All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYC proposes zoning change to make it easier to develop casinos

Freedom Plaza rendering by Negativ

November 28, 2023

NYC proposes zoning change to make it easier to develop casinos

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is proposing an update to its zoning rules to make it easier for developers to build casinos across the five boroughs. The City Planning Commission (CPC) on Monday started a seven-month public review process for a zoning text amendment that would permit the construction of casinos as of right in specified commercial and manufacturing districts without going through the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). Instead, casino proposals would only need approval from the state and the NY Community Advisory Committee to move forward. The proposal, officially filed on Friday, comes as several developers publicly bid for one of three downstate licenses.
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Policy

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

Photo by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay

November 28, 2023

Central Park’s Bow Bridge closes for renovations

By Aaron Ginsburg

The famous Bow Bridge in Central Park will close for two months for renovations. The Central Park Conservancy on Sunday announced in a social media post the iconic bridge will not be open to the public from November 27 through January 2024 for repairs that include replacing its wood decking. Parkgoers will still be able to access the Bethesda Terrace and Ramble area from the East and West Drives through West 77th, West 78th, East 74th, and East 78th Streets, as well as from Belvedere Castle going south, according to TimeOut.
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Policy

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

Photo by Shahar Azran

November 27, 2023

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

By Aaron Ginsburg

Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater will open the doors to new performance space in February. The highly anticipated expansion, the first in the institution's 90-year history, will deliver a new 25,000-square-foot facility with two theaters, office space, a central lobby, and gallery space on the third and fourth floors of the Victoria Theater on West 125th Street. The Apollo Stages at The Victoria will open on February 1.
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New Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 22 middle-income apartments, from $2,924/month

All renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

November 27, 2023

New Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 22 middle-income apartments, from $2,924/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 22 middle-income units at a new residential development in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 131 Concord Street, Amnia offers tenants brand-new residences, luxurious amenities, and a prime spot in the heart of one of Brooklyn's most popular neighborhoods. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $100,252 for a single person and $198,250 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, priced at $2,924/month for studios, $3,126/month for one-bedrooms, and $3,733/month for two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

City unveils new bike boulevard on Berry Street in Williamsburg

All images courtesy of NYC DOT

November 22, 2023

City unveils new bike boulevard on Berry Street in Williamsburg

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has transformed Brooklyn's Berry Street into a permanent two-way bike boulevard. Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Tuesday unveiled the new street design, which includes the reconfiguration of every intersection, new loading zones, and a series of one-way vehicle traffic reversals from Broadway to North 12th Street in Williamsburg. The street design builds upon the corridor's success as a pedestrian-focused open street and better connects to Domino and McCarren Parks and the Williamsburg Bridge.
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KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

November 22, 2023

KISS announces NYC takeover, including limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is releasing a limited-edition KISS MetroCard in honor of the iconic New York City-native rock band's final shows at Madison Square Garden. To mark the "End of the Road" shows on December 1 and 2, the MTA will load MetroCard machines at two busy Manhattan subway stations with 50,000 limited-edition cards. MetroCards featuring a portrait of the band will be available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis starting Monday, November 27.
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Events & Things To Do

The best books of 2023, according to the NYPL

Image courtesy of the NYPL

November 22, 2023

The best books of 2023, according to the NYPL

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York Public Library on Tuesday released its annual list of the best books of the year. The recommendations were curated by eight NYPL committees that reviewed nearly 3,000 books and selected 240 of the best titles for children, teens, and adults in 2023. You can use the NYPL's Best Books of 2023 list as a tool to help you find a new book for yourself or as a holiday gift for a loved one.
get the list here

City Living

NYC to pay 15 homeowners up to $400K to build apartments on their properties

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of City Planning

November 21, 2023

NYC to pay 15 homeowners up to $400K to build apartments on their properties

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Tuesday launched the "Plus One ADU" pilot program to help qualifying homeowners add an additional small home on their properties, known as an accessory dwelling unit. The city will pay 15 owners of single-family homes up to $395,000 to build the units, which could be backyard cottages, attic conversions, garage studios, basement apartments, or in-law suites. The pilot program aims to spur the creation of affordable housing amid the city's current crisis while also providing homeowners with extra income.
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JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

Photos courtesy of Max Touhey for JPMorgan Chase unless otherwise noted.

