City Living

September 11, 2018

Pay to break stuff for fun at these ‘rage rooms’ in NYC

Some New Yorkers in need of major stress relief are skipping meditation and trying an unusual, but apparently effective, alternative. As a self-described provider of destruction services, the Rage Cage lets visitors smash printers, VCRs, dishes, and other items with a sledgehammer or baseball bat. Sessions range from $45 for 25 minutes of raging to a $120 30-minute session for four people (h/t WSJ).
More breaking news ahead

City Living

September 10, 2018

INTERVIEW: Exhibition designer Jonathan Alger on how sports healed NYC and the nation after 9/11

By Devin Gannon

Immediately after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, sporting events across the country were suspended as the nation grieved, with stadiums used for prayer services and relief efforts instead of games. After a few weeks, commissioners and government officials decided to recommence games, with one of the first at Shea Stadium between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. When former Mets catcher Mike Piazza hit a home run, tens of thousands in the crowd, and even more watching on television at home, truly cheered and celebrated for the first time since 9/11. From then on, sports became something that was okay to enjoy again. "Comeback Season: Sports After 9/11," a new year-long exhibit at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, examines the role of sports in helping New York City and the entire nation heal after the attacks. Designed by C&G Partners, the show uses the emotion of the crowd to inspire and guide the narrative, with broadcasts and sports memorabilia from that time. The exhibition chronologically follows what happened in sports in the aftermath of 9/11 with nine sections that look at significant sports moments. 6sqft spoke with Jonathan Alger, the co-founder of C&G Partners, about the strategy behind "Comeback Season," the importance of the color green throughout the show and the capacity of sports to do actual good.
Learn about the exhibit and hear from Jonathan

Brooklyn entrepreneur launches next-day delivery service in Park Slope as challenge to Amazon

Via CityRealty

September 7, 2018

Brooklyn entrepreneur launches next-day delivery service in Park Slope as challenge to Amazon

By Devin Gannon

With the tremendous growth of Amazon, valued this week at one trillion dollars for the first time, local businesses and brick-and-mortar shops are having to think outside of the box to entice customers. An entrepreneur from Brooklyn is hoping to directly challenge Amazon by launching his own e-commerce and next-day delivery service (h/t Bloomberg). This month, Peter Price, a 78-year-old New Yorker who formerly served as the president of Liberty Cable, will roll out a trial service in Park Slope called EMain, which will allow local stores to post deals online and deliver items the following day for free.
More here

City Living

Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages are getting ‘designated boarding areas’

A carriage near Central Park South, amongst traffic, via Flickr cc

August 30, 2018

Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages are getting ‘designated boarding areas’

By Dana Schulz

In an effort to "reduce the amount of time that horses spend alongside vehicular traffic... thereby promoting the safety and well-being of the horses," the de Blasio administration announced today that Central Park's well-known (and equally notorious) horse-drawn carriages will only be able to pick up and drop off passengers at designated boarding areas within the park. But for many groups, this will not be enough to improve conditions for the horses.
All the info

City Living

Measuring the quietness of New York City in August

Photo via Elliott Scott via Flickr

August 29, 2018

Measuring the quietness of New York City in August

By Devin Gannon

You might notice it the first time you get your choice of seat on the subway during the morning rush or when your wait time in line at Whole Foods drops considerably. It's August in New York and the five boroughs are eerily quiet. While you can feel the emptiness, are the numbers there to back it up? The New York Times attempted to quantify this feeling of vacancy and did report a drop in subway ridership and beach attendance. But finding this data wasn't easy. The city is on vacation.
Learn more

City Living

LinkNYC announces new campaign to celebrate ‘City of Immigrants’

Photo courtesy of LinkNYC

August 27, 2018

LinkNYC announces new campaign to celebrate ‘City of Immigrants’

By Dana Schulz

The city's 1,742 LinkNYC Wi-Fi kiosks are the site of a new campaign to highlight facts and photographs related to immigrants' impact on New York City's life and culture. "City of Immigrants" will feature historic photos from the Associated Press, along with facts from the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs' annual report. For example, did you know 52% of NYC businesses are immigrant-owned, or that nearly half of the city's population speaks a language other than English at home?
Find out more

August 23, 2018

100 things to do in NYC that are completely free

By Devin Gannon

Despite being one of the most expensive cities to live in, New York City offers many free activities, events, and attractions all year round, letting you pinch pennies when the rent check is due. From free lectures at the Met to free group meditation classes, there are tons of activities that don't cost a dime. To help New York visitors and natives alike, we've put together a guide of the 100 best wallet-friendly things to do in the Big Apple.
See the full list

