Policy

Cuomo says indoor dining could resume with an NYPD task force enforcing COVID-19 rules

St. Marks Place outdoor dining; Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

September 3, 2020

Cuomo says indoor dining could resume with an NYPD task force enforcing COVID-19 rules

By Devin Gannon

Indoor dining could resume in New York City only if police are able to enforce compliance of coronavirus regulations at restaurants, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. During a call with reporters, the governor said he could allow restaurants to open for indoor dining if the city creates a task force of NYPD officers designated to oversee compliance. Cuomo said he plans to discuss the issue with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who on Wednesday called for an immediate start of indoor dining, which has been allowed in every region in the state except the five boroughs.
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After threat to defund NYC, Cuomo says Trump will need ‘an army’ to walk down the street

Photo of Donald Trump via Wikimedia Commons; Photo of Governor Andrew Cuomo via Wikimedia Commons

September 3, 2020

After threat to defund NYC, Cuomo says Trump will need ‘an army’ to walk down the street

"Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he thinks he’s gonna walk down the street in New York," Governor Andrew Cuomo said last night in response to Donald Trump's new claims that he's planning to defund New York City. After sending a five-page memo to the U.S. Attorney General and the Office of Management and Budget about Portland, Seattle, Washington, and New York City, Trump Tweeted, "My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses."
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Policy

New program asks architects to help design outdoor dining spaces for NYC restaurants

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

September 2, 2020

New program asks architects to help design outdoor dining spaces for NYC restaurants

By Devin Gannon

Outdoor dining has offered a much-needed lifeline to many New York City restaurants struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic. But creating a space on city streets and sidewalks that is both inviting to diners and meets the city's safety standards comes at a cost. To help restaurants reopen, the city's Economic Development Corporation partnered with NYCxDesign, the American Institute of Architects, and the Center for Architecture to launch an online network that connects restaurants with architects and designers willing to provide design help for free.
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300+ restaurants sign on for $2B lawsuit over New York’s indoor dining ban

By Pictures of Money via Flickr cc

September 1, 2020

300+ restaurants sign on for $2B lawsuit over New York’s indoor dining ban

The plot continues to thicken over when and if indoor dining will resume in New York City, with New Jersey starting indoor restaurant operations this Friday and Mayor de Blasio hinting that it won't return in the city until a COVID vaccine is approved. And now, a group of 337 restaurants has signed on to a lawsuit that is seeking $2 billion from the city and state. As Crain's reported, the main plaintiff is 28-year-old Queens Italian restaurant Il Bacco, which is just 500 feet over the Nassau County border where restaurants were allowed to reopen indoor dining.
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Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center to serve as polling sites for 2020 election

Photo by ajay_suresh on Flickr

September 1, 2020

Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center to serve as polling sites for 2020 election

By Devin Gannon

Two major sports arenas in New York City will serve as polling sites for the general election in November, providing a socially distanced way for residents to vote in person. The city's Board of Elections announced that Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center will both be Early Voting and Election Day poll sites, the result of a deal made between players of the National Basketball Association and the league to resume playoffs after teams refused to play following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The agreement involved several social justice initiatives, including the use of NBA arenas across the country as voting locations for the upcoming election.
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NYC will resume issuing permits for youth sports leagues next month

Image by Hucklebarry from Pixabay

August 31, 2020

NYC will resume issuing permits for youth sports leagues next month

By Devin Gannon

The city's parks department will resume issuing permits for outdoor youth sports next month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. While the fields and ballparks have been open throughout the coronavirus pandemic, NYC Parks will issue permits for organized, low-risk sports played outdoors starting on September 15. Sports leagues for baseball, softball, and soccer will be issued permits, but indoor sports, including swimming, will not be allowed.
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Policy

As NYC parks see growing garbage problem, city launches anti-trash campaign

Photo by Timothy Krause on Flickr

August 31, 2020

As NYC parks see growing garbage problem, city launches anti-trash campaign

By Devin Gannon

Coronavirus-related budget cuts and an increase in use may be to blame for the growing garbage problem across New York City green spaces. As Gothamist reported, the number of 311 complaints about garbage and litter increased by 120 percent from the same period last summer. To address this increase in green space litter and to encourage New Yorkers to "show your park some love," the city's Parks Department launched a new "Toss Your Trash" campaign last week.
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New Jersey will open indoor dining and movie theaters for Labor Day weekend

Photo of Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten by cogito ergo imago on Flickr

August 31, 2020

New Jersey will open indoor dining and movie theaters for Labor Day weekend

Much like his decision to open beaches ahead of Memorial Day weekend, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey will allow indoor dining to resume across his state this Friday, just ahead of Labor Day weekend. In a Tweet this morning, Murphy said that restaurants and bars can begin operating indoors at 25-percent capacity with social distancing in between tables. In a later press conference, he also announced that movie theaters and other indoor performance venues can reopen on September 4.
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NYC Council extends cap on food delivery fees until indoor dining resumes

