All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Fair Fare riders can now tap-and-go on public transit with OMNY

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

February 27, 2025

Fair Fare riders can now tap-and-go on public transit with OMNY

New Yorkers enrolled in the city's half-priced transit fare program can now ditch their MetroCards and tap-and-go with ease. City officials on Wednesday announced that Fair Fares program participants can now order tap-and-go OMNY cards, offering half-off fare rates without the need to swipe. Enrollees will automatically be issued a discounted OMNY card, and those that are already in the program can request one through the city's website.
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New Museum opening OMA-designed expansion this fall

Rendering of the expanded New Museum. All images courtesy of OMA/bloomimages.de

February 27, 2025

New Museum opening OMA-designed expansion this fall

By Aaron Ginsburg

The expansion of the New Museum will finally open its doors on the Lower East Side this fall. Designed by OMA's Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, the 60,000-square-foot, seven-story addition—the architecture firm's first public building in New York City—connects to the existing building, doubling its gallery space and improving visitor flow. The project includes a permanent home for the museum's cultural incubator NEW INC, a new outdoor plaza, and full-service restaurant.
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A first look inside the full-floor boutique offices at 520 Fifth Avenue

Credit: Binyan Studios

February 26, 2025

A first look inside the full-floor boutique offices at 520 Fifth Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

New renderings offer a sneak peek at the 25 full floors of boutique office space at 520 Fifth Avenue, the tallest mixed-use tower on the iconic street. Situated on floors nine through 34 below the condo units, the offices, designed by AD100 designer Vicky Charles of Charles & Co., feature terraces and loggias, soaring ceiling heights, and 10-by-10-foot operable windows. Above the offices are 100 luxury condos, which launched sales last April.
Get a glimpse inside

Ken Griffin pays $45M for Julia Koch’s prestigious Park Avenue co-op

Photo by Deans Charbal via Wikimedia Commons

February 26, 2025

Ken Griffin pays $45M for Julia Koch’s prestigious Park Avenue co-op

By Aaron Ginsburg

Billionaire Ken Griffin has added another exclusive address to his real estate portfolio. The Citadel founder bought a palatial co-op at 740 Park Avenue, one of New York City's most prestigious cooperatives, from fellow billionaire Julia Koch for $45 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. The deal marks one of Manhattan's most expensive co-op sales on record, as CityRealty noted. Koch purchased the home with her late husband David Koch in 2004 for $17 million and originally listed the property in 2022 for $60 million.
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Real Estate Trends

North America’s first battery- and electric-powered passenger trains to debut on Metro-North

Credit: Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Flickr

February 26, 2025

North America’s first battery- and electric-powered passenger trains to debut on Metro-North

By Aaron Ginsburg

The first battery- and electric-powered train cars will debut on Metro-North Railroad, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is expected to approve 13 new train cars that will run on both battery power and power from overhead electrical wires and provide New Haven line service to Penn Station and four stations in the Bronx, as part of the Penn Station Access project.
more this way

‘Songs of New York’ exhibit explores the soundtrack of NYC

LL Cool J with Cut Creator, ELove, and B-Rock. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Janette Beckman, (2016.5.5)

February 25, 2025

‘Songs of New York’ exhibit explores the soundtrack of NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) immerses visitors in the rich musical heritage of the five boroughs. "Songs of New York: 100 Years of Imagining the City Through Music" showcases more than 100 songs from artists spanning the 1920s to the 2020s, all related to New York City life, be it the subway, nightlife, or neighborhoods. Located in a gallery on the museum's second floor, the exhibit features artists like the Wu-Tang Clan, Frank Sinatra, the Ramones, Jennifer Lopez, and Suzanne Vega.
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Events & Things To Do

Hoboken’s PATH station reopens after $54M renovation and 25-day closure

Credit: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Flickr

February 25, 2025

Hoboken’s PATH station reopens after $54M renovation and 25-day closure

By Aaron Ginsburg

Hoboken’s PATH station has reopened on schedule after a 25-day closure and a $54 million renovation that brought vital repairs and upgrades to the 117-year-old transit hub. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) on Tuesday announced the station has reopened with new stairs, signage, fresh paint, and critical track improvements designed to enhance speed and reliability for riders. Officials chose a full shutdown to complete the work in under a month, avoiding major service interruptions that could've lasted for at least a year.
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NYC to close Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter

Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan in May 2024. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 25, 2025

NYC to close Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter

By Aaron Ginsburg

A historic Manhattan hotel that became a symbol of New York City's migrant crisis when it opened as a shelter two years ago is closing its doors. Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday the closure of the Roosevelt Hotel, which has served as an intake and support center and temporary housing for more than 173,000 asylum seekers since May 2023. At its peak, the hotel at 45 East 45th Street processed roughly 4,000 migrants weekly; recently, that number has dropped to 350 per week, according to the city. The facility will close by the end of June.
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Policy

