All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYC’s congestion pricing program to start June 30

Image courtesy of Kyler Boone on Unsplash

April 26, 2024

NYC’s congestion pricing program to start June 30

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's congestion pricing program finally has an official start date. In an interview with ABC 7 on Friday, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair and CEO Janno Lieber announced the first-in-the-nation program will go into effect on Sunday, June 30 at 12 a.m. The MTA has also opened an online application portal for those qualified to apply for the program's discounts and exemptions. The plan still faces legal challenges from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and several other opponents, which must be resolved before the program can go into effect.
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NYC to install ‘bee hotels’ in 7 public plazas to protect at-risk pollinators

Photos courtesy of NYC Department of Transportation.

April 26, 2024

NYC to install ‘bee hotels’ in 7 public plazas to protect at-risk pollinators

By Aaron Ginsburg

"Bee hotels" are coming soon to a public plaza near you. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Thursday announced the Pollinator Port Project, which will install habitats for at-risk native bee populations at seven public plazas and open streets, giving them a place for nourishment and allowing researchers from Rutgers University to analyze their use of the "bee bunkers" and how they travel across the city.
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New maps show which NYC neighborhoods build the most housing

Image courtesy of Joshua Armstrong on Unsplash

April 25, 2024

New maps show which NYC neighborhoods build the most housing

By Aaron Ginsburg

Amid a housing shortage, only a few New York City neighborhoods are building the majority of new housing. The Department of City Planning on Thursday released two new interactive map tools illustrating where new housing is being permitted and built across the five boroughs by looking at City Council districts, community districts, and neighborhood tabulation areas (NTAs). According to the housing database, development is concentrated in only a few areas: 10 of the city's 59 community districts saw as much new housing built as the other 49.
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Adams’ $112B budget restores some funding, but keeps cuts to NYC libraries

Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch. Photo by Gregg Richards.

April 25, 2024

Adams’ $112B budget restores some funding, but keeps cuts to NYC libraries

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday released his $111.6 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2025, which rolls back previously planned cuts to cultural institutions, early childhood education, and the police, thanks to higher-than-projected tax revenue. However, funding has not been restored for New York City's public libraries, which currently face $58.3 million in cuts. Library officials say the lack of funds would force libraries to operate just five days a week, down from the current standard of six days.
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Policy

East Village Mexican-American cocktail bar Superbueno crowned best in the U.S.

Photo by John Shyloski

April 24, 2024

East Village Mexican-American cocktail bar Superbueno crowned best in the U.S.

By Aaron Ginsburg

After just a year in business, an East Village cocktail bar has been named the best bar in the country. The annual list of the 50 best bars in North America was released on Wednesday, crowning Superbueno as the top establishment in the United States and second on the continent. Located at 13 1st Avenue, the Mexican-American cocktail bar serves drinks inspired by Mexican cuisine with a New York twist.
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The best spots for free outdoor music in NYC this summer

American Symphony Orchestra at Bryant Park on 9/7/2023. Photo by Chris Lee.

April 24, 2024

The best spots for free outdoor music in NYC this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

While there is an endless variety of ticketed shows throughout the five boroughs, it's nice not to empty your bank account to enjoy a live performance. We've put together a list of the best spots in NYC to catch outdoor music this summer for free, from stoops and schoolyards in Park Slope during the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music's Open Stages festival to Bryant Park's lawn to watch the New York City Opera.
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Sky-high yoga classes return to Hudson Yards’ 100th-floor observation deck Edge

Images courtesy of Edge

April 24, 2024

Sky-high yoga classes return to Hudson Yards’ 100th-floor observation deck Edge

By Aaron Ginsburg

Elevate your yoga skills to a new level of serenity with the New York City skyline as your backdrop. Starting next month, the "Sky-High Yoga" classes return to Edge, the 100th-floor sky deck at 30 Hudson Yards. This year, classes will be offered three days a week starting May 21. Tickets cost $75 and go on sale this Friday. Future ticket dates will be released on the first Friday of every month.
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Events & Things To Do

Open Streets 2024 season kicks off across NYC

Photo courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

April 23, 2024

Open Streets 2024 season kicks off across NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's open streets season is in full swing. The car-free Earth Day celebration on Saturday marked the start of 2024's Open Streets program in the five boroughs, closing over 100 streets to vehicles and transforming them into safe public spaces for educational programs, recreation, and more. A list of participating locations can be found here, with additional ones to be announced throughout the summer.
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Prospect Heights pre-war co-op seen in ‘Black Swan’ lists for $1.7M

Photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow Photography

April 23, 2024

Prospect Heights pre-war co-op seen in ‘Black Swan’ lists for $1.7M

By Aaron Ginsburg

The home of Natalie Portman's character in the 2010 film "Black Swan" has hit the market. While in the movie, the apartment is shown near 103rd Street, just north of the ballerina's Lincoln Center workplace, in reality, the two-bedroom co-op is at 135 Eastern Parkway, across from the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights. Asking $1,700,000, the classic six home radiates pre-war charm, with herringbone oak floors and high-beamed ceilings. As the New York Post reported, the Art Deco-style apartment building, known as the Turner Towers, was the childhood home of the late comedian Joan Rivers.
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Distinctive Homes

