Photo by Trnava University on Unsplash
The Black Lives Matter movement has strong roots in New York City, and with this in mind, 6sqft has put together a list of books about or related to New York City, all by Black authors. Including fiction and nonfiction, our list includes classics like Paule Marshall’s Brown Girl, Brownstones and James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time to contemporary works like Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age and Elaine Welteroth’s More Than Enough.
Renderings by The Neighbourhood, courtesy of Morris Adjmi Architects
Among the recent architectural contributions to New York City designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, a tall, slender tower at 30 East 31st Street from developers EDG and The Pinnacle Group is quietly turning heads in the northern part of the Manhattan neighborhood known as Nomad. The 479-foot-high, 42-unit condominium tower, officially named 30E31, is now ready for occupancy. 6sqft caught up with architect and designer Morris Adjmi to get the creator’s viewpoint on the notable new Manhattan residence, from his thoughts on the relatively new neighborhood to his contextual exterior design and custom interiors.
Photo of Gowanus by Steven Pisano via Flickr cc
This week’s roster of virtual events pays attention to our current times, from a look at how the restaurant industry reopens with chef Marcus Samuelsson to a special food-based conversation around Juneteenth. In addition, the 92Y continues its “92Y Confronts Hate” series, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden streams a concert by composer-trombonist Craig Harris, whose music has been focused on the art of breathing since the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in 2014. You can also take virtual tours of Gowanus and the mansions of the Hamptons.
Image by gagnonm1993 from Pixabay
2020 marks 50 years since the first NYC Pride March was held, one year after the Stonewall riots. Though the LGBTQIA+ and New York City communities aren’t able to celebrate in the big way that NYC Pride had planned, there will still be a special virtual March, along with many other ways to mark this momentous occasion from home, from panel discussions to a virtual 5K run to rallies and conferences.
Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr
The Black Lives Matter movement continues to grow in New York City and across the country, with many people looking to get involved, whether it’s donating to antiracist organizations or studying the history of the black experience in America. Another direct action New Yorkers can take to support the black community today is shopping at black-owned businesses. Lists and guides have popped up online in the last few weeks to bring attention to these mom and pop shops, with detailed resources from Black-Owned Brooklyn and this spreadsheet created by New Yorker food critic Hannah Goldfield. The app Eat Okra, which launched three years ago, is also a helpful resource that highlights most of the black-owned restaurants in NYC, which according to Eater, includes more than 2,500 restaurants. Ahead, we break down some of the best black-owned restaurants, cafes, and bars in every borough. It is no means a comprehensive list and we encourage our readers to share with us additional places to include.
Photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr
Although cultural institutions in New York City remain closed to the public because of the coronavirus, some are opening their lobbies to provide Black Lives Matter protestors a safe space, a restroom, snacks and water, WiFi, face masks, or just a place to recharge. The social media account “Open Your Lobby” launched last week on Twitter and Instagram to track the museums and theaters that are repurposing their space in support of protesters. According to the organizers, there are more than 70 organizations participating nationwide, with more than two dozen in New York City alone.
All apartment photos by Ashok Sinha
Wid Chapman‘s parents were profound modernists, his father an architect who worked for Marcel Breuer, and his mother an artist who studied with Josef Albers. The career that Wid has built for himself as an architect and interior designer who specializes in hospitality design is uniquely his own but showcases the influences of his parents. When it came time to design his personal apartment on the Upper East Side, it was his own family who influenced the renovation. “Providing space intimate enough for our small immediate family but room for an extended one, the project reconfigures and reshapes extant spaces to defer to the apartment’s sweeping Central Park views,” said Wid, adding that “color and materiality” were also central to the project. Ahead, take a full tour of this one-of-a-kind apartment and hear from Wid about his background and career and the specifics of the renovation.
Photo courtesy of Course of Trade
As of this week, Industry City-based nonprofit workforce development organization Course of Trade has produced 219,279 hand-sewn isolation gowns for New York City hospitals, with an ultimate contract of 520,800 from the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Course of Trade was started by Malia Mills’ production director Libby Mattern to offer free sewing instruction and job placement assistance in the garment industry. When COVID hit the city, Libby knew it was time to innovate yet again, and she put in place a partnership with the city in which a 300-person team across South Brooklyn is sewing these life-saving gowns.
Photo by Brandon Jacoby on Unsplash
The summer months are typically the busiest when it comes to real estate in New York City, especially the rental market. But with the city still not out of the woods of the coronavirus crisis, and with so many facing job and financial uncertainty, the idea of signing or renewing a lease becomes increasingly complicated. With this in mind, 6sqft spoke to real estate agents and building managers to get their thoughts on how to navigate this situation, from requesting your lease go month-to-month to setting up a payment plan. We also provide information on what to do if you’re struggling to pay rent.
Photo a protest June 1, 2020, by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr
Demonstrations over the May 25 death of George Floyd continue across the country and New York City. For those seeking additional ways to advocate for antiracist policies, police accountability, and racial justice, we’ve compiled a guide to local NYC organizations that are advocating against institutional racism and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. While this list is not complete, these resources hopefully can serve as a starting point to help New Yorkers navigate as allied communities during this time.
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