All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Bronx Music Hall: The borough’s first new music venue in over 50 years is now open

Photos courtesy of Bronx Music Hall

October 18, 2024

Bronx Music Hall: The borough’s first new music venue in over 50 years is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time in over 50 years, a new independent music venue has opened in the Bronx. The Bronx Music Hall on Friday celebrated its grand opening, introducing a new 14,000-square-foot performance hall and community cultural center committed to promoting music, dance, theater, and interdisciplinary arts. Located at 438 East 163rd Street in Melrose, the facility, part of the mixed-use Bronx Commons development, includes a 250-seat theater, a grand lobby and exhibition hall, a multipurpose room and dance studio, and more.
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Architecture And Design

Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

Iván Argote, Dinosaur, 2024. A High Line Plinth commission. On view October 2024 – Spring 2026. Photo by Timothy Schenck. Courtesy of the High Line.

October 17, 2024

Dinosaur has landed: Meet the giant pigeon sculpture sitting on the High Line

By Aaron Ginsburg

A giant pigeon sculpture now gazes down upon bustling 10th Avenue. The High Line this week installed Iván Argote’s "Dinosaur" above the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street as part of its High Line Plinth program. The 16-foot-tall, hyper-realistic sculpture, cast in aluminum, aims to challenge the typical power dynamic between humans and birds by elevating the pigeon above car-filled streets and High Line visitors. The sculpture will be on view for 18 months.
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Events & Things To Do

See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

Images courtesy of City Hall

October 17, 2024

See the plan to transform Fifth Avenue into premier, pedestrian-friendly corridor

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a peek at what a pedestrian-friendly Fifth Avenue could look like. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday revealed a proposed redesign of the iconic thoroughfare between Bryant Park and Central Park into a pedestrian-focused corridor by cutting the number of traffic lanes from five to three, nearly doubling the width of sidewalks, shortening crosswalks, and planting more than 200 trees. The $350 million project, the first major alteration to Fifth Avenue in its 200-year history, aims to turn the boulevard into a grand shopping street, akin to the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Ginza in Tokyo.
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$10B Port Authority Bus Terminal replacement project moves forward

Rendering courtesy of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

October 17, 2024

$10B Port Authority Bus Terminal replacement project moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

The $10 billion project to replace the decrepit Port Authority Bus Terminal is moving forward. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve the Midtown bus terminal's revamp project, which replaces the dreary, aging 74-year-old facility with a vibrant, modern transit hub featuring ground-floor retail space and a public park. Plans to replace the terminal first surfaced more than 10 years ago to account for the expected growth in ridership. The plan now heads to the City Council for a vote.
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City begins public review for Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan to create over 4,500 new homes

Rendering of Atlantic Avenue’s improved, and safer streets, courtesy of DCP

October 16, 2024

City begins public review for Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan to create over 4,500 new homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to create thousands of new apartments and add open space to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn is moving forward. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the start of the public review process for the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a rezoning that could create roughly 4,600 new homes—1,440 of which will be permanently income-restricted and affordable—and 2,800 jobs along a 21-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue. The plan will also include traffic safety upgrades at intersections along the corridor to improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and visibility.
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Pier 97 opens in Hudson River Park after $47.5M transformation

Images courtesy of Hudson River Park

October 16, 2024

Pier 97 opens in Hudson River Park after $47.5M transformation

By Aaron Ginsburg

Pier 97, the northernmost pier in Hudson River Park, reopened this week following a $47.5 million transformation. Designed by !melk in collaboration with the Hudson River Park Trust, the project turned a former docking pier and parking lot into 2.5 acres of public open space, complete with a playground, athletic field, sloping sun lawn, and more—all surrounded by over 16,000 square feet of vibrant flowers and plants. A new building with restrooms and concessions is expected to open this winter.
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Architecture And Design

Waldorf Astoria New York’s reopening delayed until spring

Rendering by Noë &Associates / The Boundary

October 15, 2024

Waldorf Astoria New York’s reopening delayed until spring

By Aaron Ginsburg

The reopening of the iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel has been postponed until next spring. The landmarked Midtown East hotel has been closed since 2017 for a major revamp, which includes turning its 1,400 guestrooms into 375 hotel rooms and 375 condo residences, according to Travel Weekly. The building, a New York City icon since it opened its doors in 1931, had most recently aimed to reopen in 2024.
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Macy’s to host new holiday market at Herald Square flagship

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 15, 2024

Macy’s to host new holiday market at Herald Square flagship

By Aaron Ginsburg

Macy's will debut its first-ever holiday market at its iconic Herald Square flagship this season. In partnership with Urbanspace, which runs the popular open-air holiday markets in Bryant Park, Union Square, and Columbus Circle, Macy's Holiday Square will open on November 1 inside the store on 34th Street and feature local and holiday vendors. Following the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a new market dubbed the Herald Holiday Market will open on the plazas outside the store starting December 6.
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Events & Things To Do

