All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYC to study impacts of slavery, consider reparations

Credit: John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

September 13, 2024

NYC to study impacts of slavery, consider reparations

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Thursday passed a package of legislation aimed at addressing the impact of slavery and racial injustice in New York City. The legislation establishes a "Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation" process on slavery in NYC, which was the nation's capital of slavery for nearly two centuries. Other bills require the city to conduct a reparations study, install informational plaques at the site of the city's first slave market in lower Manhattan, and create a task force to explore creating a "freedom trail" recognizing sites linked to the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement.
get the details

Policy

Di Fara Pizza, Fuku coming to JFK Airport’s Terminal 6

Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office

September 12, 2024

Di Fara Pizza, Fuku coming to JFK Airport’s Terminal 6

By Aaron Ginsburg

John F. Kennedy International Airport has unveiled the lineup of vendors for its new $4.2 billion Terminal 6. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and JFK Millennium Partners (JMP) revealed their initial roster of 12 local and diverse businesses, including four from southeast Queens, that will operate within the airport's new Terminal 6. The chosen food vendors, which include famous NYC eateries like David Chang's Fuku and Brooklyn's Di Fara Pizza, will offer an "authentic taste of New York," while other businesses will co-manage parts of the terminal as joint venture partners.
discover more

MTA could need $100B+ to fund transit projects over next five years

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 12, 2024

MTA could need $100B+ to fund transit projects over next five years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) needs over $100 billion for transit projects and maintenance over the next five years, significantly more than the funds currently available, according to a new report. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Thursday released a report estimating the MTA's 2025-2029 capital plan could cost up to $92.2 billion. This figure doesn't account for the $15 billion gap in the current plan due to Gov. Kathy Hochul's pause on congestion pricing, which would bring the total funds needed up to $107 billion.
Learn more

16 best spots to celebrate Oktoberfest 2024 in NYC

September 12, 2024

16 best spots to celebrate Oktoberfest 2024 in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Get ready to raise the steins and put on lederhosen: Oktoberfest is almost here. When the city of Munich bursts into Oktoberfest celebrations, the festivities spill far beyond Germany. New York City offers lots of ways to participate in the fun—whether by enjoying traditional German fare like beer and bratwurst or competing in stein-holding contests. Ahead, here are 16 of the best spots to celebrate Oktoberfest in NYC, from German beer gardens to lively block parties across the city.
find out where THE KEGS ARE FLOWING

Construction to begin on Bedford Avenue protected bike lane in Bed-Stuy

Streetview of Bedford Avenue. © 2024 Google

September 11, 2024

Construction to begin on Bedford Avenue protected bike lane in Bed-Stuy

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of the most dangerous sections of Brooklyn's longest street will soon be safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Tuesday announced work will begin this week on a 1.5-mile protected bike lane from Dean Street to Flushing Avenue in Bed-Stuy, among other safety improvements, including new pedestrian islands and loading zones. Similar bike lane redesigns in NYC have led to a 21 percent drop in injuries, according to a press release.
find out more

East River Park partially reopens with new ballfields and pedestrian bridge

Photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

September 11, 2024

East River Park partially reopens with new ballfields and pedestrian bridge

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City officials this week opened two ballfields in East River Park and unveiled the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge, marking a significant milestone for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR). Ballfields 1 and 2 have been equipped with an advanced drainage system and new amenities to withstand climate change through the $1.45 billion ESCR initiative. The Delancey Street Bridge, manufactured in Italy and installed in the park, provides an ADA-accessible entry point from the Lower East Side to East River Park.
learn more

12 ways to commemorate 9/11 anniversary in NYC

Credit: Jimmy Baikovicius on Flickr

September 10, 2024

12 ways to commemorate 9/11 anniversary in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Wednesday marks the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks and the day that changed New York City forever. For New Yorkers looking to honor the anniversary of 9/11, the city is hosting several commemoration events, including the annual reading of the names of the victims, moving performances at Lincoln Center and in Times Square, and the Tribute in Light installation.
learn more

Events & Things To Do

Coney Island Cyclone reopens after two-week shutdown

Photo courtesy of Philipp Potocnik on Unsplash

September 9, 2024

Coney Island Cyclone reopens after two-week shutdown

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Coney Island Cyclone is back in business after a mid-ride breakdown two weeks ago. The famous Luna Park coaster reopened on Saturday after passing a series of tests and getting approval from Department of Building (DOB) inspectors, as reported by the Associated Press.
find out more

Policy

New York’s largest geothermal residential project tops out in Greenpoint

1 Java Street topping out, courtesy of David Joshua Ford. Rendering courtesy of Marvel.

September 9, 2024

New York’s largest geothermal residential project tops out in Greenpoint

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York's largest geothermal residential project has topped out on the Greenpoint waterfront. Located at 1 Java Street, the two-tower development features 834 rental units, a climate-resilient shoreline, and 13,000 square feet of retail space. Slated for completion in 2026, the all-electric project's sustainable features are expected to reduce annual carbon emissions from heating and cooling by 53 percent compared to traditional residential systems.
find out more

