All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYC Council responds to ‘City of Yes’ with housing plan that goes beyond zoning

Credit: Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash

November 4, 2024

NYC Council responds to ‘City of Yes’ with housing plan that goes beyond zoning

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council has released a housing plan as a counter-proposal to Mayor Eric Adams' "City of Yes" plan. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams last week announced "City for All," which pairs the zoning changes of the mayor's plan, currently under review by the Council, with several measures and funding demands to ensure affordability for renters and homeowners.
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Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

8th Avenue below 40th Street. Photo © Ondel Hylton

November 1, 2024

Updated Midtown South rezoning plan could create nearly 10,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New zoning tools will allow the city to build bigger apartment buildings in Midtown Manhattan, doubling the new housing units permitted under a proposed rezoning. The Department of City Planning on Thursday released an updated draft of the Midtown South rezoning plan to incorporate floor area ratio (FAR) caps of 15 to 18, enabled by the state's recent repeal of the 12 FAR cap. This change allows larger developments and roughly 9,700 new homes, up from a previous estimate of 4,000, in a 42-block area of Midtown where housing development has been largely prohibited.
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11 public projects in NYC recognized for excellent design

Renderings courtesy of NYC Parks unless noted otherwise

November 1, 2024

11 public projects in NYC recognized for excellent design

By Aaron Ginsburg

Eleven innovative projects across New York City have been recognized for their contributions to nurturing a more sustainable and engaging public realm. Mayor Eric Adams this week announced the winners of the 42nd annual Awards for Excellence in Design, selected by the city's Public Design Commission (PDC) from hundreds of submissions in 2023. This year's award-winning projects exemplify how urban planning can vastly enhance the daily lives of New Yorkers, transcending mere aesthetics to create resilient infrastructure, foster community bonds, and provide accessible recreational and educational spaces.
read about the winners

Architecture And Design

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

All photos courtesy of Heidi Lee

October 30, 2024

‘Canstruction’ returns: NYC’s large-scale can sculpture contest kicks off in FiDi

By Aaron Ginsburg

"Canstruction," the beloved annual competition challenging teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to create intricate sculptures from cans, is returning for another year. As part of the contest, participants create large-scale structures using unopened food cans, all of which are donated to City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization, and distributed to food pantries afterward. Hosted at Brookfield Place, the event is free and open to the public, running from October 31 through November 11.
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Events & Things To Do

MTA moves forward with design of Interborough Express project

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 30, 2024

MTA moves forward with design of Interborough Express project

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Interborough Express, a proposed public transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens, is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the preliminary engineering and design phase of the 14-mile light rail line and began an environmental review with the federal government, according to Bloomberg. The initial phase is expected to take roughly two years to complete.
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Jaywalking is now officially legal in New York City

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 30, 2024

Jaywalking is now officially legal in New York City

By Aaron Ginsburg

Jaywalking—a habit of many New Yorkers—is now officially legal in New York City. After the City Council passed a bill decriminalizing the act, New Yorkers can now legally cross the street at any point, regardless of the traffic signal and in or outside the crosswalk. The bill, adopted as a law last week, aims to address racial disparities in enforcement. According to Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the bill’s sponsor, 90 percent of jaywalking tickets in 2023 were issued to Black and Latino residents, as reported by the Guardian.
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‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

Images courtesy of NYC DOT

October 29, 2024

‘Smart Curbs’ program to optimize curb space on the Upper West Side

By Aaron Ginsburg

The streets of the Upper West Side will soon better suit community needs as part of a new initiative by the Department of Transportation. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Monday announced the launch of the agency's "Smart Curbs" pilot program on the Upper West Side, which will modernize the streets by adding neighborhood loading zones, bike corrals, and other amenities and policies to create cleaner, more vibrant, and less congested public spaces from West 86th to West 72nd Streets, between Broadway and Central Park West.
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Hunter’s Point waterfront rental opens lottery for 173 apartments, from $2,490/month

Renderings by Binyan unless otherwise noted.

