All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

NYC’s first-ever Chinese food festival debuts this weekend

Photos courtesy of Dragon Fest

June 19, 2023

NYC’s first-ever Chinese food festival debuts this weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first-ever outdoor Chinese food and culture festival kicks off this week. Dragon Fest will take place over four days throughout the summer, with the debut event happening in Washington Square Park on Saturday, June 24. The festival will offer a selection of cuisine, art, and cultural traditions from China. Festival attendees can indulge in over 100 varieties of Chinese food from top local vendors like MáLà Project, Pecking House, and Nom Wah, and browse through Han-style clothing and Miao embroidery and jewelry.
Get the details here

Chelsea Waterside Park reopens after $15.2M overhaul

Photos courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust

June 19, 2023

Chelsea Waterside Park reopens after $15.2M overhaul

By Aaron Ginsburg

Hudson River Park's Chelsea Waterside Park reopened last week after an extensive $15.2 million renovation. Designed by Abel Bainnson Butz, LLP and CDR Design Studio Architects, the park has been enhanced with new plantings, a public restroom, a permanent picnic area with lighting, a spacious turf sports field, and an expansive dog run. Located at West 23rd Street and the Westside Highway in Manhattan, the revamped park's layout prioritizes usable green space for New Yorkers.
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Adams ends NYC’s 90-day shelter rule for homeless New Yorkers

Mayor Eric Adams issued emergency rules eliminating the 90-day length-of-stay requirement for New Yorkers in shelters to be eligible for housing vouchers. Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 16, 2023

Adams ends NYC’s 90-day shelter rule for homeless New Yorkers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams on Friday ended a rule that had required unhoused people to spend at least 90 days in shelter before qualifying for rental assistance vouchers. The emergency rule change expands eligibility for the vouchers, called CityFHEPS, which will in turn house more New Yorkers and free up space in the shelter system for asylum seekers. The move by the mayor comes a few weeks after the City Council passed a comprehensive set of bills expanding rental assistance, including the end of the 90-day rule. Adams criticized the rest of the package, citing budget costs, but did not say if he plans to veto the legislation.
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Williamsburg’s City Reliquary to host yard sale with unusual antiques and oddities from local collectors

Image courtesy of The City Reliquary

June 16, 2023

Williamsburg’s City Reliquary to host yard sale with unusual antiques and oddities from local collectors

By Aaron Ginsburg

The City Reliquary museum is hosting a yard sale next month with a variety of antiques, oddities, and ephemera as part of a Pride celebration. Located at 370 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, the sale will take place on Saturday, July 29 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the museum's backyard. Local artists and collectors will sell a diverse selection of unique vintage items, unusual collectibles, and one-of-a-kind arts and crafts. The event includes live music provided by Kyle Supley and DJ Yestergay, resident DJ at Julius’ Bar, and refreshments and pastries from Yardsale Cafe.
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Events & Things To Do

22 middle-income units available next to the Bronx Zoo, from $2,890/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 15, 2023

22 middle-income units available next to the Bronx Zoo, from $2,890/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 22 middle-income units in a new residential development across the street from the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo. Located at 2279 Barker Avenue in Allerton, the newly constructed luxury building offers residents spacious units with state-of-the-art appliances. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $99,086 annually for a single person and $198,250 for a household of five, can apply for the units, which include $2,890/month studios, $3,059/month one-bedrooms, and $3,599/month two bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

World Trade Center’s new cube-shaped arts center reveals inaugural season ahead of opening

Images courtesy of Iwan Baan unless otherwise noted

June 15, 2023

World Trade Center’s new cube-shaped arts center reveals inaugural season ahead of opening

