August 25, 2025

Tunnel boring for Hudson River tunnel project to begin next summer

Tunnel boring for the Hudson Tunnel Project, which will build a new rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey and rehabilitate the existing tunnel, is set to begin next summer. The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) announced last week that two massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will arrive early next year to start digging the 2.4-mile connection to Penn Station. The machines are expected to take about a year to dig the first mile of tunnel from Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, where crews have spent the past two years preparing the site, to an access shaft in Hudson County, which is currently under construction.
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August 25, 2025

NYPL to display rare Declaration of Independence draft for America’s 250th anniversary

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary next year, the New York Public Library will publicly display its rare copy of the Declaration of Independence. On view at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building from July 1 to July 3, 2026, the draft is one of the few surviving "fair copies" handwritten by Thomas Jefferson. As part of a systemwide commemoration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, the display of the document joins the library's exhibition "Revolution: 1776 and Beyond," which will explore New York's role in the American Revolution and its impact on global revolutions that followed.
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August 22, 2025

$9.5M Nomad condo has a front-row view of the Flatiron Building

This Nomad condo has a front-row seat to the Flatiron Building's transformation into a luxury residential building. Asking $9,495,000, the three-bedroom, three-bath apartment at 212 Fifth Avenue has windows that perfectly frame the Beaux-Arts tower, in addition to 3,000 square feet of functional living space. The view will improve even further when the Flatiron Building reopens as a condominium, as the exterior will be illuminated for the first time ever.
see the views
August 22, 2025

Waymo to test self-driving cars in NYC

Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, is coming to New York City. The company received a permit to begin testing a limited number of autonomous vehicles (AV) in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, Mayor Eric Adams and the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Friday. Current state law does not allow for fully driverless riding, so a trained specialist will be behind the steering wheel at all times during the pilot run.
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August 21, 2025

A new proposal may make the Gowanus Canal safe for swimming

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is attempting to get the Gowanus Canal reclassified to a degree of quality that would compel the city to clean it up enough for swimming, according to Crain's. The Brooklyn Superfund site is currently classified as a Class SD waterway, which supports fishing; a proposal that includes raising the quality of 30 waterways would redesignate the waterway as Class SC, allowing for swimming and boating. But are we ready to leave the banks for a swim in the canal's fragrant waters?
Don't dive in just yet
August 21, 2025

Step into 1776 during a Battle of Brooklyn commemoration this weekend

The first, and the biggest, battle of the American Revolution took place in Brooklyn. In August 1776, just weeks after declaring independence from Britain, the first armed campaign for the colonies took place across the borough, through present-day Prospect Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, Fort Greene Park, and Green-Wood Cemetery. While the British soundly defeated the colonies, the historic battle led George Washington to develop a new strategy vital to the eventual win for independence. This weekend, the Green-Wood Cemetery will commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn with historical demonstrations, costumed interpreters, music, and a parade march up Battle Hill.
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August 21, 2025

You don’t have to choose between townhouse and penthouse in this $3.9M Village co-op

This pristine co-op atop 139 West 13th Street occupies the top two floors of a 25-foot-wide, 19th-century Greek Revival townhouse on a tree-lined Greenwich Village block. With interiors that have been featured in Architectural Digest, two living rooms, and a gorgeous private roof deck, the renovated three-bedroom home is asking $3,850,000.
townhouse, penthouse, your house?
August 21, 2025

Huge Coney Island complex opens lottery for 150 middle-income apartments, from $2,449/month

A three-tower luxury development in Coney Island opened a lottery last week for 150 middle-income apartments. Less than half a mile from the Riegelmann Boardwalk and beach, the sprawling development at 532 Neptune Avenue includes 499 apartments across three buildings and a whopping 95,000 square feet of amenities, including a rooftop, swimming pool, and a running track that encircles the property. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $2,449/month for studios and going up to $3,495/month for a two-bedroom.
do you qualify?
August 20, 2025

Tennis in NYC: What to know, where to play

With the U.S. Open here, New Yorkers are ready for the excitement that the prestigious tennis tournament brings, including the chance to watch some of the world’s best players go head-to-head. But you don’t have to be a Grand Slam contender to enjoy the game in the city. There are courts across the five boroughs where players of all ages and skill levels can get their serve on.
get your serve on
August 20, 2025

