All articles by Devin Gannon

Macy’s giant shopping bag sign is removed, revealing 100-year-old building hidden for decades

The iconic Macy’s shopping bag sign was removed. Photo © Devin Gannon / 6sqft

July 28, 2026

Macy’s giant shopping bag sign is removed, revealing 100-year-old building hidden for decades

By Devin Gannon

The giant shopping bag sign proclaiming Macy's Herald Square as "The World's Largest Store" was removed over the weekend, revealing a 100-year-old building that had been hidden for decades. The red-and-white billboard, which had wrapped around the corner of the building on 34th Street and Broadway for 60 years (through several iterations over the years), will be replaced with something more modern, as the New York Post first reported, but it's unclear exactly what will be displayed. For a short time, though, the 240,000 pedestrians who pass the corner every day will get a peek for the first time at what was behind the iconic sign: a five-story building that is one of the city's most famous "holdouts" in real estate.
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Mamdani’s city-owned grocery stores to offer 30 percent discount on basics

Photo courtesy of Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 27, 2026

Mamdani’s city-owned grocery stores to offer 30 percent discount on basics

By Devin Gannon

The city's publicly owned grocery stores will offer a 30 percent discount on basics, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday. One of his key campaign promises to tackle affordability, the mayor plans to establish five city-run food stores, one in every borough, as a way to bring down food costs, the first model of its kind in the United States. A collection of essentials, including all fresh produce, meat, and seafood, will be priced 30 percent below typical retail prices. Other basics like cheese, milk, and bread will be 20 percent off, with other products priced at market rate.
details here

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 24, 2026

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

By Devin Gannon

The Bureau of Coastal Resilience was established by the Department of Environmental Protection in 2023 to prepare and protect New York City's 520 miles of coastline. Since then, the agency has managed with six staff members and a budget of $1 million. As the threat of climate change, along with rising sea levels and extreme weather, only intensifies, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced he plans to significantly expand the Bureau by investing $43.2 million to hire 69 more staff, which will include engineers, flood experts, city planners, and others, and to fund new studies on a long-term coastal resilience strategy.
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Policy

From a waterfront park to an outdoor pool, Society Brooklyn brings resort-style living to Gowanus

July 23, 2026

From a waterfront park to an outdoor pool, Society Brooklyn brings resort-style living to Gowanus

By Devin Gannon

A waterfront park, resort-style outdoor pool, and over 500 luxury apartments have arrived on the Gowanus Canal. Society Brooklyn is a new two-tower development bringing a unique kind of Brooklyn waterfront living to one of the borough's most exciting neighborhoods. Current availabilities start at $3,321/month for a studio.
take the tour

NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

Photo credit: Denis Ibarra for Tenant Bloc

July 22, 2026

NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

By Devin Gannon

The first legal challenge to the Rent Guidelines Board's (RGB) decision to freeze the rent for New York City's stabilized apartments was filed this week. A group of landlords filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court on Staten Island to annul the board's June 25 approval of 0 percent increases on one- and two-year leases. The suit claims the board manipulated data to overstate property income for owners to meet Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rent freeze promise.
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Policy

Upscale food hall will open in the landmarked hall of Brooklyn’s Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower

Renderings courtesy of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment unless otherwise noted

July 21, 2026

Upscale food hall will open in the landmarked hall of Brooklyn’s Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower

By Devin Gannon

A high-end food hall is coming to a Brooklyn landmark. Miami-based hospitality brand Casa Tua will open Cucina by Casa Tua inside the former banking hall of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, also known as One Hanson Place, bringing Italian fare and fine goods to Downtown Brooklyn. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to approve designs for the new food hall, which will preserve the landmarked interiors, keeping its cathedral-inspired design, and add new spaces for dining and gathering.
details here

Food & Dining

Renderings reveal Greenwich Village’s tallest building, a 30-story condo with 34 homes

Renderings credit: Binyan

July 17, 2026

Renderings reveal Greenwich Village’s tallest building, a 30-story condo with 34 homes

By Devin Gannon

New renderings released this week provide a first look at the tallest building in Greenwich Village. The condominium planned for 11 West 13th Street will rise roughly 530 feet, about 200 feet above the neighborhood's current tallest building. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the tower, officially branded as the Greenwich Spire, will contain just 34 residences across 30 floors, offering exclusive living in one of Manhattan's most sought-after neighborhoods.
see it here

New Developments

This luxury Fort Greene rental offers rent-stabilized apartments with a $1 amenity fee

All photos courtesy of Verdant Fort Greene.

