Queens

Mamdani and Trump take Sunnyside Yard talks to ‘new level’ but announce no new details

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

September 22, 2026

Mamdani and Trump take Sunnyside Yard talks to ‘new level’ but announce no new details

By Aaron Ginsburg

During a meeting at Gracie Mansion on Monday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump said they spoke about plans to build 12,000 homes atop a city-owned rail yard in Queens but announced no new details on the proposed project. In a joint press conference following the meeting, their third since November, Mamdani said he and the president "agreed to set up a new level of that conversation" between City Hall and the White House on Sunnyside Yard, a proposal to build a deck over the 180-acre rail yard in Queens to create a new community with affordable apartments, schools, and public space. The proposal is years in the making. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio shelved an earlier version because of the pandemic, but Mamdani revived the project and pitched it to Trump during a White House visit in February.
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New York moves to protect historic African burial ground in Elmhurst

Credit: Queens Borough President’s Office

September 21, 2026

New York moves to protect historic African burial ground in Elmhurst

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York wants to ensure a historic burial ground of formerly enslaved people in Queens finally receives the protection and recognition it deserves. Attorney General Letitia James on Friday filed a motion to intervene in a pending foreclosure action involving 47-11 90th Street in Elmhurst, a site where nearly 300 freed African slaves were buried in the early 19th century, seeking a court order requiring any prospective buyer to be notified of the human remains on the property and their legal obligations to protect them. Dating back to 1818, the site was rediscovered in 2006 and has since been paved over and disturbed during subsequent development. Now that the property is once again up for sale, the state is seeking to ensure the burial ground is respected by its next owner.
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Policy

Long Island City’s first new waterfront condo in a decade launches sales, from $765K

Renderings courtesy of Redundant Pixel

September 18, 2026

Long Island City’s first new waterfront condo in a decade launches sales, from $765K

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sales have officially launched at the first new condo development to rise on the Long Island City waterfront in more than a decade. Standing 23 stories at 45-40 Vernon Boulevard, the 182-unit Paragon incorporates the historic Paragon Paint Factory into its base. The tower was designed by Archimaera, with interiors by March and White Design (MAWD), and offers residences ranging from studios to penthouses. Developed by ZD Jasper, current available residences at Paragon start at $765,000 for studios, $965,000 for one-bedrooms, $1.5 million for two-bedrooms, and $2.075 million for three-bedrooms.
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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

By Michelle Cohen

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

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

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

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

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

City unveils plan for Long Island City vacant lot to become 980 new apartments, majority affordable

Rendering credit: Marvel

July 30, 2026

City unveils plan for Long Island City vacant lot to become 980 new apartments, majority affordable

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of the last remaining vacant waterfront parcels in Long Island City will become nearly 1,000 new homes, a majority of which will be priced below market rate. The city on Wednesday announced that Slate Property Group, The Hudson Companies, and Volunteers of America-Greater New York will build The Orion, a three-building development with 980 apartments, of which roughly 66 percent will be affordable for New Yorkers earning extremely low to moderate income. Designed by Marvel, the development will also include community facility space, including a daycare and a workforce development center, an indoor community pool, and new commercial retail. The project will rise on the sixth of seven sites of the city's ongoing 30-acre Hunter's Point South redevelopment.
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JetBlue wins auction to bring flights back to LaGuardia’s historic Marine Air Terminal

Marine Air Terminal in 1974. Image via WikiCommons

July 22, 2026

JetBlue wins auction to bring flights back to LaGuardia’s historic Marine Air Terminal

By Aaron Ginsburg

JetBlue could soon bring passenger service back to LaGuardia Airport's historic Marine Air Terminal after winning an auction for gates previously operated by the bankrupt Spirit Airlines. On Monday, JetBlue's $58.5 million bid secured 22 arrival and departure slots at the landmarked Art Deco terminal, vacant since Spirit moved out in May amid bankruptcy proceedings, as first reported by CNBC. The transaction would increase the carrier's slot allocation at LaGuardia from 31 combined daily arrival and departure rights to 53. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, followed by a final sale order expected no later than Aug. 5.
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Transit

