Policy

Noho parking lot to become 200 apartments after Landmarks approves revised design

All images courtesy of SOM

August 18, 2026

Noho parking lot to become 200 apartments after Landmarks approves revised design

A corner parking lot in Noho will become a pair of apartment buildings with over 200 apartments after the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved the project. Developed by Minskoff Equities and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the development includes two high-rise rental buildings, with up to 210 homes, including up to 65 affordable units, on a vacant lot at 375 Lafayette Street. First presented in March, the team's revised design addresses previous concerns over the scale, prominent facade exposures, and other details the commission felt were out of place in the historic neighborhood.
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Amtrak completes first phase of East River tunnel project amid LIRR disruptions

The new tunnel. All images courtesy of Amtrak

August 18, 2026

Amtrak completes first phase of East River tunnel project amid LIRR disruptions

By Aaron Ginsburg

A 15-month rehabilitation of one of two East River tunnels is complete. Amtrak on Monday announced the completion of phase one of the project, which began last year to repair two of the four tunnels damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 that carry trains in and out of Penn Station and are also used by the LIRR and NJ Transit. The agency shut down one tunnel at a time despite MTA calls for a rush-hour service approach, which officials said curtailed LIRR service by forcing too many trains to share the remaining tunnels.
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Congestion pricing has had little impact on NYC air quality, city report finds

Credit: Spencer Liao on Unsplash

August 17, 2026

Congestion pricing has had little impact on NYC air quality, city report finds

By Aaron Ginsburg

While congestion pricing has delivered on its initial promise of curbing traffic in Manhattan’s busiest areas, the program's expected benefits for air quality and pollution have so far fallen short, according to a new report. Released Friday by the New York City Health Department, the report found that air quality in Manhattan’s central business district, where drivers are charged $9 to enter below 60th Street during certain times, remained stable or improved only marginally after the toll program took effect in January 2025. Meanwhile, on major highways outside the toll zone, where opponents had feared changing traffic patterns would lead to increased air pollution, pollution levels remained stable.
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NYC Council passes bills to curb and compost dog waste

Photo credit: John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

August 14, 2026

NYC Council passes bills to curb and compost dog waste

By Michelle Cohen

The New York City Council passed a package of bills Thursday that take aim at the proliferation of dog poop on city sidewalks and parks. Among them is a measure that would create a composting program that turns dog droppings into compost rather than ending up in landfills. The Safe and Clean Outdoor Ownership Practices (SCOOP) Act was created to address growing complaints about the notably unscooped piles that remained after the blizzard this past winter.
cleaner sidewalks, this way

Policy

City begins construction on first busway in the Bronx

Photo courtesy of DOT

August 14, 2026

City begins construction on first busway in the Bronx

By Devin Gannon

Starting next month, 39,000 bus riders in the Bronx will have a faster daily commute. The city's Department of Transportation (DOT) this week officially started construction on the Tremont Avenue Busway, a mile-long, car-free lane designated for the Bx36 bus from Third Avenue to Southern Boulevard. The busway, the eighth to be installed in the city, aims to speed up commutes by 60 percent for the bus route, which currently travels at less than five miles per hour.
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Year-round outdoor dining is coming back to NYC

In 2020, Rockwell Group debuted an outdoor dining block on Chinatown’s Mott Street. Photo courtesy of Emily Andrews for Rockwell Group

August 13, 2026

Year-round outdoor dining is coming back to NYC

By Devin Gannon

Year-round outdoor dining is coming back to the five boroughs. The New York City Council on Thursday passed legislation that allows restaurants to offer roadway dining in the winter, reviving a program that first launched as a way to keep businesses afloat during the start of the pandemic when indoor dining was prohibited. Current rules, approved by the Council in 2023, restrict roadway dining to April through November and force restaurants to follow specific design standards and disassemble and store the dining structures.
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New York provides $7.25M for legal services for immigrant children facing removal proceedings

Photo credit: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

August 13, 2026

New York provides $7.25M for legal services for immigrant children facing removal proceedings

