All articles by Devin Gannon

De Blasio wants to tax rich New Yorkers to fund subway repairs

Image Public Domain

August 7, 2017

De Blasio wants to tax rich New Yorkers to fund subway repairs

By Devin Gannon

Continuing this summer’s subway saga, Mayor de Blasio announced a plan on Sunday that would tax the wealthiest 1 percent of New Yorkers to fund the system’s much-need repairs and renovations. The proposal, which requires Albany’s approval, would also provide half-price MetroCards for low-income straphangers. As the New York Times reported, the “millionaires tax” would increase the tax rate of the city’s wealthiest residents to 4.4 percent from roughly 3.9 percent for married couples with incomes over $1 million and for individuals who make more than $500,000 annually.
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After lease dispute, Secret Service vacates Trump Tower for trailer outside

Photo of Trump Tower via Krystal T’s Flickr

August 4, 2017

After lease dispute, Secret Service vacates Trump Tower for trailer outside

By Devin Gannon

The Secret Service has left its central command post inside Trump Tower after an argument between the agency and the Trump Organization over the lease agreement for the space. While the Secret Service previously placed its supervisors and backup agents one floor below the president's apartment, the Washington Post reported that in early July, the agents were relegated to a trailer on the sidewalk. Although President Trump has not been to his eponymous tower since he was inaugurated in January, the Secret Service still treats Trump Tower as the president’s permanent residence.
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Celebrities

ARCHIPORN is an interactive map for lovers of architecture and design

Map via archipornguide.com

August 3, 2017

ARCHIPORN is an interactive map for lovers of architecture and design

By Devin Gannon

While it may sound NSFW, the online guide ARCHIPORN is simply an informative guide to the world’s most beautiful architectural works, including various bookshops and institutions that specialize in architecture. First developed in 2008 by Brazilian architects Marcio Novaes Coelho Jr. and Silvio Sguizzardi, the project aims to identify and share information about iconic works from professionals around the world. The guide is chronologically organized, with different colors representing different eras. According to ArchDaily, cateogories range from before the year 1750, prior to the Machine Age, to recent works of 2010 and beyond.
Explore the map

Architecture And Design

Celebrate Coney Island’s history with free events at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park this Saturday

Deno’s Wonder Wheel courtesy of kzoop’s Flickr

August 3, 2017

Celebrate Coney Island’s history with free events at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park this Saturday

By Devin Gannon

While New Yorkers have been celebrating the historic seaside resort all summer long, this weekend the Coney Island History Project is hosting its seventh annual history day. On Saturday, August 5, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., attendees can learn about all of the classic rides and attractions of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, take a self-guided tour, and listen to free folksy music. Since it was built in 1920, more than 40 million people have experienced the park’s iconic Wonder Wheel.
Details ahead

Events & Things To Do

Despite legal troubles, the first units at 111 West 57th Street go into contract

Rendering of 111 West 57th Street via Property Markets Group

August 3, 2017

Despite legal troubles, the first units at 111 West 57th Street go into contract

By Devin Gannon

Just last week, 6sqft covered the financial and legal woes of Property Markets Group and JDS Development’s super tall and slender tower at 111 West 57th Street. Despite reports that construction had stalled over budget overruns and a potential foreclosure, the first condominiums, at what is lined up to be the world’s future tallest residential skyscraper, just went into contract (h/t The Real Deal). While Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, which issued a $325 million mezzanine loan for the project, did not share exactly how many units out of 60 are under contract, CEO Stuart Rothstein told TRD, they sold at “prices well over (Apollo’s) basis.”
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After four years on the market, $125M Pierre penthouse sells for a paltry $44M

August 2, 2017

After four years on the market, $125M Pierre penthouse sells for a paltry $44M

By Devin Gannon

The 16 room triplex that takes up the 41st, 42nd and 43rd floors of the legendary Pierre Hotel has finally sold for $44 million, a huge drop from its original $125 million asking price. Located at 795 Fifth Avenue, the penthouse was owned by Barbara Zweig, the widow of financier Martin Zweig, who first listed the property in 2013 after her husband’s death. According to The Real Deal, the pad features a library, four terraces, private elevator and costs $51,840 per month to maintain.
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One-time Long Island mansion of former Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos hits the market for $4.9M

