All articles by Devin Gannon

Ahead of proposed rezoning, Gowanus gains five individual landmarks

Photos courtesy of LPC

October 29, 2019

Ahead of proposed rezoning, Gowanus gains five individual landmarks

By Devin Gannon

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday designated five properties in Gowanus as individual landmarks ahead of the neighborhood's impending rezoning. The buildings are architecturally significant examples of Brooklyn's industrial past with relationships to the Canal, according to the commission. "These buildings stand out in the neighborhood as tangible reminders of the rich history of the neighborhood and the Gowanus Canal," LPC Chair Sarah Carroll said. "They are all inherently connected to the manufacturing industries and institutions that developed around the canal in the late-19th and early-20th century."
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Policy

Upper West Side favorite Boat Basin Cafe has permanently closed

Photo by WalkingGeek on Flickr

October 24, 2019

Upper West Side favorite Boat Basin Cafe has permanently closed

By Devin Gannon

Another beloved New York City establishment has shuttered. The Boat Basin Cafe, a laid-back waterfront restaurant at the 79th Street marina, will not reopen for the season next year, Gothamist reported on Wednesday. The Upper West Side hangout announced its permanent departure in a Facebook post, citing a "local construction project" as the reason for the closure.
Another favorite gone

Food & Dining

400 bus stops in the Bronx to be cut as part of major network redesign

Photo by Adam Moreira on Wikimedia

October 23, 2019

400 bus stops in the Bronx to be cut as part of major network redesign

By Devin Gannon

Four hundred local bus stops in the Bronx will be cut as part of a major system redesign, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Tuesday. The large reduction is an attempt to speed up travel times by moving bus stops further apart, from an average of 882 feet to 1,092 feet between them. The new plan also brings two new local routes and an express route to the borough, providing commuters better peak-hour service between north Bronx and Midtown.
Details here

Trump Organization removes president’s name from Central Park ice rinks

Photo by subherwal on Flickr

October 23, 2019

Trump Organization removes president’s name from Central Park ice rinks

By Devin Gannon

As New York City's many ice skating rinks start to open this month for the season, two Central Park arenas will debut a slightly updated look. The Trump Organization has removed President Donald Trump's name from Wollman Rink and Lasker Rink, marking the first time the business has voluntarily distanced itself from its owner, according to the Washington Post. City officials told the newspaper that the president's company informed them about the plan to remove the signage this past summer but provided no reason behind the change.
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Real Estate Trends

City launches campaign to educate tenants on new rent reform laws

October 22, 2019

City launches campaign to educate tenants on new rent reform laws

By Devin Gannon

In June, New York state lawmakers passed landmark legislation to strengthen rent and tenant protections. Hoping to clear up any ambiguity over the new laws, Mayor Bill de Blasio is launching an ad campaign and new website to help renters understand their rights as well as hold landlords responsible. Starting Monday, ads will be displayed across subway stations, bus stops, local newspapers, small businesses, and Link kiosks until Dec. 15.
Learn more here

Policy

City approves design for Central Park’s first statue of women

A 1/3 size clay model of the statue; Photo by Michael Bergmann

October 22, 2019

City approves design for Central Park’s first statue of women

By Devin Gannon

New York City's most famous park will get a new statue honoring women for the first time ever. The city's Public Design Commission on Monday approved a design for a new Central Park monument that depicts women's rights activists, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Set to debut next summer on the 100th-anniversary of the 19th amendment's ratification, the statue's approval comes as the city looks to address the lack of women honored in public spaces. Currently, all 23 historical monuments in Central Park are of men.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Stay at the creepy and kooky ‘Addams Family Mansion’ in Clinton Hill this Halloween

October 21, 2019

Stay at the creepy and kooky ‘Addams Family Mansion’ in Clinton Hill this Halloween

By Devin Gannon

A 19th-century townhouse in Brooklyn has undergone a creepy and kooky makeover just in time for Halloween. Travel company Booking.com transformed the Clinton Hill home at 272 Lafayette Avenue into a real-life replica of The Addams Family Mansion from the hit 1960s comedy sitcom. For just over $100 per night, guests can spend Halloween playing with Wednesday's beheaded dolls, calling Lurch on his "you rang" bell, and getting scared by Thing.
It's creepy and it's kooky

