History

A historic lighthouse in Brooklyn may become a New York City landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to calendar the Coney Island Light, an iron-framed lighthouse built in 1890, for consideration as an individual landmark. One of the oldest structures in Coney Island, the lighthouse sits within the private community, Sea Gate. Since the neighborhood is closed off to non-residents, most New Yorkers have never been able to access the historic building, which is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and leased to the community's homeowners association. It's unclear whether a landmark designation would make it open to the public.
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Plaza Hotel to close for a four-year exterior restoration

Photo via Pixabay

October 15, 2026

Plaza Hotel to close for a four-year exterior restoration

By Michelle Cohen

The facade of the iconic Plaza Hotel at 1 Central Park South will be getting a thorough revamp, according to its operators, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The work will require that the hotel be shut down for four years, as the New York Times reported. The 119-year-old landmark will shutter in January, including the hotel’s event spaces and the Palm Court restaurant; it is not yet clear whether residents of the building's 181 condominiums will have to relocate.
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Manhattan’s Little Red Lighthouse is getting a makeover

Photo by Pfgelfan on Wikimedia

September 30, 2026

Manhattan’s Little Red Lighthouse is getting a makeover

The Historic House Trust of New York City this week announced plans to restore the Little Red Lighthouse, a landmark in Washington Heights made famous by the 1942 children's book "The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge" by Hildegarde H. Swift. Originally built in 1880 in New Jersey, the 40-foot structure moved to Fort Washington Park in 1921. After more than a century on the Hudson River, the lighthouse, the last remaining in Manhattan, is getting a renovation that will preserve its historic cast-iron architecture while improving accessibility and the surrounding park space.
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September 23, 2026

10 NYC streets and parks that take you back in time

The streets of New York City are constantly evolving, as gleaming new residential towers and other buildings reshape the cityscape. Despite the constant waves of modernization, development, and the push for bigger and better, there are still many places across the five boroughs that evoke the city's storied past. From Tribeca’s famed skybridge street to Central Park’s scenic Bethesda Terrace, these public spaces offer a glimpse of old-school New York.
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Gloria Steinem’s Upper East Side brownstone will remain a space for organizing and activism

A talking circle hosted by Gloria Steinem and Emily Tisch Sussman focused on women & sports, 2026. Photo by Gia McKenna.

September 8, 2026

Gloria Steinem’s Upper East Side brownstone will remain a space for organizing and activism

By Michelle Cohen

The New York City home of feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who died on September 2 at 92, will become a permanent gathering place for thinkers, activists, and cultural and political luminaries, as it has been for decades. As the New York Times reported, three floors of the five-story townhouse on East 73rd Street that Steinem acquired over several years will house Gloria's Foundation as well as an assembly space like the one in which she hosted "talking circles" to discuss social issues of the day.
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A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

Photo by Jeff Horne on Flickr

August 31, 2026

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

U.S. Open fever has again swept New York City. Although nowadays it's all Coco and Djokovic and Honey Deuce cocktails and lobster rolls, there's a long history behind the world-famous event. Ahead, take a look at how the international tournament made its way from an elite, private club in Newport, Rhode Island to Forest Hills' West Side Tennis Club and finally to its current home in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, even uncovering a little connection to the 1964 World's Fair.
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History

Prospect Park to host Battle of Brooklyn reenactment for borough-wide 250th anniversary commemoration

Battle of Brooklyn reenactment in Green-Wood Cemetery. Credit: Allison Meier on Flickr

August 21, 2026

Prospect Park to host Battle of Brooklyn reenactment for borough-wide 250th anniversary commemoration

Relive the first and largest battle of the American Revolution this weekend as part of a borough-wide commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn's 250th anniversary. Fought in August 1776, just weeks after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the battle took place across parts of present-day Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery, Fulton Ferry Landing, and Fort Greene Park. To mark the anniversary, Prospect Park will host a reenactment of the battle on Saturday August 22, following in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought there 250 years ago, while Green-Wood will host its own reenactment on Sunday. The events are part of Brooklyn 250, a borough-wide commemoration by six cultural institutions with free events, tours, and discussions on the historic battle's role in American independence.
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Explore how ‘The Odyssey’ is depicted in art at the Met

Photo by Rebecca Schear, Courtesy of The Met

August 10, 2026

Explore how ‘The Odyssey’ is depicted in art at the Met

If you haven't been able to snag one of the elusive tickets to see Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey" in IMAX 70-millimeter film at AMC Lincoln Square (join the club), a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art may temporarily suffice. The museum's collection of Greek and Roman art comprises more than 30,000 works, including several related to Homer's epic poem, a story that has inspired artists for thousands of years. Ahead, discover pieces currently on view at the Met that retell the story of Odysseus' 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
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MTA is auctioning off MetroCard vending machines

