Architecture And Design

Prospect Park will get Brooklyn’s first ‘Bluebelt’ to protect area from flooding

Images courtesy of NYC DEP

December 4, 2025

Prospect Park will get Brooklyn’s first ‘Bluebelt’ to protect area from flooding

By Aaron Ginsburg

To protect Prospect Park and nearby Brooklyn neighborhoods from flooding, New York City will spend $68 million on new infrastructure, including the borough’s first Bluebelt. Announced on Wednesday, the investment will fund nature-based solutions—like enhanced lakes and wetlands—to better manage extreme rainfall fueled by climate change. The project will safeguard the Prospect Park Zoo, which closed for eight months in 2023 due to flood damage, and protect surrounding neighborhoods from future flooding.
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New Washington Heights pedestrian plaza opens with mural honoring Dominican community

All photos courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

December 4, 2025

New Washington Heights pedestrian plaza opens with mural honoring Dominican community

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new pedestrian plaza and mural in Washington Heights opened this week, setting a city record for the most temporary public art installations on city land. On Thursday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez celebrated the opening of a new pedestrian plaza on Audubon Avenue between 165th and 166th Streets, adding 10,890 square feet of car-free space, and unveiled “De Lo Mio,” a vibrant asphalt mural honoring Dominican culture by artist Talisa Almonte. The artwork marks a record 151 temporary public art pieces installed across DOT property.
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See plan for 27-story rental tower above historic Fort Greene church

Proposed view looking west. Credit: FXCollaborative

December 3, 2025

See plan for 27-story rental tower above historic Fort Greene church

By Aaron Ginsburg

A developer is looking to build an apartment tower on top of a historic Fort Greene church. Strekte presented a proposal to the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday for a 27-story tower above the landmarked Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church. During the hearing, the commission reviewed plans to restore the facade of the church at 144 St. Felix Street and perform demolitions necessary to construct a 27-story tower above it. After extensive public feedback, including concerns from neighboring One Hanson Place condo residents about blocked views, the LPC asked the development team to return at a later date once it had reviewed the points raised during the testimony.
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Famed architect Robert A.M. Stern dies at 86

(L) Credit: RAMSA; (R) 15 Central Park West. Image via WikiCommons

December 1, 2025

Famed architect Robert A.M. Stern dies at 86

By Aaron Ginsburg

Acclaimed architect Robert A.M. Stern, who over his career built one of the world’s most influential architecture firms and left an enduring mark on the New York City skyline, died last Thursday at the age of 86. The Brooklyn-born architect founded Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) in 1969 and went on to build a portfolio that ranged from luxury residential buildings like 15 Central Park West to major institutional projects such as the expansion of the New York Historical. Stern served as dean of the Yale School of Architecture from 1998 to 2016. His son Nicholas told the New York Times that the cause of death was a brief pulmonary illness.
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Architecture And Design

Victorian Flatbush gains two new historic districts

The Ditmas Park West Historic District. Credit: Landmarks Preservation Commission

November 25, 2025

Victorian Flatbush gains two new historic districts

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's newest historic districts are two well-preserved areas of homes in suburban Flatbush. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate the Beverley Square West and Ditmas Park West Historic Districts, which together include 247 freestanding homes built between 1894 and 1910, showcasing early 20th-century suburban architecture in the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles, or a mixture of the two. The most recent iteration of the districts includes minor boundary adjustments that exclude homes that do not share the same historic integrity as the rest of the district.
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Naftali Group’s new limestone condo tower at 800 Fifth Ave gets approved

All images courtesy of Naftali Group / Robert A.M. Stern Architects unless otherwise noted

November 25, 2025

Naftali Group’s new limestone condo tower at 800 Fifth Ave gets approved

By Devin Gannon

Naftali Group's plan to demolish an existing Upper East Side residential building and replace it with a new condominium tower was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday. Designed by Ulrich Franzen in the 1970s, the existing post-modern building at 800 Fifth Avenue has about 200 rental units. Naftali, which acquired the building over the summer for $810 million, has tapped Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) and SLCE to design a new limestone-clad tower with 55 condos and stunning Central Park views.
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New Times Square New Year’s Eve ball is largest ever, and open for public viewing

