As first reported by Commercial Observer, TF Cornerstone will convert Tower 57 at 135 East 57th Street into 350 apartments, 25 percent of which would be affordable to households earning 80 percent of the area median income. The project would take advantage of the state’s 467-m tax incentive program and new zoning tools included in Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes housing plan.
details here
Midtown South rezoning moves forward, 34th Street busway and protection for Garment District workers included

Photo © 6sqft

August 7, 2025

Midtown South rezoning moves forward, 34th Street busway and protection for Garment District workers included

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The Midtown South rezoning received key approval this week, with new community and infrastructure improvements included in the deal. The City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises on Wednesday voted to approve the Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) plan, which updates zoning rules for 42 blocks of the neighborhood to allow for 9,535 new homes, including 2,842 permanently affordable apartments, in an area where housing development has been largely restricted. In addition to lowering the residential density allowed on certain blocks in the original plan, the City Council and City Hall agreed to $488 million in community infrastructure investments, including a busway on 34th Street and protection for Garment District workers.
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New York flags at half-staff in memory of Midtown Manhattan office shooting victims

City Hall in 20178. Photo credit: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office on Flickr

July 29, 2025

New York flags at half-staff in memory of Midtown Manhattan office shooting victims

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Flags across New York are flying at half-staff to honor the victims of Monday’s deadly Midtown office shooting. On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams ordered the tribute to continue until all four victims—including an NYPD officer—are laid to rest. A fifth person remains in critical condition. The shooting occurred at 345 Park Avenue, an office building with tenants like Rudin Management, Blackstone, and the National Football League.
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City Planning Commission approves Midtown South rezoning

Photo © 6sqft

June 19, 2025

City Planning Commission approves Midtown South rezoning

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A major plan to build nearly 10,000 new homes in Midtown South by updating decades-old zoning rules just moved one step closer to becoming reality. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday approved the Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) plan, the rezoning of a 42-block stretch of the neighborhood to allow for 9,700 new homes in an area where housing was previously restricted. Under the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program, the plan will require developers to include affordable housing, paving the way for up to 2,900 permanently affordable units. The plan now advances to the City Council for a final vote.
more here
Fifth Avenue Blooms celebrates the corridor’s 200th anniversary with a custom rose variety and floral displays

Images courtesy of the Fifth Avenue Association

June 4, 2025

Fifth Avenue Blooms celebrates the corridor’s 200th anniversary with a custom rose variety and floral displays

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Fifth Avenue will soon bloom with thousands of vibrant roses, including a unique new variety created to celebrate the iconic retail corridor’s 200th anniversary. On June 11, the Fifth Avenue Association will kick off Fifth Avenue Blooms, a month-long floral makeover of the avenue between 51st and 58th Streets, running through July 6. The display will feature 16 planters with 400 rose plants, totaling roughly 2,500 to 4,000 individual stems, including the one-of-a-kind variety created specifically for the avenue’s birthday, all beautifying the streetscape and providing a perfect backdrop for photos.
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Times Square office tower to become 1,250 apartments

5 Times Square. Photo via WikiCommons

May 22, 2025

Times Square office tower to become 1,250 apartments

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A largely vacant office tower in Times Square is set to become a mixed-use development with 1,250 new homes. The Empire State Development (ESD) on Thursday voted to approve the conversion of 5 Times Square, a 38-story building on 7th Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets. About 313 apartments will be permanently affordable to New Yorkers earning up to 80 percent of the area median income in exchange for a tax exemption under a new office-to-housing incentive, 467-m.
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The Chrysler Building is now on the market

Credit: Mitch Hodiono on Unsplash

May 21, 2025

The Chrysler Building is now on the market

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The Chrysler Building is officially up for sale after a drawn-out legal battle between RFR Holding and Cooper Union. As first reported by The Promote, the leasehold for the iconic Art Deco skyscraper is on the market for the first time since 2019, after a judge terminated RFR’s lease in January and evicted the firm for falling more than $21 million behind on rent owed to Cooper Union, which owns the land beneath the tower. Cooper Union has since tapped real estate firm Savills to find a new operator to take over the lease.
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Adams announces $250M more for Fifth Avenue redesign plan