Federal Transit Administration again threatens MTA funds over safety risks

President Donald Trump's administration is once again threatening to withhold funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Tuesday accused the agency of using "flawed analytical approaches" in a safety plan and said it fails to reflect actual safety risk to subway workers. The FTA required the MTA to develop a new safety plan after a subway track worker was struck and killed by a train in 2023 and another worker was seriously injured the following year. The feds are threatening to withhold up to 25 percent of the financial assistance given to the MTA if safety is not improved for workers.
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August 20, 2025

For $480K, this converted school in upstate New York is a magical country hideaway surrounded by wildflower gardens

You'd never know this charcoal-hued wood bungalow at 289 Tunnel Hill Road, surrounded by patios and wildflowers, was once a school. Asking $480,000, the 1875 schoolhouse in a corner of upstate New York that straddles the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires has been converted into a charming two-bedroom, two-bath country cottage on a half-acre of flower beds, chicken coops, and spaces for outdoor living that include an outdoor kitchen, a three-season porch, and a separate detached, air-conditioned office.
tour this colorful upstate home
August 20, 2025

NYC beaches closed for swimming due to dangerous conditions from Hurricane Erin

New York City beaches will be closed for swimming on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as Hurricane Erin is expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to much of the East Coast. Mayor Eric Adams announced swimming is prohibited at all city beaches on August 20 and August 21; the sand remains open. The National Weather Service predicts waves could reach between 9 and 13 feet on Thursday, with the highest waves expected in the Rockaways. Several beaches along the Jersey Shore and on Long Island have also banned swimming.
what to know
August 19, 2025

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ light exhibit returns to New York Botanical Garden

Halloween, let alone Christmas, may not be top of mind yet, but the New York Botanical Garden is celebrating early with the return of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" immersive exhibit running September 25 through November 30. This year, the nighttime light trail, inspired by the 1993 Tim Burton film, features 8,300 square feet of light installation and new scenes and music, according to a release.
enter halloween town
August 19, 2025

City-owned Boerum Hill parking lot to become 70 affordable homes and a job center

The city unveiled plans to transform a Boerum Hill parking lot into a new development with affordable homes and a job center. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week announced it had selected the nonprofit Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC) to convert the city-owned lot at 153 Nevins Street into a 70-unit mixed-use rental, with amenities and space for Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, a job training center for low-income New Yorkers.
from parking lot to new housing
August 19, 2025

Live the ‘Downton Abbey’ life off the grid on this 151-acre Gilded Age Tuxedo Park estate, asking $29.5M

On the market for the first time in over 30 years, "Renamor," a 151-acre estate in upstate New York's gated community of Tuxedo Park, is listed for $29.5 million. About 20 percent the size of Central Park, the estate is the largest property and most expensive ever listed in the Orange County enclave, as the Wall Street Journal reported. The Hudson Valley home, with its classic clay tiled roof, dormer windows, stone and stucco facade, tennis courts, several pools, a boathouse, a garage, a guesthouse, and several patios–surrounded by lawns and rolling hills–could easily be situated in the French countryside. But unlike most country estates, this property can operate entirely off the grid, independent of local utilities, with net-zero energy integration that includes a microgrid system.
an estate for the ages
August 19, 2025

Next Greenpoint Landing phase includes 1,000 apartments across three towers

More than 1,000 new apartments are headed to the Greenpoint waterfront. The Domain Companies, LMXD, and Park Tower Group announced a joint venture partnership to build the next phase of Greenpoint Landing, a development along a 22-acre stretch of the East River that will eventually be home to 5,500 apartments. The next phase, "Block C" of the master plan, includes three mixed-income rental buildings, 20,000 square feet of retail space, and a waterfront public park.
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August 18, 2025

Second Avenue Subway extension moves ahead in Harlem with $2B contract

East Harlem is one major step closer to having better subway access for the first time since the 1940s. The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday approved a nearly $2 billion tunnel-boring contract for the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway, which extends the Q train from 96th Street to 125th Street. The tunneling contract marks the largest awarded in agency history.
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August 18, 2025