August 2, 2017

One-time Long Island mansion of former Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos hits the market for $4.9M

By Devin Gannon

A sprawling 8.2-acre estate in Center Moriches once owned by the deceased Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda has hit the market for $4.99 million. The massive Long Island property, known as the Lindenmere Estate, at 16 Sedgemere Road features 14 bedrooms, 17-and-a-half baths, a glass-enclosed Pagoda pool house, and incredible views of the Moriches Bay. According to the New York Post, after a brokerage switch, the listing’s price dropped from $5.99 million last year.
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In 1894, the first bike lane in America was built on Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway

Photo by Kai Brinker on Flickr

August 1, 2017

In 1894, the first bike lane in America was built on Brooklyn’s Ocean Parkway

By Devin Gannon

While many New Yorkers can be seen trekking through Brooklyn on their bikes today, the borough’s infatuation with cycling actually dates back to the 19th century. On June 15, 1894, Ocean Parkway became the first street in the U.S. to have a designated bike lane. The nearly five-mile stretch of road was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the urban planning masterminds behind Central Park and Prospect Park. Originally, their design for Ocean Parkway was to be one of four spokes originating at Prospect Park and spanning across the borough. Today, the road doesn’t actually start at the park but runs parallel to Coney Island Avenue to reach the beach.
The full history this way

History

$925M mega-project may bring 1,000 rentals and a 100,000-square-foot factory to Long Island City

Rendering courtesy of TF Cornerstone

July 31, 2017

$925M mega-project may bring 1,000 rentals and a 100,000-square-foot factory to Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

The waterfront Queens neighborhood of Long Island City has gone from a sleepy, factory town to boasting the country's largest number of new rental apartments. Now, to preserve some of LIC’s industrial backbone, a new development proposal from TF Cornerstone calls for a massive $925 million mixed-use complex, which will include 1,000 rental apartments and 100,000 square feet of light manufacturing space. As the New York Times reported, the project comes at the city’s request in 2016 for mixed-use project proposals with a focus on commercial and industrial space.
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100 years ago today, the NAACP held its Silent Protest Parade down Fifth Avenue

Photo courtesy of James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of African American Arts and Letters, Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

July 28, 2017

100 years ago today, the NAACP held its Silent Protest Parade down Fifth Avenue

By Devin Gannon

Forty-six years before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech during the March on Washington, nearly 10,000 African-Americans silently marched down Fifth Avenue to protest racial violence in the United States. Organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Silent Protest Parade occurred on Saturday, July 28, 1917, and became the first mass civil rights demonstration of its kind. Protesters walked from 55th and 59th Streets to Madison Square, without so much as a whisper (h/t Hyperallergic).
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History

Popular Articles

133 affordable units up for grabs near Yankee Stadium, from $548/month

July 28, 2017

133 affordable units up for grabs near Yankee Stadium, from $548/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are currently being accepted for 133 newly constructed, affordable units at 810 River Avenue in the Bronx, across from the old Yankee Stadium and just steps away from the team’s new playing field. The building includes approximately 26,000 square-feet of commercial and community facility space and a 61-space garage. Designed by SLCE Architects, the 17-story steel and plank tower features high-performance windows, Energy Star dishwashers, laundry rooms and hardwood floors. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 90 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for available units ranging from a $538 per month studio to $2,113 per month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Archdiocese of New York may sell 12 churches after deeming them no longer sacred

All Saints Church in Harlem, via NYC & Company

July 27, 2017

Archdiocese of New York may sell 12 churches after deeming them no longer sacred

By Devin Gannon

The Archdiocese of New York announced that 12 Catholic churches in Manhattan and The Bronx may be sold after declaring them no longer sacred sites for worship. As DNAinfo reported, the Catholic church released a list of properties, including some that had been shuttered since around 2015 when the church restructured many of its parishes by merging many together. After the diocese quietly posted the decrees over the July Fourth holiday weekend, many parishioners were angry that they had less time to appeal. Now some fear the churches will be converted luxury housing building, which has happened many times in the past few years due to the financial pressure on churches.
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Real Estate Trends

MTA board members seek an end to routine fare hikes, mulls selling subway station naming rights

July 27, 2017

MTA board members seek an end to routine fare hikes, mulls selling subway station naming rights

