All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

7 historic places in NYC recommended for state and national designation

William Ulmer Brewery, at the corner of Belvidere Street and Beaver Street, Brooklyn (ca. 1920). Image courtesy of DXA Studio

January 2, 2024

7 historic places in NYC recommended for state and national designation

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced the 36 properties and places in New York nominated for potential placement on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The seven New York City recommendations include Bushwick's historic William Ulmer Brewery, the city's first cast-iron office building, and a new historic district in Central Harlem that illustrates the neighborhood's development as a Black working-class residential neighborhood.
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NYC bans street vendors from all city bridges

Photo courtesy of Gedalya AKA David Gott on Flickr

January 2, 2024

NYC bans street vendors from all city bridges

By Aaron Ginsburg

Starting Wednesday, vendors selling New York City-themed souvenirs and cheap eats will be banned from all 789 of the city's bridges. Mayor Eric Adams last week announced new rules prohibiting vending on pedestrian walkways and bike lanes of bridges, as well as their approaches, will go into effect on January 3. Proposed this fall by the mayor, the vending ban specifically targets the overcrowded Brooklyn Bridge, which has seen a surge in both illegal vendors and pedestrians in recent years, creating safety issues on the jam-packed crossing.
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Say ‘fir-well’ to your Christmas tree: Mulchfest is back

Mulchfest 2021. Photo © 6sqft

December 29, 2023

Say ‘fir-well’ to your Christmas tree: Mulchfest is back

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sick of your Christmas tree taking up space in your living room? There is an easy (and sustainable) way to ditch it. Starting December 26 and running through January 7, the city's annual Mulchfest offers New Yorkers 72 sites across the five boroughs to drop off Christmas trees to be composted. Those who bring their trees to one of 32 chipping sites on the weekend of January 6 will even get to take a bag of mulch home.
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Events & Things To Do

The busiest subway stations of 2023, according to the MTA

Photo by Lerone Pieters on Unsplash

December 29, 2023

The busiest subway stations of 2023, according to the MTA

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released its annual list of statistics covering New York City Transit, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad. The data, which includes ticket sales, MetroCard and OMNY payments, and the busiest stations, lines, and branches, was recorded from January 1, 2023, through November 2023. This year, the subway station with the most MetroCard swipes was Flushing-Main Street 7 station in Queens with 6.3 million swipes.
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Transit

What to know about the 2024 Times Square ball drop this New Year’s Eve

Image courtesy of Kohei Kanno on Flickr

December 28, 2023

What to know about the 2024 Times Square ball drop this New Year’s Eve

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's world-famous New Year's Eve celebration returns to the Big Apple on Sunday. Revelers will camp out for the best spots to view the 11,875-pound crystal ball as it descends from One Times Square to ring in 2024. Ahead, find everything you need to know about the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball Drop, from the best in-person viewing spots to how to watch the event from home.
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Events & Things To Do

Nearly 200 mixed-income apartments available near Yankee Stadium, from $465/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 28, 2023

Nearly 200 mixed-income apartments available near Yankee Stadium, from $465/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 198 mixed-income units at a new residential development in the South Bronx. Located as part of a two-building project at River Avenue and McClellan Street, the McClellan Apartments is a 17-story building with 250 apartments. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 100 of the area median income, or between $18,515 for a single person and $175,100 for a household of seven people, can apply for the apartments, which range from $465/month studios to $2,639/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

December 28, 2023

6sqft’s top 10 ‘distinctive homes’ of 2023

By Aaron Ginsburg

This year, 6sqft has published hundreds of stories on 'distinctive homes' around New York City, from one of the city's most expensive townhouses (a Gilded Age home on the UES for $65 million) to an 1870s Clinton carriage house rebuilt as a Passive House (and as Brooklyn’s first mass timber single-family residence). Ahead, take a look at the 10 most popular features of residences that hit the market this year.
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Distinctive Homes

NYC rental subsidy aims to build more affordable housing in wealthy neighborhoods

Image courtesy of mari small on Unsplash

December 27, 2023

NYC rental subsidy aims to build more affordable housing in wealthy neighborhoods

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city on Tuesday announced plans to subsidize mixed-income rental projects in neighborhoods with few low-cost homes as a way to jumpstart development following the end of the 421-a tax exemption. The new program, called the Mixed Income Market Initiative (MIMI), would make public money available for the first time to projects with both affordable and market-rate units, with the goal of incentivizing developers to build more affordable homes using revenue generated from the market-rate apartments.
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20 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in NYC for under $150

Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash

December 22, 2023

20 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in NYC for under $150

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City knows how to celebrate New Year's Eve like no other. Amid its endless selection of extravagant rooftop parties and over-the-top events, it may seem impossible to ring in the New Year without it costing a pretty penny. However, enjoying New Year's Eve in NYC doesn't necessarily require you to spend hundreds of dollars. Ahead, we've found 20 New Year's Eve events that cost less than $150 (and some are even free!), from watching a dazzling display of fireworks in Prospect Park to a brewery dance party.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC Council approves bill limiting criminal background checks by landlords

Image courtesy of Emiliano Bar on Unsplash

December 21, 2023

NYC Council approves bill limiting criminal background checks by landlords

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Wednesday passed legislation limiting the use of criminal background checks by landlords when screening tenants. Sponsored by Council Member Keith Powers, "The Fair Chance for Housing Act" amends the city's Human Rights Law to prohibit landlords, owners, and real estate brokers from rejecting applicants based on past convictions. However, landlords can consider misdemeanor convictions from the last three years and felony convictions within five years. Other exemptions to the bill include certain sex crimes and one- or two-family homes where the owner also lives.
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The ‘2024’ numerals have arrived in Times Square ahead of New Year’s Eve

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's nearly time to kiss 2023 goodbye. The iconic, seven-foot-tall numerals that sit under the New Year's Eve crystal ball arrived in Times Square on Wednesday after a cross-country trip. The towering digits are on view at Broadway Plaza between 46th and 47th Streets through Friday, December 22 when they are placed atop One Times Square ahead of the ball drop on the 31st.
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Events & Things To Do

Upper West Side rental opens lottery for 52 mixed-income units, from $1,096/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 20, 2023

Upper West Side rental opens lottery for 52 mixed-income units, from $1,096/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 52 mixed-income units in a new luxury rental building on the Upper West Side. Located at 266 West 96th Street, the 23-story building includes 171 luxury apartments and exclusive amenities, including an expansive rooftop terrace. New Yorkers earning 70, 80, and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $40,526 for a single person and $198,250 for a household of five people, can apply for the apartments, priced from $1,096/month studios to $3,703/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

East Midtown Greenway opens, with nearly 3 acres of public open space on the waterfront

Image courtesy of Skanska

December 20, 2023

East Midtown Greenway opens, with nearly 3 acres of public open space on the waterfront

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has taken a major step forward in its effort to expand the greenway network. The city's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and NYC Parks on Tuesday officially opened the East Midtown Greenway and the second phase of the Andrew Haswell Green Park, delivering nearly three acres of public open space, a new pedestrian walkway, a pedestrian bridge, landscaping, and a separated bike lane stretching from East 53rd Street to East 60th Street along the East River. The $197.6 million investment fills a significant gap in the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.
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The Modulightor Building. Photo credit: Joe Polowczuk

December 19, 2023

Paul Rudolph’s Modulightor Building is now an NYC landmark

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to landmark the Modulightor Building, an iconic building in Midtown East designed by renowned modernist architect Paul Rudolph. Located at 246 East 58th Street, the building was built between 1989 and 1993 to house the Modulightor lighting company founded by Rudolph with German physicist Ernst Wagner. According to the commission, the building stands out for its special character and its historical and aesthetic significance in New York City.
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These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2023

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

December 19, 2023

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2023

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's three public library systems on Tuesday revealed their most checked-out titles of 2023. At the New York Public Library, the most borrowed book of the year was "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. In Queens, the top checkout was "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yaros, and in Brooklyn, "I'm Glad My Mom Died" by Jennette McCurdy.
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City Living

Vacant hotel near JFK Airport to become 300+ permanently affordable apartments

Rendering of the indoor/outdoor garden planned for residents at Baisley Pond Park Residences. Courtesy of OSD

December 18, 2023

Vacant hotel near JFK Airport to become 300+ permanently affordable apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

An empty hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens will be converted into a permanently affordable housing development with 300 apartments. Slate Property Group, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and the city's Housing Development Corporation on Monday announced the acquisition of the former JFK Hilton Hotel for $64 million, the first step in converting the vacant hotel into homes for low-income households and formerly homeless New Yorkers. Construction is expected to kick off next month.
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Photo by MusikAnimal by Wikimedia Commons

December 15, 2023

The Whitney Museum announces free admission on Friday nights, second Sundays

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Whitney Museum of American Art will offer free admission and special programming on certain days every month next year. Beginning January 12, the Meatpacking District art museum will drop its "pay-what-you-wish" system on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on the second Sunday of every month. During those times, admission will be free for all visitors.
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Events & Things To Do

