All articles by Devin Gannon

Amtrak reveals first renderings of the new Penn Station

Renderings courtesy of PAU and Penn Transformation Partners

June 9, 2026

Amtrak reveals first renderings of the new Penn Station

A few weeks after announcing the master developer for the redevelopment of Penn Station, Amtrak released the first renderings of the project on Monday. Penn Transformation Partners (PTP), a joint venture led by Halmar and Skanska, is leading the long-awaited redesign of the detested Midtown commuter hub, which aims to transform the station from cramped, dark, and overcrowded into a modern, light-filled civic landmark that can serve 600,000 daily commuters. The overhaul could cost $8 billion; construction is expected to begin late next year.
see the plan

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

Global Citizen Festival in 2014. Photo by Anthony Quintano on Wikimedia Commons

June 8, 2026

New York announces free World Cup Final watch party in Central Park for 50,000 fans

By Devin Gannon

One of the largest FIFA World Cup 2026 Final watch parties in the world will take place in Central Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced that a watch party for 50,000 people will be held on the famous Great Lawn on July 19. The event, which will include giant LED screens, food vendors, and live performances, will be free to attend, but tickets are required.
get more details

Events & Things To Do

Bryant Park to host Knicks watch party for Game 3

Knicks Finals watch party at Summerstage in Central Park for Game 1 of NBA Finals. Credit: NY KNICKS/MSG SPORTS.

June 8, 2026

Bryant Park to host Knicks watch party for Game 3

By Devin Gannon

Bryant Park will host a Knicks watch party on Monday after the usual event outside of Madison Square Garden was canceled due to heightened security for President Donald Trump, who is attending the game. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the Midtown park will be showing Game 3 of the NBA Finals for 5,000 fans. The event is free to attend, but registration is required. You can sign up for a spot starting at 12 p.m. here.
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Events & Things To Do

Free rooftop tours open at Manhattan Municipal Building

Photos courtesy of NYC DCAS

June 5, 2026

Free rooftop tours open at Manhattan Municipal Building

By Devin Gannon

The 36th-floor cupola of New York City's historic David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building will open to the public for the first time next week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services on Thursday opened reservations for the "Centre 360" experience, a free rooftop tour of the century-old Beaux-Arts government building at 1 Centre Street. The cupola offers 360-degree views nearly 600 feet above the city, with many iconic landmarks in full view. Originally intended to be accessible to the public when the building opened in 1914, the cupola has been off-limits for nearly 100 years. Tours begin June 11, with tickets becoming available on the first day of each month.
how to book

A mini beach opens at Bushwick Inlet Park

Photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Hannah Mrakovčić

June 4, 2026

A mini beach opens at Bushwick Inlet Park

By Devin Gannon

A new park with a small beach officially opened in Greenpoint this week, one tiny step toward completing the very delayed Bushwick Inlet Park. The city's Parks Department on Wednesday celebrated the opening of the new "Motiva" parcel, a roughly 1.7-acre waterfront greenspace with restored wetlands, native plantings, and a sliver of beach with a kayak launch. The new park represents the latest section of Bushwick Inlet Park, a 27-acre greenspace first promised more than 20 years ago as part of a rezoning of the neighborhood, and is still only about a third completed.
details here

Uncategorized

Mamdani restarts plan for 34th Street busway that Trump halted

Credit: NYC DOT

June 2, 2026

Mamdani restarts plan for 34th Street busway that Trump halted

By Devin Gannon

Plans to turn Manhattan's 34th Street into a dedicated busway are back on. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday announced that work will restart on the busway, which will cover just over a mile of the corridor from Third to Ninth Avenues. Plans for the busway, which aims to increase speeds for buses that currently move as slowly as 3 miles per hour, were first announced by former Mayor Eric Adams last May, but were halted a few months later after threats from President Trump's administration.
details here

