All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Three Crown Heights buildings transferred from negligent landlord

Streetview of 1392 Sterling Place © Google 2024

September 4, 2026

Three Crown Heights buildings transferred from negligent landlord

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Three rent-stabilized apartment buildings in Crown Heights have been transferred away from their negligent owners, paving the way for improvements for tenants across 88 apartments. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced the transfer of 1018 Eastern Parkway, 1074 Eastern Parkway, and 1392 Sterling Place, which under landlord Rubin Dukler had a combined total of nearly 1,000 open code violations. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will work with the buildings' new owner, Mark Schwartz, to implement critical repairs and resolve hazardous conditions that tenants have had to deal with for years.
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Tom Fruin’s iconic water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park to be restored

Photos by Matthew Pugliese

September 4, 2026

Tom Fruin’s iconic water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park to be restored

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The colorful water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park has been removed. But don't worry, it will return next year. Designed by Tom Fruin and installed 12 years ago, the Plexiglas and steel artwork on top of the park's administrative building at 334 Furman Street was dismantled and taken down on Tuesday ahead of a renovation of the building. Like the building, the sculpture, which honors NYC's water towers, will also be restored, as first reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. "Watertower 3: R.V. Ingersoll" will be repaired and rehabilitated after more than a decade of exposure to sun, snow, and rain and reinstalled in the fall of 2027.
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Kips Bay groups rally to save AMC theater from closure

Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

September 3, 2026

Kips Bay groups rally to save AMC theater from closure

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A coalition of Kips Bay neighborhood organizations is fighting to save its beloved AMC movie theater from closure. On Thursday, the Save Kips Bay coalition sent a letter to NYU Langone urging the hospital system to work with residents on an outcome that will spare the AMC Kips Bay 15 multiplex from shuttering by the end of the year. AMC confirmed the closure late last month, saying the property owner had terminated its lease before the scheduled expiration. The owner was later revealed to be NYU Langone, which purchased the property more than a year ago. A community board meeting is scheduled for next week, giving local residents and moviegoers a chance to speak on the closure.
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40-story South Bronx tower launches lottery for 227 apartments, from $1,936/month

Photo of 355 Exterior Street © Ondel Hylton

September 3, 2026

40-story South Bronx tower launches lottery for 227 apartments, from $1,936/month

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The tallest building in the South Bronx launched a housing lottery this week for 227 mixed-income apartments. Rising 40 and 26 stories over the Harlem River in Mott Haven, 355 Exterior Street is a massive two-tower development with more than 700 apartments, ground-floor retail, and luxury amenities. Developed by Beitel Group and designed by Hill West Architects, the project, dubbed One River Park, will also be among the tallest buildings in the Bronx, with just River Park Towers and Tracey Towers slightly larger. New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced between $1,936/month and $2,850/month.
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NYC announces one-year ban on generative AI for public school students through 8th grade

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 2, 2026

NYC announces one-year ban on generative AI for public school students through 8th grade

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Roughly 600,000 New York City public school students will not be allowed to use generative artificial intelligence in the classroom for at least one year, under new guidelines announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday. The mayor and NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a ban on student-facing generative AI use for students in preschool through eighth grade, the largest school system in the country to do so, as well as new screen-time limits for students in second grade and younger. As first reported by the New York Daily News, high school students will have restricted access to AI but will receive twice-yearly AI “critical thinking” modules focused on the risks of relying on the technology.
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After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 2, 2026

After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

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A stretch of street in Downtown Brooklyn so notorious for safety issues that it has earned the nickname “Crashland” could soon shed its moniker following a redesign. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Tuesday announced the completion of work on a continuous protected bike lane on Ashland Place between Lafayette Street and Hanson Place, filling in the final gap in a 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo. While work began in 2022, construction was halted under former Mayor Eric Adams and left unfinished for three years.
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NYC ramps up Legionnaires’ disease prevention and enforcement measures

Photo of water towers on East 57th Street via WikiCommons

September 1, 2026

NYC ramps up Legionnaires’ disease prevention and enforcement measures

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After a Legionnaires' disease outbreak affected the Upper East Side this summer, New York City is taking new measures to strengthen its response. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced sweeping new policies to bolster the city's detection of Legionella bacteria in cooling towers, strengthen enforcement and education, and improve transparency with New Yorkers. The measures build on the Mamdani administration's response to the July outbreak, which sickened dozens of New Yorkers and claimed 11 lives.
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116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

Credit: NYC DOT

September 1, 2026

116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

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New bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian safety upgrades are coming to Manhattan's busy 116th Street. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Monday announced that work has begun on a major revamp of the Harlem corridor, adding 2.5 miles of offset and curbside bus lanes and other street upgrades. The project aims to improve commutes for more than 65,000 daily bus riders, who contend with speeds of less than four miles per hour in certain sections.
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Mamdani signs bill restoring year-round outdoor dining in NYC