Images by Field Operations, courtesy of City Hall

May 21, 2025

Adams announces $250M more for Fifth Avenue redesign plan

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New York City is investing another $250 million to transform Fifth Avenue into a pedestrian-centric corridor. Mayor Eric Adams announced the new funding on Wednesday, bringing the total investment in the project to $400 million, including $152 million the city had previously committed. Focused on the stretch between Central Park and Bryant Park, the Fifth Avenue redesign will reduce traffic lanes from five to three, nearly double the width of sidewalks, shorten crosswalks, and add more than 230 trees, as well as new seating and improved lighting.
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NYC unveils plan for dedicated busway on 34th Street

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

May 21, 2025

NYC unveils plan for dedicated busway on 34th Street

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New York City plans to transform a busy stretch of 34th Street in Manhattan into a busway to improve sluggish crosstown commutes. The Department of Transportation (DOT) unveiled plans for a dedicated lane along 34th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues for buses, trucks, and emergency vehicles, which could boost speeds by up to 15 percent for the more than two dozen bus routes that use the corridor. Modeled after the successful 14th Street busway, the plan would still permit other vehicles to enter but require them to make the next available legal turn off the street.
see the plan
Before Chelsea, there was Midtown: The lost art galleries of 57th Street

All photos courtesy Municipal Archives, City of New York

May 20, 2025

Before Chelsea, there was Midtown: The lost art galleries of 57th Street

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In the interwar years in New York City, the cultural epicenter of New York, particularly its art galleries, was centered around 57th Street. One block, in particular, between Fifth and Madison Avenues was the crème de la crème of addresses. Today, the short 450-foot stretch is populated by luxury brands like Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Christian Dior, and Burberry. The cluster of art galleries is part of the subject of my new book "The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland," which covers the flight of Picasso’s art dealer, Paul Rosenberg, and his family to New York City during World War II.
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Macy’s Flower Show turns 50 with surrealist gardens and thousands of blooms in Herald Square

All photos courtesy of Macy’s, Inc.

May 1, 2025

Macy’s Flower Show turns 50 with surrealist gardens and thousands of blooms in Herald Square

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The 50th annual Macy's Flower Show opened in Herald Square on Sunday, transforming the iconic department store into a breathtaking garden filled with thousands of lush plants and flowers. In honor of its semicentennial, this year’s event has been extended to three weeks of festivities, running through May 18. The show also features a partnership with YSL Beauty, offering an immersive experience that encourages guests to embrace freedom and celebrate the transformative power of nature.
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432 Park owners sue again over alleged facade crack cover-up

Photo by Sebastiandoe5 via WikiCommons

April 30, 2025

432 Park owners sue again over alleged facade crack cover-up

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Owners at the supertall condo 432 Park Avenue are suing the building's developers again. The Midtown East tower's condo board on Friday filed a lawsuit against developers Harry Macklowe and CIM Group, alleging they knowingly concealed widespread cracking in the building's concrete facade from buyers and inspectors as part of a "deliberate and far-reaching fraud," as first reported by Crain's. The board is seeking $165 million in damages, along with punitive damages and compensation for losses tied to declining property values caused by flooding and erosion from the cracks.
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Abstract subway mosaic in Grand Central captures a spiritual journey through NYC

Credit: Etienne Frossard / MTA on Flickr

April 29, 2025

Abstract subway mosaic in Grand Central captures a spiritual journey through NYC

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A new glass mosaic in Grand Central offers a vibrant interpretation of New Yorkers' journeys through the city. Unveiled on Monday by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), "Abstract Futures" spans 600 square feet at the 42nd Street/3rd Avenue entrance to the 7 train. Created by artist duo Sharmistha Ray and Dannielle Tegeder, the glass mosaic explores themes of "portals" and "journeys," serving as a metaphor for the spiritual transformations many experience while navigating life in New York City.
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First look at the food hall opening at NYC’s Lord & Taylor building

Renderings courtesy of ICRAVE

April 28, 2025

First look at the food hall opening at NYC’s Lord & Taylor building

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New York City's landmarked Lord & Taylor building will be publicly accessible for the first time since the flagship department store closed in 2019. A 35,000-square-foot food hall, dubbed Shaver Hall, will open later this year on the ground floor of the historic Fifth Avenue building. Amazon bought the property in 2020 and converted the space into offices in 2023. Newly released renderings are showing off the food hall's 11 curated stalls, wine and cheese bar, and "modern bodega."
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