All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

A roller skating rink is now open at Rockefeller Center

Credit: © Albert Vecerka/Esto

April 15, 2022

A roller skating rink is now open at Rockefeller Center

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Rockefeller Center's ice rink has been transformed just in time for the warm weather. Starting Friday, The Rink at Rockefeller Center will instead be Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace, a retro-themed outdoor roller skating rink that will include a food program, viewing deck, and a retail store. Opened by Liberty Ross, the rink will include weekly and seasonal programming, DJ sets, and live music.
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This UES locksmith and shoe repair store is actually a chic cocktail bar

All images courtesy of Melissa Hom

April 15, 2022

This UES locksmith and shoe repair store is actually a chic cocktail bar

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An inconspicuous locksmith and shoe repair storefront on the Upper East Side is actually home to a chic cocktail lounge. Located at 1488 Second Avenue, the speakeasy Keys & Heels comes from Massimo Lusardi, the restauranteur behind Uva and Uva Next Door. Hidden behind the facade of a locksmith and shoe repair store, Keys & Heels features a creative cocktail menu and a food menu that complements the bar's "low-key" ambiance.
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Rent Guidelines Board recommends increases between 2.7% and 9% for rent-stabilized units

Image courtesy of Creative Commons

April 14, 2022

Rent Guidelines Board recommends increases between 2.7% and 9% for rent-stabilized units

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The city's Rent Guidelines Board on Thursday released a report recommending a rent hike for rent-stabilized apartments due to an increase in operating costs for landlords over the last 12 months. According to the agency's 2022 Price Index of Operating Costs report, owners saw costs rise by 4.2 percent. Using three formulas, the board recommended an increase in rent of between 2.7 percent and 4.5 percent for one-year leases and between 4.3 percent and 9 percent for two-year leases. The suggested rent increase comes after the board voted to not raise rents for six months last year and fully freeze rents in 2020.
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More than 30,000 of NYC’s luxury building workers could go on strike

All images courtesy of 32BJ SEIU

April 14, 2022

More than 30,000 of NYC’s luxury building workers could go on strike

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Tens of thousands of doormen and other residential building service workers in New York City could go on strike if a deal is not reached on a new collective bargaining agreement by April 20. Members of the union 32BJ SEIU on Wednesday voted to authorize the committee to call for a strike if the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) does not create a new contract for the city's 32,000 building workers with fair wage increases and full employer-paid healthcare. The strike authorization followed a rally of nearly 10,000 32BJ SEIU members down Park Avenue.
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Lottery opens for 35 units at new Astoria building designed for low-income seniors

Photo courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

April 13, 2022

Lottery opens for 35 units at new Astoria building designed for low-income seniors

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A housing lottery opened this week for 35 very-low-income units at a new development in Queens. Located at 23-11 31st Road in Astoria, the Bishop Valero Residence is a six-story building designed with senior residents in mind. Developed by Catholic Charities and designed by Dattner Architects, the project includes on-site supportive social services accessible through the ground floor's 200-seat community senior center. New Yorkers who are 62 years or older and earn 40 or 50 percent of the area median income, (no more than $33,440 annually for a single person or no more than $53,700 for a household of three) can apply for the units.
Do you qualify?
NYC public libraries fight book banning by giving readers across the U.S. access to free e-books

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

April 13, 2022

NYC public libraries fight book banning by giving readers across the U.S. access to free e-books

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New York City's public libraries are taking on book banning. The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library this week announced separate initiatives to provide access to books to readers across the country. Under its "Books for All" effort, the NYPL made electronic copies of commonly banned books, including The Catcher in the Rye and Speak, available through their e-reading app, SimplyE, to anyone in the United States. Similarly, the BPL launched "Books UnBanned," which gives free digital library cards to teens and young adults nationwide.
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Crown Heights residents sue LPC over apartment complex on site of landmarked ‘crown jewel’

All renderings courtesy of Morris Adjmi Architects via the Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 12, 2022

Crown Heights residents sue LPC over apartment complex on site of landmarked ‘crown jewel’

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A coalition of Crown Heights residents and preservationists last week filed a lawsuit against the Landmarks Preservation Commission for approving a major residential project on a historic Brooklyn property. Developed by Hope Street Capital and designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, 959 Sterling Place (aka 920 Park Place) consists of a seven-story complex with 158 apartments and community space that will replace a landmarked 19th-century building. On Friday, attorneys representing the coalition of opponents filed a lawsuit against the LPC and Hope Street Capital, claiming the commission violated the law by failing to hold a public hearing.
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New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

Rendering of The Open Orchard project site on Governors Island in full bloom; courtesy of Sam Van Aken

