All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers with SNAP benefits to get free Museum of Natural History membership

Image via WikiCommons

July 18, 2025

New Yorkers with SNAP benefits to get free Museum of Natural History membership

The American Museum of Natural History on Friday announced a free membership for New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The new "Discoverer" membership level includes free general admission plus entry to one ticketed exhibition during every visit. The initiative is a joint effort by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs, Human Resources Administration, and Department of Social Services.
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NYC releases proposed rules for basement and backyard apartments

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of City Planning

July 18, 2025

NYC releases proposed rules for basement and backyard apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City this week released proposed guidelines for building small homes in basements, backyards, garages, and other parts of existing properties. The Department of Buildings and the Department of Housing and Preservation on Tuesday released its proposed rules for constructing accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—a key element of Mayor Eric Adams' “City of Yes” housing plan aimed at expanding the city’s housing supply. The proposed rules focus largely on safety standards for basement and cellar apartments, including requirements for two exits, a ban on ADUs in high-risk flood zones, and water sensors in every room to alert residents of flooding.
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Policy

Sales launch at 19th-century Gothic Revival church conversion in Fort Greene, condos from $1.195M

All renderings courtesy of Brett Fisher/Depict CGI

July 18, 2025

Sales launch at 19th-century Gothic Revival church conversion in Fort Greene, condos from $1.195M

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sales have launched at a thoughtfully converted 19th-century Gothic Revival church in Fort Greene. Located at 232 Adelphi Street, the Abbey offers 12 unique residences that preserve the historic church’s grandeur, with soaring vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, arched doorways, and original stonework sourced from nearby Fort Greene Park. Prices start at $1.195 million for one-bedroom units and go up to $4 million for a three-bedroom.
see inside the "house" of holies, ahead

Reservations open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week

Union Square Cafe. Credit: Peter Garritano.

July 17, 2025

Reservations open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week

By Aaron Ginsburg

Prepare your taste buds: reservations are now open for summer 2025 NYC Restaurant Week, the New York City Tourism + Conventions announced Tuesday. Founded in 1992, the beloved culinary tradition returns from July 21 through August 17, offering discounted meals at nearly 600 restaurants in 70 neighborhoods. Participating eateries will serve two-course lunches and three-course dinners at prix-fixe prices of $30, $45, or $60.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC’s first wave of office-to-residential conversions could create over 17,000 new homes, report says

Pfizer World Headquarters is becoming 1,500 apartments. Photo via WikiCommons

July 17, 2025

NYC’s first wave of office-to-residential conversions could create over 17,000 new homes, report says

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City’s first wave of office-to-residential conversions could yield over 17,000 new apartments, highlighting the potential for such projects to help ease the city’s housing shortage, according to a new report. Published on Thursday by City Comptroller Brad Lander, the report finds that 44 office conversions initiated after the pandemic could transform 15.2 million square feet of office space into as many as 17,400 homes over the coming years. However, the report warns that the city’s new 467-m tax break may be overly generous, potentially costing $5.1 billion in lost property tax revenue over 37 years.
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Work begins on 10-building East New York development with 2,000 affordable homes

All images courtesy of PAU, unless noted otherwise

July 17, 2025

Work begins on 10-building East New York development with 2,000 affordable homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

Construction has kicked off on the first phase of a transformative new housing development with 2,000 affordable homes in East New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the start of work on phases 1A and 1B of Innovative Urban Village, a 10-building project that will revitalize the Christian Cultural Center’s (CCC) 10.5-acre campus at 12020 Flatlands Avenue with new housing and community amenities. The initial phase will bring more than 800 affordable apartments, along with a workforce development center, a childcare facility, a performing arts venue, a grocery store, and green space with walking paths.
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City Council rejects zoning changes needed for Bally’s Bronx casino proposal

Credit: Bally’s Bronx

July 16, 2025

City Council rejects zoning changes needed for Bally’s Bronx casino proposal

By Aaron Ginsburg

Bally's plan to build a casino on a former Trump-owned golf course in the Bronx appears all but dead after the City Council rejected a key rezoning needed for the project. On Monday, the Council voted 29–9, with four abstentions, in favor of a motion by Council Member Kristy Marmorato to deny the land-use changes required to construct the gaming facility at Ferry Point Park, according to Crain's. The proposal is one of eight projects seeking a downstate gaming license.
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Policy

July 16, 2025

Judge halts Adams’ removal of Bedford Avenue protected bike lane

By Aaron Ginsburg

A disputed stretch of protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn was spared demolition for a second time, after a state judge blocked the Adams administration from removing it just hours before construction was set to begin. On Tuesday, state appellate court judge Lourdes M. Ventura issued a temporary restraining order, halting the city’s plan to shift the lane from the curb to the center of the avenue between Willoughby and Flushing Avenues. The decision came less than a week after another judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by street safety advocates, ruling that Mayor Eric Adams could move forward with the redesign because it “is not a major transportation project.”
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Delacorte Theater reopens in Central Park after $85M renovation