July 16, 2026

This luxury Fort Greene rental offers rent-stabilized apartments with a $1 amenity fee

By Devin Gannon

With rents at an all-time high in New York City, don't miss this opportunity to live in a rent-stabilized apartment in Brooklyn. Located on the 30-acre Fort Greene Park, the luxury development Verdant Fort Greene is now leasing its below-market-rate apartments, ranging from studios to two-bedroom units. Qualified New Yorkers earning between $107,383 and $238,160 can apply for the apartments. Units are priced from $2,990/month studios to $4,347/month two-bedroom units.
how to apply

Sponsored Content

Airbnb buys landmarked Gramercy building for $81.5M

Photo by Beyond My Ken on Wikimedia

July 15, 2026

Airbnb buys landmarked Gramercy building for $81.5M

By Devin Gannon

Airbnb plans to turn a New York City landmark into office space. The short-term rental company paid $81.5 million for the six-story limestone building at 281 Park Avenue South. Known as the Church Missions House, the property was built in the 1890s for the Episcopal Church and most recently housed the Swedish photography museum Fotografiska, which closed its doors in 2024.
details here

Real Estate Trends

Pfizer’s former headquarters in Midtown is stable after buckled columns led to evacuations

219-235 East 42nd Street. Photo © Ondel Hylton

July 8, 2026

Pfizer’s former headquarters in Midtown is stable after buckled columns led to evacuations

By Devin Gannon

The city's Department of Buildings on Tuesday said a high-rise tower under construction in Midtown is now stable after structural columns buckled. The building, Pfizer's former headquarters on 42nd Street, which is currently being converted into a new residential development, was found to be structurally compromised, prompting the city to evacuate several buildings in the area and close surrounding streets. DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani on Tuesday night said crews were able to enter and stabilize the impacted floors as part of an emergency intervention. As of Thursday, temporary shoring has been installed from the 9th floor to the underside of the roof, with additional steel columns installed on multiple floors, according to the city.
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Policy

Popular Articles

NYC co-names streets after New York Knicks players

All photos courtesy of NYC DOT

June 29, 2026

NYC co-names streets after New York Knicks players

By Devin Gannon

In commemoration of the team's first NBA championship in over 50 years, New York City has temporarily co-named streets in Manhattan for every player on the 2026 New York Knicks. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) on Monday unveiled 18 new blue-and-orange signs installed at locations across Sixth and Seventh Avenues. The signs feature a player's name and jersey number, which corresponds to the street where it's installed, creating a "championship route through the heart of Manhattan," according to the city.
go new york go new york

Events & Things To Do

NYC to give out 100,000 free tickets to Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show

South Street Seaport. 2019 fireworks. Photo credit: Jane Kratochvil

June 26, 2026

NYC to give out 100,000 free tickets to Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday opened a lottery for 100,000 free tickets to the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show next week. In celebration of its 50th July 4th event, and coinciding with America 250, Macy's will expand the show to the East River, the Hudson River, and the Brooklyn Bridge. The event is free to watch without a ticket, but those who are selected by the lottery will get a front-row seat to the spectacle, which includes more than 85,000 shells and 30 colors. The lottery is open now through Monday, June 29, at 11:59 p.m.
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Events & Things To Do

NY attorney general sues Brooklyn landlords for overcharging rent-stabilized tenants

1075 Dean Street in Crown Heights. Streetview © 2026 Google

June 18, 2026

NY attorney general sues Brooklyn landlords for overcharging rent-stabilized tenants

By Devin Gannon

Two landlords in Brooklyn are the first to be sued by the state as part of a new program enforcing "de facto" rent stabilization. New York Attorney General Letitia James this week announced a lawsuit against John Anderson and Claudette Henry for failing to register units in buildings in Crown Heights and Brownsville and charging market-rate rents for apartments that should be stabilized. The suit also alleges the landlords attempted to illegally evict tenants and violated harassment laws. The effort comes after the Office of the Attorney General in 2025 launched a compliance program to enforce a law that allows buildings built before 1974 with six or more dwelling units to become rent-regulated.
details here

Policy

Murray Hill high-rise rental opens lottery for 40 affordable apartments, from $969/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 15, 2026

Murray Hill high-rise rental opens lottery for 40 affordable apartments, from $969/month

By Devin Gannon

Applications are currently being accepted for 40 mixed-income units at a new high-rise rental in Murray Hill. The Dian, located at 162 East 36th Street, is a 22-story luxury building with 160 apartments. Designed by Ismael Leyva Architects, the tower's design pays tribute to the city's Art Deco legacy with a facade of layered brick, limestone, and granite. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $969/month for a studio to $4,484/month for a two-bedroom.
find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYPD closes area around MSG for Knicks game

Fans celebrated after the Knicks won Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3. Photo credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 10, 2026

NYPD closes area around MSG for Knicks game

By Devin Gannon

The New York Police Department will once again close several blocks around Madison Square Garden during Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday. In a post on X, the NYPD said the same "secure zone" implemented around the arena on Monday, when President Donald Trump attended the game, will be in effect. While originally a ticketed watch party was scheduled for outside MSG, Knicks owner James Dolan canceled the event, blaming Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the NYPD for not allowing more than 1,000 spectators.
details here

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

By Devin Gannon

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

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