All articles by Devin Gannon

April 16, 2020

SNL’s Michael Che to pay rent for 160 units at late grandmother’s NYCHA building

Comedian and "Saturday Night Live" cast member Michael Che on Wednesday pledged to pay one month's rent for all 160 apartments at a public housing building where his late grandmother lived. Earlier this month, Che, who grew up on the Lower East Side, announced he lost his grandmother, Martha, to complications from the coronavirus.
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Celebrities

All New Yorkers must wear masks in public spaces, Cuomo orders

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels

April 15, 2020

All New Yorkers must wear masks in public spaces, Cuomo orders

By Devin Gannon

All people must wear a mask or face-covering in public in situations where social distancing is not possible, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday. As part of an executive order, New Yorkers must wear a mask or cloth covering over their nose and mouth to stop the spread of the coronavirus. This includes wearing face coverings in crowded areas like busy sidewalks and public transportation. The new order will go into effect on Friday, the governor said.
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Policy

Family drops $27M on eight Waterline Square apartments as ‘safe’ investment during coronavirus

Rendering courtesy of Noe & Associates with The Boundary. L to R: Two Waterline Square by KPF, Three Waterline Square by Rafael Vinoly, One Waterline Square by Richard Meier

April 15, 2020

Family drops $27M on eight Waterline Square apartments as ‘safe’ investment during coronavirus

By Devin Gannon

A family from Peru has paid nearly $27 million for eight units at the new three-tower luxury complex Waterline Square on the Upper West Side, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The buyers went into contract and closed on the all-cash deal on the same day, Douglas Elliman agent Maria Velazquez told the newspaper. Velazquez said the family who bought the condo units see it as an investment, opting to put their money into real estate instead of a bank during the coronavirus pandemic. "They felt their money was safer in an apartment in New York than in a bank," she said.
More on the deal

Real Estate Trends

NYC beaches may be closed for the summer

Photo by Brian Kyed on Unsplash

April 15, 2020

NYC beaches may be closed for the summer

By Devin Gannon

Photo by Brian Kyed on Unsplash The city is considering closing New York City beaches for the summer in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the New York Post reported on Tuesday. Sources told the newspaper that the city's Parks Department has been directed by Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration to plan for "every scenario," which could mean full and partial closures of its 14 miles of beaches. The mayor also said this week that large gatherings may not be able to take place until the fall as the city continues to control the spread of the virus.
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Policy

Landmarks Preservation Commission to resume public hearings virtually

Photo of One Centre Street by Alexander Lorenz on Flickr

April 14, 2020

Landmarks Preservation Commission to resume public hearings virtually

By Devin Gannon

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission will resume its public hearings next week after being suspended for a month as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. As first reported by Brownstoner, the meetings and hearings will be held virtually on the video conferencing app Zoom, with the first happening on Tuesday, April 21.
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Policy

The Met Opera will present a live-streamed gala with 40+ artists

Photo via Wikimedia

April 14, 2020

The Met Opera will present a live-streamed gala with 40+ artists

By Devin Gannon

The show must go on. The Metropolitan Opera on Monday announced plans to host a virtual "At-Home Gala" this month with over 40 artists participating around the world. On Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m., leading Met artists will perform live from their homes for a free three-hour concert. The event comes after the venue was forced to cancel the rest of its season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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As NYC restaurants struggle amid COVID-19, GrubHub and other delivery services sued over fees

Photo by Patrick Connor Klopf on Unsplash

April 14, 2020

As NYC restaurants struggle amid COVID-19, GrubHub and other delivery services sued over fees

By Devin Gannon

A number of food delivery platforms were sued in New York on Monday for charging excess fees and forcing restaurants to raise prices for dine-in customers. Through contracts with restaurants, GrubHub, Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash are able to determine the price of meals, even those ordered directly from the restaurant, according to the lawsuit. On top of that, the companies charge fees that can be high as 40 percent of revenue, eating away from the restaurant's profits. The legal battle comes as the city's restaurants struggle to survive during the coronavirus outbreak, with dining rooms temporarily closed and most businesses relying on take-out orders.
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NYC will move more homeless New Yorkers to empty hotel rooms to curb COVID-19 spread

Photo by Filip Mishevski on Flickr

April 13, 2020

NYC will move more homeless New Yorkers to empty hotel rooms to curb COVID-19 spread

By Devin Gannon

Starting this week, about 2,500 individuals experiencing homelessness in New York City will be transferred from shelters to hotels, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Saturday. The single adults who will be prioritized for the hotel rooms will include seniors and those who tested positive for the coronavirus or have symptoms of the disease. The move comes as 340 homeless New Yorkers have tested positive for COVID-19 and 20 have died, according to the city's Department of Social Services.
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31 apartments up for grabs at amenity-rich rental in Flushing, from $1,750/month

