All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

City Winery’s new Grand Central location will offer wine to go as part of reusable bottle program

Photo courtesy of City Winery

September 27, 2022

City Winery’s new Grand Central location will offer wine to go as part of reusable bottle program

By Aaron Ginsburg

Picking up a bottle of wine for dinner on the way home from work will soon get easier. City Winery's newest location in Grand Central Terminal, opening on November 1, will debut a reusable bottle program, allowing guests to take wine to go, return the bottle to be washed, and receive a $5 credit toward the next one. Located on the west end of Vanderbilt Hall, the new City Winery includes three dining concepts: a signature experience with tasting bars, a grab-and-go all-day menu at City Jams, and a high-end restaurant, Cornelius.
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Food & Dining

An immersive art exhibit honoring Frida Kahlo is opening in Brooklyn

Images of the immersive Frida Kahlo exhibit in Barcelona, courtesy of the Frida Kahlo Corporation

September 27, 2022

An immersive art exhibit honoring Frida Kahlo is opening in Brooklyn

By Aaron Ginsburg

An immersive experience honoring one of modern art's most influential figures is coming to Brooklyn. Located within the Immersive Pavilion at 261 Water Street in Dumbo, Frida Kahlo, The Immersive Biography will transport guests into the life and work of the inspiring Mexican artist through a series of virtual reality experiences and "transformational spaces," according to a press release. Tickets can now be purchased for the experience, which officially debuts on October 27.
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Events & Things To Do

Popular UWS restaurant Mermaid Inn to close after 15 years

Streetview of the Mermaid Inn on the UWS © 2022 Google

September 26, 2022

Popular UWS restaurant Mermaid Inn to close after 15 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Mermaid Inn, an Upper West Side gem known for its daily happy hour and affordable oyster deal, is closing its doors on October 16 after 15 years. But longtime patrons will be happy to hear that owners Danny Abrams and Cindy Smith are planning to open a new location on the Upper West Side next year, in addition to a new restaurant in Times Square. “We’re looking at two or three spots to move on the Upper West Side, and we hope to be in one by late spring or early summer,” Abrams told the New York Post.
Details here

Food & Dining

The best ways to celebrate Halloween 2022 in NYC

Photo of 2019 Village Halloween Parade by Steven Pisano on Flickr

September 26, 2022

The best ways to celebrate Halloween 2022 in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's time to figure out your costume because Halloween is almost upon us. In New York City there is no shortage of fun events celebrating the spooky holiday, with plenty of opportunities to dress up, get candy, dine, and enjoy the season. Ahead, we found some of the city's best Halloween offerings this year, from the legendary Village Halloween Parade to more low-key pumpkin picking at Historic Richmond Town's Decker Farm on Staten Island.
See the full list ahead

Events & Things To Do

Queens’ first planetarium will open in Astoria

Rendering courtesy of Senator Michael Gianaris on Flickr

September 23, 2022

Queens’ first planetarium will open in Astoria

By Aaron Ginsburg

Queens' first planetarium will open in Astoria, New York State Sen. Michael Gianaris announced on Thursday. Using a $1 million state grant, the planetarium will be built as part of a major renovation of the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens (VBGCQ). Construction on the planetarium will begin next year and is expected to be completed in 2026.
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Uncategorized

Lottery opens for 145 affordable units at huge waterfront development in Astoria, from $665/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

September 23, 2022

Lottery opens for 145 affordable units at huge waterfront development in Astoria, from $665/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 145 affordable units at a major mixed-use project under construction in Astoria. Located at 3-24 27th Avenue, the 100-percent affordable, 14-story building is part of the Durst Organization's Halletts Point development on the East River waterfront. New Yorkers earning 40 and 60 percent of the area median income, or between $25,372 for a single person and $86,460 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the rent-stabilized apartments, which range from $665/month studios to $1,601/month two bedrooms.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY

Affordable Housing

Construction begins on Socrates Sculpture Park’s permanent home made of shipping containers

Rendering of The Cubes at Socrates Sculpture Park, courtesy LOT-EK

September 22, 2022

Construction begins on Socrates Sculpture Park’s permanent home made of shipping containers

By Aaron Ginsburg

NYC Parks and Socrates Sculpture Park broke ground this week on "The Cubes," a two-story building that will be the first permanent structure in the Astoria park's 30-year history. The 2,640-square-foot facility will house programming, administrative offices, community work, and arts education. Designed by architecture studio LOT-EK, the $5,735,000 project will be created using recycled shipping containers to honor the neighborhood's "industrial roots," according to a press release. Construction is expected to finish in early 2024.
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Events & Things To Do

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

Photo by Danazar on Wikimedia

September 22, 2022

MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has selected a group of architects and engineers for the $7 billion redesign of Penn Station, with the agency's board voting to approve the contract on Wednesday. The agency tapped FXCollaborative Architects and WSP USA to bring their Penn Station Master Plan to life, with further assistance from London-based John McAslan + Partners as collaborative architects. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, work will begin "in the coming months."
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A new Japanese market offering a taste of Tokyo opens in Greenpoint

