All articles by Devin Gannon

Updated design revealed for long-awaited Willoughby Square Park in Downtown Brooklyn

Rendering by Hargreaves Jones, courtesy of NYCEDC

August 28, 2019

Updated design revealed for long-awaited Willoughby Square Park in Downtown Brooklyn

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The city unveiled on Monday an updated design for its Willoughby Square Park project, which has been 15 years in the making. The city's Economic Development Corporation and Hargreaves Jones Landscape Architecture presented revised plans to Brooklyn's Community Board, which include lawn space, promenade, and seating near City Point's Dekalb Market, as Bklyner reported.
See the design
The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

Via Run With Scissors on Flickr

August 28, 2019

The history of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Carnival, the most colorful event in New York City

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Every Labor Day, millions of people gather in Brooklyn to celebrate Caribbean culture at the West Indian-American Day Carnival. Since the early 20th century, the Carnival, which first got its start in the United States in Harlem, has brought together New Yorkers through beautiful costumes, music, dance, and food of the West Indies. Starting in the 1960s, the festival has taken over Crown Heights' Eastern Parkway, uniting many islands (Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and Grenda, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, and others) in one extravagant party. As one of New York City's largest, and certainly most colorful, events, the Carnival should not be missed. Ahead, learn about the history of the parade, the traditions that thrive to this day and the details of this year's festival.
More this way
Homemade, illuminated lanterns will float above Morningside Heights

Photo from 2018’s Morningside Lights festival by Michael Seto via Flickr

August 27, 2019

Homemade, illuminated lanterns will float above Morningside Heights

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The sky above Morningside Heights will soon come alive with illuminated, handmade lanterns. The Arts Initiative and Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts next month will host its annual "Morningside Lights" festival, which allows community members to make their own lanterns and float them in a procession through Morningside Park to Columbia's campus. Free workshops will be hosted each day at the Miller Theatre leading up to the event from Sept. 14-20, with the magical march happening on Saturday, Sept. 21.
It's lit
Trump inexplicably offers help with Second Avenue Subway extension, with no plan in place

Photo via jseliger2 on Flickr

August 26, 2019

Trump inexplicably offers help with Second Avenue Subway extension, with no plan in place

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President Donald Trump offered to help complete the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway in a tweet on Saturday, surprising New York officials who said no agreement had been reached. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is still seeking federal funding for phase two, which extends the Q line from its terminus at 96th Street north to 125th Street in East Harlem and is estimated to cost $6 billion.
More here
Try food from all 30 MLB ballparks in NYC next month

Photo by Kevin Harber on Flickr

August 23, 2019

Try food from all 30 MLB ballparks in NYC next month

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Forget the peanuts and Cracker Jacks. A food festival coming to New York City next month will serve out-of-the-box ballpark food from all 30 Major League Baseball teams, from toasted grasshoppers to bulgogi beef egg rolls. In its second year, the MLB FoodFest, presented by Budweiser, will take place on Sept. 21 and 22 in Midtown. Tickets cost $35 for unlimited vendor tastings or $50 for food and three beers.
Calling all baseball lovers
Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library to finally open next month

Photo by Vitali Ogorodnikov for 6sqft

August 23, 2019

Steven Holl-designed Hunters Point Library to finally open next month

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The long-awaited Hunters Point Library will open in Long Island City next month, more than eight years after its futuristic design was revealed, library officials announced Thursday. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the concrete building with carved windows sits on the East River and boasts sweeping Manhattan views. After many construction and financial delays, the library will officially open on September 24.
More here
City updates housing lottery policy to ease process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers

Via Creative Commons

August 21, 2019

City updates housing lottery policy to ease process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers

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New Yorkers applying for affordable housing no longer need to provide credit scores or social security numbers, making it easier for low-income and undocumented immigrant households to qualify, the city announced Wednesday. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development expanded the guidelines of its affordable housing lottery policy to allow applicants to show 12 months of positive rental history instead of a credit check run by a landlord. This erases the need for adult household members to provide a social security number or an individual tax identification number.
Get the details
JetBlue installs its logo on Long Island City’s landmarked Pepsi-Cola sign

Photo courtesy of sarahtarno on Flickr

August 21, 2019

JetBlue installs its logo on Long Island City’s landmarked Pepsi-Cola sign

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The iconic red Pepsi-Cola sign in Long Island City got a new look on Tuesday. In partnership with the soda company, JetBlue began installing this week an illuminated logo, a blue arrow, and a picture of an airplane on the sign that overlooks the East River, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The signage, which will only be up until Oct. 1, advertises the airline's switch from serving Coca-Cola to PepsiCo products earlier this summer.
More here
Here’s what you need to know about NYC’s first dog restaurant week

