All articles by Devin Gannon

July 9, 2021

Magnolia Bakery is giving out free banana pudding across NYC this weekend

Not only can you enjoy Magnolia Bakery's internationally renowned banana pudding for free this month, but you also don't have to travel very far to eat it. To celebrate its 25th birthday, the iconic Manhattan shop is taking to the streets with its "banana pudding-mobile" and handing out the sweet treat for free in several locations across New York City over two weekends in July.
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July 9, 2021

Apply for 95 affordable apartments at stylish high-rise in New Rochelle, from $1,082/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 95 affordable apartments at a newly constructed rental tower in the "city outside the city." Located at 14 LeCount Place in downtown New Rochelle, the 27-story luxury building is the latest mixed-use development to rise in the bustling Westchester city. Eligible applicants must earn 50 or 70 percent of the area median income, between $44,650 annually for a one-person household and $89,250 annually for a four-person household. Applications are now being accepted for studios, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, ranging in price from $1,082/month to $1,953/month.
Find out if you qualify
July 9, 2021

For $1.62M, a mid-century modern home surrounded by woods in the Bronx’s historic Fieldston

Nestled among woodland and rocky landscape, this mid-century modern home in the historic Bronx neighborhood of Fieldston is now available. Asking $1,625,000, the property at 4710 Grosvenor Avenue offers quiet and space that comes with suburban living, but also still benefits from its proximity to Manhattan. In addition to being surrounded by nature, the five-bedroom home is architecturally noteworthy, with 14-foot-high beamed ceilings, a library loft, and a terrace built into the rock outcroppings.
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July 8, 2021

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

After finally finding that perfect New York City apartment, it's time to prove you can actually pay for it. Many NYC newbies and even natives can't meet landlords' strict criteria, like having a high credit score or a salary that equals 40 to 45 times the monthly rent, for example. This is where guarantors come in. A guarantor is a co-signer who guarantees payment on the lease if it otherwise can't be made. But this is an entirely additional process, from finding someone who fits the bill to gathering all of the necessary paperwork. Ahead, find out everything you need to know about using a guarantor, as well as some tricks of the trade.
Find out the basics
July 8, 2021

You can now book a visit to Governors Island’s lavish new Italian spa

Photo by Riccardo Piazza Get ready to relax. Ticket sales officially launched on Thursday for QC NY, a lavish European day spa on Governors Island. The spa will feature outdoor thermal pools with views of Manhattan, steam rooms and saunas, and a wellness-focused cafe. Tickets will be sold for dates starting September 1, with limited preview tickets available in August.
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July 7, 2021

Summer Streets is back this August with seven miles of car-free NYC blocks

New York City's original "Open Streets" return this August. The Department of Transportation announced "Summer Streets," the annual initiative that transforms seven miles of Manhattan streets into a car-free oasis, will take place on August 7 and August 14. While the city's popular Open Streets program was established last year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Summer Streets is now in its 13th year.
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July 7, 2021

NYC replaces Trump Organization as operator of Central Park’s Wollman Rink

A joint venture made up of businesses and some nonprofit groups will run Central Park's Wollman Rink, officially replacing the Trump Organization as the operator, the city's Parks Department announced on Tuesday. Earlier this year, the agency issued requests for proposals to operate and manage Wollman Rink and the Central Park Carousel, both of which were formerly run by President Donald Trump's company. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city would terminate any agreements with the organization following the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
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July 6, 2021

Cuomo’s ‘Circle of Heroes’ monument proposed for Battery Park City will be relocated after protests

A new monument honoring essential workers will no longer be built in Battery Park City's Rockefeller Park after the community protested its location. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last month plans to construct at the Lower Manhattan park a "Circle of Heroes" memorial, which would include a circle of maple trees and an eternal flame. Opponents argue the monument would reduce green space and called out the governor's office for not working with the community. As seen in a video posted on Instagram last week and as first reported by Gothamist, George Tsunis, the chair of the Battery Park City Authority, told local residents: "This site is going to change. It's going to be a new site."
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July 6, 2021