New city-sponsored ‘freelancers hub’ will open in Dumbo

Image via Pexels

August 22, 2018

New city-sponsored ‘freelancers hub’ will open in Dumbo

By Michelle Cohen

In a city where two out of five workers is a freelancer, a significant workforce doesn't always have ready access to health care or even a tranquil space to work. The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment hopes to address those needs, among others, with a new freelancer's hub, the first government-backed initiative to help media freelancers across NYC with networking, legal and business assistance and advice on projects. Plans for the new hub, which will be located at the Made in NY Media Center in Dumbo, Brooklyn, were announced this morning by Made in NY Commissioner Julie Menin. The mayor's office is partnering with The Freelancers Union and Independent Filmmaker Project to create and operate the space, which will open in October.
Find out more

Organization honors 9/11 victims by giving away 500,000 daffodil bulbs

Image: Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr.

August 21, 2018

Organization honors 9/11 victims by giving away 500,000 daffodil bulbs

By Michelle Cohen

New York City non-profit New Yorkers for Parks is getting ready for its annual daffodil bulb giveaway project in tribute to the memories of those who died in the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The annual Daffodil Project distributes 500,000 daffodil bulbs to residents and groups, to be planted in public places throughout the city (h/t AM New York).
Find out where to get yours

Music fan behind ‘Aretha’ signs at Franklin Ave subway aims for permanent tribute mural

Images: Aretha Franklin, Franklin Avenue subway station via Wikimedia.

August 21, 2018

Music fan behind ‘Aretha’ signs at Franklin Ave subway aims for permanent tribute mural

By Michelle Cohen

Upon hearing of the death of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin last week, music enthusiast and location manager LeRoy McCarthy corralled a street artist friend and got to work on a fitting sendoff–"Aretha," stenciled in magenta sprayable chalk lettering above each sign that identified the Franklin Avenue subway station in Brooklyn. Curbed reports that McCarthy, who was responsible for efforts to name streets for Notorious B.I.G. in Clinton Hill, Phife Dawg in Queens and the Beastie Boys in the Lower East Side, among others, hopes to create a more permanent tribute. The plan is to create the word R-E-S-P-E-C-T in large black letters on a blank wall just south of Fulton Street on the west side of Franklin Avenue.
more than a little respect, hopefully

NYC pet laws and the legal loophole that may let your furry friend stay despite a ‘no pets’ rule

By Michelle Cohen

As long as Fido’s not a ferret, of course. You may not know this, but you could be able to keep a pet in a “no pets” apartment–legally. New York City's Pet Law, established in 1983, may actually override your landlord’s kibosh on your kitty or pup, as long as certain criteria are met. Your pet can't be one of the many, many critters on the city's "banned" list, which includes the aforementioned ferrets, pot-bellied pigs, most snakes, hedgehogs, and squirrels.
So how can I keep Fluffy in my no-pets condo?

The real value of $100 in New York is just $86.51

Via Tax Foundation

August 17, 2018

The real value of $100 in New York is just $86.51

By Devin Gannon

A $100 in New York State has a real value of just $86.51, according to a report released this week by the Tax Foundation, an independent tax policy research group. And while New Yorkers know the cost of housing here ranks among the highest in the country and drives up the cost of living, everyday goods, including groceries, are also more expensive than most other states.
Not all that surprising

City Living

Manhattan’s public squares may not actually be square, but they matter

“Public squares, parks, and places in the City of New York.” Via NYPL Digital Collections.

August 15, 2018

Manhattan’s public squares may not actually be square, but they matter

By Michelle Cohen

Built to emulate Great Britain's enviable squares, which were actually square, Manhattan's public squares were created in the celebrated New York City tradition of being whatever they pleased–and definitely not square. According to the New York Daily News, Manhattan doesn't have any actual squares at all: Lisa Keller, executive editor of the Encyclopedia of New York City, said "Americans just call it a square if it's bigger than a breadbox." But those 40 squares from Madison to Foley, Herald and Greeley have been vital in defining the city's public spaces; they were its first parks, and a predecessor to the granddaddy of all squares, Central Park.
Squares that shaped the city

New Yorkers are bypassing food trucks for McDonalds as fast food finds new footing

