All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

September 5, 2024

Grand Central-Times Square shuttle gets full cell service

The shuttle connecting Grand Central Terminal and Times Square now has full cell service. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday announced the installation of 5G wireless service on the 42nd Street Shuttle line, marking the MTA's first step in adding connectivity to all 418 track miles of subway tunnels. The new service, made possible through a public-private partnership with Boldyn Network, allows Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile customers to take a phone call or browse the internet while traveling between the two stations.
Find out more
September 4, 2024

New public art campaign honors immigrant New Yorkers

A new public art project celebrates the contributions and experiences of immigrants in New York City. Presented by Photoville in partnership with the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), "New York Proud" includes 25 captivating portraits by Venezuelan photographer Oscar B. Castillo displayed at more than 200 locations in subway stations and public spaces across the five boroughs. The photographs capture immigrants from all walks of life at their workplaces, highlighting the role of immigrants in NYC's vibrant cultural and economic tapestry.
find out more
September 3, 2024

Central Park art installation is a monument to Puerto Rican communities

Artist Edra Soto's first large-scale work in New York City pays tribute to the architectural legacy of Puerto Rico. Presented by the Public Art Fund, "Edra Soto: Graft" draws inspiration from rejas, the wrought iron gates often found outside homes in Puerto Rico, and serves as a monument to lower and middle-class Puerto Rican communities. The exhibition will be on view at Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park at 60th Street and 5th Avenue from September 5 through August 24, 2025.
learn more
September 3, 2024

New renderings show what $12B Hudson Yards casino proposal would look like from the High Line

Related Companies and Wynn Resorts released new renderings of their $12 billion proposal to build a huge mixed-use development anchored by a casino on the western, undeveloped portion of Hudson Yards. The images show how the "Hudson Yards West" proposal, which includes a resort and casino, a 5.6-acre public park, 1,500 new homes, a public school, and office space, would potentially impact the surrounding neighborhood, including the High Line. Supporters of the elevated park concerned the new development would affect the High Line's sightlines and sunlight have launched a campaign against the project.
see it Here
August 30, 2024

Dumbo rental opens lottery for 66 luxury apartments, from $3,105/month

A lottery opened this week for 66 middle-income apartments at a residential complex in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Vinegar Hill, next to Dumbo. Located at 218 Front Street, the Lightwell is a seven-story, two-building development offering residents brand-new luxury apartments designed to seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,105/month for studios to $3,963/month for two bedrooms.
find out if you qualify
August 30, 2024

NYC installs pizza box bins at city parks

Ahead of pizza parties and picnics this holiday weekend, New York City has installed trash cans designed to fit pizza boxes at six city parks. The city's Parks Department on Friday unveiled the new rectangular trash bins, which feature a classic red-and-white checkered design reminiscent of tablecloths in pizzerias. As first seen in Central Park earlier this summer, the receptacles help avoid trash pileups that often attract rats.
find out more
August 29, 2024

12 museums just outside NYC perfect for a day trip

New York City is celebrated as one of the world's art capitals, with travelers coming far and wide to visit its world-class museums. However, you can find many cultural gems beyond the borders of the five boroughs. Ahead, here are some of the best museums worth visiting on a day trip from NYC, from the expansive sculpture fields of Storm King Art Center and Art Omi to the historic charm of house museums at the Olana State Historic Site and Philip Johnson's Glass House.
find out more
August 29, 2024

NYC’s Open Streets will expand to 70+ schools

New York City's Open Streets program is expanding to more than 70 schools this year. The city's Department of Transportation on Thursday announced a record-breaking expansion of the program, with 71 schools across the five boroughs set to gain additional outdoor space for students to learn and play. This initiative will improve safety by simplifying the pick-up and drop-off process. Most of the new open streets will be located outside of schools in underserved communities in the outer boroughs, including 12 in the Bronx, 12 in Brooklyn, and 20 in Queens.
learn more
August 28, 2024

As nearly half of NYC bus riders don’t pay, MTA deploys inspectors to combat fare evasion

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is ramping up its efforts to stop fare evasion in the bus system following a report that nearly half of all riders are not paying. The MTA on Monday revealed that new unarmed fare inspectors will be deployed on local buses throughout the city to enforce fare payment, with fare evaders being asked to leave the bus and potentially facing a summons or arrest. The city bus system has the worst fare evasion problem of any major city in the world, costing the transit agency more than $300 million every year.
find out more
August 28, 2024

The Met to host first major museum exhibition dedicated to architect Paul Rudolph

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host the first-ever major museum exhibition dedicated to the works of influential architect Paul Rudolph. Running from September 30 through March 16, 2025, "Materialized Space: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph" examines the career and legacy of the Modernist architect and how his contributions to architecture continue to inspire innovative designs in cities across the globe. The exhibition will feature over 80 works, ranging from small objects he collected throughout his life to drawings, models, furniture, material samples, and photographs.
find out more
August 27, 2024

Lottery opens for 90 mixed-income apartments at first Gowanus rezoning project, from $784/month

A housing lottery launched this week for 90 mixed-income apartments at the first residential project developed under the Gowanus rezoning. The two-tower rental at 420 Carroll Street includes 360 apartments, 25 percent of which are priced below market rate, commercial space, and a new public promenade along the Gowanus Canal. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 100, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $784/month for studios to $3,298/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify
August 27, 2024

Babe Ruth’s ‘called-shot’ Yankees jersey sells for $24M at auction

The New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth when he "called his shot" during the 1932 World Series sold in an auction for $24.12 million, a new record for the most expensive sports collectible. After a bidding war that lasted over six hours, the jersey, which Ruth wore when he pointed to the outfield and proceeded to hit a home run to deep center field, sold on Sunday at Heritage Auctions. The jersey was recently photo-matched by multiple third parties using images from Getty Images and the Chicago Daily News, which show Ruth wearing it in the Wrigley Field dugout on October 1, 1932.
learn more
August 26, 2024