By Devin Gannon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed on Tuesday an $800 million emergency rescue plan to fix the city’s failing subway system, which includes hiring 2,700 workers, removing some seats and adding additional train cars. And on Wednesday the MTA board grappled with ways to pay for the plan, with some members calling for the agency to end its routine fare and toll hikes and find revenue through other means. However, according to the New York Times, the authority’s chief financial officer, Robert Foran, said the agency needed to continue to raise fares by roughly 4 percent every other year as part of their long-term financial plan.
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The history behind how Great Jones Street got its name

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 26, 2017

The history behind how Great Jones Street got its name

By Devin Gannon

After 34 years of serving giant Cajun-Creole portions alongside obscure jukebox music, Great Jones Cafe is closing its doors for good tonight. The notorious Noho bar at 54 Great Jones Street opened in 1983 when the block was so empty patrons used be able to play whiffle ball in the street, but its closure serves as a reminder of the history of Great Jones Street. This superlative name dates way back to 1789 when politician Samuel Jones donated land to the city under the terms that they name any street within the property after him. But there was one little issue....
Where did the street name come from?

History

Elon Musk and Tesla seek East Coast domination with new mid-priced electric car model

Tesla’s Red Hook sales and service shop. Image via Tesla

July 25, 2017

Elon Musk and Tesla seek East Coast domination with new mid-priced electric car model

By Devin Gannon

Just a few days ago, Elon Musk received “verbal approval” for his Hyperloop One, a high-speed tube that will take passengers from NYC to D.C. in just 29 minutes. Adding to his East Coast and New York takeover, Musk’s Silicon Valley-based company Tesla will release its first mid-priced electric car, the Model 3, later this month for the moderate price of $35,000. But because New York law requires cars to be sold to consumers by dealerships and not manufacturers, Tesla hopes proposed legislation aimed at changing that law will expand their sales dramatically throughout the state, according to Crain’s.
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REVEALED: Tishman Speyer’s Long Island City office development boasts food hall and rooftop park

July 25, 2017

REVEALED: Tishman Speyer’s Long Island City office development boasts food hall and rooftop park

By Devin Gannon

Long Island City, New York City’s fastest growing neighborhood, shows no signs of slowing down. Following the completion of Jackson Park, the residential phase of Tishman Speyer Properties’ massive Gotham Center development, renderings have been revealed for their creative office space across the street at 28-01 Jackson Avenue. As CityRealty learned, the development, called the JACX, consists of two identical towers that will include over 40,000 square feet of retail space, with a gourmet market, food hall, dining, and boutique fitness centers, as well as a one-acre rooftop terrace.
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A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

John Rink’s rejected design proposal for Central Park, via NY Historical Society

July 24, 2017

A rejected design for Central Park from 1858 shows colorful, whimsical topiaries

By Devin Gannon

Central Park, which celebrated its 164th anniversary this month, required elaborate planning to make it what it is today: the most visited urban park in the country. New York City launched a design competition in 1857 for the development of the open space between Manhattan’s 59th and 110th Streets. Most New Yorkers know that out of 33 total entrants, the city chose Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's "Greensward Plan." However, just five of the losing designs survived and can be seen at the New York Historical Society. One particularly unique design was submitted by park engineer John Rink, who planned Central Park to be highly decorated with whimsically shaped sections dominated by topiaries (h/t Slate).
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Muslim-backed cultural center would be the first of its kind in NYC

July 24, 2017

Muslim-backed cultural center would be the first of its kind in NYC

By Devin Gannon

As a way to promote inter-religious coexistence and cultural exchange, the American Society for Muslim Advancement and Buro Koray Duman Architects have collaborated to create a design proposal for an Islamic cultural center, the first Muslim-sponsored multi-faith community center in New York City. According to ArchDaily, the design for the center, called Cordoba House, is based on the historic “Kulliye,” an Ottoman Islamic center, and features a vertical landscape design. It will stretch 100,000 square feet and include recreation, culinary, art, retail and administrative spaces.
More this way