By Michelle Cohen

New York will fund legal services for approximately 1,400 unaccompanied immigrant children who are facing active removal proceedings, including the more than 250 young people who are currently detained, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday. The $7.25 million in funding will help vulnerable children access legal representation after the Trump administration allowed a nationwide federal contract providing legal services for over 24,000 unaccompanied migrant children to expire on July 31. The new state funding will ensure all children in active removal proceedings have access to representation.
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Policy

Elizabeth Street Garden deal saves green space, shifts affordable housing to Suffolk Street

Photo by James and Karla Murray exclusively for 6sqft. Photos are not to be reproduced without written permission from 6sqft

August 12, 2026

Elizabeth Street Garden deal saves green space, shifts affordable housing to Suffolk Street

By Devin Gannon

Affordable senior housing will not be built on the site of a Nolita community garden. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration is expected to reach a settlement with developers that cancels the Haven Green project, a 123-unit rental for low-income seniors on the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden, in exchange for a new affordable development on a vacant Lower East Side lot. On Wednesday, Mamdani said the actions of former Mayor Eric Adams, who designated the city-owned site as parkland last year, requiring state legislature approval for development, made it "nearly impossible" to move ahead with the housing project.
details this way

Policy

NYC homeowners sue the city for ‘mass confusion’ over pied-à-terre tax

Billionaires’ Row from Harlem. Photo by joiseyshowaa on Wikimedia

August 10, 2026

NYC homeowners sue the city for ‘mass confusion’ over pied-à-terre tax

By Michelle Cohen

A handful of property owners have begun a legal challenge against New York City over Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rollout of the new pied-à-terre tax, claiming the "chaotic" rollout of the measure caused mass confusion, as Gothamist reported. The surcharge, aimed at people who own second homes valued at over $5 million for one-to-three family homes and over $1 million for condos or co-ops, began with the publication of a Department of Finance (DOF) database of 900,000 properties, many of which were not actually subject to the tax. The complaint alleges that the city violated state law by subsequently sending 17,000 letters to homeowners alerting them that they may be subject to the high-value property tax. On Monday, a State Supreme Court judge on Staten Island granted a temporary restraining order on behalf of the homeowners, briefly putting a pause on the tax rollout, but city officials quickly filed an appeal, which served to block the judge's order pending review by a higher court.
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Policy

MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers

Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 7, 2026

MTA to retrofit every NYC bus with area for open strollers

By Devin Gannon

Traveling around New York City with small children will soon get a little easier. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday announced that every bus will have an open stroller area, a designated space for parents and caregivers to hold a stroller without having to fold it up, which was previously required to ride. The agency said about 75 percent of its 5,800 buses have been retrofitted with the open stroller area, with the rest to be installed by the end of the year.
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How New York City plans to crack down on illegal e-bikes and scooters

By Devin Gannon

More than a dozen new bills will be introduced in the New York City Council this fall that aim to curb illegal electric bikes and scooters, one week after a 17-year-old riding an illegal motorized bike was hit and killed by an SUV. Speaker Julie Menin and several other council members announced plans to hold a hearing on September 30 on e-bike and e-scooter safety. Menin also released a list of 17 bills to be considered next month, including legislation that bans class 3 bikes traveling at 25 miles per hour, requires more rider data from third-party delivery apps, increases enforcement, and creates a task force to study street design, among others.
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NYC extends pied-à-terre tax exemption deadline by 4 weeks amid confusion

Credit: Garrett Lawrence on Unsplash

August 3, 2026

NYC extends pied-à-terre tax exemption deadline by 4 weeks amid confusion

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has given homeowners who received notices that they may be subject to the new pied-à-terre surcharge an extra four weeks to apply for exemptions, following criticism over the rollout of the notices. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Richard Lee on Saturday announced the deadline extension, which gives eligible property owners until September 18 to submit exemption applications for surcharges on their non-primary residences. The city began notifying eligible property owners late last month, and the rollout came under heavy criticism from some homeowners who said they received notices despite not qualifying for the new tax.
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Lower East Side’s former Essex Street Market to become 99-unit rental

Renderings courtesy of BFC Partners and S9 Architecture.