Events & Things To Do

Live in the ‘pavilion’ apartment at the historic Woolworth Building for $30M

Photo of Pavilion A by Travis Mark

October 21, 2019

Live in the ‘pavilion’ apartment at the historic Woolworth Building for $30M

By Devin Gannon

More than 100 years after its construction, the Woolworth Building's transformation into a luxury residential tower is complete. Now, four years after condo sales first launched, there's an opportunity to live in one of the building's most unique residences. Developer Alchemy Properties has listed a 29th-floor five-bedroom, called Pavilion A, for $29.85 million, an asking price roughly $3 million less than when the apartment first listed in May. And while the unit's size and custom features make this apartment special, the setback duplex terrace, which lets you rub elbows with the historic building's stunning terra-cotta exterior, puts it in another league.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Nordstrom’s 7-level flagship opens at Central Park Tower next week

Rendering courtesy of Nordstrom

October 18, 2019

Nordstrom’s 7-level flagship opens at Central Park Tower next week

By Devin Gannon

Nordstrom's massive flagship store officially opens to the public next week, seven years after the company first announced its move to New York City. The department store sits in the base of the Central Park Tower, currently the tallest residential building in the world, and takes up seven floors. And while the tower no longer shares the company's name, the sheer size of the flagship, along with its unique glass facade, will still make the store stand out. To celebrate the store's opening on Oct. 24 at West 57th and Broadway, there will be grand opening festivities taking place with lots of free samples, complimentary food, and live entertainment.
Details here

New Developments

Prospect Park will host first-ever ‘bike day’ this weekend

Citi Bike cyclists in Prospect Park; photo courtesy of CitiBike

October 18, 2019

Prospect Park will host first-ever ‘bike day’ this weekend

By Devin Gannon

Does your child want to ditch the training wheels? Need a new helmet? Head to Prospect Park this weekend for the park's first annual "Bike Day." Hosted by the Prospect Park Alliance with Citi Bike and Bike New York, the free event on Sunday, Oct. 20 hopes to encourage a more diverse group of New Yorkers to take up biking by offering demonstrations, classes, prizes, and a one-month free trial of Citi Bike.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Popular Articles

NYC Council approves plan to replace Rikers Island with four new jails

Photo by Tim Rodenberg on Wikimedia

October 18, 2019

NYC Council approves plan to replace Rikers Island with four new jails

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council on Thursday approved a plan that would close the notorious Rikers Island complex and replace it with four smaller jails across the city. The nearly $9 billion proposal, released by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017, pledges to shutter Rikers in 10 years by dramatically reducing the city's jail population. It involves housing inmates in new facilities in Lower Manhattan, the South Bronx, Downtown Brooklyn, and Kew Gardens that are better integrated with the surrounding communities, as well as located closer to court systems.
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Policy

Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

Left: Photo by David Shankbone on Wikimedia; Right: Rendering by Hayes Davidson for Brookfield Properties

October 17, 2019

Brookfield unveils $400M redevelopment of 666 Fifth Avenue

By Devin Gannon

Hoping to start a new chapter for the problem-plagued tower, Brookfield Asset Management has unveiled its plan to overhaul 666 Fifth Avenue. The 41-story Midtown office building will undergo a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, including a new glass exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows, revamped rooftop spaces, and updated mechanical systems, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. And separating itself further from its past, the building's address will now be 660 Fifth Avenue.
New details this way

Architecture And Design

Facebook and Apple are battling for office space at Midtown West’s former Farley Post Office

Rendering courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill courtesy of Gov. Cuomo’s office

October 16, 2019

Facebook and Apple are battling for office space at Midtown West’s former Farley Post Office

By Devin Gannon

Two major tech companies are vying for office space at the former James A. Farley Post Office in Manhattan. The New York Post reported on Tuesday that Facebook and Apple both want to lease space at the former post office which is being converted by Vornado Realty Trust into a mixed-use site with 740,000 square feet of office space and a new train hall underneath. In September, it was reported that Facebook was in advanced talks for office space, but according to the Post, Apple has "suddenly decided it, too, wants all four floors of Farley's office space."
Get the details