All photos courtesy of One Times Square

November 25, 2025

New Times Square New Year’s Eve ball is largest ever, and open for public viewing

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new ball now rests above Times Square, ready to welcome the New Year in even more dazzling fashion. The new "Constellation Ball" was unveiled atop One Times Square this week, becoming the ninth iteration of the famed New Year’s Eve ball and replacing the previous version, which was retired in January after 17 years. The new ball is the largest yet, measuring 12.5 feet in diameter, weighing 12,350 pounds, and featuring nearly twice as many lights as its predecessor. In a notable design change, the old ball’s triangular crystals have been replaced with round crystals that more effectively refract light. For the first time, the public can get an up-close look at the ball from a viewing deck, through two ticketed experiences at One Times Square.
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Architecture And Design

$108M restoration of Dumbo’s historic cobblestone streets is complete

Images courtesy of Matthew Lapiska/NYCDDC

November 20, 2025

$108M restoration of Dumbo’s historic cobblestone streets is complete

By Aaron Ginsburg

This week, the final brick was laid in the multi-year, $108 million restoration of Dumbo’s iconic cobblestone streets. The city’s Department of Design and Construction and the Dumbo Business Improvement District on Wednesday celebrated the placement of the last Belgian block at Anchorage Plaza, completing a six-year effort that restored 800,000 historic bricks across 26 blocks. The landmark project in one of Brooklyn's oldest neighborhoods also upgraded stormwater drainage, reduced combined sewer runoff into the harbor, added new bike lanes, and introduced the Pearl Street Plaza.
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Architecture And Design

See inside an East Village condo transforming a former parking garage into luxury loft-like homes

All renderings courtesy of Plomp

November 18, 2025

See inside an East Village condo transforming a former parking garage into luxury loft-like homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New images were released this week of the luxury boutique condo replacing a shuttered East Village parking garage. Designed and developed by Arcus, 220 East 9th Street replaces a 175-space garage, which had been closed since 2023 due to structural issues. In its place is a striking red-brick condo, dubbed 220e9th, with 18 bright and airy, loft-like residences, all with unique layouts.
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Studio Museum in Harlem unveils new home

Exterior view of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new building, 2025. Courtesy Studio Museum in Harlem. Photo © Albert Vecerka/ Esto

November 17, 2025

Studio Museum in Harlem unveils new home

In the United States, 1968 was a year of political unrest and cultural change. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, the Vietnam War was protested, the Fair Housing Act was passed, and President Richard Nixon was elected. In its list of major, shifting events that year, a much quieter moment: the founding of the Studio Museum in Harlem. The museum was founded by a group of artists, community activists, and philanthropists to foster the work of artists of African descent.
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Popular Articles

College Point landmark that housed nation’s first free kindergarten gets $6.2M restoration

Credit: DDC

November 14, 2025

College Point landmark that housed nation’s first free kindergarten gets $6.2M restoration

By Aaron Ginsburg

A historic College Point landmark that once housed the nation’s first free kindergarten has received a $6.2 million makeover. Built in 1868, the Poppenhusen Institute—listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a New York City landmark—was among the first buildings in the country constructed entirely of cast, or artificial, stone. Located at 114-04 14th Road, the project included replacing and upgrading all 97 wood and steel windows, along with careful masonry restoration that preserves the building’s historic character.
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Architecture And Design

Former Hoboken pudding factory launches sales for luxury condos, from $795K

All renderings courtesy of VUW Studio

November 11, 2025

Former Hoboken pudding factory launches sales for luxury condos, from $795K

By Aaron Ginsburg

Once home to a pudding factory, a historic Hoboken building has been reimagined as luxury condos, with sales now underway. Located at 38 Jackson Street, Southend Lofts transforms the former Davis Baking Powder and My-T-Fine Pudding factory into a boutique collection of 110 residences featuring more than 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities. Pricing starts at $795,000 for one-bedrooms, $1.25 million for two-bedrooms, $1.85 million for three-bedrooms, and $3.7 million for four- and five-bedroom duplex penthouses.
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Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment approved by City Council

All images courtesy of NYCEDC, unless noted otherwise

October 30, 2025

Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment approved by City Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

The City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a plan to transform the Bronx’s long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory into a mixed-use community hub with roughly 500 affordable homes. Led by the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the El Centro Kingsbridge project will convert the historic armory into a vibrant facility featuring an event venue, recreation center, sports fields, and a public plaza, with a new affordable housing building next door. The approval marks a major milestone for the long-stalled site, following two failed redevelopment attempts that collapsed amid community opposition.
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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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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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Kips Bay parking lot on East River to become temporary public open space

Streetview of East 34th Street and FDR Drive © 2021 Google

October 28, 2025

Kips Bay parking lot on East River to become temporary public open space

By Aaron Ginsburg

An underutilized stretch of Manhattan’s eastern waterfront in Kips Bay will soon be transformed into new open space. The city's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on Monday announced plans to convert a city-owned parking lot on East 34th Street along the FDR Drive into a temporary park. Although the official design has not yet been released, the agency said the new space will feature ADA-accessible fitness equipment, seating and gathering areas, and a waterfront-friendly layout, with completion expected in spring 2026.
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Architecture And Design

Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

The world’s largest split-flap display in Terminal 1 will flicker through scenes of New York as passengers move through security. Credit: The New Terminal One at JFK/Arup

October 27, 2025

Major public art program unveiled for JFK Airport’s $9.5B Terminal One

By Aaron Ginsburg

JFK Airport's new $9.5 billion terminal wants to reflect New York’s identity as a capital of creativity and culture. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and New Terminal One announced on Monday the seven artists who will create large-scale, site-specific works anchoring Terminal One's cultural program, which celebrates the history, culture, and diversity of New York City and Queens. The installations, ranging from sculptures and mosaics to murals, will complement the broader arts initiative that also features filmmaking and immersive digital experiences.
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Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

The Duffield Street Houses at 182-188 Duffield Street. Photo by Epicgenius on Wikimedia

October 22, 2025

Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

By Aaron Ginsburg

A developer's plan to build a 30-story tower behind a row of landmarked homes in Downtown Brooklyn has been sent back to the drawing board. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on Watermark Capital’s proposal for a glass and beige brick tower on a small lot behind the historic homes at 182-188 Duffield Street, four individual landmarks dating to the 1830s and 1840s. Commissioners and preservationists were skeptical of the proposal, which involves removing the rear facades of the four properties while combining the interiors to create a community space and a lobby for the 99-unit building behind them. The commission took no action on Tuesday and directed the developers to revise the design so it does not "overwhelm" the block's historic character.
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JPMorgan opens soaring 60-story NYC headquarters at 270 Park Avenue

Skyline view of JPMorganChase’s world headquarters in New York City. Photo credit: Max Touhey for JPMorganChase.

October 21, 2025

JPMorgan opens soaring 60-story NYC headquarters at 270 Park Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

JPMorganChase’s massive Midtown East headquarters, the tallest all-electric skyscraper in New York City, is now open. Designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners, the 1,400-foot-tall building at 270 Park Avenue can accommodate 10,000 employees across 2.5 million square feet of workspace. Rising 60 stories, the $3 billion skyscraper features a striking “fan-column” design that rises about 80 feet above street level and provides 2.5 times more outdoor space than its predecessor.
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Architecture And Design

