All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

April 22, 2024

Pickleball is now a summer attraction at Central Park’s Wollman Rink through 2026

Central Park will be a summer pickleball hotspot for at least the next three years. Following last season's success, the park's iconic Wollman Rink will once again transform into CityPickle, a 14-court pickleball installation offering lessons, open-play sessions, and tournaments, starting May 1. Presented by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Related Companies, and Equinox, CityPickle signed a three-year agreement, securing pickleball in the park until 2026.
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April 22, 2024

New York lawmakers finally pass housing package

After over two years of inaction, state lawmakers have agreed on a legislative package to address New York's housing crisis. Approved over the weekend, the $237 billion state budget includes several new policies aimed at addressing the statewide housing shortage, including a new tax incentive for developers and the lift of the floor-to-area ratio (FAR) cap. The deal also contains tenant protections, including a version of the "good cause" eviction proposal.
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April 19, 2024

134 affordable apartments available at massive Far Rockaway development, from $617/month

Applications are now being accepted for 134 affordable apartments at a new residential complex in Far Rockaway. The apartment building is part of the first phase of Edgemere Commons, an 11-tower development with over 2,000 affordable homes, retail, community space, health care facilities, and outdoor public space. New Yorkers earning 30, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $24,480 for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, priced from $617/month for one-bedroom homes to $2,665/month three bedrooms.
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April 19, 2024

Rent hikes between 2.5% and 7% recommended for NYC’s stabilized apartments

Rent for millions of New Yorkers living in rent-stabilized units will likely increase for the third year in a row. The Rent Guidelines Board on Thursday released an annual report recommending a 2.5 percent to 4 percent rent hike for one-year leases and a 4 percent to 7 percent rent hike for two-year leases in rent-stabilized buildings, based on the rising costs of building maintenance, which jumped roughly 4 percent from April 2023 to March 2024. A public meeting will be held on April 25, followed by a preliminary vote on the proposed rent increases on April 30.
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April 18, 2024

Soar into spring with free kite flying and live music at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Celebrate the start of spring beneath hundreds of vibrant kites in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy is hosting its annual Sound & Color! Spring Festival on May 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., a free family-friendly event that celebrates the beginning of the season with kite flying, live music, food vendors, activities for kids, and more. Guests can craft their own kites in a workshop and send them off into the sky with help from expert flying instructors. The festival remains the only day of the year when kite flying is allowed at Pier 5.
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April 18, 2024

Kick off the Knicks and Rangers postseason runs at ‘Playoff Palooza’

Get ready, New York sports fans. The Knicks and Rangers kick off their 2024 playoff runs this weekend. To build hype ahead of the round one games, the teams will host a free "playoff palooza" on Saturday with appearances from alumni from both teams, fun activations, face painting, a t-shirt press, photo ops, and more. The event, sponsored by Dunkin', takes place on April 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City.
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April 17, 2024

Landmarks approves rest hub for NYC delivery workers next to City Hall Park

New York City delivery workers will soon seek respite at a new "deliverista hub" in City Hall Park. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to approve designs for a new hub that will give workers a place to rest during bad weather, charge their phones and e-bikes, and learn about e-bike and battery safety. Central to many delivery routes, the new structure replaces a vacant newsstand on the western edge of the park.
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April 16, 2024

See ODA’s curving, connected residential buildings rising in Williamsburg

Renderings released this week show off a new full-block residential development coming to Williamsburg. Designed by architecture firm ODA, the project includes the Lorimer House, a 270-unit rental, and Copper Lofts, a "boutique collection" of 66 residences, connected by an elevated bridge, creating the illusion of one cohesive development. Taking advantage of their corner location in Broadway Triangle, the eight-story buildings feature a curving facade marked with alternating balconies and recessed terraces. Construction is expected to wrap up this spring.
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April 16, 2024

