All articles by Aaron Ginsburg

New order from Adams boosts fire safety inspections at residential buildings after deadly Bronx fire

Photo credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 21, 2022

New order from Adams boosts fire safety inspections at residential buildings after deadly Bronx fire

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New York City officials are working to bolster fire safety in the wake of the devasting Bronx apartment fire in January that killed 17 people. Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday signed an executive order that aims to improve coordination between the city's Fire Department and inspectors from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to identify safety violations earlier and increase fire safety compliance. The mayor said he plans to work with the City Council to pass a number of fire safety bills, including legislation that would increase fines for landlords who falsely report curing a self-closing door violation.
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Apply for 50 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn building, from $947/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 21, 2022

Apply for 50 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn building, from $947/month

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Fifty low-income units are available at a new residential building in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 50 Nevins Street, the two-building project was developed by the Institute for Community Living and designed by Dattner Architects. New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, or between $35,418 annually for a single person or $77,340 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, which range from $947/month studios to $1,421/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?
36 middle-income units available at new waterfront rental in Astoria, from $2,250/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 18, 2022

36 middle-income units available at new waterfront rental in Astoria, from $2,250/month

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A housing lottery opened this week for 36 middle-income units at a new residential development in Queens. Developed by Cape Advisors and designed by Fogarty Finger, Astoria West at 30-77 Vernon Boulevard consists of three buildings across 2.5 acres along the waterfront. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, or between $77,143 for a single person to $167,570 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, which range from $2,250/month one-bedrooms to $2,950/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
New York to distribute 20M at-home Covid tests statewide to prepare for potential surges

Image courtesy of Gerardo Romo/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

March 18, 2022

New York to distribute 20M at-home Covid tests statewide to prepare for potential surges

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Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced New York will distribute more than 20 million over-the-counter Covid-19 tests to bolster New York's ongoing preparation efforts and as virus cases rise in other parts of the world. The tests will be sent to nursing homes, adult care facilities, and schools across the state. Over 1.7 million tests will be reserved for NYCHA tenants, according to the governor. The state will also create new distribution points for tests and partner with local officials to improve public access to kits.
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NYC architects reimagine the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Morningside Heights campus

All renderings courtesy of Michael Moran

March 17, 2022

NYC architects reimagine the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Morningside Heights campus

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The Jewish Theological Seminary on Thursday released images of its newly redesigned campus in Morningside Heights. The campus was redesigned by the award-winning Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects who have reimagined it with the community-focused form of Judaism that JTS teaches and practices through new open, outward-facing architecture.
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New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

All images courtesy of The New York Public Library

March 17, 2022

New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

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The New York Public Library on Wednesday opened its 14th branch on Staten Island and the first net-zero energy library in New York City. Located in the Bricktown Commons shopping center on the South Shore in Charleston, the $17 million, 10,000-square-foot building was designed by Ikon 5 Architects to be energy efficient, with solar panels providing nearly 100 percent of the energy the building will use. Managed by the city's Economic Development Corporation with the Gilbane Building Company, the new branch offers patrons a variety of amenities, including dedicated spaces for adults, teens, and children and flexible multi-purpose rooms for programs and classes.
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See new looks for the massive mixed-use ‘transit-oriented’ project headed to the Hoboken waterfront

All renderings courtesy of LCOR

March 16, 2022

See new looks for the massive mixed-use ‘transit-oriented’ project headed to the Hoboken waterfront

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After 16 years of deliberation, plans to revitalize Hoboken's waterfront are moving forward. New Jersey Transit, the City of Hoboken, and developer LCOR on Wednesday released new renderings of Hoboken Connect, a mixed-use transit project that aims to bring major investments to the city. The development will include a 20-story office building with retail, a 389-unit residential property with 20 percent of the units affordable, public open space, and the renovation of transit infrastructure and buildings like the historic Lackawanna Terminal. The project is currently under review by the city and is pending redevelopment agreement approvals, which could be decided next month.
More details here
For $15K/month, a cozy country getaway in historic Snedens Landing

All images courtesy of Andrea B. Swenson for Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty

March 15, 2022

For $15K/month, a cozy country getaway in historic Snedens Landing

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In the upscale enclave of Snedens Landing, a 1930s stone house that was once home to world-renowned violinist Pinchas Zukerman is now available for $15,000/month. The fully-renovated four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom home in Palisades, New York, which sits near George Washington's blockhouse during the Revolutionary War, has a slate roof, free-form in-ground pool, and charming brick patio with trellis.
Take the tour
NYC to roll out secure bike parking pods at five high-traffic cycling spots

All images courtesy of the NYC Department of Transportation

March 15, 2022

NYC to roll out secure bike parking pods at five high-traffic cycling spots

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Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez last Friday announced the city will be piloting a new bike parking model this spring. DOT will be testing Brooklyn-based company Oonee's "Mini," a prototype of the company's six-bike corral, at five high-traffic locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens over the next couple of months. The pilot program is part of the city's broader effort to expand secure bike parking.
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Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

Photo showing storefront stands on Ninth Ave. looking south from just north of West 40th St., 1936.(Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library.