New Developments

Coast Guard bans Portal Bridge openings during rush hour to reduce Northeast Corridor delays

Photo by Ken on Flickr

October 16, 2019

Coast Guard bans Portal Bridge openings during rush hour to reduce Northeast Corridor delays

By Devin Gannon

A 109-year-old swing bridge will no longer be the bain of commuters' existence. The United States Coast Guard agreed last week to permanently restrict when boats can pass under the Portal Bridge, which carries about 200,000 passengers daily to and from Penn Station via New Jersey Transit and Amtrak. The 1910 bridge's aging mechanics frequently malfunction while opening and closing for maritime traffic, causing hourslong delays, felt especially during rush hour.
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Permits filed for 30-story ‘affordable luxury’ condo tower on the Lower East Side

Map data © 2019 Google

October 15, 2019

Permits filed for 30-story ‘affordable luxury’ condo tower on the Lower East Side

By Devin Gannon

A developer this month filed an application with the city to build a 30-story condo building next to a landmarked nursing home on the Lower East Side. The plan comes a year after developer Round Square failed to obtain air rights from the Seward Park Cooperative to build two towers at 232 East Broadway, adjacent to the Bialystoker Nursing Home. After ditching the original two-building project, Round Square is now moving forward with a proposed one tower that will contain 54 condos, as Patch reported.
Details here

New Developments

Essex Crossing’s second condo tower tops out on the Lower East Side

Photo credit: QuallsBenson

October 15, 2019

Essex Crossing’s second condo tower tops out on the Lower East Side

By Devin Gannon

The Essex Crossing mega-development hit another milestone this week, with its seventh building topping out at the Lower East Side site. The mixed-use tower at 202 Broome Street includes 83 luxury condominiums, 175,000 square feet of office space, and 34,500 square feet of retail space. Designed by CetraRuddy, the building joins 242 Broome as the nine-site development's second condo building.
Get the details

Live in a new Williamsburg rental with rooftop views and L train access, from $2,176/month

Photo by Korye Logan on Flickr

October 15, 2019

Live in a new Williamsburg rental with rooftop views and L train access, from $2,176/month

By Devin Gannon

A lottery launched on Tuesday for 17 middle-income units at a new building in Brooklyn. Located at 188 Humboldt Street, the rental borders Williamsburg and Bushwick and sits just one block from the L train at Montrose Avenue. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from a $2,176/month studio to a $2,758/month two-bedroom apartment.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

See inside MoMA’s $450M revamped, expanded campus

53rd Street Elevation; Photo by Brett Beyer, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

October 14, 2019

See inside MoMA’s $450M revamped, expanded campus

By Devin Gannon

Following the completion of a $450 million renovation project, the Museum of Modern Art is set to reopen next week on October 21. In addition to expanding gallery space by nearly 50,000 square feet, the project reorganized the layout of exhibits, which now will be displayed chronologically instead of by discipline. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, the new museum expanded west into the former site of the American Folk Art Museum and within the base of Jean Nouvel's new residential tower, 53W53.
See inside

PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

View looking north, with Central Park and the towers that dot Billionaires’ Row clearly visible; Photo courtesy of Empire State Realty Trust

October 11, 2019

PHOTOS: See the views from the Empire State Building’s new 102nd-floor observatory

By Devin Gannon

After four years and $165 million, the revamp of New York City's first supertall is nearly complete, bringing a more contemporary and visitor-friendly experience to one of the world's most historic buildings. The Empire State Building's 102nd-floor observatory, which boasts 360-degree panoramic views at 1,250 feet above street level, officially opens to the public on Saturday, Oct. 12. Building owner Empire State Realty Trust redesigned the observatory to be less obstructive for guests, allowing more picture-perfect views and less time waiting.
All the way up

What you need to know about Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day events in NYC

Photo by Jazz Guy on Flickr

October 11, 2019

What you need to know about Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day events in NYC

By Devin Gannon

A three-day weekend is upon us as New Yorkers get ready to celebrate Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day on Monday, Oct. 14. Major events include the 75th annual Columbus Day parade on Fifth Avenue and the two-day Indigenous Peoples' Celebration of New York City on Randall's Island. Ahead, get the low-down on both holidays, including additional planned activities, how to get around, and street closure information.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Ken Griffin drops another $4M on Central Park South condos after record $240M penthouse purchase

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

October 10, 2019

Ken Griffin drops another $4M on Central Park South condos after record $240M penthouse purchase

By Devin Gannon

Billionaire Ken Griffin really likes 220 Central Park South. The hedge fund mogul picked up two more apartments at the Robert A.M. Stern-designed skyscraper last month, less than a year after he bought a record-breaking $240 million penthouse there. The New York Post first spotted the sales, which includes apartments 20H for $1.89 million and 20J for $2.06 million, bringing his total investments at the property to roughly $244 million.
And another one

Real Estate Trends

Pricing revealed for starchitect-designed Waterline Square rentals, with studios from $3,938/month

Rendering courtesy of Noe & Associates with The Boundary

October 10, 2019

Pricing revealed for starchitect-designed Waterline Square rentals, with studios from $3,938/month

By Devin Gannon

Update 10/10/19: More details about Waterline Square rentals were released on Tuesday, following the official lease launch last month. At the three-tower Upper West Side development, studios start at $3,938/month, one-bedrooms at $5,425/month, two-bedrooms at $8,625/month, three-bedrooms at $9,933/month, and four-bedrooms at $15,000/month. These prices include concessions for three months of free rent on a 12-month lease. Currently, the priciest unit available to rent is a $19,208/month four-bedroom at One Waterline Square, which measures just over 2,200 square feet. After topping out nearly two years ago, the trio of glassy high-rise towers known as Waterline Square on Monday kicked off leasing for its rental units. GID Development tapped three major architects, Richard Meier, Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), and Rafael Viñoly, to design the Upper West Side buildings, which include roughly 260 condos, 800 rental units, and 100,000 square feet of amenities. Rentals, ranging from studios to four-bedroom apartments, start at $4,130 per month, without concessions. Hill West Architects serve as the project's architect of record.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

Names of celebrities and wealthy New Yorkers buying condos under LLCs could be disclosed

Photo via Pexels

October 9, 2019

Names of celebrities and wealthy New Yorkers buying condos under LLCs could be disclosed

By Devin Gannon

The names of some wealthy property owners in New York City will soon be made public under a new state law signed last month by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In response to reports of illegal home conversions in Rockland County, state lawmakers drafted a bill to prevent buyers from purchasing homes through limited-liability companies. The new law requires the name and address of each member of the LLC for both buyers and sellers in New York State. According to the Wall Street Journal, the change in law may affect buyers of Manhattan real estate who wish to remain undisclosed.
Find out more

Policy

Construction kicks off at Google’s new Hudson Square campus

Rendering of 550 Washington Street via COOKFOX

October 9, 2019

Construction kicks off at Google’s new Hudson Square campus

By Devin Gannon

Construction has officially kicked off at Google's massive new campus in Hudson Square. The tech company plans to open office space across three properties 315 Hudson Street, 345 Hudson Street, and 550 Washington Street, which formerly served as a freight terminal. The project involves a gut renovation of the terminal building and an addition of eight new floors. As CityRealty reported Tuesday, the northern sections of the St. John's Terminal building are now demolished.
Get the details

New Developments

NYPL celebrates centennial of J.D. Salinger’s birth with archive of 200 rare items from the author

J.D. Salinger on the deck of the M.S. Kungsholm, 1941; Courtesy of the New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations and the J.D. Salinger Literary Trust

October 8, 2019

NYPL celebrates centennial of J.D. Salinger’s birth with archive of 200 rare items from the author

By Devin Gannon

The life of famously private author J.D. Salinger will be the focus of a new New York Public Library exhibit. To mark the centennial of The Catcher in the Rye writer's birth, the library will display more than 200 items from Salinger's life, most of which have never before been seen by the public. The exhibition, "J.D. Salinger," includes family photographs from his time growing up in Manhattan, his own typewriter, and original typescript and proofs.
More this way

Events & Things To Do

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