October 29, 2024

Hunter’s Point waterfront rental opens lottery for 173 apartments, from $2,490/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 173 middle-income apartments in a new luxury rental development on the Long Island City waterfront. Located at 2-20 Malt Drive in Hunter's Point South, the 34-story building is part of the three-tower Malt Drive development bringing over 1,000 new homes to the area. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,490/month for studios to $3,590/month for two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

Credit: Rahul Bhatt

October 28, 2024

MTA releases Olivia Rodrigo MetroCards as second-to-last custom card

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released its second-to-last limited-edition MetroCard before fully transitioning to the tap-and-go OMNY system. In collaboration with Sony, the special cards will feature pop star Olivia Rodrigo wearing the new Sony Linkbuds in her signature purple aesthetic. The MTA on Monday loaded machines at seven subway stations across the city with 50,000 limited-edition cards.
find out where to get them

Popular Articles

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

Photo courtesy of Tishman Speyer

October 28, 2024

This year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree comes from Massachusetts

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has been unveiled. The 74-foot-tall Norway Spruce hails from West Stockbridge in Massachusetts—the first tree sourced from the state since 1959—and will be cut down on Thursday, November 7, and make its journey to Manhattan. The spruce arrives at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, November 9. Following the tree's decoration with thousands of twinkling lights and its iconic Swarovski star, the annual tree lighting ceremony takes place on Wednesday, December 4.
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Events & Things To Do

Fifth Avenue’s tallest condo tower, 520 Fifth Avenue, tops out at 1,002 feet

Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios unless otherwise noted.

October 28, 2024

Fifth Avenue’s tallest condo tower, 520 Fifth Avenue, tops out at 1,002 feet

By Aaron Ginsburg

The tallest residential tower on Fifth Avenue has officially topped out. Developed by Rabina and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 88-story mixed-use tower at 520 Fifth Avenue has topped out at 1,002 feet, making it the second tallest structure on the iconic corridor after the Empire State Building. Slated for completion in 2025, the elegant skyscraper will feature boutique office floors on the lower levels, with luxury condos beginning on the 42nd floor.
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New Developments

World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

Babe Ruth batting in an exhibition game between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, April 1934. Image via WikiCommons

October 25, 2024

World Trade Center to host free viewing parties for Yankees Dodgers World Series

By Aaron Ginsburg

In partnership with Major League Baseball, the World Trade Center will host free viewing parties of the 2024 World Series as the New York Yankees face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kicking off Friday for game one, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will show the games on a massive screen at the North Oculus Plaza on the World Trade Center campus. Attendees can enjoy food and beverages from the nearby Oculus Beer Garden, as well as offerings from Westfield World Trade Center shops and restaurants.
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Events & Things To Do

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

All photos courtesy of New York Public Library/Jonathan Blanc unless otherwise noted

October 25, 2024

Landmarked East Harlem public library reopens after $34M renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

After a three-year $34.4 million renovation, a landmarked New York Public Library branch in East Harlem is reopening this month. Designed by McKim, Mead & White in 1904, the building at 224 East 125th Street had fallen into disrepair and had been closed since 2021. The revamped building will celebrate its reopening on October 30 at 10 a.m.
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NYC to quadruple number of red-light cameras by 2027

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 24, 2024

NYC to quadruple number of red-light cameras by 2027

By Aaron Ginsburg

Drivers who blow through red lights beware: the number of cameras at New York City intersections will soon quadruple. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed a bill expanding red-light camera programs across the state, allowing the city to install cameras at 600 intersections by 2027, up from the current 150. Since their introduction 30 years ago, red-light cameras have reduced traffic violations at intersections by 73 percent, according to Hochul.
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LaGuardia named best airport in U.S. by Forbes

Credit: PANYNJ on Flickr

October 23, 2024

LaGuardia named best airport in U.S. by Forbes

By Aaron Ginsburg

A decade after then-Vice President Joe Biden compared the airport to a third-world country, and after a $8 billion makeover, LaGuardia Airport is now considered the best airport in the United States. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Tuesday announced that LaGuardia was selected as the best airport in the country by Forbes Travel Guide. The accolade is the latest in a series of achievements earned by the airport after its transformation, which began in 2016 and is now largely complete.
details here

