All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

February 6, 2024

116 deeply affordable homes coming to city-owned Prospect Heights site

A project that will bring affordable apartments and a community garden to Prospect Heights is underway. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) last week selected Apex Building Group and Bridge Street Development Corporation to convert a 17,000-square-foot HPD satellite office at 516 Bergen Street into a 116-unit affordable housing development known as "Bergen Green." The project falls under the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP), which in combination with the nearby redevelopment of a Dean Street parking lot, will bring roughly 270 affordable homes to Prospect Heights.
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February 5, 2024

NYC reveals automated, side-loading garbage truck

A revolutionary garbage truck is hitting New York City streets, four years ahead of schedule. Mayor Eric Adams last week revealed a new automated side-loading garbage truck that will allow Department of Sanitation workers to easily collect trash from large containerized bins at high-density residential buildings. With the use of the new trucks and a data-driven containerization model, Manhattan Community Board 9 will be the first district to have 100 percent of its garbage containerized next year.
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February 5, 2024

20 best spots to watch the Super Bowl in NYC

On February 11, the San Francisco 49ers will face the defending champs the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. In New York City, there is no shortage of exciting ways to enjoy the big game with many of the city's bars and restaurants hosting watch parties with food and drink specials. Ahead, here are some of the best spots to watch Super Bowl LVIII in NYC, from taking a ping-pong break between downs at SPIN to cheering from a heated cabana at Williamsburg's BK Backyard Bar.
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February 2, 2024

Visit the Frick Collection at the Breuer Building before it closes in March

Here's your last chance to visit the Frick Madison at its temporary home inside the brutalist icon the Breuer Building. The Frick Collection, which has temporarily resided at 945 Madison Avenue since 2021, is closing its doors on March 3 as the art institution prepares to move back to its newly-renovated, historic home at 1 East 70th Street on the Upper East Side. The museum and its library are expected to reopen later this year.
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February 2, 2024

Open gangway subway cars are now in service on the C line

The New York City subway system's new open gangway cars have officially hit the rails. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday participated in an inaugural ride of the open gangway subway cars which are in service on the C line between Washington Heights and East New York. The ride marked the first time in modern history that an open gangway train, already used in major European and Asian cities, has operated in the United States.
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February 1, 2024

Rubin Museum to close its doors after two decades

Known for its Himalayan art, New York City's Rubin Museum will close this fall after 20 years. The Rubin Museum of Art on Wednesday announced the museum will evolve into a global institution "without walls" and close its Chelsea building on October 6 after its final exhibition. After selling its building on West 17th Street, the Rubin will become an organization that processes long-term loans, hosts traveling exhibitions, and helps with research inquiries and fundraising, according to the New York Times.
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February 1, 2024

Play with giant light-up dominos in the Financial District

A new interactive public art installation in the Financial District is injecting vibrant color and sound into New York City's dreary winter. Created by Montreal-based design studio Ingrid Ingrid, "Domino Effect" features 120 giant dominos scattered across 12 tables in Fosun Plaza, with each domino giving off a unique sound and color. Presented by the Downtown Alliance in partnership with Quartier des Spectacles International, the installation is on view at Fosun Plaza in front of 28 Liberty Street through March 6.
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January 31, 2024

One of the earliest maps of Manhattan will be on display at the New-York Historical Society

A new installation opening at the New-York Historical Society provides a look at everyday life in New Amsterdam at the peak of its settlement. Marking the 400th anniversary of the Dutch colony's founding, the installation "New York Before New York: The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam" centers around the Castello Plan, a historic map depicting New Amsterdam in 1660 right before the English took control. On view from March 15 through July 14, the installation also features rare documents and objects that explore the lives of settlers, Indigenous people, and enslaved Africans who resided in the colony.
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January 31, 2024

Major mixed-use development Manhattan West is officially complete

After several decades in the making, the mixed-use campus Manhattan West is officially complete. Brookfield Properties and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) on Tuesday announced the opening of Two Manhattan West, a 58-story skyscraper with two million square feet of office space. Located on the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 31st Street, Two Manhattan West is the final piece of the seven-million-square-foot Manhattan West, marking the completion of the new neighborhood.
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January 30, 2024

Staten Island Ferry to offer food and drinks for the first time since Covid

Staten Island Ferry riders will be able to enjoy food and drinks on board for the first time since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Tuesday announced a request for proposals (RFP) for vendors interested in selling food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, on the Staten Island Ferry. Proposals are due by March 7, with the new concessions expected to be in operation by the fall.
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January 30, 2024

NYC unveils plan to develop 570 affordable homes on Inwood parking lot

New York City is moving forward with an ambitious plan to advance two dozen affordable housing projects on public land this year. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Monday began the public outreach process for the redevelopment of an unused city-owned parking lot in Inwood with roughly 570 affordable homes, public green space, and a STEM facility. The Inwood Waterfront project falls under Mayor Eric Adams' "24 in 24" plan, which pushes for 24 affordable housing developments on 24 publicly-owned sites to ultimately create or preserve more than 12,000 housing units.
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January 29, 2024

Rico Gatson’s colorful geometric art brings sense of peace to Penn Station

Penn Station's Amtrak concourse has been transformed with colorful geometric designs. Created by New York City-based artist Rico Gatson, the installation "Untitled (Collective Light Transfer)" covers the Amtrak concourse at New York Penn Station with captivating geometric compositions that fill the otherwise bland space with a "pulsating energy," representing the rhythm of constant movement as travelers bustle through the station. The art installation will be on view in the upper-level rotunda between the 8th Avenue Amtrak departure concourse and the 7th Avenue NJ Transit concourse through the summer.
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January 26, 2024