Credit: © Jeff Goldberg/Esto

July 16, 2025

Delacorte Theater reopens in Central Park after $85M renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park’s iconic Delacorte Theater officially reopened this week after an $85 million renovation. The Public Theater on Tuesday cut the ribbon on the revamped venue, which has undergone a comprehensive revitalization by Ennead Architects, the most significant work on the facility in its 63-year history. The project addresses critical safety and theater code requirements, improves infrastructure and backstage efficiency, and introduces a striking new exterior. The Delacorte will officially reopen to the public on August 7 for its first star-studded public performance of William Shakespeare’s "Twelfth Night" as part of the beloved Free Shakespeare in the Park series.
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Architecture And Design

Pier 17 owner proposes glass rooftop addition for year-round concerts

Credit: Seaport Entertainment Group

July 15, 2025

Pier 17 owner proposes glass rooftop addition for year-round concerts

By Aaron Ginsburg

Live music could soon become a year-round staple at the Rooftop at Pier 17, as the venue’s operator seeks approval to install a glass addition to house concerts during the winter. In a presentation to the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday, the Seaport Entertainment Group detailed plans for a seasonal heated structure on the rooftop of the South Street Seaport District venue to accommodate performances from November through mid-March. The structure would allow the venue to extend its rooftop concert series into the winter, a time when foot traffic in the Seaport drops significantly.
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NYC proposes first major overhaul of ferry routes since launching in 2017

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has proposed the first major overhaul of its ferry system since it launched in 2017. The city's Economic Development Corporation on Tuesday released its NYC Ferry Network Optimization Plan, which includes several route changes aimed at providing better access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan, speeding up trips, and expanding capacity on busy routes.
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NYC unveils 20-year vision to improve Hart Island

Rendering of proposed “Remembrance Walk” and visitor center. Credit: Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects

July 15, 2025

NYC unveils 20-year vision to improve Hart Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City released its vision for the future of Hart Island, a mile-long piece of land east of the Bronx that is home to one of the largest public cemeteries in the world. Unveiled on Monday by the city's Parks Department, the 20-year concept plan outlines a series of capital projects that improve conditions on the island and add new visitor amenities and green infrastructure. Key components of the Hart Island plan include a welcome center with restrooms and seating, adaptive reuse of the island’s historic chapel as space for remembrance, shoreline stabilization, and forest restoration efforts.
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Policy

NYC transit on pace for record-breaking year of ridership and performance

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 14, 2025

NYC transit on pace for record-breaking year of ridership and performance

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City Transit is "on track" to have its best on-time performance on record. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is on pace for a record-breaking year, with ridership and on-time service improving across New York City Transit, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad during the first half of 2025. Customer satisfaction has also increased across all three agencies, while major crimes in the subway system have dropped 3.2 percent compared to the same period last year, and nearly 10 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
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New nautical-themed restaurant brings yacht vibes to the Starrett-Lehigh rooftop

Photos courtesy of Marcus Lloyd

July 14, 2025

New nautical-themed restaurant brings yacht vibes to the Starrett-Lehigh rooftop

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new nautical-themed restaurant will open this week atop Chelsea’s landmarked Starrett-Lehigh Building. Operated by Crew, the team behind popular boat bars Grand Banks and Pilot, the Yacht Club opens this Thursday, taking up a sprawling 20,000 square feet across two floors at the former 1930s freight terminal. The 125-seat restaurant will offer top-tier seafood, indoor and outdoor dining, and panoramic views from its sunny roof deck. The Yacht Club is part of the building’s new Level Ten complex, a full-floor suite of cutting-edge amenities, many of which are open to the public.
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Food & Dining

98 apartments available at all-electric Downtown Brooklyn tower, from $3,000/month

Renderings courtesy of RXR

July 14, 2025

98 apartments available at all-electric Downtown Brooklyn tower, from $3,000/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

An all-electric, 30-story residential tower in Downtown Brooklyn launched a housing lottery this week for 98 middle-income apartments. Located at 89 Dekalb Avenue, the sustainable development features a smart glass facade, thoughtfully designed residences, and academic and office space for Long Island University. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,000/month studios to $4,376/month two bedrooms.
fIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY

Affordable Housing

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph Studios

July 11, 2025

Paul Newman’s Fifth Avenue co-op sells for $4M above asking price

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Fifth Avenue co-op once owned by Hollywood legends Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward just sold for 40 percent above its asking price following a bidding war. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the classic six at 1120 Fifth Avenue sold for roughly $14 million after it was listed for $9,950,000 in December. More than 50 prospective buyers toured the home, resulting in nearly a dozen offers, including one above $14 million that the Newman family declined because the buyer intended to use it as a pied-a-terre—something the co-op board was unlikely to approve.
details here