Photo by Patrick Connor Klopf on Unsplash

August 28, 2020

NYC Council extends cap on food delivery fees until indoor dining resumes

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to extend the cap on commissions that restaurants are charged by third-party delivery services. The legislation, first enacted in May, restricts fees services like Grubhub and Uber Eats can charge to 20 percent per order during a state of emergency. The cap will now be in effect until restaurants are able to resume indoor dining at maximum occupancy and 90 days following. There is still no plan to bring back indoor dining, despite the city meeting the state's coronavirus metrics.
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Massive Two Bridges projects can move forward without City Council approval

Rendering: SHoP Architects

August 27, 2020

Massive Two Bridges projects can move forward without City Council approval

By Devin Gannon

Three projects that include the construction of four towers and the creation of nearly 3,000 housing units in Two Bridges meet all zoning requirements and can move forward without City Council approval, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court reversed a lower court's ruling that had stopped the Manhattan megaproject from going ahead.
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Popular Articles

Without federal aid, MTA says subway and bus service could be cut by 40 percent

Photo credit: Billie Grace Ward via Flickr

August 26, 2020

Without federal aid, MTA says subway and bus service could be cut by 40 percent

By Devin Gannon

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday laid out a grim plan detailing service cuts and fare hikes that could be implemented without additional federal aid. Without at least $12 billion in funding from Washington, subway and bus service could be cut by up to 40 percent, a devastating blow to millions of New Yorkers and the city's economy. During a board meeting on Wednesday, Chair Pat Foye said the coronavirus crisis has had a far larger toll on ridership and revenue than the Great Depression a century prior.
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NYC cultural institutions would be allowed to put on performances outdoors, under proposed bill

Photo by Paulo Silva on Unsplash

August 25, 2020

NYC cultural institutions would be allowed to put on performances outdoors, under proposed bill

By Devin Gannon

A New York City Council member will introduce a bill this week that would allow cultural institutions to set up events and exhibits outdoor, the New York Daily News first reported. Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents parts of Queens and is chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee, wants the city to give nonprofit groups space to perform on parking lots, streets, and parks. "The city of New York is the cultural capital of the world and right now it's a city that's a little sad," Van Bramer told the Daily News. "The city of New York without music and dance and theater is just not the same New York."
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New York is setting up COVID-19 testing sites at JFK and LaGuardia airports

Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 25, 2020

New York is setting up COVID-19 testing sites at JFK and LaGuardia airports

By Devin Gannon

New coronavirus testing sites will be set up at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports to limit the spread of the virus from out-of-state visitors, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday. The testing sites will allow "faster testing of people coming in, including hospital staff," the governor said during a press briefing. The additional measure comes as New York saw a record low COVID-19 test positivity rate of 0.66 percent on Monday, making it the 17th straight day with a positivity rate below 1 percent.
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Policy

See designs for the Brooklyn park dedicated to LGBTQ advocate Marsha P. Johnson

Renderings courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office and NY State Parks

August 25, 2020

See designs for the Brooklyn park dedicated to LGBTQ advocate Marsha P. Johnson

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday dedicated Brooklyn's East River State Park to Black transgender rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, making it the first state park in New York named after an LGBTQ person and transgender woman of color. Located on the Williamsburg waterfront and known for hosting popular outdoor market Smorgasburg, the park will feature a new colorful public art installation honoring Johnson, who played a significant role in the Stonewall Uprising and was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front. The dedication comes on what would have been Johnson's 75th birthday.
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Policy

NYC unveils outdoor learning option for schools

Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza tour New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn to observe the school’s PPE delivery and reopening preparations; Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 24, 2020

NYC unveils outdoor learning option for schools

By Devin Gannon

New York City schools can use backyards, streets closed to cars, and certain parks for outdoor learning, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Monday. Unveiled just weeks before school is expected to open next month, the new option takes the "best ideas from around the world" to make school safe for students, teachers, and school staff, according to the mayor. "We know the disease doesn't spread the same outdoors," de Blasio said. "We want to give schools the chance to do as much outdoors as they can."
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Policy

Why can’t Coney Island’s rides reopen?

Photo by sebastien cordat on Unsplash

August 21, 2020

Why can’t Coney Island’s rides reopen?

On Monday, bowling alleys were allowed to reopen, and as of this Monday, gyms and fitness studios, as well as museums and indoor cultural institutions can also reopen at a reduced capacity. So why are Coney Island's amusements still closed? As reported by NY1, Coney Island's amusement operators have joined the New England Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (NEAAPA) to advocate for a reopening before the end of the summer.
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Policy

NYC restaurant group threatens lawsuit over indoor dining ban

Courtesy of the Times Square Alliance

August 20, 2020

NYC restaurant group threatens lawsuit over indoor dining ban

By Devin Gannon

Although New York City's coronavirus infection rate hit an all-time low this week since the start of the pandemic at 0.24 percent and reopening plans for museums, schools, and bowling alleys have been announced, there is still no return date for indoor dining. The New York City Hospitality Alliance, a group representing the city's restaurants and nightlife venues, called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio this week to develop a plan to resume indoor dining in New York City, the only region in the state to not permit it. During a press conference on Wednesday, the group said they are considering suing over the indoor dining ban, which they see as unlawful, according to Crain's.
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Slight jump in COVID-19 cases in Borough Park linked to large wedding