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 1, 2026

Mamdani signs bill restoring year-round outdoor dining in NYC

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It's official: outdoor dining is once again a year-round fixture in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday signed legislation establishing a permanent, year-round outdoor dining program that allows restaurants to keep roadway dining setups open through the winter, making permanent a pandemic-era program that served as a lifeline for businesses. The legislation amends a law under former Mayor Eric Adams that required restaurants to remove roadway dining setups from November 30 through March 31.
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New memorial honors Port Authority workers killed in attacks on World Trade Center

Credit: Port Authority on Flickr

August 31, 2026

New memorial honors Port Authority workers killed in attacks on World Trade Center

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A new memorial honors the Port Authority employees who perished in the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the World Trade Center Memorial Fund on Friday unveiled the memorial, an 8-foot-tall stainless steel model of the Twin Towers fronted by an American flag, with the employees' names inscribed on its two-foot-tall granite base. Located next to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in Liberty Park, the memorial offers a quiet space of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the attacks.
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NYC expands free rooftop tours at historic Manhattan Municipal Building

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 28, 2026

NYC expands free rooftop tours at historic Manhattan Municipal Building

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Larger groups are now permitted to attend the city's free tours of the historic David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building following growing demand. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei on Friday announced expanded access to “Centre 360,” a panoramic experience inside the Beaux-Arts government building's 36th-floor cupola, increasing the maximum group size from five to eight. The move comes just months after the tours launched in June following a $6 million renovation, with reservations for the experience selling out in less than two minutes.
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$36M renovation of historic Eastern Parkway Library breaks ground

All images courtesy of NYC Mayor’s Office unless noted otherwise

August 28, 2026

$36M renovation of historic Eastern Parkway Library breaks ground

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Work has begun on the $36 million transformation of Crown Heights' historic Eastern Parkway Library. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced the start of the project, which will expand public space at the century-old Brooklyn Public Library branch at 1044 Eastern Parkway by more than 50 percent while preserving its historic architecture. Led by the city's Department of Design and Construction, the project is expected to be completed in summer 2028.
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Three Queens medians to become green ‘sponges’ to help curb flooding

Credit: NYC Mayor’s Office

August 28, 2026

Three Queens medians to become green ‘sponges’ to help curb flooding

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Several concrete roadway medians throughout Queens are being transformed into green infrastructure “sponges” designed to reduce flooding. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced an $8.4 million investment that will turn medians in Whitestone, Forest Hills, and Queens Village into landscaped green spaces. Together, the green medians will capture an estimated five million gallons of stormwater each year, reducing strain on sewer systems and improving water quality in the East River, Flushing Bay, and Jamaica Bay.
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17 spots in NYC to watch the U.S. Open and sip a Honey Deuce
August 27, 2026

17 spots in NYC to watch the U.S. Open and sip a Honey Deuce

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The U.S. Open is set to return to Queens' Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for another year of world-class competition. As the world's best tennis players battle for the final Grand Slam titles of the year, the tournament will once again bring plenty of excitement to the five boroughs, along with one of its most iconic drinks: the Honey Deuce. If you weren't willing to splurge on tickets to the increasingly expensive event in Queens, we've found some of the best spots across NYC to watch the U.S. Open while enjoying a Honey Deuce cocktail.
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NYC extends pied-à-terre tax deadline again amid lawsuit

Credit: Rebecca Hankins on Unsplash

August 27, 2026

NYC extends pied-à-terre tax deadline again amid lawsuit

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New York City has once again extended the deadline for homeowners notified they may be subject to the new pied-à-terre surcharge, giving them nearly three additional weeks to apply for an exemption. A Tuesday court filing shows that the Department of Finance (DOF) has moved the deadline from September 18 to October 6, after previously pushing it back four weeks from its original August 21 deadline earlier this month. The extension comes as legal proceedings continue over a lawsuit filed by a coalition of property owners challenging the rollout of the surcharge. After a Staten Island Supreme Court judge granted a temporary restraining order to pause the surcharge, the city appealed the decision, which stayed the order while a higher court reviews the matter.
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LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 26, 2026

LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

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Direct journeys to Montauk on the Long Island Rail Road will no longer be seasonal, with transit officials making the service permanently year-round. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced service changes and infrastructure upgrades to the LIRR's Montauk Branch, including the addition of a year-round weekday 5:13 p.m. train from Penn Station to the coastal hamlet, providing a one-seat journey to the eastern end of Long Island. Set to begin next month, the added service comes as the Montauk Branch has experienced continued growth, with ridership increasing 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
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NYC to speed up housing court cases for tenants facing worst conditions

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 26, 2026

NYC to speed up housing court cases for tenants facing worst conditions

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Some of the most serious cases of landlord neglect will be “fast-tracked” under a new city directive instituted this week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced the policy, which will allow housing court judges to expedite cases involving vacate orders, critically hazardous building conditions, elevator outages, and proceedings in which the city or tenants seek the appointment of a third-party building manager amid landlord neglect. These cases will be assigned to a judge on the same day they are filed, and once landlords are notified, they will be required to appear in court within five days.
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Mamdani announces 1,000 discounted U.S. Open tickets for NYC residents