Pickleball is now a summer attraction at Central Park’s Wollman Rink through 2026

Images courtesy of Justin Steele

April 22, 2024

Pickleball is now a summer attraction at Central Park’s Wollman Rink through 2026

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park will be a summer pickleball hotspot for at least the next three years. Following last season's success, the park's iconic Wollman Rink will once again transform into CityPickle, a 14-court pickleball installation offering lessons, open-play sessions, and tournaments, starting May 1. Presented by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Related Companies, and Equinox, CityPickle signed a three-year agreement, securing pickleball in the park until 2026.
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Events & Things To Do

Popular Articles

New York lawmakers finally pass housing package

Photo by Mike Groll/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

April 22, 2024

New York lawmakers finally pass housing package

By Aaron Ginsburg

After over two years of inaction, state lawmakers have agreed on a legislative package to address New York's housing crisis. Approved over the weekend, the $237 billion state budget includes several new policies aimed at addressing the statewide housing shortage, including a new tax incentive for developers and the lift of the floor-to-area ratio (FAR) cap. The deal also contains tenant protections, including a version of the "good cause" eviction proposal.
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Policy

134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

Rendering by Aufgang Architects

April 19, 2024

134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 134 affordable apartments at a new residential complex in Far Rockaway. The apartment building is part of the first phase of Edgemere Commons, an 11-tower development with over 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community space, health care facilities, and outdoor public space. New Yorkers earning 30, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $24,480 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, priced from $617/month for one-bedroom homes to $2,665/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Rent hikes between 2.5% and 7% recommended for NYC’s stabilized apartments

Image courtesy of Brandon W on Unsplash

April 19, 2024

Rent hikes between 2.5% and 7% recommended for NYC’s stabilized apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

Rent for millions of New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized units will likely increase for the third year in a row. The Rent Guidelines Board on Thursday released an annual report recommending a 2.5 percent to 4 percent rent hike for one-year leases and a 4 percent to 7 percent rent hike for two-year leases in rent-stabilized buildings, based on the rising costs of building maintenance, which jumped roughly 4 percent from April 2023 to March 2024. A public meeting will be held on April 25, followed by a preliminary vote on the proposed rent increases on April 30.
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Policy

Soar into spring with free kite flying and live music at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photos courtesy of Etienne Frossard

April 18, 2024

Soar into spring with free kite flying and live music at Brooklyn Bridge Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

Celebrate the start of spring beneath hundreds of vibrant kites in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy is hosting its annual Sound & Color! Spring Festival on May 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., a free family-friendly event that celebrates the beginning of the season with kite flying, live music, food vendors, activities for kids, and more. Guests can craft their own kites in a workshop and send them off into the sky with help from expert flying instructors. The festival remains the only day of the year when kite flying is allowed at Pier 5.
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Events & Things To Do

Kick off the Knicks and Rangers postseason runs at ‘Playoff Palooza’

Playoff Palooza in Herald Square in 2023. Photos courtesy of MSG Sports

April 18, 2024

Kick off the Knicks and Rangers postseason runs at ‘Playoff Palooza’

By Aaron Ginsburg

Get ready, New York sports fans. The Knicks and Rangers kick off their 2024 playoff runs this weekend. To build hype ahead of the round one games, the teams will host a free "playoff palooza" on Saturday with appearances from alumni from both teams, fun activations, face painting, a t-shirt press, photo ops, and more. The event, sponsored by Dunkin', takes place on April 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City.
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Landmarks approves rest hub for NYC delivery workers next to City Hall Park

Renderings courtesy of Fantastica Brooklyn

April 17, 2024

Landmarks approves rest hub for NYC delivery workers next to City Hall Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City delivery workers will soon seek respite at a new "deliverista hub" in City Hall Park. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to approve designs for a new hub that will give workers a place to rest during bad weather, charge their phones and e-bikes, and learn about e-bike and battery safety. Central to many delivery routes, the new structure replaces a vacant newsstand on the western edge of the park.
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See ODA’s curving, connected residential buildings rising in Williamsburg

Renderings courtesy of Secchi Smith

April 16, 2024

See ODA’s curving, connected residential buildings rising in Williamsburg

By Aaron Ginsburg

Renderings released this week show off a new full-block residential development coming to Williamsburg. Designed by architecture firm ODA, the project includes the Lorimer House, a 270-unit rental, and Copper Lofts, a "boutique collection" of 66 residences, connected by an elevated bridge, creating the illusion of one cohesive development. Taking advantage of their corner location in Broadway Triangle, the eight-story buildings feature a curving facade marked with alternating balconies and recessed terraces. Construction is expected to wrap up this spring.
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Vornado reveals new renderings for 62-story office tower at 350 Park Avenue