Congestion pricing raised $48.6M in first month, MTA says

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

February 24, 2025

Congestion pricing raised $48.6M in first month, MTA says

By Aaron Ginsburg

Even as President Donald Trump fights to kill congestion pricing in New York City, the program raised $48.6 million in revenue during its first month, meeting revenue goals set by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. During an MTA meeting on Monday, the agency released the first financial results for the program for January 5 to January 31, showing the toll is on track to bring in a projected $500 million per year, or about $40 million per month.
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Adams sues Trump over $80M seized from NYC

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 24, 2025

Adams sues Trump over $80M seized from NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City sued the Trump administration last week over the $80 million in federal funding the White House took back without consent. The city's Law Department said it was challenging the president's decision to revoke Federal Emergency Management Agency funding approved to reimburse the city for migrant housing expenses. The lawsuit seeks to recover the funds and prevent the federal government from improperly revoking or withholding future funding that the city is entitled to receive.
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Policy

This year’s NYBG Orchid Show brings the vibrancy of Mexican modernism to the Bronx

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York Botanical Garden’s beloved Orchid Show officially opened this weekend, bringing the bold colors of Mexican modernism to the Bronx. Inspired by the work of Mexican modernist architect Luis Barragán, "The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism" turns the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a vibrant landscape of thousands of orchids, tropical plants, and succulents like cacti and agave. The breathtaking display is on view through April 27.
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26 apartments available at new waterfront development in Williamsburg, from $3,434/month

Renderings courtesy of Naftali Group, unless otherwise noted

February 18, 2025

26 apartments available at new waterfront development in Williamsburg, from $3,434/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a chance to live at a new waterfront development in Williamsburg for slightly less. A housing lottery opened last week for 26 middle-income apartments at Williamsburg Wharf, an under-construction five-tower complex at 464-484 Kent Avenue. Upon completion, the development will add 850 condo and rental residences with resort-style amenities and a new waterfront park to the neighborhood. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the rent-stabilized apartments, priced from $3,434/month for studios to $4,395/month for two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Credit: Mitch Altman on Flickr

February 14, 2025

National Park Service removes transgender references from Stonewall website

By Aaron Ginsburg

References to transgender people have vanished from the National Park Service's Stonewall National Monument web pages, reflecting the Trump administration's policy that the country recognizes only two genders. On Thursday, the words "transgender" and "queer" were removed from the LGBTQ+ acronym on the website, which now reads "LGB" for lesbian, gay, and bisexual. The change follows a series of executive actions by President Donald Trump rolling back transgender rights, including banning trans people from women's sports, the military, and minors from receiving gender-affirming care.
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Policy

NYC Council approves Windsor Terrace rezoning with shorter towers, more affordable units

The originally proposed 13-story buildings. Rendering courtesy of Gerald J. Caliendo Architects

February 14, 2025

NYC Council approves Windsor Terrace rezoning with shorter towers, more affordable units

By Aaron Ginsburg

Two buildings at the site of an industrial laundry business in Windsor Terrace are set to become a 250-unit housing complex. Following approval by the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use, the full City Council voted to approve the Arrow Linen rezoning at 441 and 467 Prospect Avenue, clearing the path for the construction of two 10-story buildings with 250 new apartments, 40 percent of which will be affordable. The approval comes after more than a year of negotiations, which reduced the project's height from the original 13 stories and increased the share of affordable units from 25 percent.
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Affordable Housing

Upper East Side luxury rental opens lottery for 45 mixed-income apartments, from $1,828/month

All renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

February 13, 2025

Upper East Side luxury rental opens lottery for 45 mixed-income apartments, from $1,828/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 45 mixed-income apartments in a new residential tower on the Upper East Side. Located at 1487 1st Avenue in Lenox Hill, Maison 78 is a 35-story residential building featuring brand-new units with thoughtfully designed interiors, high-end amenities, and a prime location in one of Manhattan’s most sought-after neighborhoods. New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median can apply for the units, priced from $1,828/month for studios to $4,434/month for two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Trump takes back $80M in funding intended for NYC migrant shelters

The Roosevelt Hotel shuttered during the pandemic and became a relief center for asylum seekers. Photo by Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons

February 13, 2025

Trump takes back $80M in funding intended for NYC migrant shelters

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump took back $80 million in federal funding from New York City that was intended to cover some of the costs related to housing migrants. On Tuesday, City Comptroller Brad Lander's office noticed that $80 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, awarded by the Biden administration and received last week, had gone missing from city bank accounts. Lander, who called the action "highway robbery," claims the revocation may be illegal, depending on the terms of the city's grant with FEMA.
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Policy

February 13, 2025

Relive monumental public art installation ‘The Gates’ in Central Park, 20 years later

By Aaron Ginsburg

"The Gates," the public art installation that took over Central Park with saffron-colored fabric panels for 16 days in 2005, is returning to New York City—virtually. To celebrate the installation's 20th anniversary, New Yorkers can relive the monumental artwork from Christo and Jeanne-Claude through an augmented reality experience on the Bloomberg Connects app. Plus, an exhibition now open at The Shed in Hudson Yards titled "Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Gates and Unrealized Projects for New York City," explores the legacy of the artists and their work, as well as the journey behind bringing "The Gates" to life.
details here

