All articles by Devin Gannon

BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

Rendering via NYCEDC

January 10, 2020

BQX streetcar plan rears its head, as city announces public meetings and updated timeline

By Devin Gannon

The city is once again inching forward with its plan to bring a streetcar to run between Brooklyn and Queens, a problem-plagued $2.7 billion proposal first presented five years ago. The New York City Economic Development Corporation on Thursday launched a new website for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) with information about public community meetings planned for February and March. According to the website, the city expects a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the project to conclude in the spring of 2021, with the final statement ready by that fall. But questions about the logistics of constructing the streetcar's 11-mile route and its growing price tag.
It's back

Transit

Plans filed for large apartment building on parking lot of classic Coney Island restaurant Gargiulo’s

View of 1517 Surf Avenue; Photo courtesy of Ace Aerial

January 9, 2020

Plans filed for large apartment building on parking lot of classic Coney Island restaurant Gargiulo’s

By Devin Gannon

The owner of a 100-year-old Italian restaurant in Coney Island has agreed to lease the establishment's neighboring parking lot to a luxury real estate developer. Gargiulo's Restaurant owner Louis Russo filed a 99-year ground lease for the lot at 1517 Surf Avenue, located about one block from the boardwalk, with developer LCOR, as first reported by the Brooklyn Paper. According to the developer, plans will likely involve a mixed-income residential development and ground-floor retail.
Get the details

New Developments

Community board committee rejects design for proposed Harry Potter store in Flatiron

Rendering of Wizarding World by Studio Superette, courtesy of Manhattan Community Board 5

January 9, 2020

Community board committee rejects design for proposed Harry Potter store in Flatiron

By Devin Gannon

The landmarks committee of a Manhattan community board this week dismissed the design for a proposed Harry Potter-themed store and exhibit in the Flatiron District. Warner Brothers Entertainment announced plans last September to open Wizarding World at 935 Broadway, a landmarked building constructed in 1861. But the company's proposal to alter the historic structure by adding wand-style flagpoles and a fiberglass dragon was rejected as "inappropriate" by Manhattan Community Board 5's landmarks committee on Tuesday, as the Wall Street Journal first reported.
See the design

9 ways to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in NYC

The 2019 MLK celebration at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum; Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Children’s Museum/ Winston Williams

January 8, 2020

9 ways to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in NYC

By Devin Gannon

Every third Monday of January, we celebrate the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of activism and unity. Recognized as a federal holiday since 1983, MLK Day gives New Yorkers who get the day off from work a chance to honor King's life through live performances, panel discussions, and storytelling. As one of two federal holidays designated as a national day of service, the January 20 holiday, seen as a "day on, not a day off," also provides an opportunity to volunteer in communities across the city. We've found MLK Day activities, events, and service opportunities for New Yorkers of all ages, from a walking tour of historic Harlem to community-building workshops in South Brooklyn.
Get the full list

Events & Things To Do

Real estate investors spend $166M on group of Mitchell-Lama buildings in the Bronx

2111 Southern Boulevard; Map data ©2020 Google

January 7, 2020

Real estate investors spend $166M on group of Mitchell-Lama buildings in the Bronx

By Devin Gannon

A group of real estate companies has purchased eight affordable housing buildings in the Bronx for $166 million. LIHC Investment Group, Belveron Partners, and Camber Property Group last week announced the joint deal, which involves 1,275 housing units and 10 commercial units that fall under the city's Mitchell-Lama program. The firms plan to keep the units affordable, instead of converting them to market-rate apartments when the rent regulations expire.
Learn about it

Affordable Housing

Cuomo revives plan to overhaul Penn Station and create new Empire Station Complex

Rendering of new entrance on 8th Avenue to Penn Station via Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

January 6, 2020

Cuomo revives plan to overhaul Penn Station and create new Empire Station Complex

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is returning to one of his favorite infrastructure proposals: the overhaul of Penn Station. During an event on Monday hosted by the Association for a Better New York, the governor announced plans to build the Empire Station Complex, a station that would link a modernized Penn Station, the soon-to-be-open Moynihan Train Hall, and a new terminal one block south of the existing site. The plan, first introduced by the governor in 2016, would add eight new tracks and increase train capacity by 40 percent at the station, which currently serves more than 650,000 passengers each day.
See the updated plan

