All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYCHA to reopen Section 8 voucher waitlist for first time in 15 years

Image courtesy of Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

May 21, 2024

NYCHA to reopen Section 8 voucher waitlist for first time in 15 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will accept applications for its Section 8 housing voucher program for the first time in 15 years. The Housing Choice Voucher (HVC) program allows families to pay no more than 40 percent of their monthly income for rent, with NYCHA covering the remaining amount. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the reopening of the waitlist, which has been closed since 2009, allowing low-income households to apply for rental subsidies on the private market. Eligible households may apply to the program starting Monday, June 3 at 12 a.m. through Sunday, June 9 at 11:59 p.m.
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How to spend Memorial Day weekend in NYC

Sailors pose for I Heart NY photo ahead of Fleet Week in 2016. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Raymond Minami via Flickr

May 21, 2024

How to spend Memorial Day weekend in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

While it marks the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day was created to honor the brave men and women in uniform who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Fortunately, in New York City, there are plenty of ways to commemorate the holiday while also enjoying the long weekend, with activities including live music aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid, a military history boat cruise in the New York Harbor, and the largest Memorial Day parade in the country.
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Events & Things To Do

Fantastical flowers and peculiar plants: New York Botanical Garden opens ‘Wonderland’ exhibit

A 12-foot-tall White Rabbit at the Leon Levy Visitor Center, Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal, Steel frame, geraniums, sedum

May 20, 2024

Fantastical flowers and peculiar plants: New York Botanical Garden opens ‘Wonderland’ exhibit

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York Botanical Garden has fallen down the rabbit hole. The enchanting exhibition "Wonderland: Curious Nature" debuted on Saturday, transforming the garden's 250 acres into a whimsical paradise inspired by Lewis Carroll's classic children's tale "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and its sequel stories. On view through October 27, the exhibition includes a 12-foot White Rabbit made of plants, larger-than-life mushrooms, gardens of the Victorian era, a large-scale chess set designed by Yoko Ono, and more.
peer through the looking glass

Prospect Park to debut ‘Ancestral Whispers’ art installation, honoring Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family

In the Face of History, Freedom Cape, 2020 c. Adama Delphine Fawundu

May 20, 2024

Prospect Park to debut ‘Ancestral Whispers’ art installation, honoring Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family

By Aaron Ginsburg

The inaugural work of the Lefferts Historic House museum's first artist-in-residence debuts in Prospect Park next month. Artist Adama Delphine Fawundu's "Ancestral Whispers" is a site-specific installation honoring the heroism of the individuals enslaved by the Lefferts family from the farmhouse's construction in 1783 to the abolition of slavery in New York in 1827. Inspired by research conducted by the Prospect Park Alliance, Fawundu created 25 fabric banners to be displayed on the museum's Flatbush Avenue facade. The installation will be on view starting June 9.
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Events & Things To Do

See inside Boerum Hill’s Bergen project, Frida Escobedo’s first condo

Renderings courtesy of DARCSTUDIO

May 16, 2024

See inside Boerum Hill’s Bergen project, Frida Escobedo’s first condo

By Aaron Ginsburg

Interior images have been revealed for a new block-long condo development in Boerum Hill. Located between 3rd and 4th Avenues in the Brooklyn neighborhood, residential project Bergen is the first condo building designed by Mexico-based architecture studio Taller Frida Escobedo. Residence interiors, conceived by design studio Workstead, complement the tower's rustic exterior, with a palette of warm earth tones and soft textures throughout.
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Enjoy free weekly movies at four outdoor spots in Brooklyn this summer

Movie nights in Prospect Park. Photo by Jordan Rathkopf

May 16, 2024

Enjoy free weekly movies at four outdoor spots in Brooklyn this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

Catch free film screenings at four of Brooklyn's most popular outdoor spaces this summer. In partnership with Paramount+ and BSE Global, Brooklyn Magazine on Tuesday announced the return of "Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn," a free film screening series hosted in Prospect Park, McCarren Park, Fort Greene Park, and for the first time, Coney Island. The series will kick off June 7 in Williamsburg, with weekly screenings at the four locations throughout the summer.
plan a movie night

Events & Things To Do

Prospect Park Zoo to reopen Memorial Day weekend after 8-month closure

Photo courtesy of WCS’s Prospect Park Zoo

May 16, 2024

Prospect Park Zoo to reopen Memorial Day weekend after 8-month closure

By Aaron Ginsburg

After being closed for nearly eight months due to flood damage, the Prospect Park Zoo will reopen this month. The Wildlife Conservation Society on Tuesday announced the Brooklyn zoo will open on Saturday, May 25 following $6.5 million in repairs needed after Tropical Storm Ophelia in September 2023. The storm dumped over 7 inches of rainfall on the zoo and caused major issues for its boilers, HVAC, electrical, and other systems.
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Events & Things To Do

