Andrew Cuomo

Cuomo reveals $51B plan to redevelop Midtown West, replace Port Authority

All renderings courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

January 15, 2021

Cuomo reveals $51B plan to redevelop Midtown West, replace Port Authority

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday unveiled an ambitious plan to transform over 100 acres of Midtown West as part of a new "transit-oriented" development. The $51 billion proposal adds a new train hall south of Penn Station, replaces the Port Authority Bus Terminal, extends the High Line, and adds up to 1,400 units of new affordable housing. The project is one part of the governor's proposed $306 billion infrastructure plan, introduced on Thursday during his fourth 2021 State of the State address.
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See the mass vaccination site now open at the Javits Center

All photos courtesy of Don Pollard/ Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

January 13, 2021

See the mass vaccination site now open at the Javits Center

By Devin Gannon

Nearly 10 months after the Jacob K. Javits Center became a temporary hospital during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in New York, the convention center has now opened as a mass vaccination hub. The state-run Manhattan site officially opened on Wednesday for those eligible under expanded phases 1A and 1B, which includes healthcare workers, essential workers, and New Yorkers aged 65 and older. Appointments are required at the Javits Center site. Find out if you are eligible to receive the vaccine and schedule an appointment here.
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Policy

Cuomo’s ‘Arts Revival’ initiative will bring outdoor pop-up performances and events across New York

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

January 12, 2021

Cuomo’s ‘Arts Revival’ initiative will bring outdoor pop-up performances and events across New York

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday unveiled the "New York Arts Revival" initiative, a plan to bring art and culture back to the state after the coronavirus pandemic has brought much of the industry to a standstill. As part of a public-private partnership, the effort will bring a series of pop-up performances and arts events across New York starting February 4. According to the governor, who made the announcement during his multi-day State of the State address, the events will feature performers like Amy Schumer, Chris Rock, Wynton Marsalis, Renée Fleming, Hugh Jackman, and others. "We will not let the curtain fall on their careers or the future of our cities," Cuomo said.
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New Yorkers 65+, teachers, first responders eligible to receive COVID vaccine as of this week

Dr. Michelle Chester of Northwell Health in Queens prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York State; Photo: Scott Heins for the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

January 12, 2021

New Yorkers 65+, teachers, first responders eligible to receive COVID vaccine as of this week

By Dana Schulz

After a very public disagreement between the governor and the mayor over vaccine eligibility, Governor Cuomo announced on Friday that he's expanding eligibility to the initial groups of phase 1B starting this week. Previously, only healthcare workers and nursing home residents and staff were eligible. The expansion initially allowed education workers, first responders, public safety workers, public transit workers, public-facing grocery store workers, and New Yorkers 75+ to receive the vaccine. But in a Tuesday press conference, the governor expanded this list further, allowing those 65+ and immunocompromised persons to be eligible. This now qualifies roughly 7 million New Yorkers, however, the state is only receiving about 300,000 doses per week.
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Policy

See Cuomo’s proposal to extend the High Line to the new Moynihan Train Hall

Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

January 11, 2021

See Cuomo’s proposal to extend the High Line to the new Moynihan Train Hall

By Devin Gannon

The High Line will be extended from its current 10th Avenue terminus to the entrance of the newly opened Moynihan Train Hall, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to announce during his 2021 State of the State address on Monday. As the New York Times first reported, a new L-shaped elevated walkway will link the existing public park at 30th Street to a pedestrian plaza at Manhattan West, a six-building mixed-use development from Brookfield Property Group that stretches from 9th and 10th Avenues and 31st to 33rd Streets.
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Policy

New York City has administered just 25% of COVID vaccine allocation

Mayor de Blasio attends first vaccinations at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst in Queens last month. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

January 4, 2021

New York City has administered just 25% of COVID vaccine allocation

By Dana Schulz

The latest city-state discrepancy comes in the form of vaccine distribution. Last week, Mayor de Blasio announced his goal of administering one million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of January. However, in a press conference today, Governor Cuomo turned attention to New York City, as their 11 publicly run hospitals have administered just 31 percent of their vaccine allocation. And on a whole, the city has administered a mere 25 percent of those doses received, according to its own vaccine tracker.
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Policy