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

Photo by Mike Sinko on Flickr

May 29, 2026

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

By Devin Gannon

Waterfronts across New York City are being developed, many with ultra-luxe high-rise condos with sweeping views. But thanks to rezoning and climate resiliency efforts, as well as the launch of NYC Ferry almost a decade ago, several rental buildings have popped up along shorelines in every borough, making resort-style living slightly more attainable. With beautiful views and amenities to match, and now, a quicker commute via new, expanded ferry service, riverside (and seaside!) living in New York is more appealing than ever. To explore what waterfront life is really like in NYC, we took a look at a few rentals along the water's edge, from glassy high-rises in Greenpoint to modern homes a block from the beach in the Rockaways.
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New York passes pied-à-terre tax for luxury NYC second homes

Billionaires’ Row from Harlem. Photo by joiseyshowaa on Wikimedia

May 28, 2026

New York passes pied-à-terre tax for luxury NYC second homes

By Devin Gannon

New York City is getting its pied-à-terre tax. State lawmakers on Wednesday approved the $268.5 billion 2027 state budget, which included a new annual surcharge on second homes in the city valued at $5 million or more. First announced last month by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the new tax will take effect July 1 and could potentially generate $500 million in revenue for the city each year. According to the governor, the tax ensures those who own luxury properties as their second homes are still "fairly contributing towards the funding of essential services," like police and fire departments, sanitations, parks, and more.
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Mamdani releases blueprint to build 200,000 new affordable homes, target bad landlords

Photo by Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 26, 2026

Mamdani releases blueprint to build 200,000 new affordable homes, target bad landlords

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday released a comprehensive plan to address the city's current housing crisis, detailing a goal to build 200,000 new affordable homes over the next decade, the most ambitious target by a New York City mayor ever. The housing plan, dubbed "Block by Block," says $22 billion in capital investments over five years will fund new affordable housing and help preserve another 200,000 existing homes. The report also details the expansion of tenant protections and homeownership opportunities, as well as the largest capital investment in NYCHA in recent history.
details here

Penn Station redesign moves forward with selection of master developer

ASTM North America’s Penn Station overhaul proposal from 2023. Rendering courtesy of ASTM, PAU, and HOK

May 20, 2026

Penn Station redesign moves forward with selection of master developer

By Devin Gannon

Penn Station's overhaul took a big step forward on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak announced the selection of Penn Transformation Partners, a joint venture made up of Halmar International and Skanska, as the master developer of the project following a bidding process. The developer will build a "brand-new world-class station," according to an announcement on Wednesday, with open concourses and expanded track capacity, while keeping Madison Square Garden in its current location. The news comes a day after Transportation Secretary Duffy announced the federal government would spend $8 billion to rebuild Penn Station.
details here

NYC looks to rezone neighborhoods south of Prospect Park for new housing

By Devin Gannon

The first rezoning proposal under Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration will target Brooklyn neighborhoods south of Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery. As first reported by Gothamist, the Department of City Planning on Wednesday kicked off the community planning process for updating zoning rules on commercial stretches of Coney Island Avenue and McDonald Avenue in Kensington and surrounding areas, to allow new housing to be built.
see the plan

Bryant Park is hosting a ‘reading party’ on the lawn

Photo courtesy of Angelito Jusay Photography.

May 19, 2026

Bryant Park is hosting a ‘reading party’ on the lawn

By Devin Gannon

Bryant Park is throwing a reading party on its iconic lawn next month. "Read on the Lawn Day" takes place on June 1 as part of programming at the park's Reading Room, a curated selection of books, newspapers, and magazines available for visitors to enjoy for free outside. Hosted in partnership with Reading Rhythms, the event will include quiet reading periods followed by book discussions.
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Events & Things To Do

The Met and the Neue Galerie are merging

The Neue Galerie at 1048 Fifth Avenue. Photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Wikimedia

May 14, 2026

The Met and the Neue Galerie are merging

By Devin Gannon

The Neue Galerie New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art will merge, creating the most significant collection of 20th-century Austrian and German art outside of Europe. The Met will take over the Neue Galerie's collection, which includes iconic works by Gustav Klimt, and its Beaux-Arts building at 1048 Fifth Avenue, in 2028, following necessary approvals.
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Events & Things To Do

Aerial view from Amsterdam Avenue, looking east. All renderings by Brooklyn Digital Foundry.

