All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

Jersey City’s Hudson Exchange begins construction of 60-story second phase

Rendering courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle

June 30, 2023

Jersey City’s Hudson Exchange begins construction of 60-story second phase

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Ground has broken on the second phase of Hudson Exchange, one of Jersey City's largest and most anticipated redevelopment projects. Located at 420 Marin Boulevard, the 1.3 million square foot development will feature a 60-story mixed-use tower with 802 luxury rental apartments and 115,000 square feet of retail space. Developed by Brookfield Properties and G&S Investors, the property will also include pre-leased ShopRite supermarket space.
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Private firm unveils Penn Station redesign plan, claims it’s $1B cheaper than MTA’s

Renderings courtesy of ASTM, PAU, and HOK

June 29, 2023

Private firm unveils Penn Station redesign plan, claims it’s $1B cheaper than MTA’s

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A private development firm unveiled a proposal for rebuilding Penn Station that is $1 billion cheaper than what is proposed by the MTA. ASTM North America on Wednesday revealed details of their $6 billion renovation of the transit station, which involves keeping Madison Square Garden in its current location, wrapping it in a massive stone facade, and creating a more unified train hall. The firm's unveiling of the comprehensive plan comes days after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that Penn Station's renovation will move forward with the preliminary design process without the development of several office towers.
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18 best places to see 4th of July fireworks in NYC

Image courtesy of John Saeyong Ra on Flickr

June 29, 2023

18 best places to see 4th of July fireworks in NYC

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On the Fourth of July, Americans all across the nation will be celebrating the country's independence alongside friends and family with good food, cold drinks, and of course, fireworks. Luckily enough for New Yorkers, New York City offers the country's most awe-inspiring Independence Day celebrations, featuring the 47th annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Show over the East River and Jersey City's display over the Hudson River. Ahead, find a selection of some of the best-ticketed events across the five boroughs to enjoy this year's July 4th fireworks celebrations, from the top of observation decks soaring 1,000 feet above Manhattan to luxury yachts parked in the East River.
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Hypnotizing flower-themed sculptural exhibit coming to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Jean-Michel Othoniel, view of the exhibition Treasure Gardens at Seoul Museum of Art and Imperial Palace Garden, Seoul (South Korea), 2022. Photo by CJY ART STUDIO. © Jean-Michel Othoniel / ADAGP, Paris & ARS, New York 2023.

June 28, 2023

Hypnotizing flower-themed sculptural exhibit coming to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

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The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is hosting a new sculptural exhibition in three of its most well-known garden spaces this summer. Created by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, "The Flowers of Hypnosis" consists of six separate flower-like sculptures inspired by Othoniel's passion and observations of nature and work on a landscape scale. The sculpture series, Othoniel's largest exhibition in the United States since 2012, will be on view at the BBG from July 18 through October 22, 2023.
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NYC’s congestion pricing program gets final federal approval

Photo by Jesús Mirón García on Pexels

June 27, 2023

NYC’s congestion pricing program gets final federal approval

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New York City's congestion pricing program is officially moving forward. The Federal Highway Administration on Monday approved the Central Business District Tolling Program, the nation's first congestion pricing plan, which will charge drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours between $9 and $23 for non-commercial vehicles and between $12 and $82 for trucks. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the program could begin as early as May 2024.
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NYC gains three landmarks related to history of jazz

Image courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

June 27, 2023

NYC gains three landmarks related to history of jazz

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Three buildings across the city with significant ties to the history of jazz are New York City's newest individual landmarks. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, the former Queens home of Dizzy Gillespie, and a Hamilton Heights apartment building where jazz greats Duke Ellington and Noble Lee Sissle once lived. The three buildings not only have vital ties to jazz music but stand out for their architectural significance, according to the commission.
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NYC to install outdoor e-bike charging stations at dozens of NYCHA buildings

Image courtesy of Cory Doctorow on Flickr

June 26, 2023

NYC to install outdoor e-bike charging stations at dozens of NYCHA buildings

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Hundreds of safe e-bike and scooter charging and storage stations will soon be installed across New York City's public housing buildings as a way to prevent battery fires. Mayor Eric Adams, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Sunday announced plans to install 173 outdoor stations at 53 NYCHA developments starting next year, with a total of 327 stations planned. The announcement comes just days after a fire at an e-bike repair shop in Chinatown killed four people and injured several others. The initiative is funded through a $25 million emergency grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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Plan for better bus service to LaGuardia Airport rolls forward

Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia

June 26, 2023

Plan for better bus service to LaGuardia Airport rolls forward

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The board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last week approved $30 million in funding to plan and design better bus service to LaGuardia, officially kicking off a project to improve mass transit options to the Queens airport. Recommended by an expert panel in March, the plan involves scrapping the controversial AirTrain and instead improving the existing bus service and adding a new non-stop airport shuttle.
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Adams vetoes NYC Council bills expanding rental assistance