City plans $57M redesign of 42nd Street to prevent terror attacks

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation

February 12, 2025

City plans $57M redesign of 42nd Street to prevent terror attacks

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is investing $57 million to redesign part of West 42nd Street to prevent vehicle-based terror attacks, like the recent truck incident on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Starting next summer, the city's Department of Transportation will revamp the street between 7th and 8th avenues in the Theater District with wider sidewalks, new security bollards, and planters. As first reported by Crain's, the project also includes much-needed upgrades to aging water and sewer lines beneath the street.
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Brooklyn’s 300-year-old Lott House to become Marine Park’s first museum

All photos courtesy of Hendrick I. Lott House

February 12, 2025

Brooklyn’s 300-year-old Lott House to become Marine Park’s first museum

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of Brooklyn's oldest homes will finally open to the public. The Hendrick I. Lott House, a rare surviving example of a Dutch Colonial home in New York, is set to become a museum, offering visitors the chance to explore the historic interior for the first time. The 300-year-old home will undergo interior and structural renovations starting in early 2026 to preserve its historic charm while modernizing it, transforming it into a fully functional museum, the first in Marine Park. The museum will shed light on the neighborhood's history, the Lott family, and those who worked and lived on the farm.
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Beaux-Arts office building in the Flatiron District to become 20 luxury condos

Renderings courtesy of VMI Studios

February 12, 2025

Beaux-Arts office building in the Flatiron District to become 20 luxury condos

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former 1920s publishing house in the Flatiron District will turn into 20 boutique condos, becoming New York City's latest office-to-residential conversion. Located at 114 East 25th Street, the 14-story Beaux-Arts building—now known as Armorie—has been reimagined by developer Adellco and design firm Andre Kikoski Architecture (AKA) to preserve its historic charm while transforming it into a collection of modern, high-end residences. The condo includes one- to four-bedroom lofts, topped by a luxurious penthouse with a private rooftop terrace.
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MTA launches pilot program to connect deaf riders with ASL interpreters

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

February 11, 2025

MTA launches pilot program to connect deaf riders with ASL interpreters

By Aaron Ginsburg

Navigating the New York City subway system got a little easier for riders with hearing difficulties. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday announced a pilot program that instantly connects commuters who are deaf or hard of hearing with American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters while using the transit system. Through the Convo Access app, riders can connect with a live interpreter to communicate with MTA employees about service changes, payments, or any transit-related questions.
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Macy’s Herald Square debuts pop-up spring market

All photos courtesy of Macy’s Herald Square

February 11, 2025

Macy’s Herald Square debuts pop-up spring market

By Aaron Ginsburg

Macy's Herald Square has unveiled a new seasonal pop-up celebrating love and the arrival of spring. Open just in time for Valentine's Day, the Shops at the Square offer customers a curated assortment of unique gifts, tasty treats, and other items. Find the shops on the mezzanine level of Macy's Herald Square through April 6.
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Events & Things To Do

Trump threatens to ‘kill’ NYC’s congestion pricing law

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

February 10, 2025

Trump threatens to ‘kill’ NYC’s congestion pricing law

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump has renewed his attacks on New York City's congestion pricing, claiming he can use the U.S. Department of Transportation to "kill" the program. In an interview with the New York Post, Trump suggested he could withhold federal transportation funds or reopen the environmental review process that authorized the toll program. He also claimed to be in discussions with Gov. Kathy Hochul about the program's future, but declined to disclose details of at least two prior phone conversations "out of respect."
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Bird flu likely behind bird deaths at NYC zoos

Photo via WikiCommons

February 10, 2025

Bird flu likely behind bird deaths at NYC zoos

By Aaron Ginsburg

Bird flu has hit New York City zoos, with three ducks at the Queens Zoo and 12 more birds at the Bronx Zoo dying after probable exposure to the highly contagious virus. As first reported by the New York Times, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoos, has moved vulnerable bird species to protected areas and limited exposure of other animals to wild birds. The deaths come as Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered all live bird markets in the five boroughs to temporarily close to curb the outbreak of the virus, which has affected roughly 156 million commercial, backyard, and wild birds nationwide since January 2022.
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Policy

New York designates part of Washington Heights as ‘Dominican Historic District’ despite local pushback

Credit: JJBers on Flickr

February 7, 2025

New York designates part of Washington Heights as ‘Dominican Historic District’ despite local pushback

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York officially designated a large part of Washington Heights the Dominican Historic District, sparking controversy among some local residents. As first reported by The City, the 40-block district aims to honor the neighborhood's Dominican heritage. However, some residents argue the state kept them out of the designation process, failing to recognize other ethnic groups with ties to important sites in the area. The designation was approved by a slim margin during a New York State Board for Historic Preservation meeting in September, where several community members showed up to oppose it.
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Policy

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