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new arts center at the World Trade Center was included in the 2003 master plan for Lower Manhattan after September 11. Two decades later, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC) is opening this fall. On Wednesday, the center announced the lineup for its augural season, including wide-ranging programs across theater, dance, music, film, and more. Located at 251 Fulton Street, PAC is a unique, cube-shaped building with a glowing marble facade and flexible performance spaces within. The center kicks off its season on September 19 with a five-night pay-what-you-wish event, "Refuge: A Concert Series to Welcome the World," which will include performances from musicians from around the world.
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New Jersey’s largest resiliency park can hold up to 2 million gallons of stormwater

Photos courtesy of the City of Hoboken

June 14, 2023

New Jersey’s largest resiliency park can hold up to 2 million gallons of stormwater

By Aaron Ginsburg

A brand new park in Hoboken will also work to prevent flooding during storms. Located at 12th and Madison Streets, ResilenCity Park includes five acres of public open space, basketball courts, and athletic fields, and has the ability to detain up to two million gallons of water. Considered the largest resiliency park in New Jersey, the new park is part of a broader effort by Hoboken to build more resilient storm infrastructure after Hurricane Sandy flooded most of the city in 2012.
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Neighborhood Tours

NYC sets first-ever minimum wage for delivery workers

Image courtesy of Elvert Barnes on Flickr

June 14, 2023

NYC sets first-ever minimum wage for delivery workers

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has established the first minimum wage in the country for app-based delivery workers. Starting July 12, workers will be paid at least $17.96 per hour plus tips, with an increase to $19.96 per hour by April 1, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protections announced this week. The new policy comes two years after the City Council passed legislation designed to improve labor conditions for delivery workers.
Details here

23 ways to celebrate Juneteenth in NYC

June 13, 2023

23 ways to celebrate Juneteenth in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

For over 150 years, Black Americans have celebrated Juneteenth, the day President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation order reached the people of Galveston, Texas, ending slavery. While Juneteenth became an official federal and state holiday only in recent years, Black Americans in New York City and nationwide have long been commemorating the holiday. New Yorkers have many opportunities to celebrate Juneteenth this year, from musical performances and panel discussions to comedy shows and food festivals.
Juneteenth celebrations and events, this way

Events & Things To Do

NYC delays enforcement of new Airbnb short-term rental rules

Photo via CC

June 13, 2023

NYC delays enforcement of new Airbnb short-term rental rules

By Aaron Ginsburg

Following a lawsuit filed this month by Airbnb, New York City will delay enforcing new restrictions limiting short-term rentals within the five boroughs. The Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) said it will not begin issuing fines to hosts until September 5, pushed back from a July start date, according to a court filing. The agency, which has already delayed the enactment of the new rules twice, currently has a staff vacancy rate of more than 50 percent, preventing it from effectively enforcing the law, as Gothamist reported.
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Policy

Popular Articles

Visit NYC’s finest museums for free during annual Museum Mile Festival

Image courtesy of Brian Lauer on Flickr

June 12, 2023

Visit NYC’s finest museums for free during annual Museum Mile Festival

By Aaron Ginsburg

This week "New York City's biggest block party" is returning to a 28-block stretch of Fifth Avenue for the 45th year. During the Museum Mile Festival, attendees can walk along Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 110th Street and visit eight of the city's finest institutions for free. Participating museums include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Jewish Museum, Neue Galerie New York, El Museo del Barrio, the Africa Center, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The iconic thoroughfare will close to cars during the festival, which takes place on June 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., allowing the museums to host art activities, musical performances, and other attractions outdoors.
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Events & Things To Do

New York lawmakers fail to reach a deal on housing

Photo of New York State Capitol by wadester16 on Flickr CC

June 9, 2023

New York lawmakers fail to reach a deal on housing

By Aaron Ginsburg

Despite New York lawmakers claiming they reached a deal on a comprehensive package of housing proposals, the state legislature has failed to pass any meaningful bills during this legislative session, as first reported by the New York Times. Negotiations between state Democrats and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday fell apart as the two bodies failed to reach a deal before the end of the legislative session on Friday. Lawmakers blamed Hochul for opposing their housing proposals, including those that protect tenants from eviction and major rent hikes, and the governor claimed lawmakers never presented her with any housing bills to approve.
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East Flatbush’s new library is light-filled and inviting