NYC must expand housing voucher program, court rules

Credit: Clay LeConey on Unsplash

July 11, 2025

NYC must expand housing voucher program, court rules

By Aaron Ginsburg

A state appeals court has ordered New York City to expand its housing voucher program, rejecting the Adams administration's previous attempts to block it. On Thursday, a five-judge panel ruled that the City Council had the legal authority to expand the CityFHEPS voucher program, overturning a 2024 decision that had sided with the mayor. The Council first passed the legislation package in May 2023 and overrode Adams' veto of the bills, prompting the administration to sue over policy concerns and the program’s estimated $17 billion price tag.
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283-unit affordable housing and cultural arts center moves ahead in Brownsville

Rendering by Aufgang Architects

July 11, 2025

283-unit affordable housing and cultural arts center moves ahead in Brownsville

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new all-electric development that will bring affordable homes and a cultural arts center to Brownsville is moving forward. City officials on Thursday announced that financing has closed for the Brownsville Arts Center & Apartments (BACA) at 366 Rockaway Avenue. The project will include 283 affordable rental units for households earning between 30 and 70 percent of the area median income, with a mix of studio to three-bedroom layouts. The project will also feature a 28,000-square-foot cultural arts center with flexible performance, rehearsal, and studio space for community arts organizations. Construction will begin this month, with completion expected by December 2027.
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July 10, 2025

Former home of New York Stock Exchange in FiDi to become nearly 400 apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

Plans were filed this week for another office-to-residential conversion in the Financial District. GFP Real Estate on Wednesday filed a permit application to convert the 20-story building at 40 Exchange Place into a mixed-use development with 382 apartments and retail space, as first reported by The Real Deal. The project is GFP’s latest conversion effort, following a $288 million construction loan secured in January for a similar project at 222 Broadway.
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Real Estate Trends

July 10, 2025

Bedford Avenue protected bike lane can be removed, judge rules

By Aaron Ginsburg

Part of a protected bike lane along Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy will be removed after a New York state judge said Mayor Eric Adams can move forward with a plan to get rid of three blocks of the lane. Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo on Wednesday gave the green light to the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) to shift the lane from the curb to the center of the avenue between Willoughby and Flushing Avenues, according to Gothamist. Adams first announced the change in June after community backlash over collisions between cyclists and pedestrians, which prompted a lawsuit from street safety advocates to block the removal.
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July 9, 2025

This map shows where rent increased the most by NYC subway stop

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's not just your neighborhood. Rent prices have increased at 87 percent of New York City's subway stations this year. RentHop on Wednesday released its annual subway rent map, which highlights the median rent and the year-over-year rent increases of one-bedroom apartments by subway stop. According to the analysis, rent jumped by 14 percent near subway stations across Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, particularly in areas with new developments.
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New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

Credit: Marco on Flickr

July 9, 2025

New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

By Aaron Ginsburg

The City Council last month passed legislation that decriminalizes most street vending violations in New York City. Sponsored by Queens Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Intro. 47 removes misdemeanor criminal penalties for general and food vendors and reduces them to civil offenses instead. The legislation comes amid a sharp rise in NYPD enforcement: officers issued over 9,300 tickets to vendors in 2024, more than double the total in 2023, according to City Limits. With 96 percent of the city’s street vendors being immigrants, according to the Immigration Research Initiative, criminal penalties heighten the risk of deportation under the Trump administration’s intensifying immigration crackdowns.
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Policy

July 9, 2025

The 8 casino proposals competing for a downstate New York gaming license

By Aaron Ginsburg

Since New York approved three downstate casino licenses in 2023, some of the city's top developers have rushed to unveil grand proposals. Backed by billion-dollar budgets and celebrity partners, many of these bids have added affordable housing, transit upgrades, and public green space to help them stand out. Ahead, find an overview of the eight projects vying for one of the licenses, which will be awarded by the state by the end of the year.
place your bets

Policy

NYC to deploy ‘peace officers’ to address unsafe moped and e-bike riding by delivery workers

Credit: Elvert Barnes on Flickr

July 8, 2025

NYC to deploy ‘peace officers’ to address unsafe moped and e-bike riding by delivery workers

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City plans to hire a new class of officers to address unsafe moped and e-bike riding by delivery workers. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the Department of Sustainable Delivery (DSD), a new unit within the Department of Transportation (DOT), that will enforce against illegal moped, e-bike, and e-scooter use. Secured as part of Adams' Fiscal Year 2026 budget, new funding will hire up to 45 unarmed "peace officers" to issue moving violations and enforce commercial cycling laws against businesses. The city said the peace officers would be deployed in 2028.
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The High Line’s 10th Avenue Square closed through August for repairs

Photo courtesy of Sarah Wood on Unsplash

July 8, 2025

The High Line’s 10th Avenue Square closed through August for repairs

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of the High Line’s busiest sections has closed this summer for a major upgrade. After 16 years of use, the 10th Avenue Square is temporarily off-limits for vital repairs due to wear and tear from the millions of annual visitors who pass through the popular spot, known for its stunning south-facing views of the Statue of Liberty and the Hudson River. During the reconstruction, the High Line will be closed between 16th and 17th Streets, including the adjacent Sunken Overlook seating area.
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Architecture And Design

All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

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