Image courtesy of robertotmn on Flickr

June 23, 2023

Adams vetoes NYC Council bills expanding rental assistance

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Mayor Eric Adams has vetoed four City Council bills that would expand access to New York City's housing voucher program. Adams on Friday vetoed bills Intro. 229, Intro. 878, Intro. 893, and Intro. 894, claiming the legislation package, which was passed by the council last month, would cost the city an exorbitant amount of money and "make it harder" for homeless New Yorkers to find housing. The Council passed the legislation package late last month with a vote of 41 to 7, enough support to override the veto.
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NYC’s latest casino bid calls for two 46-story skyscrapers across from the Javits Center

Renderings courtesy of Silverstein Properties

June 23, 2023

NYC’s latest casino bid calls for two 46-story skyscrapers across from the Javits Center

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Larry Silverstein of Silverstein Properties has joined the cast of prominent developers competing for one of three downstate casino licenses. Silverstein Properties on Friday announced plans for "The Avenir," a hotel, casino, entertainment, and residential development on a vacant plot of land on the border of Hudson Yards and Hell's Kitchen. Located at 41st Street and 11th Avenue, just north of the Javits Center, the proposed 1.8 million square foot project includes two 46-story towers with a luxury hotel, a top-floor performance hall, affordable housing, and an eight-story casino run by Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment at the base.
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Three modern penthouses added to Upper West Side’s historic Astor building

Rendering courtesy of Binyan Studios

June 22, 2023

Three modern penthouses added to Upper West Side’s historic Astor building

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Three new modern penthouses are being added atop The Astor, a landmarked residential building on the Upper West Side built over 100 years ago. The brand-new apartments top one of New York City's most iconic condominiums, which consists of three interconnected towers on Broadway between West 75th and West 76th Streets. All three penthouses come with private outdoor areas, gas fireplaces, and interiors designed by Pembrooke & Ives. Before being listed publicly, one of the penthouses already found a buyer, who purchased a 3,400 square foot four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom, and a three-bedroom unit below it, in a combo deal last listed for $15.495 million.
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Union Square’s Regal movie theater is here to stay

Photo courtesy of Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

June 22, 2023

Union Square’s Regal movie theater is here to stay

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Just months after New Yorkers lamented the loss of Regal Union Square, the company announced a deal to keep the movie theater open after all. Regal last week said it had signed a new long-term lease with Related Companies to continue the operation of its theater at Broadway and 13th Street for "many years to come." In January, the country's second-largest movie theater planned to close 39 locations, including Regal Union Square, as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, as EV Grieve reported.
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NYC’s stabilized apartments to see rent hike for second year in a row

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

June 22, 2023

NYC’s stabilized apartments to see rent hike for second year in a row

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Rent will increase for the roughly two million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments for the second year in a row. On Wednesday, the Rent Guidelines Board, the nine-member panel responsible for adjusting rent for the city's rent-stabilized apartments, voted 5 to 4 in favor of raising rents on one-year leases by 3 percent and on two-year leases by 2.75 percent for the first year and 3.2 percent for the second year. The rent increases apply to leases starting October 1, 2023.
Details here
Greenwich Village block named for LGBTQ rights activists Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer

Image courtesy of Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

June 21, 2023

Greenwich Village block named for LGBTQ rights activists Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer

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A Greenwich Village intersection has been co-named after the couple who won a historic battle in the U.S. Supreme Court for gay marriage rights. In a ceremony on Tuesday, the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Washington Square North, right behind Washington Square Park's Arch, was renamed "Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer Way" in honor of the couple who lived on the corner for 43 years. In 2010, Windsor, who died in 2017, sued the U.S. government over a federal policy that barred same-sex married couples from claiming the estate of deceased spouses, which led the Supreme Court to grant same-sex married couples the same right to federal benefits as heterosexual married couples, according to Patch. Tuesday's ceremony coincided with what would have been Windsor's 94th birthday.
Details here
NYC to demolish and rebuild two NYCHA complexes in Chelsea

Photo of the Fulton Houses complex courtesy of Elvert Barnes on Flickr

June 21, 2023

NYC to demolish and rebuild two NYCHA complexes in Chelsea

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New York City will demolish two Manhattan public housing complexes and construct brand-new high-rise apartment buildings. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) on Wednesday announced a $1.5 billion plan to demolish the Elliott-Chelsea and Fulton Houses and rebuild the more than 2,000 public housing apartments currently located there. Supported by a majority of tenants who voted in a survey on the proposal, the plan also includes new retail and commercial spaces and thousands of new mixed-income units, as first reported by the New York Times.
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Kick off summer with hundreds of free concerts across NYC

Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for Make Music Day

June 20, 2023

Kick off summer with hundreds of free concerts across NYC

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In celebration of the summer solstice, the streets of New York City will be filled with the sounds of live music on June 21. Make Music Day returns to the five boroughs for its 17th year on Wednesday, bringing with it hundreds of free outdoor concerts taking place on corners, stoops, sidewalks, and in public spaces all across NYC on the longest day of the year.
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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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

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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?
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

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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

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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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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

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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

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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
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