$120M project to close gap in Manhattan’s East River greenway moves forward

A decade-old plan to fill in the gap in the East River greenway near the United Nations is finally moving forward. The city's Economic Development Corporation last week issued a request for proposals (RFP) from contractors to supervise the construction of the proposed esplanade, which will span less than a mile between East 41st and East 53rd Streets, as first reported by Gothamist. The project is the city's latest effort to reach its goal of creating a 32-mile cycling and pedestrian path along Manhattan's waterfront.
learn more
August 26, 2024

Coney Island Cyclone shut down indefinitely after mid-ride breakdown

The Coney Island Cyclone has been closed indefinitely after a mechanical failure caused the iconic roller coaster to halt mid-ride. While the famous Luna Park coaster ascended to its drop on Thursday, an operator stopped the ride after noticing a damaged chain sprocket in its motor room, as reported by the Associated Press. The nearly century-old attraction is currently undergoing repairs and will reopen once the work is complete and the ride passes an inspection by the city's Department of Buildings (DOB), according to Luna Park.
find out more
August 23, 2024

165 affordable apartments available at new Brownsville housing complex, from $454/month

Applications are now being accepted for 165 affordable apartments at a new housing complex in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Located at 589 Christopher Avenue, the building is the second and final phase of Ebenezer Plaza, a sprawling mixed-use development bringing much-needed affordable housing to the community. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $454/month for studios to $2,949/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify
August 23, 2024

Barneys New York returns to Soho for a New York Fashion Week pop-up

Attention New Yorkers: Barneys New York is returning to Soho, but only for a limited time. The beloved luxury retailer will host a five-week-long pop-up at 14 Prince Street from September 5 through October 11, to coincide with New York Fashion Week. Managed by beauty brand Hourglass Cosmetics, the 1,500-square-foot pop-up will feature a selection of both established and up-and-coming brands, including Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, Christopher John Rogers, and Khaite, and newcomers Reome, Perfumehead, and AKT, according to Retail TouchPoints.
find out more
August 22, 2024

New Jersey Symphony gets a permanent home in Jersey City

The New Jersey Symphony will soon have its first-ever permanent home at a new cutting-edge theater in downtown Jersey City. Mayor Steven Fulop and the New Jersey Symphony on Wednesday announced the Symphony will relocate to a 44,000-square-foot performance space on the corner of Provost and Morgan Streets in the Powerhouse Arts District in spring 2026. The 550-seat theater, dubbed Symphony Center, will also offer educational and community programs and include 8,000 square feet of office space.
read more
August 22, 2024

NYC secures largest civil rights settlement in city history for housing discrimination

New York City has secured the largest civil rights settlement in history, holding a prominent landlord accountable for rampant discrimination against housing voucher holders. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the landmark settlement, which imposed $1 million in civil penalties against Parkchester Preservation Management and secured 850 apartments to be set aside for voucher holders. The settlement represents the highest fine and largest number of apartments secured in a settlement by the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
discover more
August 21, 2024

Magnolia Bakery lands at LaGuardia Airport

Flying out of LaGuardia Airport just got sweeter. New York City icon Magnolia Bakery will open at Delta's Terminal C this week, marking the shop's first airport location. Starting Thursday, the bakery will sell its world-famous banana pudding as well as other tasty treats as part of a new food hall in the terminal.
learn more
August 21, 2024

City moves forward with scaled-back McGuinness Boulevard redesign

A plan to take away lanes of traffic and add protected bike lanes on busy McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint will be scaled back. The Department of Transportation shared its plan with elected officials on Tuesday for the street's redesign, which will extend a bike lane to the southern half of McGuinness but not reduce the number of traffic lanes or create a protected bike path as originally proposed, The City reported. According to reports, Mayor Eric Adams' administration pushed for the watered-down redesign, citing community concerns over the plan.
find out more
August 20, 2024

Cathedral of St. John the Divine gets $1.5M grant to transform historic building into community hub

A historic, underutilized building on the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine campus will become a social services center for New Yorkers facing poverty. The Morningside Heights church on Tuesday announced it received $1.5 million in city funding to support the renovation of Synod Hall, transforming it into an expanded hub for Cathedral Community Cares (CCC), the cathedral's social services arm that focuses on combating poverty with preventative services, education, and advocacy, with a focus on issues of health and hunger.
find out more
August 20, 2024

Harris proposes 3 million new homes, $25K in down payment assistance

Vice President Kamala Harris last week released several proposals to lower housing costs for Americans if elected. During a speech in North Carolina on Friday, Harris outlined her plans to construct three million new housing units, expand tax incentives for developers who build affordable rentals, encourage the construction of starter homes for first-time homebuyers, and provide $25,000 in down-payment assistance for first-time buyers.
Learn more
August 19, 2024

Landlords register more rent-stabilized units to avoid fines

Thousands more rent-stabilized apartments have been filed with the state of New York this year after a new law passed last year that fines landlords who fail to register units, as The City first reported. So far in 2024, roughly 919,500 apartments have been registered, up from between 750,000 and 800,000 registrations in recent years.
find out more
August 19, 2024

Luxury rental near Fordham University opens lottery for 50 apartments, from $2,200/month

A housing lottery has opened for 50 mixed-income apartments at a new luxury rental near Fordham University in the Bronx. Located at 4720 3rd Avenue in Belmont, the Arabella offers residents brand-new units and modern amenities, all in a prime location. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,206/month for one-bedroom apartments to $3,950/month for three bedrooms.
learn if you qualify