August 3, 2026

Lower East Side’s former Essex Street Market to become 99-unit rental

By Devin Gannon

The site of the historic Essex Street Market on the Lower East Side is slated to become a mixed-use development with 99 apartments. As one of the last remaining undeveloped parcels in the city's decade-long Essex Crossing redevelopment, 100 Essex Street will rise 10 stories and include 26 affordable apartments, ground-floor retail, and a new elevator and escalator for the Delancey Street subway station. Developed by Delancey Street Associates and designed by S9 Architecture, the new building will rise on the site of the historic market, which opened in 1940 and closed its doors in 2019. Many vendors moved to a new and larger Essex Street Market across the street as part of the redevelopment.
details here

East River’s self-filtering floating pool delayed until 2027

+ POOL Rendering. Designed by Family New York & Playlab, Inc. Image: Family New York. Courtesy of Friends of + POOL

July 31, 2026

East River’s self-filtering floating pool delayed until 2027

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers will have to wait a little longer for the self-filtering floating pool in the East River. Initially slated for a pilot this summer, the +POOL team announced on X on Wednesday that while construction is nearly complete, ongoing work on the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience project will delay testing of the prototype until at least 2027. More than 15 years in the making, the project reached a major milestone in summer 2024, when Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Mayor Eric Adams selected Pier 35 as its official location.
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Policy

NYC releases map of city-owned sites where 50,000 new homes are in the works

Settlement Housing Fund and Kalel Companies are redeveloping the Grand Concourse library at 155 East 173rd Street into a mixed-use tower with 113 affordable homes. Image courtesy of Secchi Smith.

July 31, 2026

NYC releases map of city-owned sites where 50,000 new homes are in the works

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has released an interactive map identifying more than 100 city-owned sites where it plans to build over 50,000 new homes. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg on Thursday released the Land Inventory Fast Track (LIFT) Tracker, a tool providing New Yorkers with the first detailed look at the administration’s plans to develop underutilized, city-owned properties. The LIFT task force identified the sites after Mamdani established the group on his first day in office to find city-owned properties suitable for residential development.
SEe THE MAP

Vending machines to replace vacant newsstands at 26 NYC subway stations

Credit: CC Vending II

July 30, 2026

Vending machines to replace vacant newsstands at 26 NYC subway stations

By Aaron Ginsburg

New vending machines will be installed at over two dozen New York City subway stations as a modern alternative to traditional newsstands that have dwindled over the years. CC Vending will open automated, cashless retail spaces that will sell drinks, snacks, and everyday essentials as part of a partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Coca-Cola. The initial rollout will bring 60 machines to 26 high-traffic stations, with the first now operating at the Second Avenue-East Houston, 23rd Street-Broadway, and 116th Street-Lexington Avenue stations.
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NYC auctions off ‘Champions Way’ street sign from Knicks championship parade

Photo credit: NYC DOT

July 29, 2026

NYC auctions off ‘Champions Way’ street sign from Knicks championship parade

By Devin Gannon

If you didn't snag a limited-edition replica miniature of the Knicks-themed 34th Street subway station or an orange-and-blue trash can before they sold out, here's another opportunity to buy a piece of New York Knicks history. The city is auctioning off one "Champions Way" sign that hung on Broadway during the ticker-tape parade celebrating the 2026 NBA champs. The sign is one of 30 installed along the Canyon of Heroes for the June 18 event, attended by an estimated two million people. Bidding kicked off on Wednesday at $100 and will run through 8 p.m. on August 12.
knicks in five

Policy

MTA completes Park Avenue Viaduct replacement 60 months early

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 28, 2026

MTA completes Park Avenue Viaduct replacement 60 months early

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work on the Park Avenue Viaduct, a critical Metro-North corridor in Upper Manhattan, has been completed 60 months ahead of schedule and $195 million under budget. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced the completion of the project, which replaced 196 bridge structures and more than 12,600 feet of railroad infrastructure over 28 weekends. The $765 million project aims to strengthen the reliability of the corridor, which carries 98 percent of Metro-North service and all trains traveling to and from Grand Central Terminal.
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SOM to lead $200M redevelopment of 460 Park Avenue