January 4, 2021

Running from NYC to Canada, 750-mile Empire State Trail is now complete

By Devin Gannon

The longest multi-use state trail in the United States officially opened in New York last week. Running from New York City north to Canada and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal, the 750-mile Empire State Trail offers off-road trails for cyclists, hikers, runners, cross-country skiers, and snow-shoers. The Trail, which connects 20 regional trails to create a continuous statewide route, will be open year-round.
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Uncategorized

See inside the new light-filled Moynihan Train Hall

Photo © Max Touhey

December 30, 2020

See inside the new light-filled Moynihan Train Hall

By Devin Gannon

As one of the few bright spots during a very dark time in New York, the new Moynihan Train Hall opens to the public on Friday. The new transit hub expands Penn Station into the landmarked James A. Farley Post Office Building on Eighth Avenue, increasing capacity at the busiest railroad station in the country by 50 percent. On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo celebrated the opening of Moynihan Train Hall, which was inspired by the design of the original Penn Station that was demolished in the 1960s. Ahead, get a look inside the new train hall, including the 92-foot-high massive skylights that total one acre and the new waiting areas for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.
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Photo by Daniel Lee on Unsplash

December 29, 2020

New York bans most evictions until May

By Devin Gannon

During a special session on Monday, the New York Legislature passed emergency legislation that temporarily blocks most eviction proceedings until May 1. The eviction moratorium, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo first put in place in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, was last extended through the end of the year. Signed by the governor on Monday night, the new law freezes evictions for tenants and prevents foreclosures for homeowners who have endured hardships related to COVID-19.
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Policy

NY healthcare providers who fraudulently distribute COVID vaccine could lose license, be fined $1M

Dr. Michelle Chester of Northwell Health in Queens prepares to administer the first coronavirus vaccine in New York State; Photo: Scott Heins for the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Flickr

December 28, 2020

NY healthcare providers who fraudulently distribute COVID vaccine could lose license, be fined $1M

By Devin Gannon

Healthcare providers in New York who are found to have violated the law regarding the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine could lose their license, be fined up to $1 million, and face possible prison time, under a new executive order Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday. The order comes after reports of a network of urgent care centers in New York City provided vaccines to people not considered a priority by the state. The first phase of distribution includes high-risk hospital workers, nursing home residents, nursing home staff, followed by all long-term and congregate care residents and staff, EMS workers, other health care workers, coroners, and medical examiners.
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Policy

NYC’s new Moynihan Train Hall will open January 1

By Devin Gannon

The long-awaited new Moynihan Train Hall will be completed on December 31 with trains operating the next day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday. The $1.6 billion project expands the existing Penn Station into the historic James A. Farley Post Office Building on Eighth Avenue and is part of a new mixed-use transit hub with office space and retail at the site. Named for the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the new train hall is expected to increase the cramped concourse space at Penn Station by 50 percent.
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74% of New York’s COVID spread is coming from at-home gatherings

Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash

December 11, 2020

74% of New York’s COVID spread is coming from at-home gatherings

By Dana Schulz

Or "living room gatherings," as Governor Cuomo likes to call them. In a press conference today, just before announcing that indoor dining in New York City would shut down on Monday, the governor provided an outline of how the coronavirus is being spread throughout the state. Based on 46,000 data points gathered by contact tracers between September and November, 74 percent of the state's COVID spread is coming from household gatherings. And with the holiday season in full swing, this number is expected to grow.
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Policy

Indoor dining in New York City will shut down next week

Photo by Billie Grace Ward on Flickr

December 11, 2020

Indoor dining in New York City will shut down next week

By Devin Gannon

Indoor dining in New York City will end on Monday as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to climb, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. Outdoor dining, delivery, and take out can continue. According to the contact tracing data from the governor's office, restaurants and bars account for 1.43 percent of the spread of the virus in the state of New York. Indoor household gatherings making up nearly 74 percent.
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Here’s how many COVID vaccines each New York region will be allocated

