All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

June 28, 2024

Sustainable cafe with coffee and cocktails opening at Prospect Park Boathouse terrace

A new food and drink vendor is opening on the terrace of Prospect Park's iconic Boathouse. The Prospect Park Alliance on Wednesday announced the opening of Purslane Cafe, which will offer healthy and sustainably sourced food and coffee, as well as cocktails, wine, and beer on select evenings. Starting July 4, the cafe will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
find out more
June 27, 2024

Inwood development with public library and 100% affordable housing opens

New York City this week celebrated the opening of a unique new development in Inwood that combines a public library with affordable housing. City officials on Wednesday opened The Eliza, a 14-story rental with 174 deeply affordable apartments atop a two-level New York Public Library branch. In addition to 100 percent affordable homes and a public library, the project at 4790 Broadway also includes a pre-K space, STEM learning center, and community facility.
discover more
June 27, 2024

20 spots to watch 4th of July fireworks in NYC

Nowhere does the Fourth of July like New York City. For the first time in over a decade, the spectacular Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show will return to the Hudson River, sharing the stage with Jersey City's celebration and illuminating the sky in red, white, and blue. Ahead, discover a selection of the best-ticketed events across NYC to enjoy this year's Independence Day fireworks celebrations, from rooftop bars with prime views of the Hudson River to boat cruises that offer a front-row seat to the action.
see more
June 26, 2024

14,000 new homes projected for Long Island City under rezoning draft

The city's Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick on Tuesday released the draft rezoning framework for the Long Island City Neighborhood Plan, a proposal that could create up to 14,000 new homes, including 4,000 affordable units. The proposal also includes up to nine acres of open space along the Queens waterfront, new schools, and enhancements to parks and NYCHA complexes, according to Gothamist.
learn more
June 26, 2024

Pfizer’s former Midtown HQ to become 1,500 apartments

The former Midtown headquarters of pharmaceutical company Pfizer is poised to become New York City's largest office-to-residential conversion. As Crain's New York first reported, the vacant two-building complex at 219 and 235 East 42nd Street will become a 1,500-unit rental property. Metro Loft Developers, the team behind other large residential conversions, including 55 Broad Street in the Financial District, is leading the conversion. The project will not contain any affordable housing units, according to the developer.
find out more
June 26, 2024

95 apartments available at luxury Downtown Brooklyn rental, from $3,317/month

Applications are now being accepted for 95 middle-income units at a new luxury development in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 15 Hanover Place, Hanover House is a 34-story mixed-use building with 314 apartments, ground-floor retail, and amenities like a landscaped rooftop, party room, and a gym. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $113,726 for a single person and $218,010 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, priced at $3,317/month for a one-bedroom and $3,963/month for a two-bedroom.
see if you qualify
June 25, 2024

Xanadu, a funky roller disco and nightclub, lands in Bushwick

A psychedelic roller rink has touched down in Bushwick. Opening its doors on Friday, June 28, Xanadu Roller Arts is a one-of-a-kind food and entertainment hub featuring New York City's only year-round indoor roller rink that doubles as a 1,000-capacity nightclub and music venue. Located at 262 Starr Street, the venue features an out-of-this-world design with creative food and drinks, a top-of-the-line skating rink, world-class sound and lighting systems, and much more, ensuring an immersive experience for all visitors.
see more
June 25, 2024

NYC ‘Summer Streets’ to return with longer hours for more car-free fun

New York City's "Summer Streets" program is returning next month with more time to enjoy car-free streets. The annual event closes several miles of street, allowing for fun outdoor recreation and activities on certain Saturdays. Previously only hosted in Manhattan, in 2023, the program was expanded to every borough. Not only will Summer Streets once again hit all five boroughs, but this year's event will also last longer, with streets closed for an extra two hours, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
find out more
June 25, 2024

Two blocks of brownstones in Bed-Stuy now an NYC historic district

New York City's newest historic district is a two-block stretch of homes in Bed-Stuy. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Willoughby-Hart Historic District, which includes two streets of intact 19th-century rowhouses between Marcy and Nostrand Avenues. Built primarily in the Neo-Grec style between the 1870s and 1890s, the 150-year-old homes are architecturally cohesive and reflect a period of Brooklyn's transformation from farmland to residential, according to the commission.
learn more
June 24, 2024