Image: Wikimedia commons

August 14, 2018

New Yorkers are bypassing food trucks for McDonalds as fast food finds new footing

By Michelle Cohen

Even as New York City continues to experience record financial growth, a small explosion of fast food chains within city limits still comes as somewhat of a surprise. A recent Crain's article confirms that, even more surprisingly, McDonalds, perhaps the fast-foodiest of all, is not only expanding but polishing up its image to appeal to a more upscale market–and it's working. You might just chalk it up to a sweeping takeover by big chain stores, but isn't that about gentrification? Fast food has traditionally had a big presence in the city's lower-income neighborhoods–known as "food swamps"–and in tourist areas. But the nation's largest Chick-fil-A just opened in...the Financial District. Reasons for the latest fast food boom are many, it turns out, and extend beyond mere mallification.
Would you like fries with that?

Bodegas in gentrifying NYC neighborhoods get exterior upgrades under new program

Via bitchcakes on Flickr

August 13, 2018

Bodegas in gentrifying NYC neighborhoods get exterior upgrades under new program

By Devin Gannon

As neighborhoods in New York City continue to change, bodegas are having to update their inventory. While chips and cigarettes are still corner-store fixtures, owners are selling more fresh fruit and vegetables and organic products to keep up with the shift in consumer demographics. Coinciding with the updated interiors, the exteriors of some NYC bodegas are getting upgrades as well, thanks to a new pilot program from the city. The program, "Commercial Corridor Challenge," aims to help fund public realm improvements for local businesses to keep them competitive amid gentrification, the Wall Street Journal reported.
More here

August 10, 2018

RPA report shows subway platform temperatures of 104 degrees

By Michelle Cohen

Are subway platforms really as hot as the inside of a rotisserie, or does it just seem that way? On Thursday, August 9, 2018, the Regional Plan Association (RPA) sent out an intrepid task force of staff and interns to measure the temperature in the city's ten busiest subway stations. The temperature outside was 86 degrees. The data they collected helped to inform a report titled, "Save Our Subways: A Plan To Transform New York City’s Rapid Transit System."
Roasted alive?

In 1981 the MTA rolled out 7,000 pure white subway cars to curb graffiti and guess what happened next

Image courtesy of the NY Transit Museum Collections.

August 10, 2018

In 1981 the MTA rolled out 7,000 pure white subway cars to curb graffiti and guess what happened next

By Michelle Cohen

Throughout the 1970s and '80s, New York City struggled with infrastructure failure, poverty, crime and garbage. One front in what seemed like a constant battle against total chaos was the attempt to keep subway cars graffiti-free. Inspired by a single white car sitting in a train yard in Corona, Queens that somehow managed to remain tag-free for two months (behind a security system that included a chain-link fence, barbed wire and guard dogs, but never mind that) in September 1981, the MTA rolled out one dozen all-white 7 trains–7,000 cars in all. The new program was dubbed “The Great White Fleet,” and officials hoped the bright white cars would do their part to keep graffiti at bay.
A rolling canvas

INTERVIEW: Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver is making NYC parks accessible for everyone

Park image via Elliot Scott on Flickr; image of Silver via NYC Parks

August 10, 2018

INTERVIEW: Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver is making NYC parks accessible for everyone

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

Mitchell J. Silver, the commissioner of the New York City Parks Department, tells us he’s 58 years old. But with his vibrant enthusiasm and energy for parks, fitness, and life in general, it’s hard to believe. Only as he details a list of his achievements and accolades over the years does his age show. Silver, who oversees the management and operations of nearly 30,000 acres of city parks, calls himself the “commissioner of fun,” a title he strives to live up to every day. This summer, Silver launched “Cool Pools,” an initiative to renovate public pools, celebrated making Central Park car-free, and increased accessibility to parks for all New Yorkers. If you want to feel good, follow his Instagram and see him sliding, swinging, running, jumping, swimming, kayaking and more. Silver is training for his first marathon this November (with his best friend from college) after completing four half marathons. 6sqft jogged beside the commissioner and got his running commentary on the biggest challenges facing NYC parks, what he attributes his success to, what we can expect for the future and where he buys his running gear.
More here