Asking $3.2M, this three-unit Boerum Hill townhouse hasn’t lost its old-world charm

Behind a facade of lavender brick, the 1899 townhouse at 145 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, offers plenty of ways to live surrounded by history and create the optimal amount of space. The townhouse, asking $3,200,000, is currently set up as an owner's duplex with two units above. All have original details and have been updated in recent years with modern kitchens and baths, with the added brownstone Brooklyn perk of a charming backyard.
take the townhouse tour
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August 18, 2025

New Jersey development is a blueprint for neuroinclusive housing nationwide

Neurodivergent individuals comprise between 15 and 20 percent of the U.S. population, according to the American Enterprise Institute. Yet, some estimates say that up to 40 percent of this population faces unemployment, partly because there is a significant shortage of supportive housing for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specific learning disorders (LD), and other diagnoses. This is why a new, first-of-its-kind neuroinclusive apartment building currently under construction in Red Bank, NJ, is such an exciting development.
details this way
August 15, 2025

For $12M, a modern mansion in coastal Connecticut, with plenty of room for guests

With 8,000 square feet, seven bedrooms, and two guest houses, this modern mansion in a coastal Connecticut village was built for entertaining. Now on the market for $12 million, the home at 260 Willow Street in the historic waterfront village of Southport underwent a sweeping renovation that transformed the home from a traditional colonial into a luxurious compound, with a contemporary main house joined by a resort-style pool, pool house, and a garage with a studio apartment.
see inside
August 15, 2025

City Council approves Midtown South rezoning, unlocking 9,500 new homes

The New York City Council on Thursday voted to approve the rezoning of Midtown South, permitting thousands of new homes to be built in the commercial neighborhood. The plan, the largest residential rezoning in the city in 20 years, updates zoning rules for 42 blocks, potentially unlocking 9,500 new apartments, with 2,800 affordable units.
more on the midtown plan
August 14, 2025

Plan to build huge 72-story tower at 395 Flatbush Avenue enters public review

The proposal to turn an outdated Downtown Brooklyn office building into a 72-story tower with over 1,000 apartments officially entered public review this week. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced that 395 Flatbush Avenue Extension has begun the seven-month uniform land-use review procedure (ULURP). The tower would be the second-tallest in the borough after the Brooklyn Tower, and feature roughly 1,200 mixed-income residences, with at least 25 percent set aside as permanently affordable for households earning 60 percent of the area median income.
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August 14, 2025

NYC releases greenway master plan with 40 miles of new paths

New York City has an ambitious vision to expand its greenways by 40 miles, offering a continuous walk around Manhattan and car-free cycling from Brooklyn to Far Rockaway. Released on Wednesday, the "Greater Greenways" plan is the city’s first master plan for its greenway network in more than 30 years. The plan assesses the existing 500 miles of paths and proposes new pedestrian and cycling routes to fill in existing gaps across the five boroughs, with construction on some short-term projects beginning as early as 2028.
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August 14, 2025

$1.5M Upper East Side co-op has floor-to-ceiling built-ins and oversized windows

For pre-war co-op enthusiasts, this $1,500,000 Upper East Side co-op may fit the bill. The one-bedroom home at 170 East 78th Street has super-tall 13-foot ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling built-ins, with the top shelf accessible via library ladder. The oversized casement windows provide a picture-perfect view of the tree-lined city block below.
take a look
August 14, 2025

Rudy Giuliani sells Upper East Side penthouse for under $5M

Rudy Giuliani has sold his Upper East Side penthouse for under $5 million, marking another price cut for the residence once slated to be turned over to two Georgia election officials as part of a lawsuit. As first reported by Crain's, the former New York City mayor and Trump attorney sold the three-bedroom unit at 45 East 66th Street for $4.95 million, after first listing it for $6.5 million in 2023 and later cutting the price by $1.4 million in March to $5.175 million. The penthouse was among the possessions Giuliani was ordered to surrender in October 2023 after losing the lawsuit. A settlement was reached in April 2024, allowing him to keep the home.
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August 13, 2025