December 15, 2023

Free six-acre light installation ‘Field of Light’ opens in Midtown East

By Aaron Ginsburg

A massive installation made of thousands of twinkling lights opened this week in Midtown East. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza includes 18,750 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change colors and create a mesmerizing landscape across more than six acres next to the United Nations headquarters. The installation is free to visit thanks to the Soloviev Group, the developer who is proposing building a casino on the vacant site. The 12-month Field of Light is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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NYC’s worst landlord has 3,293 open violations across 306 apartments

The building at 410 West 46th Street is owned by Johnathan Santana and Daniel Ohebshalom. Tenants won a court battle to remedy unsafe conditions in the building, now placed under control by an outside administrator. Streetview of 410 West 46th Street © 2023 Google Maps

December 14, 2023

NYC’s worst landlord has 3,293 open violations across 306 apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's worst landlord broke the city's record for most open housing violations two years in a row. NYC Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams on Wednesday released the 2023 "Worst Landlord Watchlist," an annual list exposing the city's most negligent property owners and ranking them by the number of hazardous housing violations in their buildings. Johnathan Santana took the number one spot for the second year in a row, breaking last year's record of 2,980 violations with a whopping 3,293 open violations across 306 separate apartments.
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Policy

NYC unveils new protected bike lane on 10th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen

The new, extra-wide bike lane on 10th Avenue. Image courtesy of NYC DOT

December 14, 2023

NYC unveils new protected bike lane on 10th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city on Wednesday unveiled the first phase of safety upgrades to a stretch of 10th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. Installed between West 38th Street and West 52nd Street, a new 10-foot wide northbound bike lane will more safely accommodate the growing number of cyclists, e-bike riders, and micro-mobility device users. Additional improvements include new concrete pedestrian islands, new bike corrals, and redesigned intersections to slow down drivers when turning.
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276 units available at affordable Passive House in East Harlem, from $498/month

Renderings courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 13, 2023

276 units available at affordable Passive House in East Harlem, from $498/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are being accepted for 276 mixed-income units at the world's largest fully affordable Passive House in East Harlem. Located at 50 East 112th Street, the building is the second phase of Sendero Verde, a mixed-use project with affordable housing, outdoor space, a school, community space, and retail. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 110 percent of the area median income, or between $19,646 for a single person and $192,610 for a household of seven, can apply for the units, which range from $498/month studios to $3,169/month for three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

New York to spend $50M restoring single-room occupancy units

An SRO in the famous Chelsea Hotel, featured in a 2018 6sqft story. Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft.

December 13, 2023

New York to spend $50M restoring single-room occupancy units

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York is paying landlords to renovate and repair single-room occupancy (SRO) apartments as a way to provide housing for vulnerable New Yorkers. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced $50 million will be spent to rehabilitate up to 500 existing SROs across the state. Units in SRO buildings usually include one room with a sink and stove and access to a shared bathroom. A common type of housing in New York City until the second half of the 20th century, SROs cost less than the average apartment and appeal to low-income renters or those struggling with homelessness.
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Every NYC borough saw a decline in chain stores over the past year

Image courtesy of Peter Burka on Flickr

December 12, 2023

Every NYC borough saw a decline in chain stores over the past year

By Aaron Ginsburg

Nearly 250 chain stores in New York City have closed in the last year, the second-largest decrease since the pandemic began in 2020. The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) on Tuesday released its annual "State of the Chains" report, which found a 3.1 percent decrease in the number of chain stores across the five boroughs over the past year. This year's decline breaks a two-year streak of moderate growth of NYC chain stores.
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Real Estate Trends

Long-forgotten Bronx burial site of enslaved people designated as a landmark

Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

December 12, 2023

Long-forgotten Bronx burial site of enslaved people designated as a landmark

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Bronx park with unique New York City history is now a landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate Joseph Rodman Drake Park and Enslaved People's Burial Ground, a colonial-era burial ground in Hunts Point that contains the long-forgotten site of a cemetery for enslaved people, as an individual landmark.
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Policy

Office-to-residential conversions could significantly lower NYC’s carbon emissions: report

Image courtesy of Carl Solder on Unsplash

December 12, 2023

Office-to-residential conversions could significantly lower NYC’s carbon emissions: report

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City could drastically decrease its carbon footprint if the eligibility for office-to-residential conversions is expanded, according to a new report. In the study "Office to Residential Conversions: The Carbon Story," sustainable development consultant Arup found updating zoning rules to allow for more office buildings to become apartments could cut carbon emissions by 54 percent by 2050.
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All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

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