Photo by on Flickr

August 25, 2026

Mamdani announces 1,000 discounted U.S. Open tickets for NYC residents

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Amid backlash over high U.S. Open ticket prices, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced he secured discounted tickets to the tournament for New York City residents. The mayor and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) will offer 1,000 tickets priced at $100 to see main-draw matches taking place from Sunday, August 30, through Tuesday, September 8. The tickets, which go on sale on this Wednesday at 10 a.m., will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible New Yorkers. New Yorkers will be able to purchase two tickets each.
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AMC Kips Bay to shutter by end of 2026

Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

August 25, 2026

AMC Kips Bay to shutter by end of 2026

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New York City's AMC Kips Bay 15 will screen its final film this year. As first reported by Variety, the company confirmed it will close the theater at 570 2nd Avenue, its second-largest in Manhattan, by the end of 2026 after the property owner decided to “exercise its contractual right to terminate the theatre's lease before its scheduled expiration.” A favorite among New York cinephiles, the 15-screen multiplex is known for its wide selection of films and IMAX offerings.
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Mamdani assembles ‘renew crew’ to make fast repairs to NYC playgrounds and parks

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 24, 2026

Mamdani assembles ‘renew crew’ to make fast repairs to NYC playgrounds and parks

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A crew of painters, electricians, plumbers, and other specialists has been assembled to make speedy upgrades to playgrounds and recreation spaces across New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced the launch of Renew Crew, a team of 24 trade specialists who will improve conditions at city parks by repairing playground equipment, replacing flooring, fixing amenities, and making other upgrades. The team will complete as many as 30 projects per year, with each effort taking three weeks or less.
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NYC announces $4B plan to fix city-owned portion of BQE

Credit: Mary and Andrew on Flickr

August 24, 2026

NYC announces $4B plan to fix city-owned portion of BQE

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New York City will move forward with repairs to the decrepit, city-owned section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway following decades of delays. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Monday announced plans to fix the aging corridor between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street by installing temporary bypass structures that will allow the DOT to repair the structure while ensuring minimal disruption to traffic flow. The move marks the first major action to rehabilitate the 70-year-old triple-cantilevered portion of the BQE, where each year of inaction adds an estimated $160 million to the cost of rehabilitation.
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Prospect Park to host Battle of Brooklyn reenactment for borough-wide 250th anniversary commemoration

Battle of Brooklyn reenactment in Green-Wood Cemetery. Credit: Allison Meier on Flickr

August 21, 2026

Prospect Park to host Battle of Brooklyn reenactment for borough-wide 250th anniversary commemoration

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Relive the first and largest battle of the American Revolution this weekend as part of a borough-wide commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn's 250th anniversary. Fought in August 1776, just weeks after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the battle took place across parts of present-day Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Fort Greene Park. To mark the anniversary, Prospect Park will host a reenactment of the battle on Saturday August 22, following in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought there 250 years ago, while Green-Wood will host its own reenactment on Sunday. The events are part of Brooklyn 250, a borough-wide commemoration by six cultural institutions with free events, tours, and discussions on the historic battle's role in American independence.
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Brooklyn Brewery to leave longtime Williamsburg home after 30 years

Credit: Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

August 21, 2026

Brooklyn Brewery to leave longtime Williamsburg home after 30 years

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Brooklyn Brewery will leave its original Williamsburg location, where it has operated for 30 years, and relocate to a larger space four blocks away. The iconic brewery will serve its final round at 79 North 11th Street this month, moving to an airier space at 1 Wythe Avenue nearly four times the size, with a rooftop terrace bar, expanded facilities, event spaces, and a full kitchen, according to Time Out. To mark the move, the brewery is hosting a free farewell party on Saturday, August 29, giving patrons one last chance to enjoy a pint at its longtime headquarters.
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Jersey City bans data centers on industrial land

Credit: Fiaz Mohammed on Unsplash

August 20, 2026

Jersey City bans data centers on industrial land

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Jersey City this week banned the construction of new AI data centers, joining a growing number of municipalities across the country that have placed restrictions on the power-hungry facilities. The Jersey City Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to pass an ordinance banning data centers in the city’s industrial zones, where such facilities would otherwise be permitted. Jersey City is now the 34th municipality in New Jersey to ban data centers, with more than one million Garden State residents living in municipalities where the facilities are banned.
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MTA unlikely to meet 2040 goal for 100% zero-emission bus fleet, audit finds

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 20, 2026

MTA unlikely to meet 2040 goal for 100% zero-emission bus fleet, audit finds

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is falling behind on its plan to replace New York City’s public bus fleet with zero-emission vehicles by 2040, according to the state comptroller. In the audit published on Wednesday, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli found that the MTA’s reliance on single manufacturers with limited production capacity has led to delays, while the cost of producing electric buses has risen substantially. The MTA's four-stage plan called for the next 485 of 500 buses to be delivered by the end of 2024, but only one had been delivered by June 2025. The agency has since reduced its next order from 1,000 to 500 buses.
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