Leasing launches at Roosevelt Island luxury rental, from $3,085/month

A brand new luxury rental building on Roosevelt Island launched leasing this week. Designed by Handel Architects, Riverwalk Heights is the ninth and final building in the planned community of Riverwalk. The tower, located at 430 Main Street, features interiors by Studio DB and waterfront landscape design by Future Green. Apartments range from $3,085/month for studios to just over $6,850/month for two bedrooms.
find out more
June 21, 2024

Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center opening, marking 55th anniversary of historic uprising

The first visitor center in the National Park Service dedicated to the gay rights movement officially opens in Greenwich Village next week. Overseen by the advocacy group Pride Live and the NPS, the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center will open its doors on June 28, marking the 55th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. Located next to the Stonewall Inn tavern on Christopher Street, the 2,100-square-foot center offers an immersive look into LGBTQIA+ history and the fight for equality for all, with engaging programs, art installations, lectures, and more.
take a look
June 21, 2024

Amtrak and NJ Transit service in NYC disrupted again

It's been a rough week for Northeast Corridor commuters. New Jersey Transit and Amtrak service in and out of New York City was disrupted this morning for a third time this week. On Friday, a disabled train at Penn Station caused NJ Transit to suspend service and led to delays in Amtrak service. The delays came just hours after Amtrak suspended service on Thursday evening for over three hours due to power outages. Rail service on both lines was halted earlier in the week because of overhead wire issues and a disabled train on the tracks. As of this morning, Amtrak service is expected to resume by 1 p.m., with delays. Some NJ Transit trains were diverted to Hoboken.
find out more
June 20, 2024

NYC launches $3.2B ‘Vital Parks’ plan to improve green spaces

New York City is making moves to bolster its public green space for the future. The city's Parks Department on Thursday unveiled Vital Parks for All, a $3.2 billion initiative to preserve existing park facilities, expand accessibility in underserved communities, and help New Yorkers understand the health of their local park. To accompany the plan, NYC Parks has released an interactive map comparing park access among neighborhoods across the city.
find out more
June 20, 2024

The Brooklyn Edison Building is designated a landmark

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Brooklyn Edison Building in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 345 Adams Street, the office building was designed by renowned architectural firm McKenzie, Voorhees & Gemlin and constructed between 1922 and 1926 for the Brooklyn Edison Company. The structure stands out for its important role in the borough's development and its striking Renaissance Revival architectural features, according to the commission.
find out more
June 19, 2024

Lincoln Center debuts first-ever night market

Lincoln Center is hosting its first-ever night market during the annual Summer for the City festival. Open from Wednesdays to Sundays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. through August 10, the Lincoln Center Night Market offers visitors an exciting variety of cuisine from curated vendors, from Mexican desserts and soul food from Harlem to Lebanese street food and plant-based options. The market will also feature a tent with rotating food offerings to complement each week of the Summer for the City programming.
learn more
June 19, 2024

MTA stops work on Second Avenue Subway extension after congestion pricing delay

Work to extend the Second Avenue subway has stopped following Gov. Kathy Hochul's delay of New York City's congestion pricing program. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced that work on the transformative transit project, which would extend the Q line from its current endpoint at 96th Street to East Harlem at 125th Street, is now paused. The extension was one of the projects that would have been funded in part from congestion pricing revenue.
find out more
June 18, 2024

NYC opens 500 cooling centers during heat wave

New York City's first heat wave of the season is here. The city's Emergency Management Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on Monday issued an official heat warning, with temperatures expected to exceed 90 degrees and peak later this week. To give New Yorkers a place to cool off and rest amidst the scorching weather, the city has made it easy to locate hundreds of cooling centers across the five boroughs with an interactive map.
find out where to keep cool
June 18, 2024

Pre-Civil War Village row house with NYC theater and Black history ties may be landmarked

