6sqft | NYC local news, events, and apartments

Here is a look at the redesign of Downtown Brooklyn's Pacific Library, the borough’s first public library financed by philanthropist and business magnate Andrew Carnegie. Safdie Architects on Thursday released images of its restoration of the 120-year-old branch at 25 4th Avenue and Pacific Street, which will restore the building’s original conical roof and skylight, expand the interior, add outdoor gardens, and build a two-story solarium. The project is part of the Brooklyn Public Library’s broader effort to restore its Carnegie branches, a network of 67 branches across the city’s three public library systems built at the turn of the 20th century.
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Architecture And Design

Jay Manuel’s $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

Photo credit: Daniel Milstein

September 17, 2026

Jay Manuel’s $4.7M Connecticut estate is like a modern spa retreat

This resort-like estate at 300 Sturges Ridge Road in Fairfield County, Connecticut, is the embodiment of a certain kind of modern dream life. Asking $4,695,000, the home on 2.6 acres leaves nothing to chance, though it's surrounded by nature. Currently owned by creative director and makeup artist Jay Manuel, known for his role as a judge on "America's Next Top Model," the property is the architectural version of a runway for modern living.
this home has no bad angles

Hudson Square gets a colorful pedestrian plaza

Photos courtesy of Hudson Square BID

September 17, 2026

Hudson Square gets a colorful pedestrian plaza

A new pedestrian plaza officially opened in Hudson Square last week, adding 6,500 square feet of car-free space to the Manhattan neighborhood. Painted with a rainbow mural, the colorful plaza runs between Little Sixth and Dominick Street and expands the adjacent Spring Street Park. The roadway features seating, tables, free WiFi, and space for community programming. Designed by Hudson Square Business Improvement District with the city's Department of Transportation, the plaza was funded through a $744,000 NY Forward state grant awarded in 2024.
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Architecture And Design

17 free public restrooms installed in NYC

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 17, 2026

17 free public restrooms installed in NYC

Seventeen free, accessible public restrooms are coming to New York City, helping New Yorkers relieve themselves while also relieving the city’s shortage of the facilities. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced that installation has begun on the public restrooms in public plazas and high-traffic areas where New Yorkers currently lack reliable access to a bathroom, as part of a $4 million pilot program the mayor unveiled in January. To access the toilet, users must either text or scan a QR code on their cell phone or tap a key card provided by local businesses or nonprofit groups.
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Policy

20-story affordable development in Soho approved by Landmarks

Images courtesy of BKSK Architects

September 16, 2026

20-story affordable development in Soho approved by Landmarks

A 20-story residential development with 100 percent affordable housing is moving forward on Canal Street in Soho. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the project at 257 Canal Street, which would bring 88 permanently affordable apartments to the site, including 54 supportive housing units for young adults aging out of the foster care system. The commission approved the project after applicants followed their recommendations to use warmer brick in the facade to complement the historic district and reduce the floor-to-floor heights.
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The Met breaks ground on Frida Escobedo’s new wing for modern and contemporary art

Photo credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

September 16, 2026

The Met breaks ground on Frida Escobedo’s new wing for modern and contemporary art

The biggest project in a $1.5 billion transformation of the country's most visited museum officially kicked off this week. The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Tuesday celebrated the groundbreaking of a new five-story wing dedicated to contemporary and modern art, designed by Mexico City-based architect Frida Escobedo. As one piece of an ongoing revamp of the Upper East Side museum, the Oscar L. Tang and H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang Wing will increase gallery space by 50 percent, add new outdoor space with views of Central Park, and create better connections to the rest of the museum.
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Architecture And Design

City Council to convene rare special hearing on AI risks, with industry leaders invited

Credit: NYC Council on Flickr

September 16, 2026

City Council to convene rare special hearing on AI risks, with industry leaders invited

Amid growing concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence, the full New York City Council will convene early next month to examine the technology’s potential risks, with AI industry leaders invited to testify. Speaker Julie Menin on Tuesday sent letters to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, inviting them to join the Council on October 5 for a special public hearing on AI. The hearing follows a recent incident in which OpenAI agents went rogue and hacked into a company’s infrastructure, as well as warnings from leading industry figures that AI could cause catastrophic harm, including human extinction.
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Policy