Vornado reveals new renderings for 62-story office tower at 350 Park Avenue

A supertall office tower long planned for Midtown is finally moving forward. During a breakfast held by the Association for a Better New York, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday revealed new details and renderings for 350 Park Avenue, a 62-story building developed by Vornado Realty Trust, Citadel, and Rudin Management. Designed by Foster + Partners, the tower, which will bring 1.8 million square feet of office space and a new public concourse to Midtown East, will enter the city's public review process early next year.
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April 16, 2024

NYC reveals design for esplanade and new 107th Street pier in East Harlem

Plans to rehabilitate a 20-block section of bike and pedestrian paths and reconstruct a decrepit pier in East Harlem are moving forward. In a presentation to Manhattan Community Board 11 this month, the city unveiled its preliminary design to rebuild and rehabilitate the East River Esplanade between East 94th and East 107th Streets and East 117th and East 124th Streets, as well as construct a new pier at 107th Street, as Streetsblog first reported. Construction is expected to begin on the $294 million project in the later part of next year and wrap up in 2027.
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April 15, 2024

Jane’s Walk NYC returns with nearly 200 free walking tours across all five boroughs

Jane's Walk returns to New York City next month, with more than 190 walking tours in all five boroughs led by New Yorkers. Presented by the Municipal Art Society of New York, the volunteer-led three-day festival, which runs from May 3-5, offers free guided tours through some of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods. This year's events include bike rides in the Bronx, a walk of World's Fair sites in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in time for the event's 60th anniversary, and architecture tours of Central Park West, Brutalist Tribeca buildings, and Queen Anne-style homes in Richmond Hill.
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April 15, 2024

New Windsor Terrace rental opens lottery for 95 units next to Prospect Park, from $874/month

Steps from Prospect Park, a new rental building in Windsor Terrace is accepting applications for 95 affordable apartments. Located on the southwest side of the park, the 13-story mixed-use building at 11 Ocean Parkway, called 1 Park Point, has 375 rental units with thoughtful layouts, a suite of luxury amenities, and a prime location right next to Prospect Park. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income, or between $33,806 for a single person and $152,500 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, which range from $874/month for one-bedrooms to $2,832/month for two-bedrooms.
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April 12, 2024

NYC releases details for ‘City of Yes’ housing reform, with new affordability mandates

The city this week released updated text for its major housing reform proposal, with new mandates for deeper affordability levels. The Department of City Planning (DCP) on Thursday released the annotated draft zoning text of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Eric Adams' plan to add housing in every neighborhood through various zoning changes. The text includes revising the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program to allow for the deep affordability choice to be a standalone option. Plus, under the proposal, developers who utilize the Universal Affordable Preference to make their buildings bigger must make all additional homes permanently affordable.
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April 11, 2024

City Council approves NYC’s first-ever pro soccer stadium in Queens

New York City's first-ever professional soccer stadium in Queens is moving forward. The City Council on Thursday voted to approve a sweeping 23-acre mixed-use development in Willets Point that will bring a seven-story soccer stadium for the NYC Football Club (NYCFC), 2,500 affordable housing units, a school, and a hotel to the neighborhood, once known for its junkyards and landfills. The 25,000-seat stadium is slated for completion just in time for the 2027 season.
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April 11, 2024

NYC unveils secure sidewalk locker program to prevent package theft

New York City is installing secure package lockers across the five boroughs to prevent theft and reduce delivery truck traffic. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced "LockerNYC," a pilot program to install seven package lockers with 25 safe compartments and security cameras to combat theft. The lockers will be installed on sidewalks at select locations and available for free through a variety of delivery carriers. New Yorkers can sign up and manage orders here.
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April 11, 2024

Queens Theatre to celebrate 60th anniversary of the World’s Fair with special tours, food tastings

A new event series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1964-1965 World's Fair in New York is set to kick off later this month. Queens Theatre on Thursday announced Theaterama!, a monthly series of special events looking back at the wonders of the World's Fair in Flushing Meadow Corona Park. Starting in April and running through October, the events include historical tours, pop-up performances, film screenings, food tastings, and more.
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April 10, 2024