Via Flickr

August 20, 2019

Here’s what you need to know about NYC’s first dog restaurant week

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It's officially the dog days of summer. This week, New Yorkers can dine out with their four-legged friends at a number of restaurants during the city's first-ever Dog Restaurant Week. Hosted by Petminded, an organization that helps owners travel with pets, the weeklong event includes special promotions at more than a dozen dog-friendly restaurants across the city.
More this way
Waitlist reopens for ‘moderate-income’ rentals in Long Island City, with units up to $5,183/month

Via Flickr cc

August 19, 2019

Waitlist reopens for ‘moderate-income’ rentals in Long Island City, with units up to $5,183/month

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Applications are currently being accepted to replenish the waitlist for moderate-income apartments at two Long Island City buildings. Located across from the newly opened Hunter's Point South Park, the towers at 1-50 50th Avenue and 1-55 Borden Avenue were developed in 2013 as part of the neighborhood's waterfront redevelopment, with a majority of the apartments set aside low- and middle-income households. But apartments available through the current waitlist are for households earning between $104,538 and $278,300 annually with units ranging from a $2,992/month one-bedroom to a $5,183/month three-bedroom. In 2017, the median household income in Queens was just over $64,500 per year.
Do you qualify?
City releases plan to transform Brooklyn’s Broadway Junction into desirable transit hub

Rendering by WXY Architecture & Urban Design

August 16, 2019

City releases plan to transform Brooklyn’s Broadway Junction into desirable transit hub

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The city released on Thursday its preliminary vision to revitalize Brooklyn's third busiest transit station. Council Member Rafael Espinal Jr. and Borough President Eric Adams, along with the city's Economic Development Corporation, laid out a plan to transform Broadway Junction, which connects six residential neighborhoods via five subway lines and six bus routes, into an accessible, attractive hub. The plan falls under the East New York Neighborhood Plan, a rezoning approved by the city in 2016.
See the plan
How brands owned by Stephen Ross have responded following the fallout from Trump fundraiser

Via Flickr

August 15, 2019

How brands owned by Stephen Ross have responded following the fallout from Trump fundraiser

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After Related Companies CEO Stephen Ross's plan to host a fundraiser for President Donald Trump leaked to the public last week, there were calls to boycott organizations owned by his company. Much to the disappointment of many millennials, Ross's company owns Equinox, SoulCycle, and PureYoga, as well as foodie favorites Momofuku and Milk Bar. In response to the quick backlash, some of the brands released statements separating themselves from the Hamptons fundraiser, which raised millions of dollars for Trump's reelection campaign. Others announced plans to donate proceeds to charity.
The full list
Over 275,000 sign petition to rename stretch of Fifth Ave in front of Trump Tower after Obama

Via Flickr

August 15, 2019

Over 275,000 sign petition to rename stretch of Fifth Ave in front of Trump Tower after Obama

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An online petition to rename a stretch of Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower after former President Barack Obama has taken off in the last week, garnering over 275,000 signatures as of Thursday morning. The appeal, written by Elizabeth Rowin from Los Angeles, asks city officials to change the name of Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th Avenues to "President Barack H. Obama Avenue."
A new address for Trump Tower?
114 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in Clinton Hill, from $896/month

Rendering of Athena North courtesy of Marvel Architects

August 14, 2019

114 mixed-income apartments up for grabs in Clinton Hill, from $896/month

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A lottery opened this week for 114 mixed-income units at buildings that border the neighborhoods of Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights in Brooklyn. The newly constructed buildings are located at 909 Atlantic Avenue and 1043 Fulton Street, dubbed Athena South and Athena North, respectively. The affordable housing comes as part of the Hudson Companies' redevelopment of the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, which sits in the developer's new 38-story tower, One Clinton. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 80, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $896/month studios to $2,952/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Lego celebrates the 25th anniversary of ‘Friends’ with Central Perk set
August 12, 2019

Lego celebrates the 25th anniversary of ‘Friends’ with Central Perk set

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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the sitcom Friends, Lego next month will release a new collectible set featuring one of the show's most important characters: the Central Perk cafe. Available starting September 1, the set includes the cafe's iconic seating, including the orange couch, armchair, and two chairs. You can recreate the show's classic moments with seven new Lego mini-figures of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey, Phoebe, and Gunther.
All the details this way
Thousands of Lower Manhattan tenants may be owed six years’ worth of back rent

Via Flickr

August 12, 2019

Thousands of Lower Manhattan tenants may be owed six years’ worth of back rent

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In June, the state's Court of Appeals found that apartments at two Lower Manhattan buildings had been unlawfully deregulated by landlords who had collected millions of dollars in benefits under a 1995 tax program. Now, as The City reports, thousands of former or current tenants in the area may be owed up to six years in back rent from landlords who received the tax breaks for years.
Find out more
Council member wants free subway and bus rides for New Yorkers on major holidays