Architecture And Design

De Blasio urges Cuomo to ‘take responsibility’ for MTA

July 24, 2017

De Blasio urges Cuomo to ‘take responsibility’ for MTA

By Devin Gannon

The ongoing public debate over whether the state or city controls the subway continued this weekend when Mayor de Blasio, riding a Manhattan-bound F train on Sunday, demanded Governor Cuomo “take responsibility” over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The mayor’s comments come after Cuomo and Joseph Lhota, the recently appointed chairman of the MTA, called on de Blasio and the city last week to contribute more money to the authority for repair work. As the New York Times reported, de Blasio said the MTA has a lot of money that they’re not spending, including the $2.5 billion contributed by the city in 2015, to the MTA's 2015-2019 capital plan.
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Nearly complete tunnels under Hudson Yards need more funding to finish

Photo of Hudson Yards Amtrak tunnel encasement via Tutor Perini

July 21, 2017

Nearly complete tunnels under Hudson Yards need more funding to finish

By Devin Gannon

Currently, the first part of two box tunnels under the Hudson Yards development, below 10th and 11th Avenues on Manhattan’s west side, sits mostly finished. While construction of the final piece has yet to begin, when it’s complete the remaining section would link the tubes to the proposed new tunnel under the Hudson River, providing better access to Penn Station. However, according to the New York Times, both tunnel projects, which fall under the multi-billion dollar Gateway Program, lack the funding needed to finish.
More details here

Cuomo says New York City is responsible for subway system, not the state

July 21, 2017

Cuomo says New York City is responsible for subway system, not the state

By Devin Gannon

Although New York City’s subway is currently in a state of emergency, no government official seems to want to take ownership of the failing transit system. Governor Cuomo and Joseph Lhota, the recently appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, called on Mayor de Blasio and City Hall to contribute more money for repairing the subway system on Thursday, citing a law that puts the city in charge of the track system. As the New York Times reported, Lhota and the MTA are preparing an emergency plan to deal with the subway, expecting more funds to come from the city. The plan, which Cuomo ordered the MTA to create within 30 days, is set to be completed by the end of next week.
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Help the NYPL geotag historic photos of New York City

July 20, 2017

Help the NYPL geotag historic photos of New York City

By Devin Gannon

The New York Public Library has a challenge for all history gurus and NYC experts: Place unlabeled historic photos of the city at the correct location on a map. The new website called Surveyor crowdsources geotags of the NYPL's photo collections with the goal of creating a digital database to make it easier to find images by the location they were taken. While some photos come with helpful titles that describe the location or the address, others only include the neighborhood or vague details. Since algorithms and search engines won’t be able to pick up locations of these old photos, the NYPL is seeking help from the public.
Get more info

History

Governor Cuomo will invest $5.6B to transform the LIRR

July 20, 2017

Governor Cuomo will invest $5.6B to transform the LIRR

By Devin Gannon

With the renovations at Penn Station just getting underway, the state released a plan on Wednesday to invest $5.6 billion in renovating 39 Long Island Rail Road stations. This includes the reconstruction of the system’s tracks, switches and signals. According to Governor Cuomo, the project, part of his encompassing $100 billion infrastructure plan, would increase rider capacity by more than 80 percent.
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Experts say NYC’s noise issues will only grow worse

Photo via Nick Allen on Flickr

July 19, 2017

Experts say NYC’s noise issues will only grow worse

By Devin Gannon

With its 8.5 million residents, honking taxis, constant construction and vibrant nightlife scene, New York City remains one of the noisiest places on Earth. Although quieter neighborhoods like the Upper East Side once offered a quiet reprieve from the city’s cacophony, these pockets of peace are getting harder to find as NYC’s population expands. As the New York Times reported, despite the fact that noise pollution has already been linked to harmful health effects like stress, hypertension and heart disease, about 420,000 noise complaints were filed citywide with the city’s 311 hotline in 2016, more than doubling the number of complaints made in 2011.
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July 19, 2017

The history of Fort George: Manhattan’s long-lost amusement park in Inwood

By Devin Gannon

Did you know Washington Heights and Inwood used to be home to a giant amusement park? In 1895, the Fort George Amusement Park opened on Amsterdam Avenue between 190th and 192nd Streets, overlooking the Harlem River in what is now Highbridge Park. Located in the same spot as George Washington’s fight against the British, "Harlem’s Coney Island" rivaled Brooklyn’s Coney Island with roller coasters, Ferris wheels, a skating rink, fortune tellers, music halls, casinos, and hotels.
Learn more about the Fort George Amusement Park

History

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