Gotham FC will move to Queens in 2028

Courtesy of Gotham FC

July 7, 2026

Gotham FC will move to Queens in 2028

By Aaron Ginsburg

Gotham FC, the reigning National Women's Soccer League champions, will make Queens their permanent home alongside the New York City Football Club (NYCFC). On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the team's move from New Jersey to Etihad Park, the city’s first-ever professional soccer stadium under construction in Willets Point, in 2028. The fully electric stadium, designed by HOK, is slated to open for NYCFC’s season next spring, establishing Queens as a major hub for soccer across the five boroughs.
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Events & Things To Do

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

Photo by Mike Sinko on Flickr

May 29, 2026

Waterfront living in NYC: Inside resort-style rentals in every borough

By Devin Gannon

Waterfronts across New York City are being developed, many with ultra-luxe high-rise condos with sweeping views. But thanks to rezoning and climate resiliency efforts, as well as the launch of NYC Ferry almost a decade ago, several rental buildings have popped up along shorelines in every borough, making resort-style living slightly more attainable. With beautiful views and amenities to match, and now, a quicker commute via new, expanded ferry service, riverside (and seaside!) living in New York is more appealing than ever. To explore what waterfront life is really like in NYC, we took a look at a few rentals along the water's edge, from glassy high-rises in Greenpoint to modern homes a block from the beach in the Rockaways.
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For $1.6M, this magical Rockaway Beach ‘surf shack’ has a sauna, plunge pool, and music studio

All photos courtesy of Kathrine Pastrana/Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

May 29, 2026

For $1.6M, this magical Rockaway Beach ‘surf shack’ has a sauna, plunge pool, and music studio

By Michelle Cohen

If you've ever dreamed of spending summer days and nights in a laid-back surf cottage like one you'd find in Malibu or Venice, but you're a committed New York City dreamer, this Rockaway Beach rarity could be just what you need. Half a block from the Atlantic Ocean, this townhouse at 144 Beach 93rd Street is no ramshackle shack. Though the vibe is 100 percent surf chic, it has been designed for 21st-century comfort, including bespoke wellness perks like a Finnish sauna and plunge pool, plus a music studio and a roof deck with ocean views. Asking $1,550,000, this home is surrounded by seaside tranquility, yet less than an hour from Manhattan.
definitely not the hamptons (in a good way)

Distinctive Homes

NYC reveals design proposals for Billie Holiday monument in Queens

May 19, 2026

NYC reveals design proposals for Billie Holiday monument in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than seven years after it was first commissioned, a monument honoring Billie Holiday in New York City is moving forward. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs on Tuesday unveiled proposals from six artists for a new permanent artwork celebrating the jazz legend that will be installed at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens. The monument is part of a long-delayed effort to increase the representation of influential women in public spaces across the five boroughs. The public can review the proposals and submit feedback through the end of May. An artist will be chosen this summer.
see the proposals

First look at Paragon, Long Island City’s first new waterfront condo in a decade

Renderings courtesy of Redundant Pixel unless otherwise noted.

May 19, 2026

First look at Paragon, Long Island City’s first new waterfront condo in a decade

By Aaron Ginsburg

Here's an exclusive look at the first new condo development built on the Long Island City waterfront in more than a decade. Developed by ZD Jasper and designed by Archimaera, the 23-story Paragon at 45-40 Vernon Boulevard incorporates the historic Paragon Paint Factory into the tower's base. Residences will range from studios to four-bedrooms and feature interiors by March and White Design (MAWD), with ceiling heights of up to 10 feet and floor-to-ceiling windows offering up views of the Manhattan skyline and East River. Adjacent to Anable Basin, the project also includes a large public open space with a waterfront park and walkway connecting the neighborhood to the East River.
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NYC to create dedicated bus lane for Q70 to LaGuardia Airport