Dating app Bumble is opening a restaurant in Nolita for in-person meet-ups

Dating app Bumble is opening its own restaurant in Nolita this month, helping New York City singles shift to in-person meet-ups after months of direct messaging and video chats. Bumble Brew, originally scheduled to launch in 2019, will open its doors at 98 Kenmare Street on July 24. The all-day cafe and wine bar won't just be for a romantic rendezvous, but also as a way to make new friends or potential business connections after more than a year apart.
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July 2, 2021

First new futuristic subway cars arrive in NYC for testing

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled the first batch of subway cars of a brand new fleet that will serve passengers starting next summer. With wider doors and better signage, the long-awaited R211 cars are designed to increase capacity and provide commuters a more modern experience. The test cars that arrived this week fall under a $1.4 billion order from Kawasaki Rail Car Inc., which includes 535 subway and Staten Island Railway R211 cars. A few of the cars will hit the rails in the coming weeks, but won't serve passengers until next September.
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July 1, 2021

On its way to becoming Brooklyn’s first supertall, 9 DeKalb is now the tallest tower in the borough

Brooklyn's first supertall hit a major milestone this week. In Downtown Brooklyn, the skyscraper under construction at 9 DeKalb Avenue reached 721 feet, developer JDS Development Group announced on Wednesday. Designed by SHoP Architects, 9 DeKalb is now more than halfway to its pinnacle of 1,066 feet, officially snatching the title of the borough's tallest tower from Extell Development's 720-foot-tall Brooklyn Point. A building is labeled as a supertall if it reaches over 300 meters, or 984 feet.
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July 1, 2021

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, & Jennifer Hudson to headline Central Park ‘mega-concert’ this summer

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Jennifer Hudson will headline the massive concert happening this August in Central Park, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. Last month, the mayor said he asked music producer and Brooklyn native Clive Davis to put together the concert, marketed as a celebration of New York's comeback following the pandemic. The full lineup of performers will be announced in the coming weeks, but de Blasio said the event will be "one of the greatest Central Park concerts in history."
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July 1, 2021

The Mets and Airbnb team up to offer baseball fans an overnight stay at Citi Field

For baseball fans, this Airbnb stay is pretty Amazin'. The New York Mets and Airbnb are teaming up to offer a one-night stay for four at Citi Field this month for $250. Not only does the promotion include a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover, but the winning guests will also get a VIP private suite to watch two games and throw out the first pitch during one of them.
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June 30, 2021

Greenpoint tower with outdoor pool opens lottery for 127 middle-income units, from $2,370/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 127 middle-income apartments at a brand new rental tower in Greenpoint. Two Blue Slip, one half of a pair of luxury towers developed by Brookfield Properties and Park Tower Group, is a 40-story building located on the waterfront at the northern end of the Brooklyn neighborhood. New Yorkers with combined household incomes between $81,258 and $192,400, or 130 percent of the area median income, can apply for the apartments, which start at $2,370/month studios, $2,542/month one-bedrooms, $3,063/month two-bedrooms, and $3,530/month three-bedrooms.
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June 30, 2021

40 middle-income apartments available at luxury high-rise in Midtown East, from $1,281/month

Here's an opportunity to live in a luxury Manhattan rental for cheap (relatively). The Gilroy, a new 40-story tower at 232 East 54th Street, is currently accepting housing lottery applications for 40 middle-income apartments, set aside for New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median income. Available apartments start at $1,281/month for a studio, $1,375/month for a one-bedroom, and $1,660/month for a two-bedroom.
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June 29, 2021

Lottery launches for middle-income units at new Clinton Hill rental, from $2,431/month

A housing lottery opened this week for about a dozen apartments in Brooklyn's charming Clinton Hill neighborhood. Located at 445 Vanderbilt Avenue, the development is part of a larger complex that also includes seven three-story townhouses currently under construction on the other side of the property. The "affordable" units available through the housing lottery don't provide much of a discount, with apartments set aside for New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income. Units include three $2,431/month studios, $2,592/month one-bedrooms, and $3,090/month two-bedrooms. The current median rental price in the neighborhood is $2,825/month, according to data from CityRealty.
Do you qualify?
June 29, 2021