Via Flickr

August 9, 2019

Council member wants free subway and bus rides for New Yorkers on major holidays

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A Brooklyn council member wants straphangers to ride the city's transit system for free on a handful of major holidays. Council Member Justin Brannan, who represents the 43rd District, will introduce next week a non-binding resolution that requests the Metropolitan Transportation Authority offer free subway and bus rides during six holidays, as the New York Post first reported.
Get the details
Second phase of Related’s Hudson Yards development stalled by LIRR

Photo of Hudson Yards via Flickr

August 9, 2019

Second phase of Related’s Hudson Yards development stalled by LIRR

By
As Related Companies CEO Stephen Ross continues to face backlash for throwing a fundraiser on Friday for President Donald Trump, his company is dealing with some drama of its own. Plans submitted a year ago to the Long Island Rail Road for the second phase of the Hudson Yards development have still not been approved by the agency, the New York Post reported.
More here
Jeanne Gang completes ‘solar-carving’ tower on the High Line, her firm’s first NYC building

Photo © Timothy Schenck

August 8, 2019

Jeanne Gang completes ‘solar-carving’ tower on the High Line, her firm’s first NYC building

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The Meatpacking District gained a new architectural landmark this week. Construction of Studio Gang's 40 Tenth Avenue is officially complete, making it Jeanne Gang and her firm's first New York City building. Nicknamed the Solar Carve Tower because the way its facade seems to have been "sculpted by the angles of the sun," the 10-story, High Line-facing office tower is designed to allow for lots of sunlight without casting shadows on the neighboring green space.
Details this way
NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

Via Flickr

August 8, 2019

NYC extends cap on Uber, Lyft for another year

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The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission voted on Wednesday to extend the cap on for-hire vehicle licenses for one year and reduce the time drivers can travel without passengers, the Wall Street Journal reported. The cap on licenses, the first of its kind in the country, was first introduced last year as part of a pilot program aimed at regulating the growing for-hire vehicle industry as well as reducing traffic and pollution.
Find out more
Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

Rendering courtesy of EJ Stevens Group

August 7, 2019

Astoria food hall opening this fall promises to showcase the diverse cuisines of Queens

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Last summer, a developer announced plans to convert a restaurant supply store and warehouse in Astoria into a food hall. Now, after some construction delays, the World Artisan Market is officially moving forward, as Eater NY first reported on Wednesday, with an expected opening date in the late fall. Developed by the EJ Stevens Group, the former warehouse at 34-39 31st Street will be converted into a retail space with 18,000-square-feet of storefronts which will offer a diverse mix of vendors, from Korean barbecue to a French-Scandinavian bakery.
Find out more
Our 700sqft: See how two musicians (and their instruments) make it work in Greenpoint
August 7, 2019

Our 700sqft: See how two musicians (and their instruments) make it work in Greenpoint

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Our series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Greenpoint apartment of musician-couple Sara McDonald and Amit Peled. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Growing up in a military family that moved almost every year, Sara McDonald tried to feel settled in each new city by furnishing her room with framed photos and special pillows. “I would always spend a ton of time organizing and decorating my room even though I knew it wasn’t permanent,” she told us. “I just wanted to feel at home where we lived.” In her Greenpoint apartment she shares with boyfriend Amit Peled, Sara has been able to do just that, styling her place exactly how she wants with Craigslist finds and unique mementos from abroad. Both musicians (they met at the School of Jazz at The New School), Sara and Amit needed space for their many instruments. Thankfully, Sara, who composes and arranges music for her big band NYChillharmonic and plays the French horn, and Amit, a guitarist, and member of a hard-core Klezmer band, can use their apartment’s second bedroom as a music studio. Their apartment boasts a vintage vibe, credited mainly to Sara’s resilient effort to find pieces she wants online. Nearly everything in the couple’s home cost them less than $200, with even the mahogany spinet piano picked up for free. “I always know exactly what I want, almost to a fault,” she said. Ahead, meet Sara and Amit and learn how they made this funky Brooklyn apartment their own.
See inside
New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Photo courtesy of Optimus Ride

August 6, 2019

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

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New York's first fleet of self-driving vehicles has officially landed in Brooklyn. Six autonomous vehicles will roll into the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Wednesday, shuttling passengers in a loop around the 300-acre industrial site for free. Optimus Ride, the Boston-based technology company behind the fleet, will run the autonomous shuttle between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue.
Ride this way
Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

304 Hudson Street via Google Street View

August 6, 2019

Disney files plans for a 19-story headquarters in Hudson Square

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The Walt Disney Company has tapped Skidmore Owings & Merrill to design its new Hudson Square headquarters, according to a pre-filing application filed last week with the Department of Buildings. As first reported by the Real Deal, the building will rise 19 stories and include "East" and "West" towers. Last July, the media company purchased the rights to develop the property at 4 Hudson Square from Trinity Church, which owns a large percentage of buildings in the neighborhood, for $650 million under a 99-year agreement.
More this way
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