City Living

14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

Image courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

January 21, 2022

14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ route between Brooklyn and Queens moves forward

A public transportation project that could ease the lives of thousands of New Yorkers is gaining momentum. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the completion of a feasibility study for the Interborough Express, moving the project into its next phase of development. The feasibility study yielded promising results, revealing that the new line could serve anywhere between 74,000 and 88,000 riders a day while connecting to 17 subway stops and the Long Island Rail Road. From its start in Bay Ridge to its final stop in Jackson Heights, the route would take 40 minutes.
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New daily, year-round ferry service launches to and from Governors Island

Image courtesy of the Trust for Governors Island

January 20, 2022

New daily, year-round ferry service launches to and from Governors Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

The city's Economic Development and the Trust For Governors Island on Thursday announced that daily, year-round ferry service to Governors Island will begin on Monday, January 24. The NYC Ferry will add a stop at Yankee Pier on its South Brooklyn Route between Red Hook and Sunset Park, connecting New Yorkers to the island from the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. The new service’s hours will coincide with the Island's new winter hours, open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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10 places to volunteer in New York City this winter

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

January 14, 2022

10 places to volunteer in New York City this winter

By Aaron Ginsburg

As the pandemic rages on, New Yorkers have maintained their resilience. However, many who were already struggling have had an even rougher time, with thousands of New Yorkers facing hunger, homelessness, and unemployment. As the federal holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., approaches, consider taking action and assisting the less fortunate in your community. Ahead, find a number of New York City organizations seeking volunteers this winter. Note, many of the organizations listed have put safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of the virus, including masks and social distancing.
Full list here

City Living

New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

Image courtesy of Alexandre Ayer / @DiversityPics for the Garment District Alliance

January 11, 2022

New art exhibit lets you walk through a glowing tunnel in the Garment District

By Aaron Ginsburg

A small section of Broadway in the Garment District has been transformed into a glowing tunnel. The Garment District Alliance today revealed Passage, an art installation consisting of 20 illuminated circles that form a tunnel for pedestrians to walk through. The art piece is interactive, with each ring radiating light and emitting sound as participants pass by them. Located on Broadway between 39th and 40th Streets, the free immersive art experience will be open to the public until February 13.
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NY lawmakers introduce ‘Dark Skies Act’ to protect migrating birds and limit light pollution

Photo by Carlos Oliva from Pexels

January 10, 2022

NY lawmakers introduce ‘Dark Skies Act’ to protect migrating birds and limit light pollution

By Aaron Ginsburg

Every year in New York City, tens of thousands of migratory birds are killed after being drawn from their flight paths by the city’s artificial light. To combat this, State Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assembly Member Patricia Fahy last week introduced the “Dark Skies Act,” a bill that aims to prevent the deaths of migratory birds and reduce light pollution. The bill would require the majority of non-essential outdoor lights to be turned off, covered, or switched to motion sensor activation after 11 p.m. Alternatively, lights could be set to shine downwards.
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NYC bodegas launch campaign against corporation-backed 15-minute grocery delivery

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash

January 10, 2022

NYC bodegas launch campaign against corporation-backed 15-minute grocery delivery

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City bodegas and delis are fighting back against 15-minute delivery startups. A group representing local grocers, the Save Mom-and-Pop Business Coalition, rallied on Sunday with elected officials, calling out the venture capitalist-backed services they say threaten the city's small businesses. The rally took place outside of Stop 1 Deli, a Lower East Side bodega located directly across the street from GoPuff, one of the delivery services in question. Delivery services like GoPuff have moved into large spaces on commercial strips, morphing them into warehouses stuffed with groceries and other goods.
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Hochul announces 14-mile-long ‘Interborough Express,’ connecting Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights

Image courtesy of the MTA

January 6, 2022

Hochul announces 14-mile-long ‘Interborough Express,’ connecting Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights

By Aaron Ginsburg

After decades of speculation and discarded plans, better train access could be on the way for New Yorkers living in Queens and Brooklyn. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced in her 2022 State of the State address plans for the development of the "Interborough Express," a major transit service expansion that would connect the boroughs. The proposed expansion takes the Bay Ridge Branch, a freight rail line that already runs through Brooklyn and Queens, and transforms it into a 14-mile arching track stretching from Bay Ridge to Jackson Heights. The new track would link up to 17 existing subway lines across the two boroughs, as well as provide a connection to the Long Island Rail Road.
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Famed NYC bar Dante opens winter-themed pop-up at the Seaport

Image courtesy of Dante

January 6, 2022

Famed NYC bar Dante opens winter-themed pop-up at the Seaport

By Aaron Ginsburg

North America’s number one bar returns to the Seaport to serve award-winning food and drink in its seasonal pop-up at Pier 17’s Pearl Alley. Guests can enjoy their food and drink alongside live music in a warm, winter-themed setting. The Greenwich Village staple will offer guests signature cocktails and negronis, as well as espresso, coffee, and pastries.
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NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