Renderings courtesy of Foster + Partners

April 16, 2024

Vornado reveals new renderings for 62-story office tower at 350 Park Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

A supertall office tower long planned for Midtown is finally moving forward. During a breakfast held by the Association for a Better New York, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday revealed new details and renderings for 350 Park Avenue, a 62-story building developed by Vornado Realty Trust, Citadel, and Rudin Management. Designed by Foster + Partners, the tower, which will bring 1.8 million square feet of office space and a new public concourse to Midtown East, will enter the city's public review process early next year.
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Architecture And Design

NYC reveals design for esplanade and new 107th Street pier in East Harlem

Aerial rendering of proposed 107th Street Pier. Courtesy of NYCEDC

April 16, 2024

NYC reveals design for esplanade and new 107th Street pier in East Harlem

By Aaron Ginsburg

Plans to rehabilitate a 20-block section of bike and pedestrian paths and reconstruct a decrepit pier in East Harlem are moving forward. In a presentation to Manhattan Community Board 11 this month, the city unveiled its preliminary design to rebuild and rehabilitate the East River Esplanade between East 94th and East 107th Streets and East 117th and East 124th Streets, as well as construct a new pier at 107th Street, as Streetsblog first reported. Construction is expected to begin on the $294 million project in the later part of next year and wrap up in 2027.
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Jane’s Walk NYC returns with nearly 200 free walking tours across all five boroughs

A 2023 Jane’s Walk tour. Photo by The Municipal Art Society of New York/Aslan Chalom on Flickr

April 15, 2024

Jane’s Walk NYC returns with nearly 200 free walking tours across all five boroughs

By Aaron Ginsburg

Jane's Walk returns to New York City next month, with more than 190 walking tours in all five boroughs led by New Yorkers. Presented by the Municipal Art Society of New York, the volunteer-led three-day festival, which runs from May 3-5, offers free guided tours through some of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods. This year's events include bike rides in the Bronx, a walk of World's Fair sites in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in time for the event's 60th anniversary, and architecture tours of Central Park West, Brutalist Tribeca buildings, and Queen Anne-style homes in Richmond Hill.
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New Windsor Terrace rental opens lottery for 95 units next to Prospect Park, from $874/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

April 15, 2024

New Windsor Terrace rental opens lottery for 95 units next to Prospect Park, from $874/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Steps from Prospect Park, a new rental building in Windsor Terrace is accepting applications for 95 affordable apartments. Located on the southwest side of the park, the 13-story mixed-use building at 11 Ocean Parkway, called 1 Park Point, has 375 rental units with thoughtful layouts, a suite of luxury amenities, and a prime location right next to Prospect Park. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income, or between $33,806 for a single person and $152,500 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, which range from $874/month for one-bedrooms to $2,832/month for two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

NYC releases details for ‘City of Yes’ housing reform, with new affordability mandates

Image courtesy of amanderson2 on Flickr

April 12, 2024

NYC releases details for ‘City of Yes’ housing reform, with new affordability mandates

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city this week released updated text for its major housing reform proposal, with new mandates for deeper affordability levels. The Department of City Planning (DCP) on Thursday released the annotated draft zoning text of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Eric Adams' plan to add housing in every neighborhood through various zoning changes. The text includes revising the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program to allow for the deep affordability choice to be a standalone option. Plus, under the proposal, developers who utilize the Universal Affordable Preference to make their buildings bigger must make all additional homes permanently affordable.
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City Council approves NYC’s first-ever pro soccer stadium in Queens

Renderings courtesy of NYCFC

April 11, 2024

City Council approves NYC’s first-ever pro soccer stadium in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first-ever professional soccer stadium in Queens is moving forward. The City Council on Thursday voted to approve a sweeping 23-acre mixed-use development in Willets Point that will bring a seven-story soccer stadium for the NYC Football Club (NYCFC), 2,500 affordable housing units, a school, and a hotel to the neighborhood, once known for its junkyards and landfills. The 25,000-seat stadium is slated for completion just in time for the 2027 season.
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NYC unveils secure sidewalk locker program to prevent package theft

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 11, 2024

NYC unveils secure sidewalk locker program to prevent package theft

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is installing secure package lockers across the five boroughs to prevent theft and reduce delivery truck traffic. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced "LockerNYC," a pilot program to install seven package lockers with 25 safe compartments and security cameras to combat theft. The lockers will be installed on sidewalks at select locations and available for free through a variety of delivery carriers. New Yorkers can sign up and manage orders here.
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Queens Theatre to celebrate 60th anniversary of the World’s Fair with special tours, food tastings

Photo by Roger W on Flickr

April 11, 2024

Queens Theatre to celebrate 60th anniversary of the World’s Fair with special tours, food tastings

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new event series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York is set to kick off later this month. Queens Theatre on Thursday announced Theaterama!, a monthly series of special events looking back at the wonders of the World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Corona Park. Starting in April and running through October, the events include historical tours, pop-up performances, film screenings, food tastings, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

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