New York had offered Amazon $800M more than originally known for HQ2 site

CC Photo via Cheap Full Coverage Auto Insurance on Flickr

January 6, 2020

New York had offered Amazon $800M more than originally known for HQ2 site

By Devin Gannon

In its attempt to lure Amazon to open its second headquarters in New York, officials offered the company $800 million more in incentives than previously known to the public. Documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal reveal the breadth of the proposal from state and city leaders as part of Amazon's year-long contest in 2017 to find a new home for 50,000 jobs. According to the WSJ, the original offer to Amazon included $1.4 billion of tax credits, $1.1 billion in grants, and part of the salaries paid for some employees.
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Policy

Public library in Long Island City’s Citigroup Building will close next month

Streetview of the library; Map data © 2020 Google

January 6, 2020

Public library in Long Island City’s Citigroup Building will close next month

By Devin Gannon

A popular public library in Queens is shutting its doors next month. The Queens Public Library at Court Square, located at 25-01 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City, will close sometime in February after occupying the ground floor of the Citigroup Building for more than 30 years. The library faced threats of eviction after Amazon pulled out of its plan to move its headquarters to the neighborhood last year, which included its lease agreement at One Court Square.
More here

Uncategorized

Roosevelt Island’s Nellie Bly memorial revealed

Design by Amanda Matthews; courtesy of RIOC

January 3, 2020

Roosevelt Island’s Nellie Bly memorial revealed

By Devin Gannon

The design of a new memorial honoring investigative journalist Nellie Bly has been officially unveiled. Tapped by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, artist Amanda Matthews of Prometheus Art presented during a town hall last month "The Girl Puzzle" memorial, which will feature sculptures of Bly and four faces of women and girls who she interviewed. The memorial, whose design was first spotted by THE CITY, will be installed in late 2020 at the tip of Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island.
See it here

See inside The Deco, an eclectic new food hall in Midtown West

Photo by Max Lau

January 3, 2020

See inside The Deco, an eclectic new food hall in Midtown West

By Devin Gannon

A new food hall opened this month in Manhattan's Garment District, adding some bold flavors to the mostly lackluster options in the neighborhood. Located at 231 West 39th Street, The Deco Food + Drink features eight family-owned vendors, a cocktail bar, and event space. An ode to 1920s New York, the Carpenter & Mason-designed space features an Art Deco aesthetic, with geometric tiles, bright blues, and brass accents framing each section.
See inside

Food & Dining

Popular Articles

Times Square’s Palace Theatre overhaul includes outdoor stage and ‘ball drop’ suites

Rendering courtesy of TSX Broadway

January 2, 2020

Times Square’s Palace Theatre overhaul includes outdoor stage and ‘ball drop’ suites

By Devin Gannon

A mixed-use development project hopes to bring even more bright lights and theatrics to Times Square. A team of developers, led by L&L Holding Company, will provide the ultimate New Year's Eve experience at its new luxury hotel, part of the plan to transform the historic Palace Theatre into TSX Broadway. New renderings of the $2.5 billion project, which involves raising the theater more than 30 feet and building a 669-room hotel above it, show off suites with perfect views of the Times Square ball drop, the neighborhood's first outdoor stage, and immersive retail experiences.
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City to double number of facade inspectors after pedestrian’s death

729 Seventh Avenue; Map data © 2019 Google

December 31, 2019

City to double number of facade inspectors after pedestrian’s death

By Devin Gannon

The city's Department of Buildings is enhancing its facade inspection process nearly two weeks after a pedestrian was killed by a falling piece of terra cotta in Midtown. The agency announced on Monday plans to hire 12 new staff for its facade inspection team as well as increase the number of proactive re-inspections and field examinations. "New Yorkers should know that we are out in force holding owners feet to the fire, so they get repair work done as quickly as possible while still protecting the public," DOB Commissioner Melanie La Rocca said. "With our enhanced inspection protocols and expanded staff, owners who choose to skirt their obligations will face swift consequences."
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Policy