NYC Ferry launched service in Throgs Neck in the Bronx with the opening of a new landing at Ferry Point Park. Tuesday, December 28, 2021. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

December 29, 2021

NYC Ferry continues expansion with new Bronx stop in Throgs Neck

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday cut the ribbon on a new ferry landing in the Bronx. Located at Ferry Point Park in Throgs Neck, the new landing extends NYC Ferry's Soundview route, which stops on the Upper East Side, Midtown, and the Financial District. With the addition of this new stop, the Soundview route begins at Ferry Point Park, continuing onto stops in Soundview, East 90th Street, 34th Street, Stuyvesant Cove, and Wall Street/Pier 11. The entire route takes a total of 60 minutes.
Details here

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

Images courtesy of NYPL

December 21, 2021

These are the library books New Yorkers checked out the most in 2021

By Aaron Ginsburg

In another year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, New Yorkers looked to the public library system for solace. New York City’s public libraries on Tuesday released their annual list of the most checked-out books of 2021. At the New York Public Library, which includes branches in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the most borrowed book for the second year in a row was Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half. In Brooklyn, Bennett’s novel also took the top spot. In Queens, the most borrowed book was The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah.
Full list ahead

City Living

Ring in the New Year hanging 1,271 feet above NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

Thrill-seekers will have the opportunity to ring in the New Year while hanging over the edge of the highest open-air building climb in the world. On Tuesday, City Climb introduced the exclusive event with spots open for eight people. City Climb, located on top of 30 Hudson Yards, offers participants breathtaking views of New York City as they scale a set of open-edged stairways and platforms on the outside of the building. Those who are daring enough and want to welcome the new year on a ‘high’ note can join the digital queue here, which begins at noon on December 22.
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City Living

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

Photo by Charley Lhasa on Flickr

December 9, 2021

15 holiday trees in NYC that are not at Rockefeller Center

By Devin Gannon

The Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center may be the most popular conifer in New York City, with 125 million people visiting the tree each year, but it certainly is not the only one. Every holiday season, spruces adorned with colorful lights and ornaments pop up across the five boroughs. The city’s many holiday trees each offer a unique take on the tradition, which began in NYC in 1912 when the first public Christmas tree was erected in Madison Square Park. For those looking to skip the Midtown crowds this year, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best holiday trees, from the origami tree at the American Museum of Natural History to the flotilla of trees in Central Park’s Harlem Meer.
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New York Public Library honors Stephen Sondheim with new tribute display

Photograph of Sondheim at the piano by Friedman-Abeles (Firm) Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collections.

December 3, 2021

New York Public Library honors Stephen Sondheim with new tribute display

By Devin Gannon

The New York Public Library has opened a new exhibit honoring the legacy of the late Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, considered one of the best musical theater composers of our time. Sondheim, the mastermind behind works in West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and many others, died last week at age 91. Free and open to the public until early next year, the display features letters and other objects related to Sondheim found in the archives of the Library of the Performing Arts.
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Here are the best books of 2021, according to the NYPL

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

November 23, 2021

Here are the best books of 2021, according to the NYPL

By Devin Gannon

The New York Public Library on Tuesday released its annual list of the best books of the year, a tradition that started nearly 100 years ago. This year, committees of expert librarians selected nearly 300 titles across categories for kids, teens, and adults. From fiction to fantasy to graphic novels and poetry, the Best Books of 2021 list has something for every reader in your life.
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City Living

New report shows NYC’s wealthiest neighborhoods saw the highest pandemic exodus

Photo by Jason Krieger on Unsplash

November 17, 2021

New report shows NYC’s wealthiest neighborhoods saw the highest pandemic exodus

By Michelle Cohen

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer's office released a report this week revealing the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on the city's population. The numbers show that net residential migration out of NYC tripled during 2020–and residents of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods were the ones most likely to move out. But those numbers appear to be reversing to a pre-pandemic level: Since July 2021, the city has gained an estimated 6,332 residents, and outward-bound migration has actually been lower than it was in 2019.
Who left, and where did they go?

The 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in NYC

All photos by Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

November 15, 2021

The 2021 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived in NYC

By Devin Gannon

With the arrival of this year's Rockefeller Christmas Tree in Midtown, the holiday season in New York City has officially begun. Donated by a family in Elkton, Maryland, the 79-foot-tall Norway spruce was cut down last week, hoisted by a crane, and arrived in Manhattan this weekend following a roughly 140-mile journey via flatbed truck. Considered one of the world's most famous holiday trees, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be decorated with thousands of multi-colored lights and a sparkling star topper. The official lighting ceremony is planned for Wednesday, December 1.
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New York Public Library’s iconic marble lions show off oversized bandages to encourage vaccination

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc / NYPL

November 8, 2021

New York Public Library’s iconic marble lions show off oversized bandages to encourage vaccination