April 11, 2022

New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

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An orchard with trees containing fruit varieties native to the New York City region will open to the public this month on Governors Island. Created by artist Sam Van Aken, the artwork, The Open Orchard, consists of 102 trees bearing fruits grown in the state within the past 400 years but which have gone extinct due to climate change and industrialization. The orchard will serve as a gene bank for rare fruit species that can no longer be found naturally here, allowing New Yorkers to taste fruit that has not existed for hundreds of years, while also preserving them for future generations. The Open Orchard will officially open on Arbor Day, April 29, the Trust for Governors Island announced on Monday.
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NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

All images courtesy of Daniel Avila / NYC Parks

April 8, 2022

NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

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Throughout April, the city's parks will celebrate the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect whose visionary work on Central Park, Prospect Park, and many other public parks helped influence the future of urban green space design. The Parks Department will be teaching New Yorkers about Olmsted's influence on urban design with an exhibition at the Arsenal Gallery, tours led by the Urban Park Rangers, and much more.
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100 streets across NYC to go car-free for Earth Day

Image courtesy of NYC DOT on Flickr

April 8, 2022

100 streets across NYC to go car-free for Earth Day

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In celebration of Earth Day, the city's Department of Transportation is hosting the annual Car Free Earth Day, connecting over 100 open streets across the five boroughs, 22 plazas, and over 1,000 miles of the city's bike network on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. City agencies and community organizations will host programming along the streets to promote environmental activism and education about climate change, sustainability, and other related topics. DOT will also partner with local artists who will be putting on live performances.
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A ‘bookstore crawl’ returns to Brooklyn this month

Photo by Renee Fisher on Unsplash

April 7, 2022

A ‘bookstore crawl’ returns to Brooklyn this month

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For the first time since 2019, Brooklyn's bookstores are inviting readers back for a borough-wide book crawl. Starting on April 23 and leading up to Independent Bookstore Day on April 30, those interested can pick up a "Bookstore Crawl Passport" at any of the 21 participating locations and fill out it with stamps and signatures from each bookstore visited for the chance to win a prize.
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Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M

All images courtesy of Related Companies

April 7, 2022

Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M

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Related Companies on Thursday launched sales at The Cortland, a new 25-story waterfront luxury condo designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) with interiors from Olson Kundig. Located at 555 West 22nd Street in Chelsea, the tower offers residents views of the Hudson River and almost 20,000 square feet of amenity space. While exact pricing for all 144 loft-like residences has not been released yet, a spokesperson for the project said two-bedrooms start at just above $4 million and over $21 million for four bedrooms.
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Brooklyn cafe Winner to open at Prospect Park’s Picnic House this spring

Photo credit: Chadwick Creative Arts; Courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance

April 6, 2022

Brooklyn cafe Winner to open at Prospect Park’s Picnic House this spring

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A new food and drink concession is headed to Brooklyn's Backyard this spring. The Prospect Park Alliance on Wednesday announced Park Slope's Winner will open a new cafe on the lower level of Prospect Park's Picnic House, a charming Colonial Revival-style building in the park's Long Meadow. Offering baked goods, sandwiches, beverages, and picnic meals, Winner will serve parkgoers through December. Service will begin with breakfast and additional hours will be added weekly until Memorial Day when the cafe's regular hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
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New program offers artists chance to live and work at glamping resort on Governors Island for free

Photo courtesy of Collective Retreats

April 6, 2022

New program offers artists chance to live and work at glamping resort on Governors Island for free

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NYC Culture Club and glamping resort Collective Retreats are offering a select number of artists the chance to live and work on Governors Island for free. Under the new artist residency program, six slots are available in 2022, with month-long residencies running from May to October, as first reported by Time Out New York. Preference will be given to artists from outside of the city, but all are welcome to apply.
Details this way
14 NYC breweries with outdoor seating

Photo of Threes Brewing in Gowanus, Courtesy of Matt Furman

April 6, 2022

14 NYC breweries with outdoor seating

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New York City is home to a countless number of bars and restaurants where you can get drinks, but there is something special about having a beer at the place where it was made. There is something even more special about enjoying a cold drink outside on a warm day, and many of NYC's breweries have spaces just for the occasion. From Talea Beer Co.'s new rooftop deck with views of Manhattan's skyline to the Bronx Brewery's huge backyard space with live music, here are some of the best breweries in the five boroughs offering outdoor spaces to enjoy the sun alongside a cold beverage.
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Jane’s Walk returns to NYC with in-person tours and focus on four Harlem historic districts

Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 5, 2022

Jane’s Walk returns to NYC with in-person tours and focus on four Harlem historic districts

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For the first time since 2019, Jane's Walk NYC will offer in-person tours next month. Presented by the Municipal Art Society of New York, Jane's Walk is a three-day festival of free guided walking tours through iconic New York City neighborhoods. This year, the volunteer-led event, which runs May 6-8, includes walks through four historic districts in Harlem: the Mount Morris Park Historic District, the Central Harlem Historic District, Striver's Row, and the Dorrance Brooks Historic District, designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission last June.
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Council wants additional $3.1B to build up ‘NYC Streets Plan’

Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

April 5, 2022

Council wants additional $3.1B to build up ‘NYC Streets Plan’

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The New York City Council is calling on Mayor Eric Adams to allocate an additional $3.1 billion to build more bike lanes, bus lanes, and space for pedestrians. In a response to the mayor's preliminary budget for the fiscal year 2023 published this week, the council said the mayor would not be able to fulfill his campaign promise of building 300 miles of protected bus lanes during his first term due to a lack of funding. According to the council, the increased investment would allow for 500 miles of protected bike lanes, 500 miles of bus lanes, and 38 million square feet of open pedestrian space, according to the Council's proposal.
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Adams takes aim at ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law with new campaign inviting LGBTQ Floridians to NYC

Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 4, 2022

Adams takes aim at ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law with new campaign inviting LGBTQ Floridians to NYC

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New York City on Monday rolled out a new marketing campaign in Florida inviting the state's LGBTQ community to move to the five boroughs in response to the recent "Don't Say Gay" legislation signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The five ads, which will run across digital billboards and on social media in five cities in the Sunshine State, are meant to highlight the inclusiveness of New York City and take aim at the new legislation, which bans the teaching and conversation of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to third grade in the Florida school system. The campaign also comes after DeSantis released an ad showing New Yorkers who moved to Florida.
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9 sculptures of the world’s most endangered animals unveiled in Greenwich Village

All photos courtesy of Cayla Spatz

April 4, 2022

9 sculptures of the world’s most endangered animals unveiled in Greenwich Village

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A public art installation consisting of sculptures representing nine of the world's most endangered animals was unveiled on Friday. Created by husband-and-wife art duo Gillie and Marc, the six-foot-tall sculptures are located within Greenwich Village's Ruth Wittenberg Triangle. Each sculpture is accompanied by a QR code which spectators can scan to learn more about each of the animals as well as donate to the World Wildlife Fund, Gillie and Marc's charity partner. The exhibit will be on display until July 31 when its next location is announced.
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Lottery opens for 185 units at former Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel in Dumbo, from $537/month

Image courtesy of Breaking Ground

April 4, 2022

Lottery opens for 185 units at former Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel in Dumbo, from $537/month

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A housing lottery opened this week for 185 mixed-income units at a residential tower in Brooklyn. Located at 90 Sands Street in Dumbo, the 30-story building offers affordable units to those with extremely low to moderate incomes and formerly homeless New Yorkers. Once a hotel owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses, the property was acquired by nonprofit Breaking Ground in 2018 for $170 million and converted into supportive and affordable housing. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 60, 100, and 120 percent of the area median income are eligible to apply for the apartments, priced from $537/month studio apartments to $2,132/month one-bedroom apartments.
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New York City projected to see 70% increase in tourism in 2022

Photo by Kevin Rajaram on Unsplash

April 1, 2022

New York City projected to see 70% increase in tourism in 2022

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After the Covid pandemic brought the city's tourism industry to a near standstill, officials say they expect visitors to return in greater numbers this year. In a new report released this week, NYC & Company, the city's tourism agency, projects that New York City will see a 70 percent increase in tourism in 2022, including approximately 8 million international visitors. However, the city will be missing out on its fasting growing source of tourism, as China is still not permitting its citizens to travel abroad.
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NYC sues ‘worst’ landlord who has racked up over 1,900 violations

Streetview of Moshe Piller’s East 172nd Street buildings © 2022 Google Maps

April 1, 2022

NYC sues ‘worst’ landlord who has racked up over 1,900 violations

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The city this week filed a lawsuit against landlord Moshe Piller, who has accumulated over 1,900 violations for dangerous conditions across 15 buildings he owns in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said the purpose of the lawsuit is to pressure Piller to repair his property or face "tens of millions" in civil penalties.
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Asking $33M, the tallest penthouse on the UES has dramatic archways and three levels of terraces

All images courtesy of March Made for DDG

March 31, 2022

Asking $33M, the tallest penthouse on the UES has dramatic archways and three levels of terraces

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Here's a chance to own the highest residence in the tallest residential tower on the Upper East Side. Situated at the pinnacle of DDG's condominium at 180 East 88th Street, this duplex penthouse boasts over 5,500 square feet of interior space. Now on the market for $33,000,000, the five-bedroom penthouse flaunts soaring ceiling heights, a sculptural spiral staircase, and an incredible 3,500 square feet of private outdoor space spread across three levels.
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Coney Island’s Luna Park to open this weekend

Photo of Coney Island by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

March 31, 2022

Coney Island’s Luna Park to open this weekend

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Coney Island's Luna Park is set to open for the 2022 season on Saturday, April 2. The iconic Brooklyn amusement park is hosting its traditional opening-day ceremonies, including the egg-cream christening of the Cyclone rollercoaster, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year. The first 95 rides on the coaster will be free to celebrate this milestone and each lucky rider will receive a free egg cream.
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