A Q70-SBS travels along Broadway in Jackson Heights, Queens. Credit: NYC DOT

May 14, 2026

NYC to create dedicated bus lane for Q70 to LaGuardia Airport

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new dedicated bus lane along Broadway in Queens will speed commutes to and from LaGuardia Airport, just in time for an influx of visitors ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) would begin installing a center-running eastbound bus lane along Broadway between 69th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, a busy corridor used by roughly 9,000 daily riders on the Q70-SBS, also known as the “LaGuardia Link.” The plan would maintain one travel lane in each direction for general traffic while improving bus speeds, which currently drop to as low as 2.7 mph during evening rush hour, slower than walking pace.
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New York kicks off planning for 100-acre Aqueduct Racetrack redevelopment

Aerial view of Aqueduct Racetrack courtesy of Empire State Development

May 5, 2026

New York kicks off planning for 100-acre Aqueduct Racetrack redevelopment

By Devin Gannon

New York is moving forward with the redevelopment of the sprawling Aqueduct Racetrack site in South Ozone Park. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the start of the community engagement and planning process for 100 acres of the state-owned Queens racetrack, which will close this summer before moving horse racing operations to Belmont Park on Long Island. The state announced two workshops will take place this month to gather input from the public on priorities for the development, including housing, open space, and retail.
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New Developments

Resorts World opens as first casino to offer live table games in NYC

Photo courtesy of Gee

April 29, 2026

Resorts World opens as first casino to offer live table games in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's first full casino has arrived. After many years and a competition for downstate gaming licenses, Resorts World New York City opened in Queens on Tuesday as the first casino in the five boroughs to offer live table games. Located next to the Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, the existing gambling facility, which opened in 2011, has expanded into a full-scale casino, transforming its third floor with more than 240 table games and thousands of slot machines, with more to come later this year. The casino also led a hiring and training effort that created 1,250 new jobs, including 950 table-game dealers, ahead of its launch following final testing by the New York State Gaming Commission.
roll the dice

See the new food and drink options at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this season

(L) Bobby’s Burgers “Crunchburger;” (R) New York Mets’ 2026 menu items

April 3, 2026

See the new food and drink options at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this season

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City baseball fans will find plenty of new food options this season, as both the Yankees and Mets have rolled out updated menus. At Yankee Stadium, offerings include longtime favorites like celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s “Bobby’s Burgers” and Christian Petroni’s “Parm to Table,” along with local newcomers such as Magnolia Bakery. At Citi Field, which has been nominated for best ballpark food by USA Today for the fourth consecutive year, fans can try 37 new dishes, including concepts from chef Kwame Onwuachi, who is introducing a chopped cheese patty served on coco bread.
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MoMA PS1 to host free block party for 50th anniversary

(L) MoMA PS1. Credit: Newell Reinvention on Flickr. (R) Credit: MoMA PS1

April 1, 2026

MoMA PS1 to host free block party for 50th anniversary

By Aaron Ginsburg

MoMA PS1 is hosting a free block party next month to celebrate its 50th anniversary, bringing live music, food, and special programming to its longtime home in Long Island City. The event will take place across the museum's plaza, courtyard, and galleries on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and include curator-led talks, artist activations, performances, and offerings from local food vendors. The celebration coincides with the opening weekend of "Greater New York," the museum’s signature survey of working NYC artists, which highlights more than 50 multidisciplinary creatives in the early stages of their careers.
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Events & Things To Do

NYC’s first pro soccer stadium tops out in Queens

All images courtesy of NYCFC, unless noted otherwise

March 27, 2026

NYC’s first pro soccer stadium tops out in Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

Etihad Park, New York City's first-ever professional soccer stadium in Queens, topped out this week. The NYC Football Club (NYCFC) laid the final steel beam on Wednesday, completing the 25,000-seat stadium’s frame on schedule after construction began in December 2024. Developed by NYCFC, Related Companies, and Sterling Equities and designed by HOK, the seven-story, fully electric stadium is expected to open for the 2027–28 Major League Soccer season as NYCFC’s official home in the five boroughs.
MORE THIS WAY

Take a retro NYC subway ride to the Mets and Yankees home opener games

All photos courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

March 24, 2026

Take a retro NYC subway ride to the Mets and Yankees home opener games

By Aaron Ginsburg

Baseball is back! Celebrate by taking a retro subway ride to the Mets and Yankees home opener games. The New York Transit Museum will once again run vintage trains for the first home games of the season, March 26 at Citi Field and April 3 at Yankee Stadium. Costing the typical $3 to ride, retro trains will depart from 34th Street-Hudson Yards to Mets-Willets Point, and from Grand Central-42nd Street to 161st Street-Yankee Stadium.
ALL ABOARD!