By Tdorante10 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Via Wikimedia

August 5, 2026

MTA is auctioning off MetroCard vending machines

The sturdy steel vending machines with giant buttons and colorful hardware that spit out MetroCards to commuting New Yorkers for 30 years are now a thing of the past, with the ubiquitous rollout of OMNY. But some transit enthusiasts can relive the glory days of the devices: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday said it is auctioning off a limited number of MetroCard Vending Machines and MetroCard Express Machines. Note that the winning bidder must pick up the machines, which weigh over 1,000 pounds, themselves.
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Macy’s giant shopping bag sign is removed, revealing 100-year-old building hidden for decades

The iconic Macy’s shopping bag sign was removed. Photo © Devin Gannon / 6sqft

July 28, 2026

Macy’s giant shopping bag sign is removed, revealing 100-year-old building hidden for decades

The giant shopping bag sign proclaiming Macy's Herald Square as "The World's Largest Store" was removed over the weekend, revealing a 100-year-old building that had been hidden for decades. The red-and-white billboard, which had wrapped around the corner of the building on 34th Street and Broadway for 60 years (through several iterations over the years), will be replaced with something more modern, as the New York Post first reported, but it's unclear exactly what will be displayed. For a short time, though, the 240,000 pedestrians who pass the corner every day will get a peek for the first time at what was behind the iconic sign: a five-story building that is one of the city's most famous "holdouts" in real estate.
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Historic Studio 54 theater prepares for $100M renovation

Renderings courtesy of Ennead Architects & Rockwell Group unless otherwised noted

June 3, 2026

Historic Studio 54 theater prepares for $100M renovation

By Michelle Cohen

Plans for a major renovation of the historic Studio 54 theater moved forward on Monday. The City Planning Commission certified Roundabout Theatre Company's application for a special permit to generate bonus floor area to enable a $100 million rehabilitation of the Manhattan theater, which has never received a comprehensive renovation in its 99-year lifetime. Since there are no sites on or around their lot available for development, the theater seeks a text amendment to allow it to transfer its bonus development rights offsite, which would fund the renovation project. Roundabout Theatre, which has owned the property since 2003, has planned a complete overhaul of the iconic venue by David Rockwell and Ennead, raising funds through their Next Stage Campaign.
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History

A short history of New York City’s foul air shafts

Photo by Bikes And Books on Flickr

May 11, 2026

A short history of New York City’s foul air shafts

By Cait Etherington

If you think there is nothing worse than renting an apartment with windows and no view, think again. At one point in the city’s history, where one may now enjoy a small sliver of daylight and at least some fresh air, there was no light or air at all. Indeed, tenants’ windows looked out onto slits—sometimes a mere 28 inches wide—that were teeming with waste, rancid smells, and noise.
on the history of NYC air shafts

The Flatiron Building is getting a new restaurant from the chefs behind Via Carota

Chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi in front of the Flatiron Building. Photo credit: Alex Stein

April 28, 2026

The Flatiron Building is getting a new restaurant from the chefs behind Via Carota

The celebrated chefs behind some of New York City's most acclaimed restaurants are opening a new spot in one of the city's most iconic buildings. James Beard Award-winning duo Rita Sodi and Jody Williams will open a location of their Bar Pisellino at the base of the landmarked Flatiron Building, which is currently being converted from offices into condominiums. The new restaurant marks the first outside of the West Village for Sodi and Williams, who are behind beloved downtown spots Via Carota, I Sodi, Buvette, and The Commerce Inn.
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Three buildings linked to New York City’s immigrant history designated as landmarks

All photos courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 8, 2026

Three buildings linked to New York City’s immigrant history designated as landmarks

Three buildings in New York City with long histories of serving immigrant communities have been designated as individual landmarks. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted to designate Public School 15 Annex in Downtown Brooklyn, the Church of Saint Mary on the Lower East Side, and the Lithuanian Alliance Building in Midtown as landmarks, citing their "value as part of the development, heritage, and cultural characteristics" of the city. The designations come amid a heightened crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration.
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These beautiful NYC civic spaces are now available to rent for events

Surrogate’s Court at 31 Chambers Street. All photos courtesy of the city’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS).