NYC brokerage to pay state $260K after allegedly charging excessive broker fees

A Manhattan real estate brokerage accused of scamming tenants with excessive broker fees has agreed to pay the state $260,000 in penalties. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a settlement with brokerage firm City Wide Apartments, Inc. after an investigation by the New York Department of State, which licenses real estate agents, found the firm charged exorbitant brokerage fees, in one case charging more than $20,000 in added fees to tenants searching for housing.
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January 26, 2024

Roberta’s new location next to Penn Station will open this spring

Roberta's, one of New York's most well-known pizzerias, will finally open its new location next to Madison Square Garden this year. As first reported by Eater New York, the Bushwick-born restaurant signed a lease in November 2022 for a 5,200-square-foot space within the Vornado Realty Trust-developed Penn District, a new mixed-use campus around Penn Station, with plans to open last fall. New signage on the building, located at Penn 1 East between 33rd and 34th Streets says Roberta's will now open this spring.
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January 25, 2024

Four new skateparks opening in Brooklyn and the Bronx

New York City is working with legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk to develop four new skateparks in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Mayor Eric Adams during his State of the City address on Wednesday announced a partnership with The Skatepark Project, a nonprofit founded by Hawk, to bring four skateparks in communities lacking access to public recreation spaces. The project is being fast-tracked for completion in just three years. The plan involves renovating two existing skateparks, at Brower Park and Bronx Park, and constructing two new ones, at Mount Prospect Park and Soundview Park.
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January 25, 2024

Chinatown’s Kimlau Square to receive $56M revamp

Chinatown's chaotic Kimlau Square is set to receive a $55.8 million redesign, as first reported by amNewYork. During his State of the City address on Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced Kimlau Square will be renovated in three phases: an expansion of the square into a pedestrian plaza with shortened street crossings, the beautification of Park Row between the plaza and the Brooklyn Bridge, and the creation of an archway that welcomes people into the neighborhood. The project aims to straighten out the confusing six-way intersection that surrounds the plaza and increase the size of the space from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet.
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January 24, 2024

Marine science-themed playground with giant climbable fish opens in Hudson River Park

A new marine science-inspired playground opened in Hudson River Park this week. Designed by OLIN, the Pier 26 Science Playground features large-scale structures in the shape of two endangered sturgeon species native to the Hudson River, the Atlantic sturgeon and the shortnose sturgeon, climbing nets, and other nature-inspired equipment. Located on North Moore Street, the 4,000-square-foot play area also aims to educate New Yorkers about the ecological importance of the Hudson River.
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January 23, 2024

Leasing begins at Brooklyn’s all-electric skyscraper 505 State Street, from $3,475/month

Leasing officially launched on Monday at New York City's first all-electric skyscraper. Developed by Alloy Development, 505 State Street (formerly called 100 Flatbush) is a 44-story tower with 441 apartments in Downtown Brooklyn. The building, which replaces all functions that would normally run on gas with electricity, is part of Alloy Block, a mixed-use development of five old and new buildings that will bring residential, office, retail, and the city's first two Passive House-certified public schools to the neighborhood. Available rentals at the building start at $3,475/month for a studio and go up to $11,200/month for a three-bedroom.
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January 23, 2024

Lunar New Year 2024: How to celebrate the Year of the Dragon in NYC

Lunar New Year, the two-week-long festival that ushers in spring and new beginnings, starts on February 10 and runs until February 24. This year marks the Year of the Dragon, which is the fifth animal in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiacs and is said to possess the sharpest sense of self among all other zodiac signs. Ahead, find many ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year in New York City, from taking craft lessons from master artisans at the Chinese Institute in America's family festival to attending Chinatown's annual parade and firecracker celebration.
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January 22, 2024

Promising ‘more house than high rise,’ Downtown Brooklyn condo Nine Chapel launches sales

Sales officially launched at Downtown Brooklyn's Nine Chapel Street, a new boutique condo tower taking an innovative approach to outdoor space. Developed by Tankhouse and designed by SO-IL, the 14-story building contains 27 luxury residences and creative outdoor space, including open-air terraces that act like front porches and weather-protected loggias. Pricing for the one- to four-bedroom residences starts at $1,040,000.
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January 22, 2024

MTA installs new subway platform barriers at 191st Street station

Commuters should now feel more secure waiting for the 1 train at the 191st Street subway station. This weekend, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority installed new barriers on the edge of the platform at the Washington Heights station, as part of a pilot program aimed at improving safety and preventing people from falling onto the tracks. The station is the first of four to get the barriers under the program.
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January 18, 2024

NYC’s coziest spots to escape the cold weather

Winter is here, and New Yorkers are hunkering down for the cold and dark months to come. But regardless of how terrible the season can be, New Yorkers still want to go out and do things. Ahead, here are some of the city's coziest places to spend the cold months ahead, from rustic bars with fireplaces to the Koneko cat cafe.
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January 18, 2024

Colorful tulle sculptures in Madison Square Park brighten the winter cityscape

New vibrant sculptures made of tulle are adding brightness to the city's bleak winter landscape. On display in Madison Square Park through March, artist Ana María Hernando's exhibition, titled "To Let the Sky Know/Dejar que el cielo sepa," includes a series of large-scale atmospheric clouds and one cascading waterfall, all made of flowing, colorful tulle. The exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the Madison Square Park Conservancy's public art program.
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January 17, 2024

City launches initiative to ‘rainproof’ NYC

State and city agencies, nonprofits, and community leaders will join forces to develop ideas aimed at dealing with New York City's heavy rainfall problem. The Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice on Tuesday launched "Rainproof NYC," a collaborative initiative to come up with policies and programs addressing the high frequency of heavy rainfall due to climate change. The initiative will complement ongoing Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) projects that are underway across the state, including sewer upgrades, green infrastructure, cloudburst projects, and Bluebelts.
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