All photos courtesy of GION

September 21, 2022

A new Japanese market offering a taste of Tokyo opens in Greenpoint

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new Japanese marketplace connecting New Yorkers to the trendiest Tokyo brands opened in Brooklyn last week. Located on Norman Avenue in Greenpoint, 50 Norman is made up of three separate stores, Dashi Okume, Cibone, and House Brooklyn, all making their New York City debut. Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka designed the 3,500-square-foot space to capture the authentic essence of Japan in New York City, with the use of reclaimed wood from a demolished house in Kyoto.
Details this way

Only 48 percent of straphangers satisfied with the subway, according to latest MTA survey

Central Park North at 110th Street was rated the worst subway station by commuters; Photo by Adam Moss on Flickr

September 21, 2022

Only 48 percent of straphangers satisfied with the subway, according to latest MTA survey

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday announced the results of its spring 2022 customer satisfaction survey for New York City transit. According to the survey, just 48 percent of respondents were satisfied with the subway system, with safety and security as the top issues for disatisfied riders. When looking at specific subway lines, straphangers rated the D as the worst and the L train as the best.
Did your station make the list?

Transit

Popular Articles

MTA to install security cameras in every subway car

Photo courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 20, 2022

MTA to install security cameras in every subway car

By Aaron Ginsburg

Two security cameras will be installed in every subway car in New York City, under a new initiative announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA on Tuesday. The $5.5 million project, paid in part by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, includes the installation of nearly 13,000 cameras on 6,355 train cars by 2025. The enhanced security measure is an expansion of a pilot program that launched this summer following a mass shooting on the subway in Brooklyn in April. There are surveillance cameras in the more than 470 subway stations across the city, but none in cars before the program.
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NYC will provide free high-speed internet and cable to most NYCHA tenants

Image via WikiCommons

September 20, 2022

NYC will provide free high-speed internet and cable to most NYCHA tenants

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the launch of "Big Apple Connect," a program that will provide free high-speed internet and cable television to roughly 300,000 New Yorkers living in more than 200 of the city's public housing developments by the end of next year. The program is the result of a partnership between the city's Office of Technology and Innovation and Optimum.
Details this way

Policy

New York’s first Singapore-style hawker center opens in Midtown next week

Image courtesy of Max Flatow

September 20, 2022

New York’s first Singapore-style hawker center opens in Midtown next week

By Aaron Ginsburg

After nearly five years of planning, the city's first Singaporean hawker center is set to open next week. Created by Urbanspace and KF Seetoh, who is the founder of Makansutra and operator of numerous food courts in Singapore, the Urban Hawker food hall will feature 17 vendors offering a diverse variety of cuisines, including 11 Singapore-based vendors. Located at 135 West 50th Street, the market officially opens to the public on Wednesday, September 28, operating daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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Food & Dining

East Harlem street where Cicely Tyson grew up has been renamed after the pioneering actress

Photo of Cicely Tyson via Wikimedia; Google Street View of East 101st Street, Map data © Google

September 16, 2022

East Harlem street where Cicely Tyson grew up has been renamed after the pioneering actress

By Aaron Ginsburg

A stretch of street in East Harlem was renamed Cicely Tyson Way in honor of the late trailblazing actress. Tyson, who grew up in a fifth-floor railroad flat at 178 East 101st Street, died last January at the age of 96. Throughout her 70-year award-winning career, Tyson defied racial stereotypes and became famous for her depiction of strong Black women in theater and film.
Details this way

Celebrities

10 NYC museums are offering free admission this Saturday

© John Halpern Courtesy of the Museum of Jewish Heritage

September 16, 2022

10 NYC museums are offering free admission this Saturday

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Smithsonian Magazine's 18th annual Museum Day is taking place on Saturday, September 17, with 10 New York City museums participating in this year's celebration. As part of the special day, hundreds of museums and cultural institutions across the country provide free admission to any guest with a Museum Day ticket.
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Events & Things To Do

‘Little Amal’ arrives in New York City, bringing attention to world’s refugees

Little Amal in Jamaica with the Jamaica Centers for Arts and Learning. Photo courtesy of The Respective Collective / The Walk Productions / St. Ann’s Warehouse

September 15, 2022

‘Little Amal’ arrives in New York City, bringing attention to world’s refugees

By Aaron Ginsburg

Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, has come to New York City to bring attention to the needs of migrants and refugees. After landing at JFK Airport with her big green suitcase on Wednesday, Amal began her 17-day tour across all five boroughs in which she will take part in 55 unique events, considered one of the largest public art festivals in the city's history.
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Events & Things To Do