By Devin Gannon

The marble lions that have guarded the New York Public Library's mane branch for 110 years are now wearing oversized red bandages. The library last week announced Patience and Fortitude received their Covid-19 vaccine, with newly applied 14-by 4.6-inch bandaids as proof. The library hopes the lions' new look encourages more New Yorkers to get vaccinated.
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City Living

Book a stay at Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic NYC brownstone apartment for $23/night

All photos by Kate Glicksberg unless otherwise noted

November 5, 2021

Book a stay at Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic NYC brownstone apartment for $23/night

By Devin Gannon

The too-big-to-be-true rent-stabilized apartment of fictional character Carrie Bradshaw will soon be available to book on Airbnb. The company announced this week it will rent, for two nights only, a recreation of the New York City brownstone seen on Sex and the City. The apartment has been decorated with a mix of vintage and designer furniture, with the style guru's massive walk-in closet the highlight of the stay.
Details here

Bedford Union Armory recreation center officially opens in Crown Heights

Photo credit: Brett Bayer

October 28, 2021

Bedford Union Armory recreation center officially opens in Crown Heights

By Devin Gannon

The transformation of a former armory in Brooklyn into a recreation center is now complete. Located in Crown Heights, the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center opened its doors on Wednesday, bringing a new 60,000-square-foot community center with an indoor swimming pool, three basketball courts, a soccer field, dance studios, and space for local nonprofits to the neighborhood. The long-awaited project also includes 415 units of housing, expected to open in 2023.
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After $5M restoration, NYC’s historic Highbridge Water Tower reopens for public tours

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

October 27, 2021

After $5M restoration, NYC’s historic Highbridge Water Tower reopens for public tours

By Devin Gannon

Described in 1967 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission as "one of Manhattan's most picturesque architectural monuments," the Highbridge Water Tower reopened on Wednesday following a restoration project. Located in Washington Heights, the octagonal tower opened in 1872 and served as part of the Croton Aqueduct system, helping increase water pressure throughout the borough. While it no longer is part of the city's water system, the 200-foot landmark is the only one of its kind that remains today. The Parks Department also announced free public tours of the inside of the tower led by the department's Urban Park Rangers will resume next month.
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World’s highest outdoor building climb to open in NYC atop Hudson Yards’ Edge

Leaning over the “Apex,” All photos courtesy of Edge

October 26, 2021

World’s highest outdoor building climb to open in NYC atop Hudson Yards’ Edge

By Devin Gannon

If simply standing on the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere isn't enough of a thrill, how about scaling the outside of a supertall skyscraper? On Tuesday, Edge, the 100th-floor sky deck that opened at 30 Hudson Yards last spring, debuted "City Climb," a ticketed adventure that challenges visitors to cross a series of open-edged outdoor platforms and stairs along the top of the tower, which stands over 1,200 feet tall. When it officially opens on November 9, City Climb will become the highest external building climb in the world.
Get the details

City Living

Target opens new store on the Upper East Side

Photos courtesy of Target

October 20, 2021

Target opens new store on the Upper East Side

By Devin Gannon

Target has expanded its New York City footprint once again. A new store opened on the Upper East Side this week a year after the company announced the new Manhattan location. Located at 150 East 86th Street, the 55,000-square-foot store is Target's 12th store in the borough and its 11th "small-format" location, which offers convenient on-the-go options and pick-up service.
Details here

City Living

NYC subway ridership topped 3.2 million riders in one day for the first time since Covid

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr

October 18, 2021

NYC subway ridership topped 3.2 million riders in one day for the first time since Covid

By Devin Gannon

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the New York City subway saw over 3.2 million riders in one day. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Friday announced 3,236,904 customers rode the subway on October 14, passing the previous record made a week prior by 50,000 customers. The record set last week still remains far below pre-pandemic levels; average weekday ridership regularly exceeded 5.5 million trips before Covid.
More here

Brooklyn Public Library opens new branch under the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo

All photos by Gregg Richards

October 13, 2021

Brooklyn Public Library opens new branch under the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo

By Devin Gannon

At the Brooklyn Public Library's newest branch, reading comes with a view. The library opened the Adams Street Library in Dumbo this week, marking the first new library built in the borough in nearly 40 years and the first branch to open in the neighborhood. Bordering Brooklyn Bridge Park and tucked underneath the Manhattan Bridge, the library has 15-foot windows that face the East River and lower Manhattan skyline.
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Plant pro The Sill opens new shop in the heart of Williamsburg

Photo credit: Tory Williams

October 8, 2021

Plant pro The Sill opens new shop in the heart of Williamsburg

By Devin Gannon

Williamsburg residents will soon be able to fill their stylish pads with plants to match. The Sill, the popular direct-to-consumer houseplant company, opened its second location in Brooklyn this week. Located in the heart of the neighborhood at 190 Berry Street, the store is full of the company's best-selling items, from potted succulents and cacti to tropical plants and ferns.
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