Transit

Long Island City rental opens lottery for 150 apartments, from $2,900/month

Credit: VUW

October 23, 2024

Long Island City rental opens lottery for 150 apartments, from $2,900/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery launched this week for 150 middle-income apartments at a new mixed-use development in the Hunter's Point section of Long Island City. Located at 2-33 50th Avenue, Jasper is a 12-story building that offers residents a holistic living experience with state-of-the-art amenities and convenient access to a grocery store, restaurants, and other retail options on the ground level. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,900/month studios to $5,039/month three-bedrooms.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Sales launch for boutique condos with private outdoor spaces in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, from $835K

Credit: Palette Architecture

October 23, 2024

Sales launch for boutique condos with private outdoor spaces in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, from $835K

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sales launched this week at one part of a unique two-building luxury development in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood. Developed by Kingsdel Real Estate and designed by Palette Architecture, Calvert Villas at 624 New York Avenue is a six-story boutique condo building with 10 two- to four-bedroom apartments, each with private outdoor space. Prices start at $835,500.
see the condos

Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

Credit: Filip Wolak

October 22, 2024

Whitney Museum to give free admission to all visitors 25 and under

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Whitney Museum of American Art is now offering free admission for all visitors 25 and under. The new program builds upon the museum's free admission on Fridays and the second Sunday of every month, which launched in January. To celebrate the program's launch, the museum is hosting a special Free Friday Night this week, featuring a DJ, dance classes, art-making, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

The 13th Street Repertory Company. Photo (left): Courtesy of Village Preservation. Current view of the building (right): Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

October 22, 2024

City landmarks Village row house with deep ties to Black history and theater

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Greenwich Village row house, dating back to before the Civil War and closely tied to Black history and one of the city's first "Off-Off-Broadway" theaters, is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street. The 1845 row house was home to Jacob Day, one of NYC's most successful 19th-century African American businessmen, and the 13th Street Repertory Company, one of the city's oldest Off-Off-Broadway theaters.
DETAILS HERE

NJ releases affordable housing requirements for every town, details need for 150,000 new homes

Jersey City, NJ. Credit: Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

October 22, 2024

NJ releases affordable housing requirements for every town, details need for 150,000 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Jersey towns now know how many affordable homes they need to develop over the next decade to fairly address the state's housing shortage. The Department of Community Affairs last week published the calculations of present and prospective need for affordable housing in all 564 municipalities, required by a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in March. The calculations found a present need for 65,410 low- and moderate-income homes and a need for another 84,698 over the next 10 years.
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Affordable Housing

Lottery opens for 50 mixed-income apartments in Gowanus, from $888/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

October 21, 2024

Lottery opens for 50 mixed-income apartments in Gowanus, from $888/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 50 mixed-income apartments at a new rental development in Gowanus. Located at 655 Union Street, the 13-story residential building offers spacious, sun-drenched units with top-tier amenities at the intersection of some of Brooklyn's liveliest neighborhoods. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 110, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $888/month one-bedroom units to $3,982/month two-bedrooms.
Learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Port Authority reveals vision to rebuild Newark Airport

Photo courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Flickr

October 18, 2024

Port Authority reveals vision to rebuild Newark Airport

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Thursday unveiled the EWR Vision Plan, a long-term project redeveloping Newark Liberty International Airport. The vision includes building a new Terminal B, enhancing Terminal C, fixing the airport's confusing roadway network, and replacing the AirTrain system.
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NYC’s best sports bars to watch your favorite NFL team

October 18, 2024

NYC’s best sports bars to watch your favorite NFL team

By Aaron Ginsburg

For tourists and non-native New Yorkers, it can be easy to feel lost or left out when trying to find a place to cheer on their hometown's football team. Fortunately, with the city's countless pubs and watering holes, there's a place to catch the action for nearly every NFL team.
go team

Food & Dining

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