Work underway to convert former Chelsea prison into 131-unit affordable housing project

Rendering courtesy of COOKFOX

September 15, 2026

Work underway to convert former Chelsea prison into 131-unit affordable housing project

Work to convert a former state prison in Chelsea into permanently affordable housing is officially underway. Developed by Camber Property Group and Osborne Association and designed by COOKFOX, Chelsea Beacon transforms the long-vacant Bayview Correctional Facility at 550 West 20th Street into 130 permanently affordable homes, including supportive units and short-term transitional residences. The $167 million project, which broke ground this summer, redevelops an eight-story Art Deco building that was built in the 1930s as dorms for sailors, preserving its historic brick facade and second-floor chapel, while also adding an expansion to the original structure.
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Affordable Housing

Mamdani unveils revamped Vision Zero plan with 100+ policy goals

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 15, 2026

Mamdani unveils revamped Vision Zero plan with 100+ policy goals

Vision Zero is getting an overhaul. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday released "Vision Zero Reimagined," a plan that builds on the original initiative's goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries and introduces 100 policy goals for the next decade. The safety commitments are organized around eight “big-picture goals,” including pedestrian-only zones, safety redesigns for nearly 200 untreated Vision Zero priority corridors citywide, and stronger enforcement against reckless drivers.
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Distinctive Homes

Asking $26M and $33M, a pair of Tribeca penthouses top a Ralph Walker Art Deco palace

This $8M Rye estate has a private dock on the Long Island Sound

This $2.85M co-op with a magical garden is an elegant Upper East Side escape

Steven Van Zandt's Village penthouse in a converted church asks $15M

For $2.3M, this Amzi Hill-designed Bed-Stuy brownstone gives you plenty of options

For $2.75M, this West Village co-op exemplifies timeless, sophisticated design

For $1.95M, live in a Victorian house with a two-car garage without leaving city life behind

Fire Island modernist icon Pyramid House asks $3.3M

Throw garden parties all summer long at this $1.8M Brooklyn Heights co-op

A historic LES synagogue, now an artist's studio, asks $10.95M

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NYC sues Trump over new rule that may deny green cards to immigrants using public assistance

Photo credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 14, 2026

NYC sues Trump over new rule that may deny green cards to immigrants using public assistance

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday that New York City will join several cities in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a new rule that lets officials deny green cards to immigrants who use government‑funded assistance programs. The new public charge rule, which will take effect on Friday, September 18, would affect immigrants using Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), public housing assistance, and other public assistance programs. As reported by Pix 11, the Department of Homeland Security states that the rule is intended to ensure that immigrants remain self‑sufficient rather than being dependent on taxpayer‑funded benefits. City officials called the new rule “an assault on immigrant families.”
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Policy

23-foot Earth sculpture to hang inside Cathedral of St. John the Divine

“Gaia” at Tewkesbury Abbey, UK, 2024. Photo © Jack Boskett Media Ltd.

September 14, 2026

23-foot Earth sculpture to hang inside Cathedral of St. John the Divine

A massive, detailed sculpture of the Earth will hang inside Morningside Heights’ grand Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. Created by UK artist Luke Jerram, "Gaia" measures 23 feet in diameter and features NASA imagery of the planet’s surface as it slowly rotates in the cathedral’s nave, offering a three-dimensional view of Earth floating in space. Installed to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, the sculpture will be celebrated with a special opening reception on Friday, September 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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NYC detects second Legionnaires’ outbreak of summer in the South Bronx

Credit: Shannon McNay on Unsplash

September 14, 2026

NYC detects second Legionnaires’ outbreak of summer in the South Bronx

New York City has detected its second Legionnaires’ disease outbreak of the summer, prompting the cleaning and disinfection of 10 cooling towers in the South Bronx. On Sunday, the city's Health Department announced that the towers were being cleaned in ZIP codes 10451 and 10456, which cover Melrose and Morrisania. The agency told The City Reporter that 10 people had been diagnosed with the disease as of Sunday, including one person who died. The new community cluster marks the second outbreak in recent months, after the first sickened at least 76 people and killed four across the Upper East Side in June and July.
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Policy

LinkNYC kiosks share stories of New Yorkers who helped 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts

Photo © 6sqft

September 11, 2026

LinkNYC kiosks share stories of New Yorkers who helped 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts

LinkNYC kiosks across New York City will share the inspiring stories of New Yorkers who aided in rescue and recovery efforts on September 11, right from the locations where they sprang into action. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday announced "Memory Markers: 9/11," a citywide initiative that turns streets into "walking tributes" with geolocated stories about people who helped on 9/11. The interactive map highlights sites including the Fresh Kills landfill, where 1.5 million tons of debris were sifted by hand, and an Upper West Side police precinct and fire station, where an MTA bus driver suddenly became a transporter for police officers, firefighters, and medical supplies headed to Ground Zero.
explore the map

Uncategorized

NYC’s biggest Himalayan food festival returns with $1 momos and more

Photo of momos courtesy of Jeff on Flickr

September 10, 2026

NYC’s biggest Himalayan food festival returns with $1 momos and more

This weekend, dumpling devotees have yet another reason to head to Jackson Heights, Queens. The 14th annual Momo Crawl, NYC’s largest Himalayan food and cultural festival, is happening on Sunday, September 13. The event will showcase the Himalayan favorite snack as well as live music and dance performances. Purchase a passport and enjoy dumplings from over 30 local vendors for one dollar each.
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City advances 21-story Forest Hills tower with 390 apartments on top of the subway

Credit: NYC CPC

September 10, 2026

City advances 21-story Forest Hills tower with 390 apartments on top of the subway

A strip of retail and commercial businesses along Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills is slated to be replaced by a 390-unit high-rise apartment building with nearly 100 affordable homes directly above a subway station. The City Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a rezoning to make way for a new 21-story multi-family building at 100-12 Queens Boulevard. Dubbed The Frances, the project would feature public realm improvements and updated retail storefronts, while the 67th Avenue subway station, served by the M and R trains, sits immediately below the site.
details here

From parking lot to Dumbo’s largest residential development: Inside Front & York

All photos courtesy of Front & York

September 10, 2026

From parking lot to Dumbo’s largest residential development: Inside Front & York

From a parking lot to Dumbo's largest residential development. The block-long development Front & York offers over 400 condominium units across two 21-story towers. Developed by CIM Group and LIVWRK and designed by Morris Adjmi, the development features a hand-laid brick facade that complements the neighborhood's famous Belgian-block streets and historic industrial architecture, as well as arches inspired by the Manhattan Bridge. As the neighborhood's biggest development at 1.2 million square feet, Front & York offers residences complemented by a sweeping amenity package, with 150,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including one of the largest private parks in the city.
take a look

September 10, 2026

New Interborough Express renderings show modern stations for proposed rail line between Brooklyn and Queens

Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA this week released new renderings of the proposed rail line between Brooklyn and Queens, as the design process moves "ahead of schedule." The images of the Interborough Express reveal modern outdoor train stations for the light rail, which will include 18 fully accessible stations between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights. Following the design and engineering phase, the agency plans to release a draft environmental impact statement later this year. The MTA also launched a revamped website for the project.
see the images

New York legislation would require disclosure for AI-edited real estate listings

Credit: Jason Hawke CA on Unsplash

September 9, 2026

New York legislation would require disclosure for AI-edited real estate listings

A New York State lawmaker wants real estate agents to disclose when they use artificial intelligence to edit listing photos. Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal introduced new legislation in July that aims to crack down on an increasingly common practice of using digitally staged photos when marketing an apartment or home online. Although this is nothing new in real estate, AI makes the staging more advanced, allowing even the most computer-literate New Yorkers to be tricked by the enhanced images. When potential renters show up for a tour, they feel like they've been "catfished," as Curbed put it.
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Policy

Brooklyn developer must repay $6M+ to condo buyers after illegal sales

A Brooklyn condo developer who cheated tenants out of more than $6 million in down payments must repay the money and is banned from selling property in New York for six years. Attorney General Letitia James last week announced that the state secured the funds from 425 Marcy, LLC, and its principal, Ezra Unger, who she said unlawfully sold units and collected down payments for apartments in Williamsburg before he was legally permitted to do so. Unger then illegally used buyers' down payments for various expenses instead of keeping the money in escrow.
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Policy

This $1.8M Park Slope co-op feels like a townhouse, private deck included

Photo credit: Rachel Kuzma (photographer) / Carol Wang & Paul Murphy at Compass

September 9, 2026

This $1.8M Park Slope co-op feels like a townhouse, private deck included

Across from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music on a picture-perfect Park Slope block, this three-bedroom, two-bath co-op at 160 Lincoln Place, asking $1.8 million, feels more like a house than a city apartment. Two units were combined to create a classic six with gracious proportions and expansive outdoor space in the form of a private rear deck. Framed by pre-war details like wood beams and high ceilings, there's plenty of room to create your own ideal layout.
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Distinctive Homes

Carnegie Deli to reopen in Midtown after 10 years

Carnegie Deli in 2006. Credit: hobbs_luton on Flickr

September 8, 2026

Carnegie Deli to reopen in Midtown after 10 years

The legendary Carnegie Deli is slated to reopen this month after shuttering its longtime Midtown home in 2016. The restaurant's new location, just a block away from the original spot, has been meticulously restored to recreate the beloved deli's atmosphere. Located on Seventh Avenue between West 53rd and 54th Streets, the new restaurant features Carnegie Deli's signature illuminated sign, wood-paneled walls, and the classic Wall of Fame filled with celebrity patrons who have dined there, according to the Daily News. An exact opening date has yet to be announced, though sources told the Daily News that the restaurant is expected to open in early September.
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Food & Dining

Mamdani releases 170,000 pages of long-shielded records on Ground Zero air quality after 9/11

Photo courtesy of the Prints and Photographs Division. Library of Congress.”For information see “Unattributed 9/11 Photographs,” http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/res.297.unat

September 8, 2026

Mamdani releases 170,000 pages of long-shielded records on Ground Zero air quality after 9/11

For nearly 25 years, 68 boxes of records related to New York City's response to the 9/11 terror attacks remained out of public view in a city office. Now, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to see documents that shed new light on what government officials knew about the dangers posed by toxic air around Ground Zero and what information was withheld from the public. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday released more than 170,000 pages of records through a public portal, including documents related to air quality, health concerns, and the city's response to the attacks. The release settles two Freedom of Information Law requests (FOIL) over access to the records and includes the "Harding Memo," a 2001 internal city document that warned the city could face as many as 35,000 potential liability claims related to the aftermath of 9/11.
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Policy

Gloria Steinem’s Upper East Side brownstone will remain a space for organizing and activism

A talking circle hosted by Gloria Steinem and Emily Tisch Sussman focused on women & sports, 2026. Photo by Gia McKenna.

September 8, 2026

Gloria Steinem’s Upper East Side brownstone will remain a space for organizing and activism

The New York City home of feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who died on September 2 at 92, will become a permanent gathering place for thinkers, activists, and cultural and political luminaries, as it has been for decades. As the New York Times reported, three floors of the five-story townhouse on East 73rd Street that Steinem acquired over several years will house Gloria's Foundation as well as an assembly space like the one in which she hosted "talking circles" to discuss social issues of the day.
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Three Crown Heights buildings transferred from negligent landlord

Streetview of 1392 Sterling Place © Google 2024

September 4, 2026

Three Crown Heights buildings transferred from negligent landlord

Three rent-stabilized apartment buildings in Crown Heights have been transferred away from their negligent owners, paving the way for improvements for tenants across 88 apartments. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced the transfer of 1018 Eastern Parkway, 1074 Eastern Parkway, and 1392 Sterling Place, which under landlord Rubin Dukler had a combined total of nearly 1,000 open code violations. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will work with the buildings' new owner, Mark Schwartz, to implement critical repairs and resolve hazardous conditions that tenants have had to deal with for years.
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Policy

Tom Fruin’s iconic water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park to be restored

Photos by Matthew Pugliese

September 4, 2026

Tom Fruin’s iconic water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park to be restored

The colorful water tower sculpture in Brooklyn Bridge Park has been removed. But don't worry, it will return next year. Designed by Tom Fruin and installed 12 years ago, the Plexiglas and steel artwork on top of the park's administrative building at 334 Furman Street was dismantled and taken down on Tuesday ahead of a renovation of the building. Like the building, the sculpture, which honors NYC's water towers, will also be restored, as first reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. "Watertower 3: R.V. Ingersoll" will be repaired and rehabilitated after more than a decade of exposure to sun, snow, and rain and reinstalled in the fall of 2027.
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Architecture And Design

Where you can see late artist Yayoi Kusama’s work in NYC

Yayoi Kusama creating the My Eternal Soul series in her studio.© YAYOI KUSAMA. Courtesy David Zwirner, Ota Fine Arts

September 4, 2026

Where you can see late artist Yayoi Kusama’s work in NYC

Yayoi Kusama, the iconic Japanese artist known for her distinctive polka dot style, pumpkin sculptures, and infinity mirror rooms, died on August 14 at the age of 97. Born in Matsumoto, Japan in 1929, Kusama lived in New York City from the late 1950s through 1975, where she established herself as an avant-garde artist through "groundbreaking performances, happenings, events, and exhibitions," according to David Zwirner, who represented her since 2013. While her work has been recognized for decades globally, Kusama's legacy in New York City will be especially remembered, from her early "Infinity Room" series to more recent exhibitions at the New York Botanical Garden and mosaics at Grand Central.
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Events & Things To Do

Kips Bay groups rally to save AMC theater from closure

Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

September 3, 2026

Kips Bay groups rally to save AMC theater from closure

Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put

A coalition of Kips Bay neighborhood organizations is fighting to save its beloved AMC movie theater from closure. On Thursday, the Save Kips Bay coalition sent a letter to NYU Langone urging the hospital system to work with residents on an outcome that will spare the AMC Kips Bay 15 multiplex from shuttering by the end of the year. AMC confirmed the closure late last month, saying the property owner had terminated its lease before the scheduled expiration. The owner was later revealed to be NYU Langone, which purchased the property more than a year ago. A community board meeting is scheduled for next week, giving local residents and moviegoers a chance to speak on the closure.
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Real Estate Trends

THE 6SQFT SHOP

The 6 best furniture rental companies in NYC

8 best places in NYC to thrift for home goods

The best websites for buying and selling used furniture in NYC

Everything you need to know about using a guarantor in NYC

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

15 quintessential NYC gifts for the New Yorker in your life

Raising chickens in NYC: Laws, tips, and everything else you need to know

Snag the Greenest Seat in Town: Gufram's 1972 Pratone Chair is Shaped Like a Patch of Grass

10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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40-story South Bronx tower launches lottery for 227 apartments, from $1,936/month

Photo of 355 Exterior Street © Ondel Hylton

September 3, 2026

40-story South Bronx tower launches lottery for 227 apartments, from $1,936/month

The tallest building in the South Bronx launched a housing lottery this week for 227 mixed-income apartments. Rising 40 and 26 stories over the Harlem River in Mott Haven, 355 Exterior Street is a massive two-tower development with more than 700 apartments, ground-floor retail, and luxury amenities. Developed by Beitel Group and designed by Hill West Architects, the project, dubbed One River Park, will also be among the tallest buildings in the Bronx, with just River Park Towers and Tracey Towers slightly larger. New Yorkers earning between 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced between $1,936/month and $2,850/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

NYC announces one-year ban on generative AI for public school students through 8th grade

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 2, 2026

NYC announces one-year ban on generative AI for public school students through 8th grade

Roughly 600,000 New York City public school students will not be allowed to use generative artificial intelligence in the classroom for at least one year, under new guidelines announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday. The mayor and NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a ban on student-facing generative AI use for students in preschool through eighth grade, the largest school system in the country to do so, as well as new screen-time limits for students in second grade and younger. As first reported by the New York Daily News, high school students will have restricted access to AI but will receive twice-yearly AI “critical thinking” modules focused on the risks of relying on the technology.
details this way

Policy

After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

September 2, 2026

After street redesign, 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo is complete

A stretch of street in Downtown Brooklyn so notorious for safety issues that it has earned the nickname “Crashland” could soon shed its moniker following a redesign. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Tuesday announced the completion of work on a continuous protected bike lane on Ashland Place between Lafayette Street and Hanson Place, filling in the final gap in a 5.5-mile protected bike corridor between Sunset Park and Dumbo. While work began in 2022, construction was halted under former Mayor Eric Adams and left unfinished for three years.
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Photo credit: Daniel Rodriguez

September 1, 2026

Fire Island modernist icon Pyramid House asks $3.3M

The home known as Pyramid House is immediately recognizable even among the modernist homes, many of them memorable local landmarks with "names" of their own that have defined the Fire Island Pines since the 1960s. Designed by Buenos Aires-born architect Julio Kaufman, the house at 443 Sail Walk at the western edge of the Fire Island National Seashore was inspired by the sweeping vistas that reveal the shore's protected dunes. Asking $3.3 million, the house has been more recently updated within Kaufman’s iconic design by a series of creative owners.
breathtaking modernism, this way

Distinctive Homes

NYC ramps up Legionnaires’ disease prevention and enforcement measures

Photo of water towers on East 57th Street via WikiCommons

September 1, 2026

NYC ramps up Legionnaires’ disease prevention and enforcement measures

After a Legionnaires' disease outbreak affected the Upper East Side this summer, New York City is taking new measures to strengthen its response. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced sweeping new policies to bolster the city's detection of Legionella bacteria in cooling towers, strengthen enforcement and education, and improve transparency with New Yorkers. The measures build on the Mamdani administration's response to the July outbreak, which sickened dozens of New Yorkers and claimed 11 lives.
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Policy

116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

Credit: NYC DOT

September 1, 2026

116th Street overhaul will add new bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian space

New bus lanes, protected bike lanes, and pedestrian safety upgrades are coming to Manhattan's busy 116th Street. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Monday announced that work has begun on a major revamp of the Harlem corridor, adding 2.5 miles of offset and curbside bus lanes and other street upgrades. The project aims to improve commutes for more than 65,000 daily bus riders, who contend with speeds of less than four miles per hour in certain sections.
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Mamdani signs bill restoring year-round outdoor dining in NYC

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 1, 2026

Mamdani signs bill restoring year-round outdoor dining in NYC

It's official: outdoor dining is once again a year-round fixture in New York City. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday signed legislation establishing a permanent, year-round outdoor dining program that allows restaurants to keep roadway dining setups open through the winter, making permanent a pandemic-era program that served as a lifeline for businesses. The legislation amends a law under former Mayor Eric Adams that required restaurants to remove roadway dining setups from November 30 through March 31.
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A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

Photo by Jeff Horne on Flickr

August 31, 2026

A history of the U.S. Open in New York: From the West Side Tennis Club to Arthur Ashe Stadium

By Dana Schulz

U.S. Open fever has again swept New York City. Although nowadays it's all Coco and Djokovic and Honey Deuce cocktails and lobster rolls, there's a long history behind the world-famous event. Ahead, take a look at how the international tournament made its way from an elite, private club in Newport, Rhode Island to Forest Hills' West Side Tennis Club and finally to its current home in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, even uncovering a little connection to the 1964 World's Fair.
All the tennis history right this way

History

New memorial honors Port Authority workers killed in attacks on World Trade Center

Credit: Port Authority on Flickr

August 31, 2026

New memorial honors Port Authority workers killed in attacks on World Trade Center

A new memorial honors the Port Authority employees who perished in the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the World Trade Center Memorial Fund on Friday unveiled the memorial, an 8-foot-tall stainless steel model of the Twin Towers fronted by an American flag, with the employees' names inscribed on its two-foot-tall granite base. Located next to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in Liberty Park, the memorial offers a quiet space of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the attacks.
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Architecture And Design

NYC expands free rooftop tours at historic Manhattan Municipal Building

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 28, 2026

NYC expands free rooftop tours at historic Manhattan Municipal Building

Larger groups are now permitted to attend the city's free tours of the historic David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building following growing demand. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei on Friday announced expanded access to “Centre 360,” a panoramic experience inside the Beaux-Arts government building's 36th-floor cupola, increasing the maximum group size from five to eight. The move comes just months after the tours launched in June following a $6 million renovation, with reservations for the experience selling out in less than two minutes.
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$36M renovation of historic Eastern Parkway Library breaks ground

All images courtesy of NYC Mayor’s Office unless noted otherwise

August 28, 2026

$36M renovation of historic Eastern Parkway Library breaks ground

Work has begun on the $36 million transformation of Crown Heights' historic Eastern Parkway Library. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced the start of the project, which will expand public space at the century-old Brooklyn Public Library branch at 1044 Eastern Parkway by more than 50 percent while preserving its historic architecture. Led by the city's Department of Design and Construction, the project is expected to be completed in summer 2028.
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Architecture And Design

Three Queens medians to become green ‘sponges’ to help curb flooding

Credit: NYC Mayor’s Office

August 28, 2026

Three Queens medians to become green ‘sponges’ to help curb flooding

Several concrete roadway medians throughout Queens are being transformed into green infrastructure “sponges” designed to reduce flooding. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Thursday announced an $8.4 million investment that will turn medians in Whitestone, Forest Hills, and Queens Village into landscaped green spaces. Together, the green medians will capture an estimated five million gallons of stormwater each year, reducing strain on sewer systems and improving water quality in the East River, Flushing Bay, and Jamaica Bay.
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Policy

August 27, 2026

17 spots in NYC to watch the U.S. Open and sip a Honey Deuce

The U.S. Open is set to return to Queens' Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for another year of world-class competition. As the world's best tennis players battle for the final Grand Slam titles of the year, the tournament will once again bring plenty of excitement to the five boroughs, along with one of its most iconic drinks: the Honey Deuce. If you weren't willing to splurge on tickets to the increasingly expensive event in Queens, we've found some of the best spots across NYC to watch the U.S. Open while enjoying a Honey Deuce cocktail.
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Events & Things To Do

$6.75M Tribeca loft condo leaves nothing to chance, parking included

Photos credit: Rich Caplan

August 27, 2026

$6.75M Tribeca loft condo leaves nothing to chance, parking included

Converted Manhattan factories and warehouses like the Grabler pipe fittings warehouse at 44 Laight Street embody the spirit of true loft living. But unlike the typical downtown loft, this one comes with condo convenience, polished interiors, and private parking. Asking $6,750,000, the four-bedroom loft gives you 4,125 square feet of living space that's actually ready for living, no construction required. Thanks to a complete once-over by AD-100 interior designer Rob Johansen, the home's interiors are a study in considered contemporary design without sacrificing its industrial authenticity.
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Distinctive Homes

NYC extends pied-à-terre tax deadline again amid lawsuit

Credit: Rebecca Hankins on Unsplash

August 27, 2026

NYC extends pied-à-terre tax deadline again amid lawsuit

New York City has once again extended the deadline for homeowners notified they may be subject to the new pied-à-terre surcharge, giving them nearly three additional weeks to apply for an exemption. A Tuesday court filing shows that the Department of Finance (DOF) has moved the deadline from September 18 to October 6, after previously pushing it back four weeks from its original August 21 deadline earlier this month. The extension comes as legal proceedings continue over a lawsuit filed by a coalition of property owners challenging the rollout of the surcharge. After a Staten Island Supreme Court judge granted a temporary restraining order to pause the surcharge, the city appealed the decision, which stayed the order while a higher court reviews the matter.
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Policy

This 1834 sea captain’s home in Connecticut was redesigned as a $6M modern retreat that remembers its roots

Photo credit: Daniel Milstein Photography

August 26, 2026

This 1834 sea captain’s home in Connecticut was redesigned as a $6M modern retreat that remembers its roots

The years-long transformation of 298 Harbor Road, recently featured in Architectural Digest, brought together architect JP Franzen and Moore House Design to carefully preserve and reimagine the 1834 home of sea captain Ward Bulkley. Asking $5,995,000, the five-bedroom home in Southport, Connecticut, unifies two centuries of history with details like preserved original pine floors, expanded spaces, Venetian plaster, reclaimed stone, and artisan finishes.
A place for every moment

Distinctive Homes

LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

August 26, 2026

LIRR will run year-round direct trips from Penn Station to Montauk

Direct journeys to Montauk on the Long Island Rail Road will no longer be seasonal, with transit officials making the service permanently year-round. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced service changes and infrastructure upgrades to the LIRR's Montauk Branch, including the addition of a year-round weekday 5:13 p.m. train from Penn Station to the coastal hamlet, providing a one-seat journey to the eastern end of Long Island. Set to begin next month, the added service comes as the Montauk Branch has experienced continued growth, with ridership increasing 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
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NYC to speed up housing court cases for tenants facing worst conditions

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

August 26, 2026

NYC to speed up housing court cases for tenants facing worst conditions

Some of the most serious cases of landlord neglect will be “fast-tracked” under a new city directive instituted this week. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced the policy, which will allow housing court judges to expedite cases involving vacate orders, critically hazardous building conditions, elevator outages, and proceedings in which the city or tenants seek the appointment of a third-party building manager amid landlord neglect. These cases will be assigned to a judge on the same day they are filed, and once landlords are notified, they will be required to appear in court within five days.
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Policy

720 West End Avenue

Upper West Side

Serene Upper West Side homes near Riverside Park

1 beds starting at $1,005,000
2 beds starting at $2,495,000
3 beds starting at $3,495,000
4 beds starting at $5,850,000

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August 25, 2026

29 affordable co-ops in West Harlem available, from $195K

Applications are currently being accepted for 29 affordable co-op apartments across three buildings in West Harlem. Located on West 134th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue in the Manhattanville section of Harlem, the buildings are part of a program that converts city-owned properties into affordable Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) co-ops for low- and moderate-income households and renovates the units in the process. A housing lottery is now open for the apartments, which are eligible for New Yorkers earning 70 percent of the area median income (AMI). Prices range from $194,930 for a two-bedroom to $236,456 for a three-bedroom.
how to apply

Affordable Housing

Mamdani announces 1,000 discounted U.S. Open tickets for NYC residents

Photo by Kate Tann on Flickr

August 25, 2026

Mamdani announces 1,000 discounted U.S. Open tickets for NYC residents

Amid backlash over high U.S. Open ticket prices, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday announced he secured discounted tickets to the tournament for New York City residents. The mayor and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) will offer 1,000 tickets priced at $100 to see main-draw matches taking place from Sunday, August 30, through Tuesday, September 8. The tickets, which go on sale on this Wednesday at 10 a.m., will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible New Yorkers. New Yorkers will be able to purchase two tickets each.
how to get tickets

Events & Things To Do

Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

August 25, 2026

AMC Kips Bay to shutter by end of 2026

New York City's AMC Kips Bay 15 will screen its final film this year. As first reported by Variety, the company confirmed it will close the theater at 570 2nd Avenue, its second-largest in Manhattan, by the end of 2026 after the property owner decided to “exercise its contractual right to terminate the theatre's lease before its scheduled expiration.” A favorite among New York cinephiles, the 15-screen multiplex is known for its wide selection of films and IMAX offerings.
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Real Estate Trends

This $545K studio captures the romantic spirit of the West Village

Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff for Corcoran

August 25, 2026

This $545K studio captures the romantic spirit of the West Village

With a growing number of luxury condo complexes attracting an ever-changing cast of residents, it's often hard to find the romantic West Village charm that launched so many New York City dreams. That elusive charm defines this cozy studio at 729 Greenwich Street on an iconic block between Perry and Charles Streets. A private entrance accesses the street-level studio. Asking $545,000, the move-in-ready co-op is no relic; the stylish pad benefits from bespoke flourishes and updated infrastructure where it matters.
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Distinctive Homes

Russ & Daughters-West Elm collab brings familiar icons of Jewish tradition to your table

All photos courtesy of West Elm

August 24, 2026

Russ & Daughters-West Elm collab brings familiar icons of Jewish tradition to your table