Rupert Murdoch finally finds buyer for Flatiron penthouse, takes $15M loss

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 15, 2024

Rupert Murdoch finally finds buyer for Flatiron penthouse, takes $15M loss

By Aaron Ginsburg

News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch finally found a buyer for his New York City penthouse. Most recently listed for $28.5 million, the triplex top unit at One Madison in the Flatiron District entered contract last week after first listing for $62 million in 2022. The 93-year-old media titan paid $43 million for the apartment in 2014.
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Real Estate Trends

Rental component of One Domino Square opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $2,832/month

One Domino Square. Photo credit: Evan Joseph

October 14, 2024

Rental component of One Domino Square opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $2,832/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery launched this week for 120 middle-income apartments at the rental portion of One Domino Square, part of the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment in Williamsburg. The first residential project designed by architect Annabelle Selldorf, One Domino Square consists of a 39-story building with 160 condos and a 55-story building with nearly 400 rental units, the latter of which is the tallest tower in the neighborhood. The affordable apartments will be available through a lottery to New Yorkers earning 125 and 130 percent of the area median income; apartments are priced from $2,832/month for studios to $4,415/month for two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Popular Articles

Chrysler Building ownership is in limbo

Credit: JJBers on Flickr

October 11, 2024

Chrysler Building ownership is in limbo

By Aaron Ginsburg

The owners of the Chrysler Building are fighting to hold onto the iconic Art-Deco skyscraper after falling behind on more than $21 million in rent. RFR, led by Aby Rosen, on Monday, made a legal filing accusing landlord Cooper Union, which owns the land under the Chrysler, of driving away tenants with its response to a campus protest last October, which influenced several tenants to cancel or terminate their leases, as reported by Crain's New York. But data from CoStar shows that the tower's occupancy rose to 85.7 percent as of September 30, up from 82.8 percent in 2023.
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Real Estate Trends

NYC unveils proposals to turn dreary areas under the BQE into vibrant public spaces

Rendering of a proposed e-bike charging and storage hub for delivery workers. All rendering courtesy of NYC DOT

October 10, 2024

NYC unveils proposals to turn dreary areas under the BQE into vibrant public spaces

By Aaron Ginsburg

Decrepit, drab spaces beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could soon be transformed into vibrant public areas. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday published a report with proposals to convert a space under the BQE at Park Avenue in Fort Greene into an e-bike charging and storage station for delivery workers and to redesign a congested intersection at West 9th Street to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The report also proposed capping trenched sections of the BQE in Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, and Bay Ridge to create parks and public spaces above the expressway.
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Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens this month

Photos by Colin Miller

October 10, 2024

Bryant Park’s Winter Village opens this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's time to get into the holiday spirit in New York. The annual Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is returning for its 23rd season later this month. Starting on October 25, the festive event features New York City's only free-admission ice skating, the park's iconic open-air holiday market featuring more than 180 small businesses, a rinkside food hall and bar, heated private igloos, and more. The Winter Village is open through March 2, 2025.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC to close Randall’s Island migrant shelter in February

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 10, 2024

NYC to close Randall’s Island migrant shelter in February

By Aaron Ginsburg

The migrant shelter on Randall's Island that once housed 3,000 adults will close early next year as the number of asylum seekers arriving in New York City declines. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced the humanitarian relief center will shut down at the end of February, following a 14-week decline in the number of migrants living in city shelters, which is now at its lowest point in over a year. In the coming months, the city will gradually reduce the center’s population and begin restoring the island’s athletic fields and parkland.
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Policy

Staten Island Railway gets new train cars for the first time in over 50 years

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

October 9, 2024

Staten Island Railway gets new train cars for the first time in over 50 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

New subway cars have hit the tracks of the Staten Island Railway for the first time in over 50 years. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday launched new cutting-edge R211S subway cars into service that feature wider doors, security cameras, digital route screens in all cars, and enhanced accessibility features. To celebrate the new cars, MTA officials and commuters took an inaugural ride from St. George Terminal.
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Transit

Studio Museum in Harlem will reopen in new building in fall 2025

Photo: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

October 9, 2024

Studio Museum in Harlem will reopen in new building in fall 2025

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Studio Museum in Harlem's new home will officially open next fall, the institution announced Tuesday. Designed by Sir David Adjaye, the building features stacked volumes over five stories and measures 82,000 square feet, increasing exhibition and public space by over 50 percent. Closed since 2018, the 125th Street museum will reopen with a presentation of the work of Tom Lloyd, an artist, educator, and activist featured in the Studio Museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition, held in a rented loft on Fifth Avenue.
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Architecture And Design