Famed flea market in Chelsea has closed

The Hell’s Kitchen Antiques Fair & Flea Market closed in 2018; Photo by S.J.I on Flickr

December 30, 2019

Famed flea market in Chelsea has closed

By Devin Gannon

After nearly five decades in operation, a famed flea market in Chelsea officially closed on Sunday, the New York Times reported. Alan Boss, the owner of the Annex Antiques Fair and Flea Market, which first opened in 1976 on a corner lot on West 25th Street, said the landlords did not renew the market's lease. While Boss said he hoped to find a new location, there isn't much remaining in the expanding neighborhood. "The current location was the last available lot of any size," Boss told the Times.
More here

Real Estate Trends

Cuomo vetoes bill to legalize e-bikes despite overwhelming support

Photo by Peter Burka on Flickr

December 27, 2019

Cuomo vetoes bill to legalize e-bikes despite overwhelming support

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have legalized electric bikes and scooters, despite overwhelming support from lawmakers and advocacy groups. Approved by Albany in June, the bill legalized e-bikes and e-scooters, capping their speeds at 25 and 20 miles per hour, respectively, for riders aged 16 years and older. But Cuomo said the bill, sponsored by Assembly Member Nily Rozic and State Sen. Jessica Ramos, left out safety measures he had sought.
More here

Cuomo revives proposal for high-speed rail in New York

High-speed rail in London; Photo by Paul IJsendoorn on Pexels

December 27, 2019

Cuomo revives proposal for high-speed rail in New York

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday revived a decades-long proposal to bring high-speed rail to New York. As part of his 2020 State of the State agenda, the governor said he will convene a group of experts to "reexamine and rethink strategies" to connect New York City with cities across New York. Despite being called a priority of New York leaders for decades, including former Gov. Mario Cuomo in the 1990s, the high-speed rail proposal has failed to materialize due to exorbitant costs and logistical issues.
Details this way

Transit

NYC Council members propose ‘gentrification tax’ for new homebuyers

Photo via Creative Commons

December 26, 2019

NYC Council members propose ‘gentrification tax’ for new homebuyers

By Devin Gannon

New homebuyers in New York City could be charged property tax based on actual market prices, the New York Post reported on Wednesday. A group of city lawmakers is pressing Albany to change state laws to close a loophole that offers tax breaks to homebuyers in gentrifying neighborhoods. The "gentrification tax," as the Post called it, would have homebuyers pay market rate taxes, rather than the assessed value, as a way to make the system fairer.
More here

Where to celebrate Kwanzaa 2019 in NYC

Photo ©AMNH/ R. Mickens

December 23, 2019

Where to celebrate Kwanzaa 2019 in NYC

By Devin Gannon

On Thursday, the week-long holiday Kwanzaa kicks off as a celebration of African American culture and heritage in the United States. From Dec. 26, through Jan. 1, New Yorkers can learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba, through traditional music and dancing, kinara lighting, African folklore storytime, and a bar crawl featuring only black-owned businesses. Ahead, find the best places in NYC to celebrate Kwanzaa, from family-friendly arts and crafts and lectures at the Brooklyn Children's Museum to live performances at Harlem's iconic Apollo Theater.
The full list, ahead

Events & Things To Do

Half-price MetroCards to be available to all eligible low-income New Yorkers next month

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

December 23, 2019

Half-price MetroCards to be available to all eligible low-income New Yorkers next month

By Devin Gannon

Next month, more New Yorkers will be able to buy discounted MetroCards. The city will launch open enrollment for its Fair Fares program on Jan. 27, allowing all eligible individuals at or below the Federal Poverty line to purchase half-price MetroCards, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced Friday. Currently, the program, which began early this year, only applies to some residents of the city's public housing, CUNY students, veteran students, or New Yorkers receiving city benefits like SNAP.
Get the details

Dunkin’ and MetroPCS thrive in NYC despite overall drop in number of chain stores

Photo by Photo by Susan Sermoneta on Flickr

December 20, 2019

Dunkin’ and MetroPCS thrive in NYC despite overall drop in number of chain stores