November 21, 2023

JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's largest all-electric skyscraper has topped out in Midtown East. JPMorgan Chase on Monday announced the placement of the final steel beam at 270 Park Avenue, a nearly 1,400-foot-tall building that will serve as the company's global headquarters. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 60-story tower will house 14,000 employees across 2.5 million square feet of flexible space. The net-zero building features a striking "fan-column" structure that rises roughly 80 feet above street level and outdoor space on Park and Madison Avenues.
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Architecture And Design

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

All images courtesy of Fernando Sandoval/MW

November 20, 2023

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

By Aaron Ginsburg

Travelers will now have a much easier time entering Penn Station. The transit hub's busiest entrance at 7th Avenue and 32nd Street reopened on Sunday following a renovation led by Amtrak and Vornado Realty Trust. The passageway is now fully ADA-accessible, with a 50 percent wider entrance, a new elevator, two new escalators, and a new glass canopy designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners that replaces the original concrete overhang.
take a look

Popular Articles

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s new ice skating rink is now open

All images courtesy of @glidebk

November 17, 2023

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s new ice skating rink is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

Strap on your skates! Brooklyn Bridge Park's first-ever ice skating rink is now open. Located under the Brooklyn Bridge at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza, the rink, called Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park, offers skating for guests of all ages, rinkside food and beverages from the nearby Time Out Market, and spectacular Manhattan skyline views. The rink is open through March 1, 2024.
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Events & Things To Do

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

All photos courtesy of Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM

November 17, 2023

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

By Aaron Ginsburg

The $100 million restoration of Park Avenue's famous Lever House tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the iconic building's original architects, has been completed. The project revitalized the tower for the 21st century while preserving the distinct architectural aesthetic the building has expressed since it was first completed in 1952. Lever House features a reimagined lobby, ground-level public plaza, modernized building systems, and a new indoor and outdoor hospitality suite called the Lever Club.
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Architecture And Design

NYC completes restoration of national medallions along Avenue of the Americas

Photos courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr

November 16, 2023

NYC completes restoration of national medallions along Avenue of the Americas

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Department of Transportation completed the full restoration of the national medallions found along the Avenue of the Americas. The medallions, which were originally installed in 1959, had fallen into disrepair, with only 18 of the original medallions remaining in early 2023. The medallions depict the emblems of 43 nations and territories across the Western Hemisphere and are now on display atop lampposts along Sixth Avenue between Canal and 59th Streets.
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Transit

Eataly opening new store in Soho

All photos courtesy of Eataly

November 16, 2023

Eataly opening new store in Soho

By Aaron Ginsburg

Eataly's third New York City outpost will open in Soho next week. Located in a landmarked building at 200 Lafayette Street, the store will offer Eataly's world-renowned authentic Italian goods, a specialty market with curated Italian and local delicacies, a restaurant, and an all-day cafe. Eataly Soho will open its doors on Saturday, November 25 at 12 p.m.
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Food & Dining

NYC’s first 100% affordable housing development with new public library opens in Sunset Park

All photos courtesy of Brooklyn Public Library

November 16, 2023

NYC’s first 100% affordable housing development with new public library opens in Sunset Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Brooklyn Public Library and Fifth Avenue Committee on Wednesday opened the Sunset Park Library and Apartments, a first-of-its-kind development with 100 percent affordable housing above a new state-of-the-art public library branch. The eight-story mixed-use building at 372 51st Street brings new affordable housing homes to Sunset Park for the first time in two decades. Officials say the project could establish a new model for co-located affordable housing developments in the city.
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Affordable Housing

Fifth Avenue to transform into car-free holiday wonderland

Photo by Josh Wilburne on Unsplash

November 15, 2023

Fifth Avenue to transform into car-free holiday wonderland

By Aaron Ginsburg

Attention revelers: the streets of Midtown will soon be filled with fun, pedestrian-friendly cheer. As part of a special holiday open street, Fifth Avenue will close to cars and transform into a winter wonderland on three Sundays in December. The Fifth Avenue Association on Tuesday revealed the "Gift of Fifth" campaign that will turn the historic corridor from 49th Street to 59th Street into a holiday destination, with jolly decor, festive food and beverages, photo-ops, store giveaways, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC launches first-ever Hart Island public walking tours

Image courtesy of David Trawin on Flickr

November 15, 2023

NYC launches first-ever Hart Island public walking tours

By Aaron Ginsburg

Hart Island, the nation's largest public cemetery, will open to the public for the first time this month. The city's Parks Department on Wednesday announced that free walking tours of the Bronx island will be offered twice per month starting November 21. Hart Island, which has served as the final resting place of more than one million people since the Civil War, has long been inaccessible to visitors, with extremely stringent security and once-a-month visitation days. Now, with NYC Parks managing the site, the public can get an up-close look at the island's history, helping undo historical stigmas. The tours will last roughly 2.5 hours, with ferry transportation provided to and from the island.
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First look at Olympia Dumbo amenities, including NYC’s highest private tennis court

All photos courtesy of Pavel Bendov for Olympia DUMBO

November 14, 2023

First look at Olympia Dumbo amenities, including NYC’s highest private tennis court