Uber launches shuttle between LaGuardia Airport and Midtown

Images courtesy of Uber

October 8, 2024

Uber launches shuttle between LaGuardia Airport and Midtown

By Aaron Ginsburg

Hailing a ride to and from LaGuardia Airport just got cheaper. Uber on Tuesday launched a new $18 shuttle service with two routes connecting Midtown Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport, operating daily every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. Stopping at Port Authority, Grand Central Terminal, and Penn Station, the passenger vans can carry up to 14 passengers with each rider allowed one personal item and one piece of luggage.
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Transit

NYC unveils rules for 485-x tax break, office-to-residential incentive

Credit: Bex Walton on Flickr

October 8, 2024

NYC unveils rules for 485-x tax break, office-to-residential incentive

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Monday released proposed rules for 485-x, the tax exemption that replaced 421-a, and the new 467-m incentive for converting offices into housing. The proposals must be finalized before HPD can approve applications for both programs, The Real Deal reported.
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The ‘great trees’ of NYC: Parks updates list for the first time in 40 years

An American Elm in Tompkins Square Park. All photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Malcolm Pinckney

October 8, 2024

The ‘great trees’ of NYC: Parks updates list for the first time in 40 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

Of New York City's seven million trees, these 120 rise above the rest. NYC Parks on Tuesday released its first update to the "Great Trees of New York City" list since 1985, adding 61 new trees across the five boroughs that stand out for their unique size, shape, species, and historical significance. The newcomers were selected from over 270 public submissions made between April 2023 and March 2024 and chosen by a committee of experts from colleges, civic institutions, authors, and arborists.
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City Living

Heat season in NYC: Everything you need to know

Credit: Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash

October 7, 2024

Heat season in NYC: Everything you need to know

By Aaron Ginsburg

CLANK, CLANK, CLANK—your radiator's noisy signal that heat season has arrived in New York City. From October 1 to May 31, landlords across NYC are legally required to maintain safe temperatures for tenants. Ahead, here's everything you need to know about your rights to keep warm this winter.
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NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 7, 2024

NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's compost program is now underway in all five boroughs. On Sunday, curbside compost collection began in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, requiring buildings with four or more units to provide storage areas and labeled bins for yard and food waste collection by Department of Sanitation workers. The program’s final expansion follows its success in Queens and Brooklyn and aims to prevent rat infestations while promoting sustainability.
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Policy

Experience the beauty of the Sistine Chapel at new Brooklyn exhibit

All images courtesy of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition®

October 4, 2024

Experience the beauty of the Sistine Chapel at new Brooklyn exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

Forget a trip to Vatican City, a captivating new exhibition in Sunset Park brings the breathtaking frescoes of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel to Brooklyn. Debuting on October 11 in Industry City, "Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition" showcases 34 of the chapel's iconic frescoes, meticulously reproduced and enhanced to offer visitors an even more vivid experience. While tourists traveling to Italy must crane their necks 66 feet to view the original frescoes, the exhibition allows visitors to experience their stunning beauty up close.
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100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

Credit: NYC DOT

October 4, 2024

100+ NYC streets will go car-free for fun Halloween activities

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for its biggest year yet, featuring over 100 participating locations. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Thursday announced the "Trick-or Streets" initiative, which closes streets, plazas, and other commercial corridors across the five boroughs to cars to provide space for fun, spooky-themed activities throughout October.
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Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

All photos courtesy of Zabar’s

October 4, 2024

Celebrate Zabar’s 90th anniversary with 90-cent cups of coffee all October

By Aaron Ginsburg

Upper West Side legend Zabar's turns 90 this year and to celebrate, the gourmet deli is offering its loyal customers some special discounts. Throughout October, the grocery store at 2245 Broadway—known for its smoked fish, bagels, and coffee—will sell 90-cent cups of coffee and one-pound bags of its Anniversary Coffee Blend for $9.99. Zabar’s will also roll out a series of new specials through the end of the year.
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NYC restores original ‘road diet’ plan for McGuinness Boulevard

McGuinness Boulevard. Courtesy of NYC DOT

October 3, 2024

NYC restores original ‘road diet’ plan for McGuinness Boulevard

By Aaron Ginsburg

In an unexpected reversal by Mayor Eric Adams' administration, Greenpoint's McGuinness Boulevard will get protected bike lanes after all. After revealing a scaled-back redesign of the corridor less than two months ago, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday announced that it will instead proceed with the original proposal to install protected bike lanes and reduce lanes of traffic by four to two along busy McGuinness Boulevard. Adams had previously supported a watered-down redesign that extended a bike lane but kept the same number of traffic lanes and excluded a protected bike lane due to community concerns.
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