March 14, 2022

Hochul recommends five historic places in NYC to be added to state and national registers

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Gov. Kathy Hochul last week announced 21 nominations for possible placement on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The list of nominations includes a diverse set of locations that are intricate to the history of New York. Nominations include early automobile manufacturing sites in Buffalo and Syracuse, a Mohawk Valley cemetery home to the author of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the only remaining 19-century textile mile in Troy. Of the total nominated places, five are located in New York City, including an abandoned Bronx train station designed by Cass Gilbert and an area in Hell's Kitchen once home to a famed open-air market.
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NYC to resume work on over 100 delayed parks projects this spring

All images courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 14, 2022

NYC to resume work on over 100 delayed parks projects this spring

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Mayor Eric Adams on Sunday announced over 100 park projects halted due to the pandemic will resume work this spring. The city has invested $417 million in NYC Parks to break ground on the 104 projects, which is a 142 percent increase in new park projects compared to 2021. According to a press release, more than 86 percent of the new projects implement sustainable features like LED lighting, rain gardens, new trees, stormwater capture systems, and the use of recycled materials. Roughly 62 percent of these new projects are being installed in neighborhoods classified as underserved and are expected to be completed by the summer of 2023.
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The priciest private development in the Bronx opens first residential tower with rents to match

Rendering courtesy of ArX Solutions

March 11, 2022

The priciest private development in the Bronx opens first residential tower with rents to match

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The priciest private development in the Bronx opened its first residential tower this week with rents to match. Developed by Brookfield Properties, the $950 million mixed-use Bankside project is one of the largest private investments in Bronx history and sits on 4.3-acres along the Mott Haven waterfront. On Thursday, rents for the market-rate apartments at Third at Bankside were revealed, with prices ranging from $2,455/month for studio apartments to $7,334/month for a three-bedroom unit with a private terrace.
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Project transforming run-down city buildings into ‘green’ affordable housing kicks off in Queens

Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 10, 2022

Project transforming run-down city buildings into ‘green’ affordable housing kicks off in Queens

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Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced a milestone has been reached in a major project designed to improve quality of life and tackle the affordable housing crisis in Southeast Queens. Construction has begun on "Habitat Net Zero," a project that will transform 13 run-down buildings owned by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) into 16 green homes for affordable homeownership.
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Sales launch at Brooklyn’s first supertall, condos priced from $875K

Image courtesy of JDS Development Group

March 10, 2022

Sales launch at Brooklyn’s first supertall, condos priced from $875K

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Brookyn's first and only supertall tower officially launched sales on Wednesday. Designed by SHoP Architects, the Brooklyn Tower is a 93-story skyscraper standing at 1,066 feet in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 9 Dekalb Avenue, the building's 150 condo units start on the 53rd floor of the tower at an elevation of 535 feet, providing unparalleled views of the surrounding cityscape. Residences are priced from $875,000 for studios to $8 million for four bedrooms. One-bedrooms start at $1.2 million, two-bedrooms at $2.4 million, three-bedrooms at $2.95 million, and four-bedrooms at $5.9 million.
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Staten Island woman’s collection of over 20,000 Black history artifacts to be auctioned

All images courtesy of Guernsey’s

March 9, 2022

Staten Island woman’s collection of over 20,000 Black history artifacts to be auctioned

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Thousands of historical items illustrating the Black experience in America are going up for auction. Compiled over 60 years by former New York City teacher Elizabeth Meaders, the collection is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive, surpassing collections belonging to museums and other private institutions. The Elizabeth Meaders Collection of African American Historical and Cultural Artifacts will be put up for an online auction as a single collection through Guernsey's on March 15.
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Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

All images courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA

March 9, 2022

Penn Station’s transformation takes next steps with removal of low-hanging beams

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A major step in the transformation of Penn Station has begun. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday announced they would begin the removal of seven massive low-hanging beams known as "head knockers," dated structural beams that have limited the height of passageways in Penn Station's Long Island Rail Road Concourse to under 7 feet. The removal of these beams will help project crews reach their goal of increasing the ceiling height to 18 feet across the entire concourse, doubling the width of the 33rd Street corridor to 57 feet, and improving lighting.
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The Met Opera will host benefit concert for Ukraine relief efforts

Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr

March 8, 2022

The Met Opera will host benefit concert for Ukraine relief efforts

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The Metropolitan Opera next week will host a benefit performance to support the people of Ukraine. A Concert for Ukraine will be held on March 14, with all ticket sales and proceeds going to relief efforts in Ukraine. The 70-minute program will be led by Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and feature some of the opera's star soloists. Tickets are $50 and go on sale this Wednesday.
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Study says vaccines prevented 48,000+ Covid deaths in NYC

Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 7, 2022

Study says vaccines prevented 48,000+ Covid deaths in NYC

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More than 48,000 deaths, 300,000 hospitalizations, and 1.9 million cases have been prevented since the city's Covid-19 vaccination campaign started in December 2020, the New York City Health Department announced on Friday.  “COVID-19 vaccines have saved so many lives and prevented an immense amount of suffering," Dr. Dave A. Chokshi, Health Commissioner, said. "Nearly 48,000 New Yorkers will celebrate another birthday this year due to the power of vaccination."
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Explore hidden gems and lesser-known artists at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library’s new exhibit

All images courtesy of Alfonso Lozano

March 7, 2022

Explore hidden gems and lesser-known artists at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library’s new exhibit

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The Hispanic Society Museum & Library has opened a new exhibition that brings attention to the wide variety of art, literature, and history from the Iberian Peninsula and South America. Curated by art historian Dr. Madeleine Haddon, Nuestra Casa: Rediscovering the Treasures of The Hispanic Society Museum & Library features select "hidden gems" from the museum's expansive collection of more than 750,000 pieces, including artworks by El Greco and Goya to masterpieces by lesser-known Latin American artists. The exhibition is open at the Washington Heights museum now through April 17.
Details this way
A luxurious wellness spa is now open on Governors Island

All images courtesy of QC NY

March 4, 2022

A luxurious wellness spa is now open on Governors Island

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QC Terme Spas & Resorts' long-anticipated day spa has opened today within three historic buildings on Governors Island. QC NY is the luxury resort brand's first property outside of Europe and features relaxation rooms, themed saunas, Vichy showers, infrared beds, foot baths, hydro jets, steam baths, and other amenities meant to induce bliss. The resort will be the island's first year-round commercial tenant.
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South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to become one of nation’s largest offshore wind ports

Image courtesy of Equinor

March 3, 2022

South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to become one of nation’s largest offshore wind ports

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Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced an agreement that will transform New York City's South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into one of the country's largest offshore wind ports. As part of the deal made with the city's Economic Development Corporation, Equinor, and the Sustainable South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, L.P., the terminal will become a power interconnection site for the Empire Wind 1 project, with heavy-lift platforms being built on the 39th Street Pier for use as wind turbine staging. The terminal's transformation will help the city meet its climate goal of having 100 percent clean electricity by 2040.
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Port Authority releases mass transit options as possible alternatives to LaGuardia AirTrain project

Rendering courtesy of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

March 3, 2022

Port Authority releases mass transit options as possible alternatives to LaGuardia AirTrain project

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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday released a set of alternative options to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $2.1 billion LaGuardia AirTrain project, a 1.5-mile elevated rail that would connect the airport with the subway system at Willets Point and link to the Long Island Rail Road. After Gov. Kathy Hochul halted the project last October and urged developers to look for alternate options, Port Authority has come up with 14 alternatives including two subway extensions, five light rail routes, five bus options, a ferry service, and options utilizing "emerging technologies."
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How Planter Rob is growing a community of plant lovers & affordable housing advocates in NYC

All images courtesy of Breaking Ground

March 2, 2022

How Planter Rob is growing a community of plant lovers & affordable housing advocates in NYC

By
Plant entrepreneur Robert Jeffery, aka Planter Rob, recently teamed up with New York's largest supportive housing provider Breaking Ground and plant company The Sill to donate nearly 200 houseplants to residents of Edwin's Place, an affordable housing development in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Jeffery has also started his own "Welcome-Home Plants" program; an initiative that aims to cultivate a diverse community of plant lovers who advocate for affordable housing and reap the benefits plant care brings, like a feeling of belonging and accomplishment. As someone who once faced homelessness, Jeffery can speak on the impact plant care had on his life once he was able to have a place for himself. We spoke with Planter Rob on what influenced him to become involved with houseplants, important issues in the plant community, and how he began his work with Breaking Ground and Edwin's Place.
Meet Planter Rob and learn more about his mission
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