By Devin Gannon

The number of chain stores in New York City dropped for the second consecutive year, down 3.7 percent in 2019, according to a new report. Despite this decline in retailers, two stores continue to grow across the five boroughs: Dunkin' and Metro by T-Mobile. The Center for an Urban Future's annual "State of the Chains" report found that the coffee chain is the city's largest national retailer with 636 total stores, adding 12 locations since 2018, followed by the cell phone store, formerly called MetroPCS, which operates 468 stores citywide.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

Judge overturns city’s plan to rezone Inwood

Photo by kathryn on Flickr

December 20, 2019

Judge overturns city’s plan to rezone Inwood

By Devin Gannon

A state Supreme Court judge on Thursday overturned land-use changes approved by the City Council in 2018 to rezone the neighborhood of Inwood. A group of local residents and preservationists filed a lawsuit against the rezoning last December, claiming the plan did nothing to protect the community from displacement, as well as other effects of gentrification. In the decision, Judge Verna Saunders said the city "failed to take a hard look at the relevant areas of concern identified by the public" and did not comply with a state environmental quality review.
Learn more here

Policy

100 spots open on waitlist for modern Greenpoint rental near the Pulaski Bridge

Streetview of 215 Freeman Street from Nov 2017; Map data © 2019 Google

December 20, 2019

100 spots open on waitlist for modern Greenpoint rental near the Pulaski Bridge

By Devin Gannon

Applications are now being accepted for a 100-spot waitlist for a rental building in Greenpoint. Located at 215 Freeman Street at the foot of the Pulaski Bridge, the building sits near all Manhattan Avenue has to offer, with easy access to Long Island City and beyond via the bridge's pedestrian path. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply to be placed on the waitlist for the apartments, which include one-bedrooms priced between $2,270 and $2,542 per month and two-bedrooms between $2,733 and $3,063 per month.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

See BIG and WXY’s vision for a pedestrian-friendly Downtown Brooklyn

December 19, 2019

See BIG and WXY’s vision for a pedestrian-friendly Downtown Brooklyn

By Devin Gannon

A plan to improve the streets and public space of Downtown Brooklyn was unveiled on Thursday, as officials look to accommodate the area's booming population. Created in collaboration with the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Bjarke Ingels Group, and WXY architecture + urban design, the "Public Realm Action Plan" calls for fewer cars, more bike lanes, a bus-only lane, and more parks and plazas. As first reported by CityLab, the proposal takes ideas from already-implemented street redesigns, like the new 14th Street busway.
See the plan

Transit

De Blasio unveils $100M plan to end long-term street homelessness

Photo credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 18, 2019

De Blasio unveils $100M plan to end long-term street homelessness

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday released a plan to get 3,600 homeless New Yorkers off city streets within five years. The six-point initiative adds new "safe haven" beds, creates 1,000 permanent units of housing, provides new health resources, and ramps up the city's outreach response. Named The Journey Home, the $100 million plan comes as the number of those experiencing homelessness in the city has reached the highest levels in nearly 100 years, with more than 60,000 people currently living in homeless shelters.
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The top 10 books New Yorkers borrowed from NYPL in 2019

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

December 18, 2019

The top 10 books New Yorkers borrowed from NYPL in 2019

By Devin Gannon

Library patrons in New York City checked out former first lady Michelle Obama's autobiography Becoming the most out of any book this year. The New York Public Library shared on Wednesday its annual top checkouts list from its branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, as well as its e-book catalog. Becoming, ranked as one of the best-selling memoirs of all time, follows the story of Obama's life, from growing up on the South Side of Chicago to becoming the first African American to serve as First Lady of the United States.
See the full list

City Living

Borough president rejects plan for five-building luxury development in Harlem

Aerial view of the project; Credit: Davis Brody Bond

December 17, 2019

Borough president rejects plan for five-building luxury development in Harlem

By Devin Gannon

A developer's plan to rezone a neighborhood in Central Harlem to make way for a mixed-use development hit another roadblock this week. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer on Monday rejected a rezoning application filed by the Olnick Organization to construct five 28-story luxury towers and one mid-rise building located at the existing Lenox Terrace complex. In her recommendation, Brewer said the project lacks the "public and private investments necessary to make it a prudent exercise of planning for future growth."
More here

Policy

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