A slide from Governor Cuomo’s 12.9.20 press presentation

December 9, 2020

Here’s how many COVID vaccines each New York region will be allocated

By Dana Schulz

If all goes according to plan, Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will be approved by the FDA tomorrow, at which time the New York State panel will immediately convene to review and approve it. Under those conditions, the state could begin receiving its first vaccine shipments as early as this weekend. In a press conference today, Governor Cuomo further explained the distribution priorities--high-risk hospital workers followed by nursing home residents and staff--and for the first time outlined the estimated number of doses each region will receive based on their populations of these groups.
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Policy

Frederick Law Olmsted’s farmhouse on Staten Island recognized as national landmark

Photos courtesy of New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

December 8, 2020

Frederick Law Olmsted’s farmhouse on Staten Island recognized as national landmark

By Devin Gannon

The National Park Service this month placed a Staten Island farmhouse once owned by Frederick Law Olmsted on the National Register of Historic Places. Formerly part of a 130-acre farm, the property, known as the Olmsted-Beil House, is significant for the role it played in Olmsted's discovery of landscape design and parks as a public good, which later influenced his ideas for Central Park and Prospect Park. Despite its designation as a city landmark in 1967, the house, while intact, has deteriorated over the years and requires significant restoration work.
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Architecture And Design

New York City will receive 480,000 COVID vaccine doses by early January

Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office

December 4, 2020

New York City will receive 480,000 COVID vaccine doses by early January

By 6sqft

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state of New York expects to receive its first allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government by December 15. If all safety and efficiency approvals are granted, enough doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be available for 170,000 New Yorkers. Additional vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna are expected to arrive in the state later this month. And of this allotment, New York City expects that it will receive 480,000 doses by early January, mayoral spokesperson Bill Neidhardt told the New York Times.
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Policy

With COVID hospitalizations increasing, New York outlines new plan to avoid overwhelming the system

Photo by SJ Objio on Unsplash

November 30, 2020

With COVID hospitalizations increasing, New York outlines new plan to avoid overwhelming the system

By Dana Schulz

As of Sunday, November 29, 3,532 New Yorkers were hospitalized for COVID, the highest since May 29. The increase is steep; on October 29, just 1,085 people were hospitalized. In his press conference today, Governor Cuomo referred to this as "a new phase" in "the war on COVID," attributing it to colder weather, increased travel, and small gatherings, which now account for 65 percent of all new cases statewide. With these numbers expected to increase during the holidays, the state is turning its attention to hospitals. To prevent overwhelming the system as we saw in the spring, the governor announced a new five-point plan to slow the spread of the virus.
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Policy

Washington Heights will become first COVID micro-cluster zone in Manhattan

Map courtesy of the Governor’s Office

November 23, 2020

Washington Heights will become first COVID micro-cluster zone in Manhattan

By Dana Schulz

Since last week, many New Yorkers have been anticipating an announcement that the entire city will become an orange zone. This has been avoided at least for another day, but Governor Cuomo did announce that Washington Heights will become a precautionary yellow zone, hitting a 3.30% positivity rate. This is the first micro-cluster zone in Manhattan and the fifth and final borough to join this map. The governor also announced a dire situation on Staten Island in which an emergency overflow facility for COVID patients will open at South Beach.
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Policy

NYC schools will close tomorrow as Cuomo warns of a partial lockdown

Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

November 18, 2020

NYC schools will close tomorrow as Cuomo warns of a partial lockdown

By Dana Schulz

In his press conference this afternoon, Governor Cuomo announced that all of New York City would become an orange zone if its city-wide positivity rate hits 3 percent. Under this micro-cluster strategy, indoor dining and high-risk non-essential businesses like gyms and personal care services would close. Schools would also close, but during the governor's press conference, New York City Chancellor Richard A. Carranza sent an email to principals that schools would close and go to virtual learning as of tomorrow, as the New York Times first reported.
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Policy