See inside the ‘secret’ sushi restaurant now open in Grand Central

All photos courtesy of Eric Vitale Photography

September 15, 2022

See inside the ‘secret’ sushi restaurant now open in Grand Central

By Aaron Ginsburg

Jōji, a new sushi restaurant housed underneath Midtown's One Vanderbilt skyscraper, opened its doors to the public on Wednesday. Located within an alcove in Grand Central Terminal, the restaurant offers sushi lovers an "intimate omakase dining experience," as 6sqft reported last month. Jōji is run by Chef George Ruan, the former sushi chef of Masa, and Chef Daniel Boulud.
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Food & Dining

New York’s 2022 fall foliage map has arrived

Image courtesy of I LOVE NY

September 15, 2022

New York’s 2022 fall foliage map has arrived

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York State has begun its colorful transformation into fall. The first signs of autumn can already be seen in the Adirondacks, with the rest of the state to soon follow suit. To help New Yorkers follow the cycle of foliage, the state released this week its annual Fall Foliage Report. The interactive map is updated weekly using observations and reports from a state-wide group of volunteers known as "leaf peepers," as 6sqft previously reported.
Get ready to leaf-peep

Lottery opens for 129 affordable units at new fully electric building in East New York, from $397/month

Rendering by Nightnurse Images, courtesy of Magnusson Architecture and Planning

September 14, 2022

Lottery opens for 129 affordable units at new fully electric building in East New York, from $397/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 129 affordable apartments at a new energy-efficient residential development in East New York. Located at 573 Emerald Street, the development is the second phase of the affordable and supportive multi-building housing project Linden Terrace. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 60, and 70 percent of the area median income, or between $16,183 for a single person and $115,850 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments, which range from $397/month for studios to $1,865/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Immersive art museum Hall des Lumières officially opens at landmarked Lower Manhattan bank hall

All images courtesy of Mark Zhelezoglo for Hall des Lumières

September 14, 2022

Immersive art museum Hall des Lumières officially opens at landmarked Lower Manhattan bank hall

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new permanent museum dedicated to immersive digital art experiences opened inside a New York City landmark on Wednesday. Located in Tribeca at 49 Chambers Street, Hall des Lumières sits within the former Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank, which was constructed in 1911 in a Beaux-Arts architectural style. The museum's inaugural exhibition, Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion, will feature animated projections of paintings by the famous Viennese painter across the former bank hall's marble walls and columns. The exhibition also includes a presentation about the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank's history and original design.
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Events & Things To Do

16 ways to mark Hispanic Heritage Month in NYC

School of Dance students at A La Calle Block Party 2019. Photo courtesy of Billy Pennant

September 13, 2022

16 ways to mark Hispanic Heritage Month in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Observed from September 15 through October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the rich, diverse culture and contributions of Hispanic Americans in the United States. New York City has one of the world's most thriving Hispanic communities, making up more than a quarter of its population. Ahead, learn about 16 events across the five boroughs that celebrate Hispanic heritage, from the Hispanic Day Parade to the Latinx Culture Carnival.
Full list ahead

Events & Things To Do

126 middle-income units available at waterfront rental Astoria West, from $2,350/month

Rendering courtesy of Binyan Studio

September 12, 2022

126 middle-income units available at waterfront rental Astoria West, from $2,350/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 126 middle-income units at a new residential development in Queens. Developed by Cape Advisors, Astoria West, located on Vernon Boulevard and 30th Drive, includes three buildings across 2.5 acres along the East River. The housing lottery falls under the project's second phase; a lottery launched at the building in March for 36 units. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $80,572 for a single person and $187,330 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, priced from $2,350/month for studios to $3,287/month for two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC clears water for drinking at the Jacob Riis Houses after false alarm over arsenic results

Photo courtesy of edenpictures on Flickr

September 12, 2022

NYC clears water for drinking at the Jacob Riis Houses after false alarm over arsenic results

By Aaron Ginsburg

Positive test results showing dangerous levels of arsenic in an East Village public housing complex were false. Environmental Monitoring and Technologies Inc., the testing firm that originally reported unsafe levels of arsenic at the Jacob Riis Houses, said there had been "trace levels" of arsenic introduced into the original testing samples analyzed on August 26, resulting in a false positive test, as Gothamist reported. The city on Saturday announced the tap water was cleared for drinking following new tests of the original water sample.
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Affordable Housing

Travel back in time on vintage NYC subway trains this month

Photo courtesy of Ron Yee

September 9, 2022

Travel back in time on vintage NYC subway trains this month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's a rare opportunity to ride on some of New York City's oldest subway trains spanning over a century of the city's transportation history. The New York Transit Museum's Parade of Trains returns this month, offering transit buffs a chance to travel on four historic trains from the museum's collection of vintage fleets. The rides will run continuously from Brooklyn's Brighton Beach B and Q express train platforms from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 17 and September 18. Admission is free with subway fare.
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New York pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Photo of the Freedom Tower; courtesy of Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

September 9, 2022

New York pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

By Aaron Ginsburg

To honor the life of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, landmarks across New York were illuminated purple. Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered all flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff on Friday; Mayor Eric Adams also directed all flags on city buildings and stationary flagstaffs to be lowered.
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City Living

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