By Aaron Ginsburg

The impressive amenities at Dumbo's latest luxury tower are now complete and new photos provide a first look at the stunning spaces. Olympia Dumbo, the neighborhood's tallest and most expensive residential building, offers 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities spread across three floors, including New York City's highest private outdoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor pools, and a playroom, shipwreck-themed playground, and waterpark for kids.
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Museum of Natural History explores the ‘secret world’ of elephants in new exhibit

The exhibition features a life-size model of an African elephant—the largest living land animal. All photos courtesy of Alvaro Keding / © AMNH

November 13, 2023

Museum of Natural History explores the ‘secret world’ of elephants in new exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History dives into the astounding 60-million-year history of elephants. Now open, the exhibit, known as "The Secret World of Elephants," explores new science about modern and ancient elephant relatives, delves into the species' extraordinary minds and senses, explains their vital importance to the health of their ecosystems, and shares efforts that are currently underway to ensure their survival. The exhibition is located on the fourth floor of the museum in the LeFrak Family Gallery.
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Events & Things To Do

New images and details unveiled for 420-foot-tall Upper East Side condo

All renderings courtesy of Elad Group

November 13, 2023

New images and details unveiled for 420-foot-tall Upper East Side condo

By Aaron Ginsburg

New images and details for a high-rise condominium on the Upper East Side were released last week. Developed by Elad Group, the 32-story building at 201 East 74th Street, going by The 74, will be home to 42 two- to five-bedroom apartments. Not only making a statement in the neighborhood for its height, the tower also stands out for its design, which includes squeezing in next to, and cantilevering over, a 110-year-old walk-up apartment building.
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A festive roller rink is opening inside the Oculus

All photos courtesy of the Oculus

November 10, 2023

A festive roller rink is opening inside the Oculus

By Aaron Ginsburg

A roller rink is opening inside the World Trade Center's Oculus this month. "Winter Whirl" invites skaters of all ages to skate inside the Lower Manhattan shopping mall and underneath the architecturally stunning skylight designed by Santiago Calatrava. The rink will open for the season on Friday, November 24, and operate through late January.
go for a winter whirl

Events & Things To Do

What to know about NYC’s 2023 Veterans Day Parade

Photo by Sgt. Randall A. Clinton for MarineCorps New York on Flickr

November 10, 2023

What to know about NYC’s 2023 Veterans Day Parade

By Aaron Ginsburg

The country's largest Veterans Day commemoration takes place in New York City this Saturday. On November 11, the 104th annual Veterans Day Parade kicks off with 20,000 marchers and 150+ vehicles traveling up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in honor of the military. This year's parade starts at 9:30 a.m. from 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and moves north until ending at 47th Street. The Army is this year’s featured service.
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Events & Things To Do

517-unit luxury development tops out along Gowanus Canal

Renderings courtesy of PMG

November 10, 2023

517-unit luxury development tops out along Gowanus Canal

By Aaron Ginsburg

A huge mixed-use development with over 500 apartments has topped out along the Gowanus Canal. The two-tower, 21-story project at 267 Bond Street and 510 Sackett Street measures over 600,000 square feet and includes 57,300 square feet of retail space and a new park and esplanade along the famously polluted waterfront. Developed by PMG and Carlyle, the development is part of the 2021 Gowanus rezoning effort, which will bring thousands of new homes to the Brooklyn neighborhood. The development, dubbed Society Brooklyn and Sackett Place, has a completion date of 2025.
more about luxury canal living

See gingerbread recreations of iconic NYC landmarks

The American Museum of Natural History by Loretta Bricchi Lee. All photos by Brad Farwell for MCNY

November 9, 2023

See gingerbread recreations of iconic NYC landmarks

By Aaron Ginsburg

These gingerbread creations take the holiday cookie tradition to the next level. The Museum of the City of New York is hosting its second annual gingerbread competition, Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off, featuring the work of professional and independent bakers tasked with creating festive displays depicting New York City icons in neighborhoods across the five boroughs. The installation will be on view at the museum from November 10 through January 15 and visitors are invited to vote for their favorites.
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Events & Things To Do

Empire State Building receives ‘Elf’ takeover for movie’s 20th anniversary

All photos by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust unless noted otherwise

November 9, 2023

Empire State Building receives ‘Elf’ takeover for movie’s 20th anniversary

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Empire State Building is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the holiday classic "Elf" with new festive decorations and screenings of the movie in the skyscraper's 80th-floor observatory. Visitors will be able to snap photos with a life-sized cutout of Buddy the Elf, view ground-floor window displays featuring Elf-themed merchandise for purchase, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

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