NYC to redevelop Grand Concourse library with 100% affordable housing

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York Public Library announced plans to transform the Grand Concourse branch into a state-of-the-art library with affordable housing on top. This week the city kicked off the community engagement process for the project, which falls under Mayor Eric Adams' "24 in 24" plan to advance 24 affordable housing projects in 2024.
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April 10, 2024

Fifth Avenue’s tallest residential tower launches sales, from $1.7M

Sales launched this week at 520 Fifth Avenue, the tallest residential tower on Fifth Avenue. Developed by Rabina and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the 88-story skyscraper soars 1,000 feet above Midtown and features boutique office floors on the lower levels, a luxury members-only hospitality club, and 100 condos starting on the 42nd floor. Residences range from one to four bedrooms, with prices starting at $1.7 million.
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April 10, 2024

Visit the studios of 150+ artists in Dumbo this weekend

This weekend, over 150 artists will open their Brooklyn studios to the public. Taking place on April 13 and 14, DUMBO Open Studios provides a behind-the-scenes look at the neighborhood's art scene as well as conversations with artists about their latest creations. The annual event also features interactive guides on this year's participant artists and their artworks and 11 gallery exhibitions. The event will conclude with video art projections on the Manhattan Bridge and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
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April 5, 2024

NYC experiences its strongest earthquake in 140 years

No, it wasn't merely the rumbling of a subway train or a nearby construction site. At roughly 10:23 a.m. on Friday, New York City experienced a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, marking the largest quake felt across the five boroughs in 140 years, since a 5 magnitude quake shook the city in 1884. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) identified the epicenter in northern New Jersey, about 50 miles from the city. No major damage to infrastructure, injuries, or deaths have been reported so far, according to city and state officials.
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April 5, 2024

Black Comic Book Festival returns to NYC this month

A festival highlighting the work of Black comic book creators is back and bigger than ever. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture will host the 12th annual Black Comic Book Festival on April 26 and 27, attracting thousands of comic enthusiasts and giving a platform to Black comic book and graphic novel creators. Attendees can immerse themselves in panel discussions, workshops, a cosplay showcase, and more fun activities during the two-day event.
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April 4, 2024

A 100% affordable rental opens in Greenpoint

A fully affordable apartment building officially opened in Greenpoint this week, bringing income-restricted homes to one of Brooklyn's most expensive neighborhoods. City officials on Wednesday cut the ribbon at 35 Commercial Street, a 22-story tower with 374 affordable apartments, including 57 units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The building is the 11th completed building in Greenpoint Landing, a 22-acre development with 5,500 new homes and five acres of public open space.
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April 4, 2024

Historic Crown Heights school is now a 40-unit luxury rental

A former Catholic school in Crown Heights is now a 40-unit rental building. The Gregory at 991 St. John's Place sits within the St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church complex, designed by Frank J. Helmle and Harvey Wiley Corbett in the 1920s. GEMA Capital Partners and PKSB Architects oversaw the conversion of the historic schoolhouse into a multi-family rental. Leasing has kicked off for the project's mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes, starting at $3,437/month.
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April 4, 2024

Williamsburg’s porcelain-clad condo One Domino Square launches sales, from $1.25M

Sales launched this week at One Domino Square, a new residential tower within the former Domino Sugar Factory site on the Williamsburg waterfront. Developed by Two Trees Management and designed by Selldorf Architects, the building, clad in a "pearl-like porcelain tile," consists of a 39-story tower with 160 condos and a 55-story rental with 400 units, the tallest building in Williamsburg. Condos range from one- to three-bedrooms, with prices starting at $1,250,000.
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April 3, 2024

MTA wants NYC Marathon to pay $750K for Verrazzano Bridge tolls

The New York City Marathon's spectacular starting point on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge may have a spectacular price tag. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants the New York Road Runners, the organizers of the race, to cough up $750,000 a year to make up for lost toll revenue when the bridge closes to traffic for the marathon, as the New York Times first reported. The MTA threatened to restrict the race to just one level of the bridge if the organization refused to agree to some form of payment.
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