Citi Field to host women’s pro soccer match ahead of World Cup final

Photo courtesy of Gotham FC

March 18, 2026

Citi Field to host women’s pro soccer match ahead of World Cup final

By Aaron Ginsburg

Citi Field will host one of women’s professional soccer’s biggest rivalries this summer. On Tuesday, Gotham FC announced that it will face off against the Washington Spirit on July 15 as part of "The Queens Classic," a highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 NWSL Championship and the first women’s sporting event held at the home of the New York Mets. The match comes four days before the men’s FIFA World Cup Final arrives at MetLife Stadium, adding to the wave of soccer events set to sweep the tri-state region this summer.
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Events & Things To Do

Mamdani pitches 12,000-unit Sunnyside Yard development to Trump

Rendering from 2020 Sunnyside Yard master plan courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)

February 27, 2026

Mamdani pitches 12,000-unit Sunnyside Yard development to Trump

By Devin Gannon

A mammoth plan to bring thousands of affordable homes to one of the largest undeveloped sites in New York City was resurrected this week. In a meeting at the White House on Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani pitched President Donald Trump on the Sunnyside Yard development, a proposal to build a deck over the 180-acre rail yard in Queens and create a new mixed-use community with 12,000 affordable apartments, new schools, and public space above a new regional rail hub. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration released a master plan for the project right before the city shut down during the pandemic in March 2020, and it has been at a standstill since. Mamdani said he asked the president for $21 billion in federal grants to advance the project.
details here

Bayside affordable housing project moves ahead, thanks to NYC’s new charter reforms

Credit: Department of City Planning

February 25, 2026

Bayside affordable housing project moves ahead, thanks to NYC’s new charter reforms

By Aaron Ginsburg

An anti-development New York City council member voted to approve a project in her district Sunday, citing a new ballot measure, supported by New Yorkers in November's election. Council Member Vickie Paladino, who represents District 19 in northeast Queens, voted to advance a 248-unit, eight-story development at 217-14 24th Avenue in Bayside. While she initially opposed the project, Paladino reversed course because the new measure gives a three-member appeals board, including the mayor, council speaker, and local borough president, to overturn rejections by the council.
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Advocates push for restoration of weekend G train service to Forest Hills

Credit: Adam Moss on Flickr

February 5, 2026

Advocates push for restoration of weekend G train service to Forest Hills

By Aaron Ginsburg

A coalition of public transit advocates is pushing the MTA to extend the G train to Forest Hills, bringing the line to central Queens for the first time since 2010. In a letter sent Thursday, more than 30 advocacy organizations and business leaders, including the New York Mets, urged city and state officials to bring back weekend G train service to Forest Hills–71st Avenue, arguing it would be a transformative improvement for outer-borough riders long underserved by a Manhattan-centric transit system. The group also noted that G train ridership has surged since service to Forest Hills was cut, with an increase of roughly 50,000 riders—one of the fastest growth rates in the subway system.
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NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 5, 2026

NYC invests nearly $40M to bring clean heat pumps to Rockaways NYCHA complex

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is investing nearly $40 million to bring clean heating and cooling to more than 700 homes at a public housing complex in the Rockaways. Announced on Wednesday by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the $38.4 million investment will install clean, reliable heat pumps in 712 apartments at NYCHA’s Beach 41st Houses in Edgemere, among the first NYCHA residences to receive custom-designed heat pumps under the agency’s “Clean Heat for All” initiative. The initiative aims to expand clean heat pump installations to more than 10,000 NYCHA apartments by 2030.
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Policy

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