Coney Island’s newest roller coaster the Phoenix will open July 4 weekend

In 1920, in the aftermath of a global pandemic, Coney Island's iconic Wonder Wheel opened. Now, over 100 years later, the Brooklyn amusement park is welcoming another new ride following a difficult year for New Yorkers. The Phoenix roller coaster will officially open at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park on July 1, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend.
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June 29, 2021

Huge new LEGO flagship opens at Rockefeller Center

A LEGO flagship store opened in Midtown this week with new hands-on experiences and New York City-inspired builds. Located at 630 Fifth Avenue within the Rockefeller Center complex, the store measures more than 7,100 square feet across two levels. The new shop celebrates the Big Apple with a classic yellow taxi cab, skyscrapers like the Empire State Building, and the lights and billboards of Times Square and Broadway theaters, all made of LEGO bricks.
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June 28, 2021

Lantern House reveals its private garden, a woodsy oasis tucked beneath the High Line

As construction wraps up on Thomas Heatherwick's condo project on the High Line, new images were released of the building's "secret" garden. Located at 515 West 18th Street, Lantern House consists of two towers that straddle either side of the elevated park. The recently completed garden, envisioned by Hollander Design to resemble a woodland oasis, sits directly under the High Line and next to the freestanding lobby that links the towers.
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June 28, 2021

How to choose and install an air conditioner in NYC

While a summer spent in the city is typically an exciting time for New Yorkers, it can also be quite miserable for those whose apartments don't have central air conditioning. For renters, though, a window AC unit makes the most sense since it's a much cheaper alternative to installing central air and can be taken to your next apartment. Although installing your own air conditioning unit can be intimidating, 6sqft has put together a comprehensive list of AC installation tips to help you chill out and enjoy the short and sweet summer months ahead.
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June 28, 2021

11 spots to watch the 4th of July fireworks in NYC

After most Fourth of July festivities were canceled or scaled-down in 2020 because of the pandemic, New Yorkers are more than ready to celebrate this year. With Macy's annual 4th of July Fireworks show taking over the East River and Jersey City's massive display sparkling over the Hudson River, there are plenty of places to take in the magic of pyrotechnics across New York City and the Jersey waterfront. To ring in Independence Day, we've rounded up the best places hosting firework viewing parties, from the highest observation deck in the Western Hemisphere to a cruise ship sailing around the Hudson River. In addition to these ticketed events, there are also several free public viewing locations, including elevated portions of FDR Drive in Manhattan.
Here's where to go
June 25, 2021

NYC art exhibit immerses visitors in landscapes and underwater habitats threatened by climate change

The immersive art installation that throws visitors into the depths of the world's climate disaster reopened this month after being closed throughout the pandemic. "Arcadia Earth" debuted in Noho in 2019 and made headlines for its impressive innovative exhibition that uses augmented reality and virtual reality to highlight the environmental dangers impacting the planet. Tickets to the Arcadia Earth experience, open Thursday through Sunday, start at $33.
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June 25, 2021

The world’s first Passive House-certified cidery opens in the Catskills

Located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains overlooking the Delaware River Valley, the world's first Passive House-certified cidery is now open. The Callicoon-based Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery was designed as a low energy-use structure, with an air-tight thermal envelope, triple pane windows, and photovoltaic solar panels. Designed by River Architects, the structure is not only sustainable but architecturally appealing, flaunting gapped wood siding, interiors clad with reclaimed wood from the pilings of the original Tappan Zee Bridge, and lovely views of the apple orchard.
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June 24, 2021

Affordable housing lottery opens at Bedford Union Armory in Crown Heights, from $367/month

The city on Thursday launched an affordable housing lottery for 55 rentals at the Bedford Union Armory redevelopment in Crown Heights. Recently renamed the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center, the former home of the U.S. Army's Cavalry Troop C is being transformed into a mixed-use building with recreational and community space, as well as mixed-income apartments and office space. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units available in this first phase, ranging from $367/month studios to $1,472/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify