Policy

Adams unveils plan to transform ‘The Hole’ with new drainage system, 5,000 homes

Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

October 22, 2025

Adams unveils plan to transform ‘The Hole’ with new drainage system, 5,000 homes

By Aaron Ginsburg

A long-neglected, low-lying area on the Brooklyn-Queens border known as “The Hole” may finally be getting attention from the city. On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced a $146 million investment in the area, also known as the Jewel Streets, to install a long-needed sewage system in the neighborhood, which regularly floods even after light rainfall. The plan also calls for a 17-acre city-owned site to become 1,400 housing units, a rezoning to unlock an additional 3,600 homes, and other flood-prevention infrastructure.
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NYC wants to redesign Chinatown’s chaotic Chatham Square

October 22, 2025

NYC wants to redesign Chinatown’s chaotic Chatham Square

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has a plan to redesign Chinatown's notoriously chaotic Chatham Square as a safer and more welcoming pedestrian space. The Department of Transportation (DOT) on Tuesday released new renderings of the proposal, which would significantly expand pedestrian areas, simplify the complex intersection, and improve safety for both pedestrians and drivers. The plan also introduces more trees and greenery, including upgrades to Kimlau Square, the park at the center of Chatham Square.
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Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

The Duffield Street Houses at 182-188 Duffield Street. Photo by Epicgenius on Wikimedia

October 22, 2025

Developer’s plan for 30-story tower behind row of 19th-century homes in Downtown Brooklyn is stalled for now

By Aaron Ginsburg

A developer's plan to build a 30-story tower behind a row of landmarked homes in Downtown Brooklyn has been sent back to the drawing board. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on Watermark Capital’s proposal for a glass and beige brick tower on a small lot behind the historic homes at 182-188 Duffield Street, four individual landmarks dating to the 1830s and 1840s. Commissioners and preservationists were skeptical of the proposal, which involves removing the rear facades of the four properties while combining the interiors to create a community space and a lobby for the 99-unit building behind them. The commission took no action on Tuesday and directed the developers to revise the design so it does not "overwhelm" the block's historic character.
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City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump

October 20, 2025

City halts 34th Street busway after threats from Trump

By Devin Gannon

New York City halted a plan to add a busway to Manhattan's 34th Street after the Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funding for other projects. Unveiled by the city's Department of Transportation in May, the project adds a dedicated bus lane for a 1.1-mile stretch of the busy corridor, from Third to Ninth Avenues, as a way to speed up notoriously slow bus service. Last week, Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster said the agency had several concerns with the busway, including the absence of a plan "to accommodate truckers" and "maintain access for emergency vehicles."
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Judge orders $34M in counterterrorism funds for NYC subway be restored

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 17, 2025

Judge orders $34M in counterterrorism funds for NYC subway be restored

By Aaron Ginsburg

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to release nearly $34 million in counterterrorism and transit security funding for New York City’s subway and regional rail systems that it had been withholding. In the ruling, the judge described the withholding of funds as “arbitrary, capricious and a blatant violation of the law,” issuing a permanent injunction that requires the government to release the money to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to the New York Times. Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul and State Attorney General Letitia James sued to restore the funding, which the MTA was slated to receive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
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Trump says Gateway project is ‘terminated,’ but DOT denies program is canceled

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

October 16, 2025

Trump says Gateway project is ‘terminated,’ but DOT denies program is canceled

By Aaron Ginsburg

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his administration on Thursday had "terminated" funding for Gateway, a project that includes two new tunnels under the Hudson River and is considered the most urgent infrastructure project in the country. During a White House press conference, Trump said his administration had used the federal shutdown to kill federally funded projects, particularly in Democratic states, including the $16 billion tunnel program. But, as Politico reported, the Transportation Department has no current plans to end the program, and construction continues.
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Interborough Express enters environmental review process

Credit: MTA

October 16, 2025

Interborough Express enters environmental review process

By Aaron Ginsburg

The environmental assessment for the transformative Interborough Express (IBX) has officially begun, bringing the long-anticipated transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens one step closer to reality. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced the start of the review process under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), marking another major milestone for the project after it entered the preliminary engineering and design phase in August. The MTA will host two in-person public meetings to outline the project scope and review process on October 29 and November 6, followed by a virtual session on November 12.
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Brooklyn Mirage files for demolition following permit and financial issues

Credit: Chris Lavado

October 15, 2025

Brooklyn Mirage files for demolition following permit and financial issues

By Aaron Ginsburg

East Williamsburg's Brooklyn Mirage, the outdoor music venue that canceled its entire summer lineup amid permit issues and bankruptcy, may be closing permanently. As first reported by The Real Deal, the venue’s operator has filed full demolition permits for the roughly 32,000-square-foot venue, part of its larger Avant Gardner complex. The company filed for bankruptcy in August, citing “several months of financial distress," exacerbated by the Mirage’s failed reopening, scheduled for May following a major renovation and called off just hours before.
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Policy

MGM abruptly drops Yonkers casino bid

Rendering courtesy of MGM Resorts

October 15, 2025

MGM abruptly drops Yonkers casino bid

By Aaron Ginsburg

After advancing as one of only four casino proposals to move forward, MGM Empire City in Yonkers has abruptly withdrawn its bid. On Tuesday, MGM Resorts announced it would pull its proposal, citing a “newly defined competitive landscape” that “challenges the returns” the company had anticipated from the project, as well as recent changes that would limit the casino license to 15 years instead of 30. The Yonkers proposal had been considered a leading contender for a license and was among the first to receive unanimous approval from its community advisory committee late last month.
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Policy

Hochul criticizes Trump for withholding $34M in counterterrorism funds

Credit: Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 10, 2025

Hochul criticizes Trump for withholding $34M in counterterrorism funds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday criticized the Trump administration for withholding $34 million in transit security funding for New York City’s subway and regional rail systems. According to a press release, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had been slated to receive the funds through the federal Transit Security Grant Program, established after 9/11 to support critical counterterrorism and transit security operations. But the agency was notified last week that it would be the only one among 21 applicants nationwide to be denied funding.
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Popular Articles

New legislation would make NYC outdoor dining year-round again

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 10, 2025

New legislation would make NYC outdoor dining year-round again

By Aaron Ginsburg

New legislation aims to restore New York City’s outdoor dining program to its pandemic-era scale by eliminating seasonal restrictions. Council Member Lincoln Restler on Thursday introduced Intro. 1421 to restore year-round outdoor dining, which ended following new rules and restrictions approved by the Council last year. The legislation would also allow grocery stores to apply for sidewalk cafe licenses, eliminate seasonal limits on roadway cafes, and permit certain cafes to expand their frontage with approval. The proposal seeks to scale back aspects of Dining Out NYC, the city’s current outdoor dining program. According to Restler, the seasonal schedule and stricter rules have made it difficult for many businesses to participate.
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Housing code violations at NYCHA buildings are now public

East River Houses Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

October 9, 2025

Housing code violations at NYCHA buildings are now public

By Aaron Ginsburg

For the first time, New York City public housing residents can see housing code violations for their buildings online. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development began posting violations at NYCHA buildings on an online public portal this week and via NYC Open Data, following a June legal settlement. The records include more than 500 violations documented through court-ordered inspections since September 15. Housing advocates are hailing the portal for providing the same access to information long available to private tenants, just a week after a partial collapse at a Mott Haven NYCHA building.
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Policy

Midtown office tower to become 107 studio apartments, first major conversion under rezoning

Streetview of 29 West 35th Street, © Google 2025

October 8, 2025

Midtown office tower to become 107 studio apartments, first major conversion under rezoning

By Devin Gannon

An underutilized Midtown office building is set to become over 100 studio apartments in its next life. Infinite Global Real Estate and Buttonwood Development, in partnership with 400 Capital Management, have acquired 29 West 35th Street, with plans to turn the 12-story tower into a rental building. The project marks the first major office-to-residential conversion in the neighborhood following the Midtown South rezoning, approved by the City Council this summer.
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Works begins on Newark Airport’s new $3.5B AirTrain

Rendering courtesy of Tutor Perini/O&G

October 7, 2025

Works begins on Newark Airport’s new $3.5B AirTrain

By Aaron Ginsburg

Work has begun on revitalizing Newark Liberty Airport's aging AirTrain—one part of the larger plan to rebuild the international airport. On Tuesday, Port Authority Chair Kevin O’Toole announced the groundbreaking for the new AirTrain, kicking off a long-awaited refresh of the 1990s-era system that will speed up and improve travel to the airport via public transit. The $3.5 billion project is part of the EWR Vision Plan, a long-term effort to rebuild the airport, including a new Terminal B, upgrades to Terminal C, fixes to the airport’s complex roadway network, and replacement of the AirTrain.
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NYC announces nearly 140 car-free Halloween events

Credit: NYC DOT

October 6, 2025

NYC announces nearly 140 car-free Halloween events

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for another record-breaking season, with nearly 140 participating locations over two weeks. On Monday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the "Trick-or-Streets" program, which will close streets, plazas, and other corridors across the five boroughs to vehicles, opening the spaces for spooky (and safe) festivities from October 17 through 31.
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Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and new sports fields reopen at East River Park

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

October 3, 2025

Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and new sports fields reopen at East River Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

City officials last weekend celebrated the reopening of the Corlears Hook Bridge, amphitheater, and restored sports field at East River Park. The reopening is part of the broader East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) initiative, which is elevating and rebuilding the park to protect the Lower East Side from rising sea levels. In May, the park’s south end reopened after closing in 2021, with new picnic and barbecue areas, a passive lawn, six tennis courts, two basketball courts, a nature exploration area, and a multi-use area.
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Statue of Liberty to stay open during federal shutdown, Trump says

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

October 2, 2025

Statue of Liberty to stay open during federal shutdown, Trump says

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Statue of Liberty will remain open during the U.S. government shutdown, President Donald Trump's administration said Thursday. The shutdown leaves federal workers without pay and closes federally funded museums and monuments, like Lady Liberty. After Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state would not pay to maintain the monument during the shutdown, the Trump administration announced the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island would remain open.
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Policy

Trump withholds $18B for Second Avenue subway, Gateway tunnel projects

Rendering courtesy of the MTA

October 1, 2025

Trump withholds $18B for Second Avenue subway, Gateway tunnel projects

By Devin Gannon

President Donald Trump's administration announced it is withholding $18 billion for two critical New York City infrastructure projects, the Second Avenue Subway and the Hudson River Gateway Tunnel, citing the state's "unconstitutional DEI principles." In a statement, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said funds for the two projects are frozen until the department can review what it calls "discriminatory, unconstitutional contracting processes." The move from Trump came hours after the federal government shutdown.
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Policy

NYC subway and bus fare to increase to $3

Photo by Felicity Tai from Pexels

October 1, 2025

NYC subway and bus fare to increase to $3

By Aaron Ginsburg

It will officially cost you 10 more cents to ride New York City subways and buses starting in January. On Tuesday, the MTA Board voted 11-0, with two abstentions, to approve fare hikes raising the base fare from $2.90 to $3. Reduced fares will go up from $1.45 to $1.50 and express bus fares from $7 to $7.25. The agency did scale back increases to its 7-day fare-capping program from $36 to $35 in response to rider feedback.
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Mott Haven NYCHA building partially collapses

Photo via NYC Emergency Management on X

October 1, 2025

Mott Haven NYCHA building partially collapses

By Devin Gannon

A high-rise public housing building in Mott Haven partially collapsed on Wednesday morning. The Fire Department arrived at the scene just after 8 a.m. to find the incinerator shaft at 205 Alexander Avenue, a 20-story tower that is part of NYCHA's Mitchel Houses, had collapsed. Officials said the incident is tied to the chimney connected to the boiler, but an investigation remains underway. No injuries were reported.
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Policy

$8B Citi Field casino proposal moves forward

Credit: SHoP Architects, Field Operations

September 30, 2025

$8B Citi Field casino proposal moves forward

By Aaron Ginsburg

Some good news for New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. The billionaire's vision of a casino complex next to Citi Field is one step closer to becoming reality. On Tuesday, the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) overseeing the bid unanimously approved "Metropolitan Park," advancing the proposal to the final stage: securing one of the state’s coveted downstate gaming licenses. Cohen's bid joins three other CAC-approved proposals: Bally's Bronx casino, MGM Empire City in Yonkers, and Resorts World NYC in Jamaica, Queens.
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Policy

NYC homeowners can now apply to build basement, backyard apartments

Image courtesy of NYC HPD

September 30, 2025

NYC homeowners can now apply to build basement, backyard apartments

By Devin Gannon

New York City homeowners can now apply to add basement, attic, and backyard apartments to their existing properties. On Tuesday, the city launched an applications portal for ancillary dwelling units (ADUs) at one- and two-family homes across the five boroughs, a key part of Mayor Eric Adams' City of Yes housing plan that passed last year. Adams also announced the "ADU For You" program to provide guidance and resources, including design help, to homeowners building ADUs.
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Policy

F and M trains will swap routes between Manhattan and Queens

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

September 30, 2025

F and M trains will swap routes between Manhattan and Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

Subway riders traveling between Manhattan and Queens should prepare for changes to their commute come December, when the MTA swaps the F and M lines to ease notorious delays at Queens Plaza. Starting December 8, the F and M lines will trade East River tunnels, separating express and local service and eliminating a bottleneck at Queens Plaza that delays up to 20 percent of rush-hour E, M, and R trains, the agency announced on Monday. The changes will apply on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., improving trips for the 1.2 million riders who use the lines each day.
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Coney Island casino rejected, but Bally’s Bronx bid moves forward

The Coney. Credit: Thor Equities

September 29, 2025

Coney Island casino rejected, but Bally’s Bronx bid moves forward

Brooklyn won't be getting a casino any time soon, but the Bronx might. Hours apart on Monday, community advisory committees voted in favor of the Bally's Bronx proposal and voted against The Coney, a $3.4 billion project from Thor Equities and the only Brooklyn bid.
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Policy

MTA looking into cooling subway stations with geothermal technology

181st Street Station. Photo by Famartin via Wikimedia

September 29, 2025

MTA looking into cooling subway stations with geothermal technology

By Aaron Ginsburg

The MTA is exploring a new way to cool sweltering subway stations: geothermal technology. According to a request for information (RFI) published last week, the agency is considering a system that would use the Earth’s subsurface to transfer heat out of stations and store it elsewhere, to keep platforms between 82 and 85 degrees on hot days. As first reported by The City, the MTA is targeting the 1 line’s 168th Street and 181st Street stations, which rank among the system’s hottest because of their depth.
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