31-story Downtown Brooklyn rental tower opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $784/month

Applications are now being accepted for 120 mixed-income apartments at a new 31-story rental tower in Downtown Brooklyn. Located at 202 Tillary Street, the property offers modern apartments with panoramic skyline views, complemented by a suite of upscale amenities. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, 110, and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, with rents starting at $784/month for studios, $828/month for one-bedrooms, and $967/month for two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
August 13, 2025

Central Park Conservancy endorses horse-drawn carriage ban

For the first time, the Central Park Conservancy has taken a side in the city’s horse-drawn carriage debate, backing a City Council bill that would ban the rides from the park. On Tuesday, the nonprofit publicly called for the end of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, calling them unsafe, damaging to the park's roads, and incompatible with the growing crowds. The bill, known as “Ryder’s Law,” would phase out carriage horses by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs, according to Gothamist. The Conservancy's endorsement comes a week after a horse collapsed and died in Hell’s Kitchen, reigniting debate over the future of horse-drawn carriages.
details here
August 13, 2025

Prospect Park launches first formal nature trail system

The Prospect Park Alliance this week unveiled the first formal nature trail system through the park's bucolic waterways and woodlands. The five routes are marked by signage and blazes on trees, guiding visitors through 250 acres of the park's most scenic natural areas while protecting its fragile wildlife habitats.
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August 13, 2025

New York’s first hybrid-electric ferry sails to Governors Island

The first hybrid-electric public ferry in New York is now taking passengers to and from Governors Island. On Tuesday, the Trust for Governors Island debuted the Harbor Charger, a $33 million vessel equipped with a hybrid propulsion system that will cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 600 tons annually, as 6sqft previously reported. The ferry, the first of its kind in the state, can travel up to 66 percent faster than current diesel-powered vessels, offering visitors a quicker and more sustainable trip to the island.
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August 13, 2025

For $3.4M, this Ditmas Park Victorian with a wraparound porch and a two-car garage brings breathing space to city living

The first thing you'll notice about the rambling Victorian house at 320 East 18th Street in Ditmas Park will likely be the wide, welcoming front porch. Asking $3,400,000, this Brooklyn home was built in 1899 and has been beautifully preserved and updated for 21st-century living. In addition to the porch, the 4,000-square-foot house has a two-car garage, a finished basement, and large, light-filled rooms on three floors.
take a look around
August 12, 2025

New MCNY exhibit traces a century of NYC housing activism

While New York City's current housing crisis has pushed rents to all-time highs and the vacancy rate to an all-time low, it's not a new problem. New Yorkers have been rallying for more affordable housing and tenant protections for over a century. A new installation at the Museum of the City of New York, "Housing Activism: Rent Strikes and Tenant Mobilizations, 1908-1939," explores the rich history and lasting impact of tenant organizing in the early 20th century through photographs, drawings, flyers, and other artifacts. The installation covers a period of immense housing pressure, harsh winters, overcrowded tenements, and soaring rents—and the grassroots movements that helped win many of the tenant protections still in place today.
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August 12, 2025

City landmarks five Garment District buildings ahead of major changes in Midtown

Midtown South could look a lot different in the coming years, with a neighborhood rezoning imminent, but at least five buildings will remain protected. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate five buildings that not only are unique architecturally, but also reflect the development of the Garment District and the importance of the fashion industry to New York City. The designation comes as the City Council prepares to vote on the Midtown South Mixed-Use plan this week.
details this way
August 12, 2025

New public waterfront esplanade opens at Astoria residential complex

A previously industrial stretch of the East River in Astoria has been transformed into a vibrant public waterfront esplanade, restoring access to the area for the first time in decades. On Monday, the Durst Organization celebrated the opening of the Halletts Point esplanade, located beside the developer’s 20 and 30 Halletts Point buildings. Designed by Starr Whitehouse, the 50,000-square-foot waterfront green space offers sweeping city skyline views, lots of seating, a playground, and picnic areas.
see it here
August 12, 2025