May 13, 2026

Lincoln Center breaks ground on accessible performance park, anchored by new amphitheater

By Devin Gannon

Lincoln Center on Monday broke ground on a $335 million project that will transform the campus into an accessible performance arts park. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Lincoln Center West Initiative reimagines the Amsterdam Avenue side of the campus by removing the wall at Damrosch Park and replacing it with a more welcoming edge that connects to the rest of the institution. The redeveloped Damrosch Park will be centered around the Baron Theater, a 2,000-person outdoor venue that will be Lincoln Center's first new freestanding theater in 50 years, and an inviting open plaza surrounded by gardens, groves, and a new water feature. The opening is scheduled for summer 2028.
details here

Park Avenue penthouse with enormous terrace owned by Maurice Tempelsman lists for $5.5M

All photos courtesy of Yoo Jean Han for Sotheby’s International Realty

May 11, 2026

Park Avenue penthouse with enormous terrace owned by Maurice Tempelsman lists for $5.5M

By Devin Gannon

The Park Avenue penthouse owned by Maurice Tempelsman, Jackie Kennedy Onassis's longtime companion, is now on the market. Tempelsman, who died last summer at the age of 95, bought the top-floor co-op at 1155 Park Avenue in Carnegie Hill for $3.3 million in 1999, as the New York Times reported. Now asking $5.5 million, the two-bedroom pre-war apartment is surrounded by an enormous, landscaped terrace, providing a serene rooftop garden with views of Manhattan and Central Park.
see the home

Distinctive Homes

Rent freeze for stabilized apartments backed by NYC board in preliminary vote

Credit: Karya Schanilec for NYS Tenant Bloc

May 8, 2026

Rent freeze for stabilized apartments backed by NYC board in preliminary vote

By Devin Gannon

In a preliminary vote on Thursday, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) backed rent adjustments that included leases with no increases, advancing Mayor Zohran Mamdani's promise of a rent freeze for New York City tenants living in one million stabilized apartments. It's not a done deal. The nine-member board voted for proposed adjustments between 0 and 2 percent for one-year leases and 0 and 4 percent for two-year leases, leaving the door open for a potential increase. The final guidelines, likely falling somewhere in that range, will be voted on by the board on June 25.
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Policy

Towering totems in Brooklyn Bridge Park explore the ritual of everyday objects

Woody De Othello. “Reverence,” 2026. “Awareness,” 2026, “Listening,” 2026. Redwood. Photo: Nicholas Knight, courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY. Presented by Public Art Fund as a part of “Woody De Othello: Guardian Spirit” at Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York City, May 5, 2026-March 8, 2027

May 7, 2026

Towering totems in Brooklyn Bridge Park explore the ritual of everyday objects

By Devin Gannon

A new exhibition exploring the ritual of everyday objects opened along the waterfront in Brooklyn Bridge Park this week. Presented by the Public Art Fund, "Guardian Spirit" by Woody De Othello consists of three redwood totems, between 20 and 22 feet tall, and four large-scale bronze sculptures, inspired by "nkisi," ritual objects from Western and Central Africa that "embody spiritual presences and channel protective or healing forces." Located in Pier 1 and at the intersection of Washington Street and Plymouth Street in Dumbo, "Guardian Spirit" is De Othello's first solo public exhibition in New York City.
see it here

Events & Things To Do

NYC announces record $31M in penalties against two Bronx landlords

Streetview of 480 East 188th Street © Google 2022

May 6, 2026

NYC announces record $31M in penalties against two Bronx landlords

By Devin Gannon

New York City secured $31 million in penalties against negligent owners of two Bronx apartment buildings, marking the largest judgment ever obtained by the city. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced on Wednesday a record-setting settlement against landlords Karan Singh and Rajmattie Persaud, who own Robert Fulton Terrace and Fordham Towers. After tenants faced years of hazardous conditions, including lack of hot water, rat infestations, and elevator outages, and hundreds of housing code violations, the city sued the owners in 2024, and the properties later entered foreclosure.
details this way