‘Humans of New York’ photo exhibit takes over Grand Central

All photos courtesy of Ahmed Gaber for Dear New York

October 8, 2025

‘Humans of New York’ photo exhibit takes over Grand Central

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of the most famous photography projects in the world has taken over Grand Central Terminal. This week, Brandon Stanton of "Humans of New York," the long-running online portrait series featuring the stories of everyday New Yorkers, opened the installation "Dear New York," a sweeping "love letter" to the city. The exhibit includes 50-foot-tall photographs from the Humans of New York portfolio displayed across the terminal, including the main concourse, the subway station, Vanderbilt Hall, and 150 digital screens. The two-week installation is on view through October 19.
see it here

The best design tours to book during Archtober 2025

October 7, 2025

The best design tours to book during Archtober 2025

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's annual Archtober festival, which celebrates the city’s defining architecture, has returned for its 15th year. This year’s theme, "Shared Spaces," invites participants to rethink how New Yorkers “move, connect, and live together.” As part of the festival, Archtober’s Building of the Day series lets visitors embark on architect-led tours of featured projects across all five boroughs. Ahead, discover a selection of tours not to be missed, from the transformation of Chelsea’s historic Terminal Warehouse to the nation’s largest office-to-residential conversion in the Financial District.
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Upscale event venue to be first tenant at Chelsea’s redeveloped Terminal Warehouse

Credit © COOKFOX Architects / Alex Ferrec

October 6, 2025

Upscale event venue to be first tenant at Chelsea’s redeveloped Terminal Warehouse

By Aaron Ginsburg

Chelsea’s landmarked Terminal Warehouse, a nearly 135-year-old building recently transformed into a commercial and events space, has officially landed its first tenant. Convene Hospitality Group signed a 50,000-square-foot lease for a three-level luxury event space, "The Mallory," named after George Mallory, the architect of the original building in 1891. Located in the building's northwest corner at 12th Avenue and West 28th Street, and accessed via the warehouse's famed tunnel, the venue will have space for up to 550 guests and include a reception lounge with a 25-foot bar, a grand event hall, special suites, and a gallery with movable walls.
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Architecture And Design

Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and new sports fields reopen at East River Park

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

October 3, 2025

Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and new sports fields reopen at East River Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

City officials last weekend celebrated the reopening of the Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and restored sports field at East River Park. The reopening is part of the broader East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) initiative, which is elevating and rebuilding the park to protect the Lower East Side from rising sea levels. In May, the park’s south end reopened after closing in 2021, with new picnic and barbecue areas, a passive lawn, six tennis courts, two basketball courts, a nature exploration area, and a multi-use area.
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1,600-foot-tall office tower 350 Park Avenue gets unanimous City Council approval

350 Park Avenue © DBOX for Foster + Partners

October 2, 2025

1,600-foot-tall office tower 350 Park Avenue gets unanimous City Council approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

Billionaire Ken Griffin’s proposed 1,600-foot office tower at 350 Park Avenue will be built after the City Council unanimously approved the building last week. The Council voted 48-0 to approve the 62-story supertall building developed by Vornado Realty Trust, Citadel, and Rudin Management and designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners. The tower will deliver 1.8 million square feet of office space anchored by Griffin’s Citadel and Citadel Securities, plus a new public concourse. The huge building will rise 200 feet taller than JPMorgan Chase’s headquarters at 270 Park Avenue, also designed by Foster + Partners.
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New York launches design competition for Ruth Bader Ginsburg memorial in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Ruth Bader Ginsburg at her confirmation hearing / R. Michael Jenkins, Congressional Quarterly. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

September 30, 2025

New York launches design competition for Ruth Bader Ginsburg memorial in Brooklyn Bridge Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York is inviting artists to help honor late Supreme Court Justice and Brooklyn native Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a new memorial at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul launched an artist competition to design the memorial, celebrating Ginsburg’s contributions to civil rights, gender equality, and the rule of law. The announcement comes during the same month as the fifth anniversary of Ginsburg's passing in 2020.
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Architecture And Design

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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.
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