110th Street subway station in Harlem renamed for Malcolm X

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Harlem Renaissance and the birth of Malcolm X. To celebrate, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed two pieces of legislation renaming the 110th Street-Central Park North subway station after the civil rights icon and designating the Harlem Renaissance Cultural District, officially recognizing the area for its significance.
details here
August 11, 2025

$87.5M West Village penthouse enters contract, could be new downtown record

A penthouse in the West Village listed for $87,500,000 has found a buyer, potentially becoming the most expensive apartment ever sold in downtown Manhattan. As first reported by The Real Deal, the duplex apartment at 140 Jane Street, a boutique condominium currently under construction, measures roughly 9,500 square feet and features six bedrooms and seven baths. If the home fetches the asking price, it would be the priciest residential property sold in the area, beating out Jeff Bezos’ $80 million condo buy in 2019. 
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August 11, 2025

New JFK terminal to display art from iconic NYC museums

New York City’s world-famous cultural institutions are set to greet global travelers arriving at the new Terminal 6 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. On Monday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners announced a partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art to permanently display installations from each institution in the airport’s new $4.2 billion terminal.
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August 11, 2025

Everything old is new again: Why NYC buyers are choosing pre-war apartments over new developments

Today’s real estate headlines are typically dominated by new renderings of geometric glass towers designed by big-name architects and the latest record-setting penthouse sales. But not all New Yorkers are in search of floor-to-ceiling windows and rooftop pools. Some prefer ceiling medallions, cozy fireplaces, and creaky floorboards. And these nostalgia seekers are a bigger part of the real estate market than you might imagine.
get the scoop
August 11, 2025

City unveils ‘Fordham Landing South’ Bronx development with 900+ homes on the Harlem River

New York City has unveiled plans for a vibrant mixed-use community with nearly 1,000 affordable homes along the Bronx waterfront. On Friday, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city will move forward with "Fordham Landing South," a major affordable housing project that will bring roughly 927 homes to an underutilized stretch of the Harlem River just south of the University Heights Bridge. The 100 percent affordable development would reserve 15 percent of its units for formerly homeless households and span two mixed-use buildings, with public waterfront space, parking, and convenient access to the Metro-North Railroad.
details here
August 8, 2025

NYC’s Dominican Day Parade: What you need to know

Colorful parade floats, vibrant costumes, and lively music will return to Midtown this Sunday for the 43rd annual National Dominican Day Parade. Celebrating New York City’s Dominican community—the largest in the country—the event features a festive procession with beautiful costumes, traditional food, dance, and more. Taking place on August 10, this year's theme is "Unidos en Cultura y Tradicion (United in Culture and Tradition)," honoring Dominican heritage in the Dominican Republic, the United States, and abroad, with Dominican-American baseball player Nelson Cruz serving as the grand marshal.
Find out more
August 8, 2025

Kool & the Gang founder’s Montclair home hits the market for $7.5M

The former New Jersey home of late musician and founding member of the Kool & the Gang, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, is for sale. Located at 82-84 Watchung Avenue in Montclair, the property consists of two seemingly identical four-story townhomes, allowing for multi-generational living or a smart investment. The two-family residence is on the market for $7,500,000; each townhouse is also available to rent for $18,000/month.
a 'Kool' deal
August 8, 2025

Track work to disrupt 4, 5, and 6 subway service for two weekends this month

Riders on the 4, 5, and 6 subway lines are in for two weekends of major service disruptions this month. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced track work will shut down service south of Grand Central–42nd Street from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday on the weekends of August 15 through 18 and August 22 through 25. Crews will be replacing the concrete beneath switches north of 14th Street.
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August 7, 2025

Restored Richmond Barthé frieze returns to the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights

A monumental artwork that has been a fixture of a Crown Heights public housing complex for 80 years has been restored. Created by Harlem Renaissance artist Richmond Barthé, "Exodus and Dance" is an 80-foot cast-stone frieze depicting biblical scenes and Black figures dancing that has been on display at the city's Kingsborough Houses since 1941. Eight decades of exposure to the elements caused the stone to crack and crumble, requiring a major restoration to preserve the public artwork. After an 18-month conservation project, officials on Thursday cut the ribbon on the rehabilitated "Exodus and Dance" sculpture, which once again stands as a community landmark.
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August 7, 2025