Policy

New York kicks off planning for 100-acre Aqueduct Racetrack redevelopment

Aerial view of Aqueduct Racetrack courtesy of Empire State Development

May 5, 2026

New York kicks off planning for 100-acre Aqueduct Racetrack redevelopment

By Devin Gannon

New York is moving forward with the redevelopment of the sprawling Aqueduct Racetrack site in South Ozone Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the start of the community engagement and planning process for 100 acres of the state-owned Queens racetrack, which will close this summer before moving horse racing operations to Belmont Park on Long Island. The state announced two workshops will take place this month to gather input from the public on priorities for the development, including housing, open space, and retail.
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New Developments

The Flatiron Building is getting a new restaurant from the chefs behind Via Carota

Chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi in front of the Flatiron Building. Photo credit: Alex Stein

April 28, 2026

The Flatiron Building is getting a new restaurant from the chefs behind Via Carota

By Devin Gannon

The celebrated chefs behind some of New York City's most acclaimed restaurants are opening a new spot in one of the city's most iconic buildings. James Beard Award-winning duo Rita Sodi and Jody Williams will open a location of their Bar Pisellino at the base of the landmarked Flatiron Building, which is currently being converted from offices into condominiums. The new restaurant marks the first restaurant outside of the West Village for Sodi and Williams, who are behind beloved downtown restaurants Via Carota, I Sodi, Buvette, and The Commerce Inn.
details this way

New York announces free FIFA World Cup fan events in every borough

A FIFA World Cup fan experience will take place at Staten Island University Hospital Park Baseball Field from June 29 to July 2. Photo by Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

April 27, 2026

New York announces free FIFA World Cup fan events in every borough

By Devin Gannon

Instead of paying sky-high ticket prices and $150 NJ Transit train fares, New York soccer fans can attend free World Cup watch parties hosted in every borough. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul, along with the NYNJ 2026 World Cup Host Committee, on Monday announced five official fan experiences to be held throughout the six-week tournament. "If you can't get to the World Cup, the World Cup is coming to you," Hochul said.
details this way

Events & Things To Do

Mamdani creates NYC’s first office to prevent deed theft

Mayor Mamdani and Council Member Ossé. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 24, 2026

Mamdani creates NYC’s first office to prevent deed theft

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced the creation of the city's first-ever Office of Deed Theft Prevention to crack down on scammers who take ownership of homes through fraud and deception. The new office comes just days after Council Member Chi Ossé was arrested after defending a Bed-Stuy homeowner facing eviction from a brownstone she has called home for six decades.
details this way

Policy

Smorgasburg in Williamsburg. Photo credit: Grace Jeon

April 23, 2026

Smorgasburg to open in Central Park

By Devin Gannon

Smorgasburg's 16th season may be its biggest yet. The long-running open-air market, which originated in Williamsburg, announced it is expanding to Central Park next month. Starting May 14, over 25 vendors will set up at the Columbus Circle entrance of the park. The new Smorgasburg location comes as the company prepares to open a new 32,000-square-foot Pan-American restaurant on Governors Island.
dig in

April 22, 2026

Lottery opens for 24 affordable co-ops in Hamilton Heights, starting at $100K

By Devin Gannon

In Hamilton Heights, a co-op building opened a lottery this week for affordable apartments available for purchase. On the corner of West 142nd Street and Riverside Drive, the pre-war building was acquired by the city in 2003 and sold to a nonprofit group to rehabilitate and turn it into affordable housing as part of the city's currently-paused Third Party Transfer (TPT) program. Earlier this month, a lottery opened for 24 units at 644 Riverside Drive, priced from $100,794 for a one-bedroom to $156,331 for a five-bedroom.
do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

Midtown East penthouse seen in ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ lists for $4.95M

Photos courtesy of Evan Joseph Studios

April 21, 2026

Midtown East penthouse seen in ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ lists for $4.95M

By Devin Gannon

The New York City penthouse that acted as the fictional home of financial fraudster Jordan Belfort in the 2013 film "The Wolf of Wall Street" is back on the market. Located on the 32nd floor of the Midtown East condo building Milan at 300 East 55th Street, the luxurious, 2,700-square-foot penthouse serves as the setting of a pivotal scene with Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and an associate who dangles a butler over the balcony. The scene shows off the very real sweeping city views, especially of the Chrysler Building, from the three-bedroom home, which just hit the market for $4,950,000.
take a look

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