Search Results for: Brooklyn Heights

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

Clockwise from top left, photo credits: Beacon’s Closet, Astoria Bookshop, Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store, Friends NYC, Coming Soon NY, Michele Varian Shop

November 21, 2025

50 places to shop locally in NYC for that perfect gift

By Michelle Cohen

We do so much of our shopping online that we sometimes forget the excitement of finding the just-right gift right in front of our eyes. New York City still considers shopping a high art, and some of the best shops on the planet are just around the corner from wherever you are. You’re sure to find a treasure for everyone on your list from the local shops below.
100% amazon-free shopping, this way

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The best new apartment buildings near Prospect Park

Photo of Prospect Park by Steven Pisano on Flickr

November 17, 2025

The best new apartment buildings near Prospect Park

By Devin Gannon

With its 585 acres of woodlands, waterways, and meadows, Prospect Park is a serene escape in the heart of Brooklyn. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the 1860s, the public park is one of Brooklyn's most beautiful places to wander and connect with nature. As more renters and buyers prioritize access to green space, new residential developments have been popping up in neighborhoods around the park. For those looking to live near Brooklyn's Backyard, we rounded up the best new apartment buildings located within a mile of Prospect Park.
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Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC

SoMA at 25 Water Street is the largest office-to-residential conversion in the U.S. to date. Rendering courtesy of Streetsense

November 13, 2025

Turning cubicles to condos: The pros and cons of office-to-residential conversions in NYC

Across New York City’s five boroughs, office space occupies 730 million square feet (600 million of which is in Manhattan), according to CoStar data obtained by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. This is the most of any North American city; runner-up Los Angeles has only 432 million square feet of office space. So, it’s no wonder that the conversation around post-Covid commercial real estate vacancies is such a hot-button issue, especially considering that Manhattan’s residential vacancy rate is just 1.2 percent.
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NYC’s best Halloween events

Village Halloween Parade. Photo by Steven Pisano on Flickr

October 21, 2025

NYC’s best Halloween events

By Aaron Ginsburg

From the famous Village Halloween Parade to festive celebrations at the iconic cultural institutions and museums to neighborhood trick-or-treating and over-the-top costume parties, New York City is one of the best places to celebrate spooky season. Ahead, discover some of the best Halloween happenings across the five boroughs this year.
festive frights, ahead

Events & Things To Do

Interborough Express enters environmental review process

Credit: MTA

October 16, 2025

Interborough Express enters environmental review process

By Aaron Ginsburg

The environmental assessment for the transformative Interborough Express (IBX) has officially begun, bringing the long-anticipated transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens one step closer to reality. On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced the start of the review process under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), marking another major milestone for the project after it entered the preliminary engineering and design phase in August. The MTA will host two in-person public meetings to outline the project scope and review process on October 29 and November 6, followed by a virtual session on November 12.
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NYC announces nearly 140 car-free Halloween events

Credit: NYC DOT

October 6, 2025

NYC announces nearly 140 car-free Halloween events

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's Halloween open streets program returns for another record-breaking season, with nearly 140 participating locations over two weeks. On Monday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the "Trick-or-Streets" program, which will close streets, plazas, and other corridors across the five boroughs to vehicles, opening the spaces for spooky (and safe) festivities from October 17 through 31.
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18 fun ways to spend Labor Day weekend in NYC

West Indian American Day Parade in 2024. Photo by Theklan on Wikimedia

August 28, 2025

18 fun ways to spend Labor Day weekend in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

On the first Monday in September, Americans celebrate Labor Day to honor the vital contributions of workers throughout the nation’s history and their fight for safer working conditions. New York City’s history is closely tied to Labor Day—the city was a hub for unions and labor movements throughout the 19th century and hosted the nation’s first Labor Day Parade in 1882. Ahead, find some great ways to celebrate the long weekend in NYC, from Brooklyn's colorful West Indian Day Parade to the citywide unicycle festival.
your long weekend, ahead