TF Cornerstone plans to convert Billionaires’ Row office tower into 350 apartments

A prominent New York City developer wants to convert a 32-story Billionaires' Row office tower into over 300 apartments, joining the city’s growing wave of office-to-residential conversions. As first reported by Commercial Observer, TF Cornerstone will convert Tower 57 at 135 East 57th Street into 350 apartments, 25 percent of which would be affordable to households earning 80 percent of the area median income. The project would take advantage of the state’s 467-m tax incentive program and new zoning tools included in Mayor Eric Adams’ City of Yes housing plan.
details here
August 7, 2025

Midtown South rezoning moves forward, 34th Street busway and protection for Garment District workers included

The Midtown South rezoning received key approval this week, with new community and infrastructure improvements included in the deal. The City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises on Wednesday voted to approve the Midtown South Mixed-Use (MSMX) plan, which updates zoning rules for 42 blocks of the neighborhood to allow for 9,535 new homes, including 2,842 permanently affordable apartments, in an area where housing development has been largely restricted. In addition to lowering the residential density allowed on certain blocks in the original plan, the City Council and City Hall agreed to $488 million in community infrastructure investments, including a busway on 34th Street and protection for Garment District workers.
FInd out more
August 6, 2025

Plan to bring 300+ affordable and supportive homes to Morrisania hospital advances

A plan to bring more than 300 affordable and supportive homes, along with a new health clinic and community space, to Morrisania just cleared a key hurdle. Part of the city's "Housing for Health" initiative, NYC Health + Hospitals announced Wednesday its board of directors approved the advancement of Morrisania River Commons, a 17-story building with 328 affordable and supportive units, a clinic, community facilities, and green space planned for a parking lot on the NYC Health + Hospitals/ Gotham Health Morrisania campus.
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August 6, 2025

Flatiron Building will be illuminated at night for the first time as part of condo conversion

After over 120 years as a commercial building, the Flatiron Building will shine brightly as a new condo development. Literally. The distinct triangular building at 175 Fifth Avenue will be illuminated for the first time in its history when it reopens as luxury apartments. As first reported by the New York Post, the LED lighting scheme, designed by L’Observatoire International and approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission, will be most prominent on the top five floors beneath the building’s signature cornice, then cascade downward to emphasize its architectural details, which have been restored as part of a multi-year renovation.
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August 5, 2025

This Crown Heights block was named the greenest in Brooklyn

A lush stretch of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights has been named Brooklyn’s greenest block. On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) awarded the title to the block between Franklin and Bedford Avenues as part of its free annual Greenest Block competition. The block—the first winner in the residential category to be made up primarily of apartment buildings—was praised for creating a "remarkable community space centered around plants and urban gardening."
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August 5, 2025

The rise of the next Williamsburg: How Gowanus went from eyesore to eye-popping prices

It’s been 20 years since The New York Times reported that city officials voted "to let developers turn the decaying north Brooklyn waterfront, with its relics of Brooklyn's industrial past, into a neighborhood of residential towers with a parklike esplanade along the East River." In the two decades since, this version of Williamsburg was replaced by the first generation of "hipsters," glassy condo towers with Manhattan views, and throngs of Manhattanites crowding the L train to hit up Union Pool and Maison Premiere. Now, a new rezoning is putting another Brooklyn neighborhood on the same path. This time, the waterfront is the once-toxic Superfund-designated Gowanus Canal.
there goes gowanus?
August 5, 2025

Brooklyn Mirage owner files for bankruptcy, venue won’t reopen this year

After "several months of financial distress," Avant Gardner, the operator of East Williamsburg music venue Brooklyn Mirage, filed for bankruptcy on Monday. In a statement posted on Instagram, the company said it filed for Chapter 11. While the Great Hall and Kings Hall venues are set to remain open throughout the process, the Brooklyn Mirage—whose grand May reopening was abruptly canceled just hours before its first show and remains closed—will not reopen this year.
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