Photo by Christopher Macsurak on Wikimedia

August 19, 2020

Slight jump in COVID-19 cases in Borough Park linked to large wedding

By Devin Gannon

City health officials this week discovered an uptick in coronavirus cases in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Borough Park. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday said 16 new cases were found in the last week, with some linked to a large wedding that recently took place in the community. The mayor said the city will work with local leaders and organizations to spread the word about testing and social distancing and distribute masks at houses of worship.
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Policy

See which NYC neighborhoods have the highest rates of COVID antibodies

Courtesy of NYC Health Department

August 19, 2020

See which NYC neighborhoods have the highest rates of COVID antibodies

By Devin Gannon

The city on Tuesday released the results for roughly 1.5 million coronavirus antibody tests conducted since mid-April. The new data confirms earlier reports that the virus has hit people of color and low-income communities harder than more well-off neighborhoods in New York City. At 33 percent, the Bronx saw the highest rate of people who tested positive for COVID-19; in Manhattan, 19 percent of antibody tests were positive. A new map and table released by the city's health department break down antibody testing rates by ZIP code, age, borough, sex, and neighborhood poverty.
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Policy

Winning design proposal brings better mobility and biodiverse ‘microforests’ to the Brooklyn Bridge

“Brooklyn Bridge Forest,” Pilot Projects Design Collective, Cities4Forests, Wildlife Conservation Society, Grimshaw and Silman, New York and Montreal

August 18, 2020

Winning design proposal brings better mobility and biodiverse ‘microforests’ to the Brooklyn Bridge

By Devin Gannon

Two proposals have been chosen as the winners of a design contest launched earlier this year that sought ways to improve pedestrian space on the crowded Brooklyn Bridge. The Van Alen Institute and the New York City Council on Monday announced that "Brooklyn Bridge Forest," a design that calls for lots of green space and an expanded wooden walkway, won the professional category. And "Do Look Down," which would add a glass surface above the girders and make space for community events and vendors, took the top prize in the young adult category.
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Governor Cuomo has a book coming out about the COVID crisis in New York

Photo: Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

August 18, 2020

Governor Cuomo has a book coming out about the COVID crisis in New York

Crown Publishing announced that a new book by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo titled "American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic," will be released on October 13, 2020, just three weeks before election day, as the Associated Press notes. According to Crown, the book will provide Cuomo's "personal reflections and the decision-making that shaped his policy, and offers his frank accounting and assessment of his interactions with the federal government and the White House, as well as other state and local political and health officials."
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Policy

New York gyms and fitness studios can reopen August 24

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

August 17, 2020

New York gyms and fitness studios can reopen August 24

By Devin Gannon

New York gyms and fitness studios can reopen next week at limited capacity and with face-covering mandates, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Monday. The state says gyms can open as early as August 24 at a capacity of 33 percent if all guidelines, including ventilation requirements, are met. Local governments will determine whether indoor fitness classes are allowed to be held. But gyms in New York City will likely not reopen next week despite state approval, as the city prioritizes getting schools ready for September.
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Policy

Cuomo says NYC museums can reopen on August 24

Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash

August 14, 2020

Cuomo says NYC museums can reopen on August 24

In a conference call to reporters today, Governor Cuomo said that indoor cultural institutions, aquariums, and museums in New York City can reopen on August 24, provided they adhere to a 25-percent occupancy limit, timed ticketing, pre-set staggered entry, face-covering enforcement, and controlled traffic flow. He also responded to recent calls from gym owners, saying that he'll be releasing reopening guidelines for gyms on Monday.
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Policy

NYC ramps up testing in Sunset Park after uptick in COVID cases

Photo by Sam on Flickr

August 12, 2020

NYC ramps up testing in Sunset Park after uptick in COVID cases

By Devin Gannon

The city will intensify test and trace efforts in Sunset Park after health officials identified over 220 cases of the coronavirus in the Brooklyn neighborhood over the last two weeks. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday announced that members of the Test and Trace Corps will knock on every door, call all 38,000 households, and direct residents to expanded testing in the community. "Our idea is to saturate Sunset Park over the next few days, literally reach every member of the community we possibly can, get as many people tested as possible, as quickly as possible," de Blasio said.
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Policy

Brooklyn’s ‘greenest block’ is one step closer to becoming a historic district

Street view of East 25th Street; Map data ©2020 Google

August 11, 2020

Brooklyn’s ‘greenest block’ is one step closer to becoming a historic district

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday calendared a block in Brooklyn's East Flatbush neighborhood for consideration as a new historic district. The proposed strip on East 25th Street between Clarendon Road and Avenue D consists of 56 remarkably cohesive limestone and brownstone buildings built by a single developer between 1909 and 1912. The effort to landmark the block, which has been awarded the "greenest block in Brooklyn" by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden four times, is being led by the community, which asked the LPC to evaluate the area last year.
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