Photo by Chris Hamby on Flickr

April 13, 2020

31 apartments up for grabs at amenity-rich rental in Flushing, from $1,750/month

By Devin Gannon

A housing lottery kicked off on Monday for 31 new, middle-income apartments in the Queens neighborhood of Flushing. The rental at 144-74 Northern Boulevard contains 100 units and ground-floor retail, including the Korean supermarket H Mart and a Burger King. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $1,750/month studios to $2,400/month two-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

De Blasio urges state to act on NYC rent relief proposals

Photo by Daryan Shamkhali on Unsplash

April 13, 2020

De Blasio urges state to act on NYC rent relief proposals

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday urged the state to act on a number of rent relief proposals amid the coronavirus pandemic, including a deferment of rents for tenants, the use of pre-paid security deposits in lieu of rent, and an extension of the current moratorium on evictions. The mayor has also called on the Rent Guidelines Board--the entity that determines yearly rent increases for the city's rent-stabilized units--to enact a rent freeze.
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Policy

Residential buildings replaced nearly half of NYC hospitals shuttered in last two decades

By Devin Gannon

Why is New York facing a shortage of hospital beds during the current crisis despite having the "best health care system on the planet," as Gov. Andrew Cuomo claimed? In the last two decades, 18 hospitals have closed in New York City, a loss of more than 20,000 beds. And new health care facilities did not replace the shuttered sites, residential buildings did.
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Policy

Plans to convert Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine into field hospital have been canceled

Photo by Kripa Chettiar on Flickr

April 10, 2020

Plans to convert Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine into field hospital have been canceled

By Devin Gannon

Update 4/10/20: Plans to convert the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine into an emergency field hospital have been canceled. ABC News reported on Thursday that tensions between the progressive church and the Samaritan's Purse, known for its anti-LGBTQ and Islamaphobic views, may have halted the project. A spokesperson with the church told ABC the space could either become a hospital with a different agency, a morgue, or nothing if the number of hospitalizations continues to drop. One of the largest churches in the world will be converted into a field hospital this week. The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood said it will have nine climate-controlled medical tents installed in its 600-foot-long nave and underground crypt by the end of the week, the New York Times first reported. The site is expected to house at least 200 patients, who could start arriving as early as this week.
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Policy

See NYC landmarks turn blue in honor of essential workers

Photo by Jörg Angeli on Unsplash

April 10, 2020

See NYC landmarks turn blue in honor of essential workers

By Devin Gannon

To show support for New York City's essential workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of buildings turned blue Thursday night. Madison Square Garden, One World Trade Center's spire, Beacon Theatre, Pier 17, Hudson Yards' Vessel, and more join more than 100 landmarks across the country as part of the #LightItBlue campaign. The nationwide lighting will occur weekly every Thursday.
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City Living

New-York Historical Society is collecting objects related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Business sign 3.20.20, photo by Stephen Harmon, courtesy of New-York Historical

April 10, 2020

New-York Historical Society is collecting objects related to the COVID-19 pandemic

By Devin Gannon

The New-York Historical Society is asking New Yorkers to donate any materials related to the coronavirus pandemic as a way to preserve this moment in the city's history. First created during September 11, the museum's History Responds initiative has collected objects related to movements like Black Lives Matter, Occupy Wall Street, marriage equality, and others.
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Events & Things To Do

Own three private islands off the Connecticut coast for $5.3M

Photo of Belden Island (top left) by Dan Milstein, photo of Jepson Island (top right) by Planomatic, and photo of Wheelers Island (bottom) by Dan Milstein

April 9, 2020

Own three private islands off the Connecticut coast for $5.3M

By Devin Gannon

Take social distancing to its full extent by living on a private island (or three). A trio of private islands off the coast of Connecticut has hit the market for a total of $5.3 million. The properties, part of the Thimble Islands and located in the Long Island Sound, was last for sale in 2016 as part of a $78 million eight-island package.
See the private escapes

Distinctive Homes

A third of U.S. renters didn’t pay rent on time, report says

Photo by Anthony Formin on Unsplash

April 9, 2020

A third of U.S. renters didn’t pay rent on time, report says

By Devin Gannon

Just 69 percent of apartment renters in the United States paid rent during the first week of April, according to a new report released this week by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC). This a decrease of 12 percentage points compared to the percentage of households that paid rent last month. The data is one of the first looks at the impact of the coronavirus pandemic--which has put millions of Americans out of work-- on the housing market.
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J.Lo and A-Rod help Governor Cuomo launch ‘stay home’ social media campaign

Graphic courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s coronavirus response campaign toolkit