Images courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library

June 9, 2023

East Flatbush’s new library is light-filled and inviting

By Aaron Ginsburg

A renovation of the East Flatbush Library has transformed it into a light-filled and modern space that will inspire visitors of all ages. After undergoing a complete renovation by architecture firm LevenBetts, the East Flatbush Library reopened to visitors this week. Located at 9612 Church Street, the revitalized library has achieved LEED silver status and features an innovative facade, windows, and skylights which fill the previously dimly-lit facility with abundant natural light.
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Architecture And Design

Here’s what closed in NYC due to unhealthy air quality

Image courtesy of Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

June 8, 2023

Here’s what closed in NYC due to unhealthy air quality

By Aaron Ginsburg

As the smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to blanket New York City with unhealthy air, many events and activities, especially those planned for the outdoors, have been canceled. The city broke its air quality index (AQI) record on Wednesday, hitting 405 out of 500, the highest record since the city started collecting air quality records in 1985. City officials have advised New Yorkers to stay indoors, and if they must go outside, to wear a high-quality mask. Ahead, find some of the places across the five boroughs that have announced closures and cancellations due to the air quality.
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Lincoln Center to reimagine Amsterdam Avenue side of campus

Corner of 65th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, facing corner stairway to Lincoln Center plaza level. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong.

June 8, 2023

Lincoln Center to reimagine Amsterdam Avenue side of campus

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts wants to break down barriers, both literally and figuratively. The cultural institution on Tuesday announced plans for a major renovation of the western edge of its campus to make it more welcoming and accessible, calling on local community members and stakeholders to help reimagine the Amsterdam Avenue-facing side, which currently has no direct access to the campus. The renovation is one way the center has worked to become more equitable and inclusive in recent years, including a new pay-what-you-wish ticketing model, diverse programming, the new David Geffen Hall, and partnerships with blood drives, food banks, and other charitable events.
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Events & Things To Do

282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 8, 2023

282 affordable apartments up for grabs in Far Rockaway, from $388/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 282 affordable units at a new residential development in Queens. Located at 1626 Village Lane, the building is part of the third phase of the Rockaway Village Apartments, a huge housing complex that is replacing an abandoned strip mall. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $16,252 annually for a single person and $140,080 for a household of seven, are eligible to apply for the units, which range from $388/month studios to $1,968/month three bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

MTA celebrates Pride Month with train decals and limited-edition MetroCards

Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 7, 2023

MTA celebrates Pride Month with train decals and limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

In celebration of Pride Month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has decorated subway cars, buses, and commuter rail lines with Pride-themed decals, digital displays, and posters. The agency also released a special MetroCard that is available at select subway stations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens.
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A public art installation in Lower Manhattan reimagines Earth using plastic waste

Photos courtesy of Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for B.N. Barkat Holdings and Studio

June 7, 2023

A public art installation in Lower Manhattan reimagines Earth using plastic waste

By Aaron Ginsburg

A timely new public art installation in Lower Manhattan depicts the devastating impact of pollution on Earth. Created by Israeli artist Beverly Barkat, "Earth Poetica" uses a mixture of plastic materials collected from the world's oceans, waterways, and forests to create a globe that appears beautiful on the outside but is in fact just trash on the inside. Located in the lobby of 3 World Trade Center, the 13-foot-tall sculpture is made up of 180 colorful panels and highlights areas of the world suffering from increasing plastic pollution.
See the artwork

Events & Things To Do

NYC’s free Shakespeare in the Park program returns this week

The Delacorte Theater. Photo credit: Joseph Moran

June 6, 2023

NYC’s free Shakespeare in the Park program returns this week

By Aaron Ginsburg

Shakespeare in the Park, the Public Theater's beloved free program in Central Park, returns to the Delacorte Theater this week. Directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, the Public will present one performance of "Hamlet" for an extended nine-week run from Thursday, June 8 until Sunday, August 6. A production of "The Tempest" will be presented from Sunday, August 27 through Sunday, September 3 before the Delacorte Theater closes for renovations.
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50 houses of worship in NYC to house asylum seekers

Photo credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 5, 2023

50 houses of worship in NYC to house asylum seekers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced 50 houses of worship and faith-based facilities across the five boroughs will provide shelter to asylum seekers. As part of a two-year partnership between the city and the New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS), the shelter program includes housing about 19 single adult men at each location, with 1,000 men total expected to be housed by August. The city said it will also open five daytime migrant centers to allow the worship spaces to continue normal activities.
Details here

Policy

Sotheby’s buys the Breuer Building from Whitney Museum

Photo by Glenda Altarejos on Wikimedia

June 2, 2023

Sotheby’s buys the Breuer Building from Whitney Museum

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Whitney Museum of Art has sold the Upper East Side's iconic Breuer Building to the auction house Sotheby's. Designed by renowned architect Marcel Breuer in 1966, the five-story building at 945 Madison Avenue is known for its striking Brutalist architecture. While the exact price of the transaction remains unknown, sources close to the deal suggest it was around $100 million, according to the New York Times. Sotheby's will take over the building next September from the Frick Collection, which has operated there temporarily since 2021, and relocate its headquarters from York Avenue to the Breuer in 2025.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

Airbnb sues New York City over rules on short-term rentals

Photo by Emiliano Bar on Unsplash

June 2, 2023

Airbnb sues New York City over rules on short-term rentals

By Aaron Ginsburg

Airbnb sued New York City on Thursday seeking to block new restrictions that limit short-term rentals within the five boroughs. The lawsuits, filed by Airbnb and three local hosts, target a 2021 law designed to prevent illegal short-term rentals by requiring Airbnb hosts to register with the city. The city plans to enforce the new restrictions, which Airbnb has called "extreme and oppressive," in July.
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Policy

Apply for 316 mixed-income apartments within Greenpoint Landing, from $410/month

Rendering courtesy of Handel Architects

June 1, 2023

Apply for 316 mixed-income apartments within Greenpoint Landing, from $410/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 316 mixed-income units at a new residential development on Brooklyn's waterfront. Located at 35 Commercial Street, the building is part of the 22-acre Greenpoint Landing development. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 80, and 110 percent of the area median income, or between $17,006 annually for a single person and $158,510 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, which range from $410/month studios to $2,572/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Free photography festival Photoville returns to NYC with 80+ outdoor exhibitions

Photo courtesy of Kisha Bari

June 1, 2023

Free photography festival Photoville returns to NYC with 80+ outdoor exhibitions

By Aaron Ginsburg

Starting this weekend, enjoy more than 80 free photography exhibitions across New York City. Returning for its 12th year, Photoville NYC is a two-week festival with outdoor exhibitions displaying diverse photographic works across the five boroughs, as well as workshops, artist talks, and other events. The festival, which will run from June 3 to June 18, will include its signature Photoville Village in Brooklyn Bridge Park, in addition to open-air installations in other parts of the city.
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Events & Things To Do

See the 17-story mixed-use rental coming to Atlantic Avenue in Bed-Stuy

Rendering courtesy of Douglaston Development

May 31, 2023

See the 17-story mixed-use rental coming to Atlantic Avenue in Bed-Stuy

By Aaron Ginsburg

Another high-rise residential tower is coming to Brooklyn's once-industrial Atlantic Avenue corridor. Douglaston Development on Wednesday announced it secured financing for a 17-story, 474,000-square-foot mixed-use development at 1057 Atlantic Avenue in Bed-Stuy that will include 456 rental apartments and new neighborhood amenities. The tower joins several new and proposed developments on this strip of Atlantic Avenue that will bring hundreds of new homes to the area.
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