A nearly 180-year-old rowhouse in Greenwich Village that has been home to one of the city's first "Off-Off-Broadway" theaters and has significant ties to Black history may be saved from demolition. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the Jacob Day Residence at 50 West 13th Street, an 1845 rowhouse once home to one of NYC's most successful African American businessmen, a famous suffragist and Civil Rights leader, and most recently, to the 13th Street Repertory Company. Although preservationists were first told by the LPC the structure was not distinguished enough to warrant designation, further research proved the building's immense cultural and historical significance and now the rowhouse is one step closer to becoming a landmark.
find out more
June 17, 2024

Free live music coming to 11 plazas and open streets across NYC

Free live music is coming to public squares in all five boroughs starting this weekend. The city's Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced the return of Make Music New York Day on June 21, featuring performances at 11 different plazas and Open Streets locations across the city. Additionally, DOT is partnering with Mov!ng Culture Projects to host performances in Brooklyn and Manhattan and is activating public spaces for Juneteenth and Caribbean American Heritage Month throughout the month.
see more
June 17, 2024

Mosaics reflecting intimacy of NYC public life installed at Williamsburg subway station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled two new mosaics in a Williamsburg subway station that reflect on the human connections of language and touch experienced throughout New York City's diverse communities. Fabricated by Miotto Mosaic Art Studios, Jackie Chang's "Signs of Life" and Chloë Bass' "Personal Choice #5" were installed throughout the Metropolitan Avenue/ Lorimer Street station in conjunction with new accessibility upgrades, including new stairs and elevators.
learn more
June 14, 2024

Hochul weighing mask ban on the NYC subway system

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday said she is considering banning face masks on the city's subway system after a rise in anti-Semitic acts. Recently a video circulated on social media showing protestors on a crowded subway car asking any Zionists aboard "to raise their hands," followed by "this is your chance to get out." Specific policy details are still unclear, but any mask ban would include exemptions for health, cultural, or religious reasons. The governor said she is currently in talks with lawmakers on the matter.
find out more
June 14, 2024

Bankside Park opens, giving Mott Haven residents waterfront access for the first time in a century

A new public waterfront park officially opened at the sprawling Bankside development in the South Bronx. Brookfield Properties on Thursday cut the ribbon on Bankside Park, a green space and esplanade designed by landscape architects MPFP that stretches over an acre along the Harlem River. Located on a former brownfield site, the new park provides Mott Haven residents direct access to the waterfront for the first time in over a century. Bankside Park is a key component of the 4.3-acre Bankside, a $950 million seven-tower, mixed-use development.
find out more
June 14, 2024

Museum Mile Festival is back, offering free admission at NYC’s best museums

The Museum Mile Festival, aka "New York City's biggest block party," returns to Fifth Avenue for its 46th year. As part of the festival, guests can walk along Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 110th Street and visit eight world-class museums for free. Participating institutions include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Neue Galerie New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Jewish Museum, Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio, and the Africa Center. The festival takes place on Tuesday, June 18 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the street closed off to vehicles to allow for live performances, art-making activities, and more.
find out more
June 13, 2024

Jersey City reveals 4th of July fireworks celebration with concert headlined by Wyclef Jean

New Jersey's spectacular 4th of July celebration is returning to the Jersey City waterfront. Mayor Steven Fulop on Wednesday announced this year's Freedom and Fireworks, an all-day celebration on Independence Day featuring a free concert headlined by Garden State-raised Wyclef Jean with openers Fat Joe and Funk Flex, food vendors, family activities, and more. The event concludes with a breathtaking fireworks show by Grucci that will light up the sky above the Hudson River.
learn more
June 13, 2024

The High Line celebrates 15 years as a public park

Fifteen years have passed since the High Line opened to the public, transforming a crumbling rail line into an urban oasis. Since opening in June 2009, more than 75 million people have visited the elevated public park. Its construction has generated over $2 billion in private investment and economic activity, creating a booming neighborhood with new residential and cultural developments centered around the park. To celebrate its 15th anniversary, the High Line will host new public art installations, 15 free special events through the summer and fall, and temporarily reopen the interim walkway at the Western Rail Yards for the first time since 2022. The Western Rail Yards segment, the last of the original High Line structure to be rehabilitated, offers stunning 360-degree views of the Hudson River and cityscape.
happy birthday high line