Renderings credit: VMI

July 28, 2026

SOM to lead $200M redevelopment of 460 Park Avenue

By Aaron Ginsburg

An aging Park Avenue office building will undergo a $200 million renovation to turn the property into a state-of-the-art modern workplace. The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on Monday began the redevelopment of 460 Park Avenue, which involves stripping the mid-20th-century structure down to its steel frame before rebuilding it with cutting-edge infrastructure and 350,000 square feet of premier office space. Led by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the project will include a new lobby, modern elevators, and a floor-to-ceiling glass facade, with completion scheduled for the second quarter of 2028.
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Mamdani’s city-owned grocery stores to offer 30 percent discount on basics

Photo courtesy of Kara McCurdy | Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

July 27, 2026

Mamdani’s city-owned grocery stores to offer 30 percent discount on basics

By Devin Gannon

The city's publicly owned grocery stores will offer a 30 percent discount on basics, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday. One of his key campaign promises to tackle affordability, the mayor plans to establish five city-run food stores, one in every borough, as a way to bring down food costs, the first model of its kind in the United States. A collection of essentials, including all fresh produce, meat, and seafood, will be priced 30 percent below typical retail prices. Other basics like cheese, milk, and bread will be 20 percent off, with other products priced at market rate.
details here

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 24, 2026

Mamdani announces major expansion of NYC coastal resilience bureau with $43M investment

By Devin Gannon

The Bureau of Coastal Resilience was established by the Department of Environmental Protection in 2023 to prepare and protect New York City's 520 miles of coastline. Since then, the agency has managed with six staff members and a budget of $1 million. As the threat of climate change, along with rising sea levels and extreme weather, only intensifies, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday announced he plans to significantly expand the Bureau by investing $43.2 million to hire 69 more staff, which will include engineers, flood experts, city planners, and others, and to fund new studies on a long-term coastal resilience strategy.
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Policy

1, 2, and 3 subway riders to face five weekends of service disruptions

Image via WikiCommons

July 24, 2026

1, 2, and 3 subway riders to face five weekends of service disruptions

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City subway riders on the 1, 2, and 3 subway lines are in for commute headaches over the next five weekends. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced that switch replacement work will suspend 1 trains south of 14th Street, 2 trains south of 34th Street, and all 3 train service from Friday nights through 5 a.m. Mondays through August 24. The service disruptions begin Friday, July 24, at around 9:30 p.m.
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NYC begins notifying pied-à-terre owners about new tax

Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash

July 24, 2026

NYC begins notifying pied-à-terre owners about new tax

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has begun alerting pied-à-terre owners about a potential surcharge, marking the first step toward implementing the city's new tax on non-primary luxury homes. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Richard Lee last week announced that the city has started notifying property owners by mail that they may be subject to the new tax. The annual tax, approved in May, applies to one- to three-family homes valued at $5 million or more and condominiums and co-ops valued at $1 million and above, whose owners maintain a separate primary residence. The rollout has come under heavy criticism, with some homeowners claiming they received notices despite not qualifying for the new tax.
details here

Brooklyn’s oldest underground subway station is now accessible

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

July 23, 2026

Brooklyn’s oldest underground subway station is now accessible

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of New York City's oldest subway stations is now ADA-accessible. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority completed a $106 million renovation of Downtown Brooklyn's Borough Hall station, which now has three new elevators that make all of its platforms fully accessible and flood-mitigation measures that prevent water from running down stairs and grates during heavy rain. The project also repaired a section of the station's ceiling that collapsed in 2018 and hit a woman.
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NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

Photo credit: Denis Ibarra for Tenant Bloc

July 22, 2026

NYC landlords sue Rent Guidelines Board to stop rent freeze

By Devin Gannon

The first legal challenge to the Rent Guidelines Board's (RGB) decision to freeze the rent for New York City's stabilized apartments was filed this week. A group of landlords filed a petition in New York State Supreme Court on Staten Island to annul the board's June 25 approval of 0 percent increases on one- and two-year leases. The suit claims the board manipulated data to overstate property income for owners to meet Mayor Zohran Mamdani's rent freeze promise.
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