Events & Things To Do

Tennis in NYC: What to know, where to play

August 20, 2025

Tennis in NYC: What to know, where to play

By Aaron Ginsburg

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

Events & Things To Do

11 more NYC libraries will offer seven-day service starting September

Credit: Clay Banks on Unsplash

August 4, 2025

11 more NYC libraries will offer seven-day service starting September

By Aaron Ginsburg

Eleven more New York City public libraries will be open seven days a week, thanks to funding included in the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget. Made possible by a $2 million investment to expand weekend service, the new Sunday hours begin September 7, bringing the total number of branches open on Sundays to more than 30. The $2 million is part of a broader $15 million increase for the New York Public Library (NYPL), Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), and Queens Public Library (QPL) systems secured in the FY 2026 budget.
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Policy

MTA awards $166M design contract for Interborough Express

Credit: MTA / Trent Reeves on Flickr

July 31, 2025

MTA awards $166M design contract for Interborough Express

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Interborough Express is one step closer to bridging numerous transit-deprived neighborhoods across Brooklyn and Queens, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday approved the project’s full design. At its monthly board meeting, the MTA awarded a nearly $166 million design contract to the joint engineering venture Jacobs/HDR, according to amNY. The two-year agreement will begin preliminary design development and includes a "comprehensive scope of work"—such as surveys, geotechnical and environmental investigations, and structural inspections—to move the project forward.
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28-story luxury rental opens lottery for 147 apartments in West Harlem, from $2,950/month

Credit: GLUCK+

July 25, 2025

28-story luxury rental opens lottery for 147 apartments in West Harlem, from $2,950/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A luxury high-rise rental in West Harlem opened a lottery this week for 147 middle-income apartments. The 28-story building at 1440 Amsterdam Avenue sits on the campus of the New York City Housing Authority's Manhattanville Houses and was developed as part of a deal to help repair and upgrade the complex's six existing buildings. Located near City College and Columbia University, the new development offers high-end finishes, extensive indoor and outdoor amenities, and a new supermarket. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,950/month studios to $4,568/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Gowanus luxury rental 544 Carroll launches leasing, including $25K/month duplex

All renderings courtesy of Avery Hall, unless noted otherwise

July 24, 2025

Gowanus luxury rental 544 Carroll launches leasing, including $25K/month duplex

By Aaron Ginsburg

The future of Gowanus is looking expensive. Developed and designed by Avery Hall, 544 Carroll Street launched leasing this week for 133 apartments, including a duplex that could go for as much as $25,000/month. As first reported by the New York Post, the four-bedroom measures nearly 2,400 square feet plus outdoor space and surpasses the next priciest apartment in the rapidly developing neighborhood by more than $13,500.
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Real Estate Trends

Bronx landlord fined $10M for hazardous conditions

Streetview of 2410 Washington Avenue. © 2025 Google

July 24, 2025

Bronx landlord fined $10M for hazardous conditions

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Bronx landlord has been fined $10.14 million over hazardous conditions in a Belmont apartment building, one of the largest housing court judgments in city history. The order, issued Wednesday by Judge Diane Lutwak, resolves a case brought by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) against Karan Singh, owner of the 15-story Fordham Towers at 2410 Washington Avenue. According to Gothamist, Singh failed to provide heat on 10 days and hot water on 17 days between 2023 and 2024. The building currently has 540 open violations, 145 of which are classified as “immediately hazardous.”
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Policy

This map shows where rent increased the most by NYC subway stop

Photo of Franklin Avenue Station © 6sqft

July 9, 2025

This map shows where rent increased the most by NYC subway stop

By Aaron Ginsburg

It's not just your neighborhood. Rent prices have increased at 87 percent of New York City's subway stations this year. RentHop on Wednesday released its annual subway rent map, which highlights the median rent and the year-over-year rent increases of one-bedroom apartments by subway stop. According to the analysis, rent jumped by 14 percent near subway stations across Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, particularly in areas with new developments.
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New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