New York will close restaurants and gyms at 10pm, limits gatherings to 10 people

Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

November 11, 2020

New York will close restaurants and gyms at 10pm, limits gatherings to 10 people

By Dana Schulz

With the COVID positivity rate rising across the state, and with neighboring states of Connecticut and New Jersey seeing major spikes, Governor Cuomo today put in place new restrictions to curb the spread. Restaurants and bars will have to close at 10pm; after that time they can offer curbside takeout and delivery for food only. Gyms will also have to close at 1opm. And both indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people. These are the three main spreaders that were identified by state contact-tracers. The rules go into effect at 1opm this Friday, November 13th.
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Policy

New York will deploy additional National Guard and NYPD to enforce COVID rules at airports

Photo by Kevin Dellandrea on Unsplash

November 6, 2020

New York will deploy additional National Guard and NYPD to enforce COVID rules at airports

By Dana Schulz

With the pandemic roaring around the nation and in nearby New Jersey and Connecticut, Governor Cuomo today announced that he'd be deploying additional National Guard and NYPD members to state airports to enforce the state's COVID entry requirements as the holidays approach. In a conference call this morning with reporters, the governor said, "You should not land if you do not have proof of a negative test," referring to the new travel rule that he announced on Monday, which says that most travelers who were in another state for more than 24 hours must obtain a test within three days of departure from that state.
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Travelers to New York must test negative for COVID-19 to avoid quarantine

Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

November 2, 2020

Travelers to New York must test negative for COVID-19 to avoid quarantine

By Devin Gannon

Most travelers to New York must get tested for the coronavirus before and after arriving in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday. The new rule replaces the travel advisory put in place in June that required a 14-day quarantine for travelers coming to New York from places with significant community spread. Under the new guidelines, which will go into effect on Wednesday, visitors will be able to "test out" of the mandatory quarantine if both COVID-19 tests come back negative.
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Policy

October 23, 2020

Explore the 200 craft breweries found along New York’s Empire State Trail

By Devin Gannon

Home to more than 460 breweries statewide, New York knows beer. To make it easier to find a beer near you, the New York State Brewers Association in 2017 launched an app that allows users to find breweries across the state, check-in digitally, and earn stamps on their "tasting passport." To encourage support of local beer makers and the use of the under-construction 750-mile Empire State Trail, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday a new passport program specifically targeting 200 craft breweries found along the trail.
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Events & Things To Do

Cuomo eases some restrictions in Brooklyn and Queens COVID-19 clusters

New “yellow zone” maps for Queens’ clusters; Courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office

October 21, 2020

Cuomo eases some restrictions in Brooklyn and Queens COVID-19 clusters

By Devin Gannon

The state will loosen some restrictions in coronavirus clusters in parts of Brooklyn and Queens after positive infection rates decreased, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday. As a way to contain the spread of the virus in hot spots across New York, the state earlier this month divided the clusters into three categories depending on positivity rates, with red, orange, and yellow zones determining the level of restrictions. According to Cuomo, all clusters in Queens can exit the red zone and enter yellow, meaning businesses and schools can reopen and houses of worship can increase capacity to 50 percent. But in Brooklyn, the red zone will remain red, with orange and yellow zones now both yellow.
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Policy

New York outlines initial strategy for prioritizing COVID vaccine distribution

Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels

October 19, 2020

New York outlines initial strategy for prioritizing COVID vaccine distribution

By Dana Schulz

Given the many unknowns surrounding a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as skepticism that certain vaccine trials could be politically motivated, Governor Cuomo announced last month that the state would put together a Clinical Advisory Task Force to advise New Yorkers on the vaccine's safety and effectiveness. In addition, over the weekend, the NYS Department of Health released a draft COVID-19 Vaccination Administration Program "that serves as an initial framework for ensuring the safe and effective distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine in New York." According to the preliminary plan, the vaccine would be distributed in five phases, with high-risk populations and essential workers prioritized.
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Policy

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