April 8, 2020

J.Lo and A-Rod help Governor Cuomo launch ‘stay home’ social media campaign

By Devin Gannon

To reach more New Yorkers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday launched a multi-platform awareness campaign to encourage everyone to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. With help from Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, the governor's new social media push asks New Yorkers to use the hashtag #IStayHomeFor and nominate friends to participate.
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Latino and black communities in NYC face disproportionate rates of death from coronavirus

Photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash

April 8, 2020

Latino and black communities in NYC face disproportionate rates of death from coronavirus

By Devin Gannon

Early data released by New York City this week shows a disparity in deaths caused by coronavirus among people of color. Of those who have died from COVID-19, 34 percent were Hispanic and 28 percent were black, according to preliminary numbers from April 6. Those groups make up 29 percent and 22 percent of the city's population, respectively.
Details on the data

Policy

All of the beach, boardwalk, and park closures in NJ

Bradley Beach, NJ; Photo by Ryan Loughlin on Unsplash

April 8, 2020

All of the beach, boardwalk, and park closures in NJ

By Devin Gannon

As the number of coronavirus cases in New Jersey continues to climb, state and city officials are furthering social distancing measures by closing public spaces across the state. Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed an executive order shuttering all state parks and forests, as well as county parks. A number of Jersey Shore towns have closed beaches and boardwalks, with some even banning short-term rentals to curb visits from out-of-towners. "My focus and our focus, our sole mission right now is the health of every New Jersey family," Murphy said. "And we must not just flatten this curve, we must crush this curve." Ahead, find out which public spaces in NJ have been temporarily closed as a result of the pandemic.
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Policy

Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

April 7, 2020

Tenants would not be evicted for unpaid rent accrued during state of emergency, under proposed law

By Devin Gannon

Landlords would not be able to evict tenants for any unpaid rent that accumulated during New York's state of emergency and for six months afterward, under proposed legislation introduced by state lawmakers Tuesday. State Sens. Brad Hoylman and Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz announced the "NYS Tenant Safe Harbor Act" that would strengthen the current 90-day eviction freeze put in place by the state last month.
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Policy

4,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income units across Bushwick, Bed-Stuy

Photo by Manny Moss on Flickr

April 7, 2020

4,000 spots open on waitlist for middle-income units across Bushwick, Bed-Stuy

By Devin Gannon

Applications are currently being accepted to replenish a 4,000-name waitlist for income-restricted apartments across central Brooklyn. Located at 806 St. John's Place, 924 Myrtle Avenue, 682 Chauncey Street, 1140 Bushwich Avenue, and 18 Stanhope Street, the buildings are located in Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which include studios starting at $1,700/month and two-bedrooms from $2,000/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Once a WWII ship-building site, Brooklyn Navy Yard returns to its ‘wartime factory’ days

Photo by Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

April 7, 2020

Once a WWII ship-building site, Brooklyn Navy Yard returns to its ‘wartime factory’ days

By Devin Gannon

During World War II, 70,000 workers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard built and repaired thousands of battleships and sent supplies to troops stationed around the world. Today, the 300-acre waterfront site is returning to its roots, with manufacturing companies coming together to create medical supplies from scratch for healthcare workers in support of the city's coronavirus pandemic response.
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Policy

Some NYC landlords are waiving rent payments amid the coronavirus pandemic

Photo by Josh Wilburne on Unsplash

April 6, 2020

Some NYC landlords are waiving rent payments amid the coronavirus pandemic

By Devin Gannon

Some New York City landlords are providing their tenants financial respite during the coronavirus pandemic by waiving or discounting rent. The sudden closure of much of the economy has resulted in the loss of income for millions of New Yorkers, a burden felt especially by the city's five million renters. One landlord who owns 18 buildings in Brooklyn suspended rent for the month of April for all of his tenants. Another is giving a Manhattan pizzeria owner three months of free rent as he continues to feed hospital workers at no charge.
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Co-Op City’s 15,000+ apartments will stay affordable for 30 more years

Photo by David L Roush on Wikimedia

April 3, 2020

Co-Op City’s 15,000+ apartments will stay affordable for 30 more years

By Devin Gannon

Photo by David L Roush on Wikimedia The world's largest housing cooperative will remain affordable for another three decades, the city announced Friday. Home to more than 15,300 apartments across 72 buildings in the Bronx, Co-Op City opened in 1968 as part of the Mitchell-Lama program. The deal reached between the co-op board and the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development guarantees the development's participation in the Mitchell-Lama program until 2052.
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April 3, 2020

Find out which NYC construction sites are ‘essential’

By Devin Gannon

Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo temporarily banned all non-essential construction statewide, as part of his "pause" executive order. The updated order allows only emergency construction, or work "necessary to protect the health and safety of the occupants" to occur during the coronavirus pandemic. To track projects that are considered essential in New York City during this time, the city's Department of Buildings on Friday launched an interactive map that identifies sites where work can continue.
Explore the map

Policy

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