Bryant Park to host 30+ free yoga classes this summer

Photos courtesy of Angelito Jusay

May 15, 2024

Bryant Park to host 30+ free yoga classes this summer

By Aaron Ginsburg

Free yoga classes are returning to the lawn at Bryant Park this summer. Presented by performance apparel brand Calia, the classes kick off on May 29, with sessions hosted on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. on the park's upper terrace and on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. on the lawn. Running through September 25, the classes will be led by some of the city's most sought-after yoga instructors and open to participants of all experience levels.
NAMASTE THIS WAY

Events & Things To Do

MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

May 15, 2024

MTA rolls out 60 electric buses for Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

Dozens of new all-electric buses will soon hit the road in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday introduced a fleet of 60 electric buses that will operate on routes in neighborhoods most vulnerable to poor air quality, according to a press release. The buses are part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's goal of operating a 100 percent zero-emission bus fleet by 2040.
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Park Slope development with 305 new apartments approved by City Council

Renderings courtesy of Brick Visual for MARVEL

May 15, 2024

Park Slope development with 305 new apartments approved by City Council

By Aaron Ginsburg

Park Slope will soon see the addition of two high-rise rentals, bringing more than 300 new apartments to the neighborhood. The City Council last month approved a rezoning application from Stellar Management to construct two new buildings at 341 10th Street, in addition to the existing apartment building on the site the developer already owns. The project includes new 17- and 19-story buildings that would wrap around the subway covering where the F and G trains go below ground, as The Real Deal reported. The project adds 305 new apartments, 162 of which will be income-restricted, bringing the total number of units from 154 to 459 at the property.
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New Developments

Popular Articles

Vintage photos look back on the futuristic 1964 New York World’s Fair in Queens

Two observation decks at the New York State Pavilion provided a 360-degree view of the World’s Fair. Image Source Attributed to NYC Parks’ Archived Collection

May 14, 2024

Vintage photos look back on the futuristic 1964 New York World’s Fair in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. Taking place just 25 years after the 1939 World’s Fair in the same location, the World’s Fair was the largest international exhibition ever constructed in the United States, with 140 pavilions representing 80 nations, 24 U.S. states, and more than 45 corporations across 656 acres. The event, which took place for two six-month seasons between April 1964 and October 1965, provided a sense of optimism for a country embroiled in unrest both at home and abroad. Led by "master-builder" Robert Moses, the fair embraced the Space Age era, which included a creative, futuristic aesthetic inspired by advancing technologies and innovative architecture. Ahead, explore the World’s Fair with historic photos and hear from World's Fair expert, Bill Cotter, on the lasting legacy of the event in New York and beyond.
SEE WHAT THE FAIR WAS LIKE

NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

Image courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Corporation

May 14, 2024

NYC to redevelop 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn coastline

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is transforming a 122-acre stretch of Brooklyn's coastline into a dynamic, mixed-use community and modern maritime port. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced an agreement that gives the city full control of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, enabling its redevelopment into a vibrant community hub with housing, retail, green space, and a modern port. The development zone, primarily controlled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, spans over a mile from the southern edge of Brooklyn Bridge Park down to Red Hook, as Bloomberg reported. The deal is the city's largest real estate transaction in terms of size in 20 years.
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Lottery opens for 101 apartments at ODA’s new Williamsburg project, from $3,105/month

All renderings courtesy of Secchi Smith

May 14, 2024

Lottery opens for 101 apartments at ODA’s new Williamsburg project, from $3,105/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a chance to live at a new residential development in Williamsburg designed by architecture firm ODA. A lottery opened this week for 101 middle-income apartments at the "Williamsburg Apex," part of a curvy, two-building project at the corner of Lorimer Street and Boerum Street in Broadway Triangle. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, between $105,458 for a single person and $218,010 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, priced at $3,105/month studios, $3,317/month one-bedrooms, and $3,963/month two-bedrooms.
see if you qualify

Affordable Housing

MTA releases Ice Spice MetroCards to celebrate Bronx rapper’s debut album

Image courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

May 13, 2024

MTA releases Ice Spice MetroCards to celebrate Bronx rapper’s debut album

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has released a limited-edition MetroCard featuring rapper, and Bronx-native, Ice Spice to celebrate her debut album "Y2K." In collaboration with Capital Records, the MTA has loaded MetroCard machines at four select stations in the Bronx and Manhattan with 50,000 limited edition cards featuring the "Munch" artist.
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Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

All photos courtesy of the Central Park Conservancy

May 13, 2024

Central Park installs new pizza box recycling bins

By Aaron Ginsburg

Central Park has a solution to a very New York problem. As first reported by NY1, the Central Park Conservancy introduced a clever recycling bin designed specifically to fit pizza boxes to address the pileup from picnics and parties. Located in the busy East Pinetum section of the park, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the bin can store up to 50 pizza boxes. Conservancy staff will check the bin up to three times a day.
check it out

Policy

Luxury spa on Governors Island to undergo major expansion in July

Panoramic of QC New York’s Building 111 (left), which will opening in mid-July 2024, and Building 112 (right), which opened in 2022. All images courtesy of QC New York

May 10, 2024

Luxury spa on Governors Island to undergo major expansion in July

By Aaron Ginsburg

The luxurious Italian wellness spa on Governors Island, QC New York, is gearing up for a major expansion this summer. QC NY on Thursday announced plans to open a 15,000-square-foot addition in July, featuring sensory saunas, waterfalls, a salt room, a lavender room, an ice room, a relaxation room with waterbeds, and a 142-seat restaurant. The new multi-million dollar expansion will be located in Building 111.
SEE IT HERE

Events & Things To Do

NYC looks to install 500 secure bike parking facilities

All images courtesy of NYC DOT

May 10, 2024

NYC looks to install 500 secure bike parking facilities

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city is looking to build hundreds of free, secure bike parking locations across the five boroughs to prevent theft and encourage more New Yorkers to bike. The Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a request for proposals seeking operators for a network of 500 secure biking parking facilities to be built starting next year. The new storage spaces would accommodate the continued growth in bike ridership across the city, which is seeing more than 600,000 trips daily.
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Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

Photo courtesy of 7beachbum on Flickr

May 9, 2024

Japan Parade returns to NYC this weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

A parade dedicated to Japanese culture is returning to New York City for its third year. On Saturday, May 11, the Japan Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. on Central Park West and West 81st Street and heads south to 68th Street. The parade will feature live music, martial arts, traditional dance and drum performances, appearances by prominent Japanese organizations, and more.
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Events & Things To Do

Artist Felipe Pantone’s biggest mural yet dazzles the Jersey City skyline

Photos courtesy of FPStudio

May 9, 2024

Artist Felipe Pantone’s biggest mural yet dazzles the Jersey City skyline

By Aaron Ginsburg

Renowned Argentinian artist Felipe Pantone's largest installation yet brings a burst of vibrancy to Jersey City. "OPTICHROMIE for Jersey City" covers 25 floors of a residential building in Journal Square with a dazzling digitized-style gradient mural of geometric patterns. The towering artwork contrasts the darker tones seen in the background of the Manhattan skyline and the mural's bold colors.
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Architecture And Design

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

All photos courtesy of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

May 8, 2024

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

First promised 20 years ago, a Downtown Brooklyn park commemorating the borough's abolitionist history is finally open. City officials on Wednesday cut the ribbon on the 1.15-acre Abolitionist Place, located at 225 Duffield Street. Designed by landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Jones, the park offers a playground, a water play feature, a central lawn, a paved area with boulders, seating, and a dog run. The green space was part of the 2004 upzoning of Downtown Brooklyn and planning officially began in 2010. Financial issues and design changes delayed the project several times.
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Architecture And Design

A giant, confetti-shooting hot dog is now on view in Times Square

All photos © 6sqft

May 8, 2024

A giant, confetti-shooting hot dog is now on view in Times Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

A confetti-shooting, 65-foot-long hot dog now sits in the heart of Times Square. Created by artists Jen Carton and Paul Outlaw, the animatronic sausage sculpture "Hot Dog in the City" seeks to celebrate the American hot dog while delving into the interconnected themes of consumption, capitalism, class, and culture within the context of the iconic New York City fast food. Located in Duffy Square, the installation, accompanied by programs and talks, is on view to the public through June 13.
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Events & Things To Do

A new grocery store for Two Bridges: Brooklyn Fare opens at One Manhattan Square

Photos courtesy of One Manhattan Square

May 8, 2024

A new grocery store for Two Bridges: Brooklyn Fare opens at One Manhattan Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

Over a decade after the longstanding Pathmark store closed, residents of Two Bridges this week celebrated the opening of a new grocery store in the neighborhood. Brooklyn Fare Kitchen & Market has opened at the base of luxury condominium One Manhattan Square at 227 Cherry Street. The new store measures 25,500 square feet, features an all-glass storefront and 20-foot ceilings, and offers a variety of fresh produce, prepared foods, and more, at an affordable price.
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Food & Dining

NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 7, 2024

NYC breaks ground on $200M project to rebuild and elevate The Battery

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City officials this week broke ground on an ambitious project to defend Lower Manhattan from climate change. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the start of work on the city-funded Battery Coastal Resilience Project, a $200 million plan to rebuild and raise the wharf promenade in The Battery, part of a larger effort to protect Lower Manhattan from sea level rise and storm surge. Slated for completion in 2026, the project will protect 100,000 residents, 300,000 jobs, and 12,000 businesses in the area, according to the city.
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Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

Photo courtesy of Etienne Frossard

May 6, 2024

Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

By Aaron Ginsburg

Williamsburg's original Domino Sugar Factory sign has been given new life as an art installation. Two Trees Management last week unveiled "Untitled (reverse virgule)," which repurposes the iconic yellow Domino Sugar Factory sign into an 11-foot by 36-foot wall sculpture. Created by artist Virginia Overton, the piece sits in the lobby of the Refinery at Domino, a new office building that opened last year within the historic sugar factory building.
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Architecture And Design

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