Architecture And Design

100 life-size Indian elephant sculptures migrate through the Meatpacking District

Photos by Mark Warner

September 9, 2024

100 life-size Indian elephant sculptures migrate through the Meatpacking District

By Aaron Ginsburg

A herd of 100 life-size elephant sculptures has arrived in the Meatpacking District as part of their great migration across America. Hosted by the Meatpacking BID in partnership with Elephant Family USA, the Great Elephant Migration seeks to captivate viewers while raising awareness and money for global conservation efforts. On view through October 20, the sculptures can be seen along 9th Avenue, between Gansevoort Plaza and 15th Street.
learn more

Popular Articles

Explore the Queens homes of over 100 famous Jazz musicians

Image courtesy of Flushing Town Hall

September 6, 2024

Explore the Queens homes of over 100 famous Jazz musicians

By Aaron Ginsburg

Explore the vibrant history of jazz in Queens with a new interactive digital map. Flushing Town Hall on Thursday released the Digital Queens Jazz Trail Map, putting 125 jazz legends who once called Queens home on the map. The digital map is the first phase of a larger database that will include more figures, locations, and details, allowing users to contribute comments and additional content to be approved by Flushing Town Hall.
LEARN MORE

City Living

Hotel Chelsea’s iconic neon sign headed to auction

Image via WikiCommons

September 6, 2024

Hotel Chelsea’s iconic neon sign headed to auction

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a chance to own an iconic part of New York City. The original neon letters from the Hotel Chelsea will be coming to auction this month as part of Guernsey's "Downtown Auction," celebrating the culture of downtown Manhattan over the last 60 years. Before its first sale in 2011, the hotel at 222 West 23rd Street was known for its celebrity and creative-minded residents, like Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol, Madonna, and many others.
find out more

182 apartments available at huge luxury high-rise in Jamaica, from $1,596/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

September 6, 2024

182 apartments available at huge luxury high-rise in Jamaica, from $1,596/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 182 mixed-income apartments at a new luxury rental tower in Jamaica, Queens. Located at 163-05 Archer Avenue, the Monarch is a 24-story building with 605 apartments, state-of-the-art amenities, and retail space. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $1,596/month for one-bedroom units to $3,753/month for two bedrooms.
learn if you qualify

Affordable Housing

96th Street bus lane plan faces backlash from Upper West Side residents

Image via WikiCommons

September 5, 2024

96th Street bus lane plan faces backlash from Upper West Side residents

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to add dedicated bus lanes along 96th Street has sparked outrage from some Upper West Side residents. The Department of Transportation proposal, first introduced to Manhattan Community Boards 7, 8, and 11 in May, would limit general traffic along the corridor to a single lane and convert the outer traffic lanes into dedicated bus lanes. During a press conference on Thursday, a group of local residents and elected officials said the plan will exacerbate existing congestion issues and further affect the quality of life in the area, as local news site I Love the Upper West Side reported.
learn more

Grand Central-Times Square shuttle gets full cell service

Photo credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 5, 2024

Grand Central-Times Square shuttle gets full cell service

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

New public art campaign honors immigrant New Yorkers

Images courtesy of the New York Proud Campaign

September 4, 2024

New public art campaign honors immigrant New Yorkers

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Central Park art installation is a monument to Puerto Rican communities

Edra Soto, “Graft,” 2024. Photo: Nicholas Knight, courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY Presented by Public Art Fund at Doris C. Freedman Plaza, New York City, Sep 5, 2024 – Aug 24, 2025.

September 3, 2024

Central Park art installation is a monument to Puerto Rican communities

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Architecture And Design

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

Dog park at Hudson Yards West with the High Line above. All renderings courtesy of Related Companies and Wynn Resorts

September 3, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Architecture And Design

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

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 30, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Affordable Housing

NYC installs pizza box bins at city parks

Images courtesy of NYC Parks

August 30, 2024

NYC installs pizza box bins at city parks

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Policy

12 museums just outside NYC perfect for a day trip

August 29, 2024

12 museums just outside NYC perfect for a day trip

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

NYC’s Open Streets will expand to 70+ schools

School children participate in activities with Street Lab on an Open Street: School. Credit: Street Lab

August 29, 2024

NYC’s Open Streets will expand to 70+ schools

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

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

Photo by Marc A. Hermann/ MTA on Flickr

August 28, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

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

Modulightor. Image credit: Joe Polowczuk

August 28, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

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

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 27, 2024

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Affordable Housing

38
39
40
41
42