The best affordable and student-friendly off-campus neighborhoods in NYC

Columbia campus, via Pixabay

August 9, 2018

The best affordable and student-friendly off-campus neighborhoods in NYC

By Cait Etherington

If you can’t bear the idea of living in the dorms for another year, you’re not alone. Unless you happen to go to Columbia where over 90 percent of students live on campus, there's a high likelihood you’ll be searching for your own apartment at some point during your college years, just like 57 percent of students at NYU and 74 percent at The New School. And if you're like most students, you’ll be looking for an apartment far from downtown that strikes the right balance between affordability, commutability, and access to services. To help you make the smartest decision possible, 6sqft has compiled a list of affordable, student-friendly neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. By New York City standards, all of these are both safe (e.g., reported fewer than 1.5447 crimes per 1000 people in June 2018) and within reach (e.g., on average, three-bedroom units can still be rented for less than $5,000 per month). Using July 2018 City Realty data on average neighborhood rents, we've broken down how much you’ll pay on average to live in a three-bedroom shared unit in each of these neighborhoods. We’ve also provided average commute times to both Union Square, which is easily walkable to NYU, The New School, and Cooper Union, and to the Columbia University campus.
Get the guide

Queens shows how diversity is driving NYC’s economic boom

Elmhurst’s Chinatown. Image: Wiki Commons.

August 7, 2018

Queens shows how diversity is driving NYC’s economic boom

By Michelle Cohen

Recent economic snapshots issued by the state comptroller show that New York City has continued to experience record economic expansion in the past three years. This growth has been led by notable gains in the economies of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx (Staten Island's report is expected later this year), which since the 1990s have seen an economic boost from a large increase in their immigrant populations, Crain's reports. The revitalization of these immigrant-rich areas has led to an uptick in the number of businesses as well as sales and job growth. Unemployment is at its lowest rate since 1990. Queens, the borough that is home the city's most diverse population and becoming more so, is clearly one to watch.
More jobs, great food

City Living

August 6, 2018

College students and children as young as 10 can now apply for IDNYC

By Dana Schulz

Since its inception nearly four years ago, IDNYC has seen more than 1.2 million New Yorkers enroll for the free card, making it the largest local identification program in the nation. And now, Mayor de Blasio has announced three updates that will even further expand the program's reach--the minimum age has been lowered from 14 to 10, students living in local college housing can now apply, and technological updates allow the application system to pull from existing city agency records to streamline the process.
All the details this way

Is there a 200th Street in Manhattan or the Bronx? Yes and no.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

July 31, 2018

Is there a 200th Street in Manhattan or the Bronx? Yes and no.

By Michelle Cohen

The official word is: There is no 200th Street in the Bronx or Manhattan; Manhattan numbered streets skip from West 196th Street straight to West 201st. But if you happen to be passing through the Dyckman Street station on the Eighth Avenue line, you wouldn't know it. What's up with the phantom 200?
Is there more to the story?

City Living

July 30, 2018

The New York City subway in fascinating facts and figures

By Michelle Cohen

When it comes to New York City’s subway system, you may think you know the letters (A,B,C,D,E,F,G,J,L,M,N,Q,R,S,W,Z) and numbers (1 through 7), all too well. But a few of the fun facts and staggering stats that add up to the seventh busiest public transit system in the world might surprise you. From the longest route (the A line is 31 miles) to the world's highest rapid transit station at Smith-9th Streets (it's 88 feet above street level), there are plenty of figures that even the most well-versed New Yorker likely doesn't know.
More stuff you never knew about the subway

Affordable housing 101: The history and future of Mitchell-Lama

Waterside Plaza, a former Mitchell-Lama Housing Program-funded rental project. Photo via Flickr cc.

July 27, 2018

Affordable housing 101: The history and future of Mitchell-Lama

By Cait Etherington

A high percentage of working New Yorkers do not qualify for low-income rentals yet still struggle to pay the city’s exceptionally high rents on the private market. While this may seem like a new problem, in fact, it is something legislators and housing advocates have been attempting to resolve for over 70 years. Indeed, this […]

You can soar down Centre Street on a 165-foot-long zipline this August

2017 Summer Streets; photo via DOT on Flickr

July 25, 2018

You can soar down Centre Street on a 165-foot-long zipline this August

By Devin Gannon

Summer Streets is back! Starting August 4, New Yorkers can enjoy seven miles of car-free fun along Park Avenue, from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge. As part of the Department of Transporation's 11th annual event, activities will be offered on three Saturdays in August, from 7 am to 1 pm. While there's sadly not a dishwasher-looking waterslide this year, there will be a 165-foot-long, 30-foot-high zip line, fun hand-cycles to test out, and an eight-foot-tall bouldering wall.
Plan your summer streets fun

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