Photo by Paul Sableman via Flickr cc

What was once referred to as the Trump Tower “occupied zone” is back to being a normal stretch of Midtown. The barricades that surrounded the building for the past four+ years have finally been removed, both a logistical and perhaps symbolic end to the Trump presidency. In an email to Gothamist, NYPD Sergeant Edward Riley wrote, “In partnership with the United States Secret Service the decision was made to remove the barriers around Trump Tower.” As Patch recently reported, it’s cost $150 million over the years to secure the area surrounding the building.

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All images courtesy of Booking.com

Travel company Booking.com is transforming Midtown’s Bryant Park into a unique overnight experience this Valentine’s Day. As part of its “Love Letters to America” campaign, the company is celebrating cities across the U.S. that have been hit hard by the coronavirus and inviting others to share adventures they are looking forward to once it’s safe to travel again. As a tribute to the Big Apple, Booking.com has converted the Polar Lounge at the Bank of America Winter Village into an après ski-inspired chalet, available to book for two nights only on February 13 and February 14.

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All renderings credit Brookfield Properties

The office tower formerly known as 666 Fifth Avenue has shed both its superstitious address and its controversial connection to the Kushners. Brookfield Asset Management bought the 99-year ground lease for the 41-story Midtown office building between 52nd and 53rd Streets in 2018 from Kushner Cos., announcing the following year a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Brookfield has now released new renderings of the 660 Fifth Avenue project, which will have a new glass facade and floor-to-ceiling windows, a new lobby and retail spaces, and new outdoor terraces when it’s completed in 2022.

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Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

Nearly ten years and 30 proposals later, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Thursday unveiled a plan to replace the dilapidated Midtown bus terminal. The agency on Thursday presented its final scoping report for the project, which involves demolishing the existing bus station to make way for a larger, state-of-the-art terminal. According to the Port Authority, the new plan would increase the capacity for commuter and intercity buses at the world’s busiest bus terminal by nearly 40 percent.

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Photos by Alexandre Ayer / @diversitypics for the Garment District Alliance

The Garment District Alliance has unveiled a new public art exhibit in the Broadway plaza between 39th and 40th Streets. Called Prismatica, it’s made up of 25, six-foot-tall pivoting prisms that reflect the colors of the rainbow and turn the street a “glimmering winter kaleidoscope.” The piece was created by RAW Design in collaboration with ATOMIC3 and is on view through January 30th.

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Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

The High Line will be extended from its current 10th Avenue terminus to the entrance of the newly opened Moynihan Train Hall, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce during his 2021 State of the State address on Monday. As the New York Times first reported, a new L-shaped elevated walkway will link the existing public park at 30th Street to a pedestrian plaza at Manhattan West, a six-building mixed-use development from Brookfield Property Group that stretches from 9th and 10th Avenues and 31st to 33rd Streets.

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Photo © Max Touhey

As one of the few bright spots during a very dark time in New York, the new Moynihan Train Hall opens to the public on Friday. The new transit hub expands Penn Station into the landmarked James A. Farley Post Office Building on Eighth Avenue, increasing capacity at the busiest railroad station in the country by 50 percent. On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrated the opening of Moynihan Train Hall, which was inspired by the design of the original Penn Station that was demolished in the 1960s. Ahead, get a look inside the new train hall, including the 92-foot-high massive skylights that total one acre and the new waiting areas for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.

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All photos credit: Airbnb

It’s like Night at the Museum meets Big–one lucky New York City family of four will get the chance to spend the night inside FAO Schwarz, arguably the world’s most famous toy store. The experience comes courtesy of Airbnb, who arranged the stay especially for the holidays. For just $25, you’ll be able to freely roam the store, as well as receive a special tour from a real FAO Schwarz toy soldier. Other perks include a shopping spree, a fantastic feast, and a music lesson on the store’s iconic Giant Dance On Piano.

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