March 6, 2026

These beautiful NYC civic spaces are now available to rent for events

New York City is home to an abundance of stunning event spaces and venues, but there are a few hidden gems you may not know about. The city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) on Friday relaunched its "Halls of the City" program, which allows New Yorkers to rent landmarked civic spaces for special occasions. The program includes 13 city properties, from the grand neo-classical Tweed Courthouse in Manhattan to the 180-year-old Brooklyn Borough Hall, the oldest public building in the borough.
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Astor Theatre, 45th Street and Broadway, December 24, 1936. Courtesy of NYC Municipal Archives.

March 3, 2026

New exhibit celebrates 400 years of NYC history and the people who shaped it

What makes New York City, New York City? That's one question a new online exhibit from the city's Department of Records & Information Services (DORIS) explores. Featuring more than 100 items from the city's archival and library collections, "NYC's Story: The City on Record" uses government records that reveal the 400 years of NYC history, from documents showing land transfers in 17th-century Queens to a 2025 primary election ballot.
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History

Historic Hunterfly Road Houses in Weeksville reopen after $4M renovation

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 2, 2026

Historic Hunterfly Road Houses in Weeksville reopen after $4M renovation

Four wood-frame homes built in the 19th century as part of one of the nation's largest free Black communities before the Civil War have been restored. The Hunterfly Road Houses at the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn reopened last week after undergoing a $4 million renovation, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday. Last month, the center also received $1.2 million in state funding to maintain the historic homes, support staff and daily tours, and expand literacy and community programs.
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New Underground Railroad stop discovered at Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan

All photos courtesy of the Merchant’s House Museum

February 13, 2026

New Underground Railroad stop discovered at Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan

A previously unknown site connected to the Underground Railroad was discovered in Manhattan this week. The Merchant's House Museum, a well-preserved 19th-century home-turned-museum on East 4th Street in Noho, unveiled a narrow passageway hidden beneath a built-in chest of drawers on the second floor that descends 15 feet to the ground floor. As NY1 first reported, the link to the Underground Railroad is the first uncovered in the city in over a century.
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January 2, 2026

Here’s how to tour the abandoned City Hall subway station

You don't have to be the mayor to tour the abandoned City Hall subway station, but you do have to be a member of the New York Transit Museum. After Mayor Zohran Mamdani's midnight swearing-in at the old subway station in Lower Manhattan gave New Yorkers a peek at the historic underground space this week, the museum announced tickets will go on sale January 14 for upcoming tours, which are the only way to see the City Hall's grand interiors (if you're not the mayor). The landmarked station, the showpiece of the city's first subway ride and which has been decommissioned since the 1940s, is known for its ornate vaulted Guastavino-tiled ceilings, chandeliers, and skylights hidden beneath the city streets.
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Mamdani to use 19th-century Quran from the New York Public Library at swearing-in ceremony

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library

December 31, 2025

Mamdani to use 19th-century Quran from the New York Public Library at swearing-in ceremony

At his swearing-in ceremony at midnight on New Year's Eve, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will use a 19th-century Quran from the collections of the New York Public Library. Mamdani, New York City's first Muslim mayor, will put his hand on a Quran that belonged to Arturo Schomburg, a historian and writer whose collection of Black literature, art, and other materials formed the foundation of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
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Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

December 11, 2025

10 ‘secrets’ of Gracie Mansion

By Lucie Levine

Gracie Mansion, the gracious Federal-style mansion that overlooks the East River from Yorkville’s Carl Schurz Park, has been New York’s Mayoral residence since 1942. But the house had a long history before it started hosting municipal magistrates. Since construction began in 1799, Gracie Mansion has served as a residence, a museum, and even an ice cream stand. As the city prepares to welcome a new mayor to the mansion, here are 10 secrets of the People’s House.
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History

12 things you never knew about the Radio City Rockettes

Photos courtesy of MSG Entertainment

December 9, 2025

12 things you never knew about the Radio City Rockettes

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Rockettes. And while this momentous occasion probably brings to mind Radio City and those famously in-sync high kicks, there’s so much more to this iconic dance troupe. For example, did you know the Rockettes actually began in the Midwest, not New York City? Or that they’re required to wear red lipstick? Read on for all the secrets and little-known facts about the Radio City Rockettes.
high kicks and red lips, this way

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

The 1931 tree, courtesy of Tishman Speyer

December 3, 2025

The history of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a NYC holiday tradition

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, considered the "worldwide symbol of Christmas," will be lit on Wednesday, marking the 93rd tree lighting ceremony. Ahead, learn about the history of the iconic spruce, from its start as a modest Depression-era pick-me-up for Rockefeller Center construction workers to World War regulations to its current 900-pound Swarovski star.
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The 7 absolute best pastrami spots in NYC—and the stories behind them

A pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Deli. Photo by City Foodsters on Flickr

November 18, 2025

The 7 absolute best pastrami spots in NYC—and the stories behind them