Credit: Marco on Flickr

July 9, 2025

New legislation ends criminal penalties for NYC street vendors

By Aaron Ginsburg

The City Council last month passed legislation that decriminalizes most street vending violations in New York City. Sponsored by Queens Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Intro. 47 removes misdemeanor criminal penalties for general and food vendors and reduces them to civil offenses instead. The legislation comes amid a sharp rise in NYPD enforcement: officers issued over 9,300 tickets to vendors in 2024, more than double the total in 2023, according to City Limits. With 96 percent of the city’s street vendors being immigrants, according to the Immigration Research Initiative, criminal penalties heighten the risk of deportation under the Trump administration’s intensifying immigration crackdowns.
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Policy

70,000 new homes could be built along Interborough Express with zoning changes

View of the Bay Ridge Branch, which would be incorporated in the proposed Interborough Express. Adjacent to the Fort Hamilton Parkway station. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr

June 27, 2025

70,000 new homes could be built along Interborough Express with zoning changes

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than 70,000 new homes could be built within a half-mile of the proposed Interborough Express (IBX) train line through land-use changes. Outlined in an analysis released Thursday by the New York Building Congress, and first reported by the New York Times, implementing land use changes could lead to the development of tens of thousands of new homes within a 10-minute walk of the 19 stops along the 14-mile light rail line, with the potential to exceed 100,000 units over a decade. However, these changes would face many obstacles, as the IBX will run through diverse neighborhoods with varying residential densities and local willingness to welcome new homes.
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For $2.9M, this updated Bed-Stuy brownstone has a private rooftop sun deck

June 25, 2025

For $2.9M, this updated Bed-Stuy brownstone has a private rooftop sun deck

By Michelle Cohen

Outdoor space is a rare commodity in the city; a leafy backyard or a roof deck adds a coveted dimension to warm-weather living. This four-story townhouse at 271 Decatur Street in Stuyvesant Heights has both. Asking $2,895,000, the historic townhouse has a two-part stoop and a detailed, ornate facade. Inside, a 21st-century renovation reflects modern design choices.
Brownstone tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

59 apartments available at Midtown East luxury rental, from $1,644/month

Renderings courtesy of Anagram Turtle Bay

June 23, 2025

59 apartments available at Midtown East luxury rental, from $1,644/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new luxury residential tower in Midtown East just launched a lottery for 59 mixed-income apartments. Located at 300 East 50th Street, Anagram Turtle Bay is a 23-story residential building providing tenants a hotel-inspired lifestyle with luxurious amenities and spacious residences. New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $1,644/month studios to $4,415/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Live across from the AirTrain at new Jamaica high-rise, from $2,065/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

June 19, 2025

Live across from the AirTrain at new Jamaica high-rise, from $2,065/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Whether you're a frequent flyer or want a speedy commute to Midtown, this new Jamaica rental across from the Long Island Rail Road and the AirTrain to JFK Airport offers brand-new apartments in a convenient location. A housing lottery launched this week for 90 low-income apartments at 94-15 Sutphin Boulevard, a 24-story building with a fitness center, rooftop, playroom, dog spa, on-site garage, and more. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $2,065/month studios to $3,021/month three bedrooms.
fIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY

Affordable Housing

For $3.2M, this renovated Bed-Stuy home is a brownstone lover’s dream come true

Photo courtesy of Hailey Ellen Day

June 17, 2025

For $3.2M, this renovated Bed-Stuy home is a brownstone lover’s dream come true

By Michelle Cohen

If you're looking for the ideal Brooklyn brownstone, this fine example in Bed-Stuy at 757 Putnam Avenue checks all the boxes, from charming curb appeal to a top-to-bottom renovation that doesn't erase the home's rich history. Asking $3,195,000, the two-family townhouse includes a renovated garden flat with two bedrooms and garden access for rental income or use as a guest suite.
Brooklyn brownstone heaven, this way

Distinctive Homes

Mayor Adams wants to remove part of protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue

The protected bike lane at Bedford Avenue and Flushing Avenue. Streetview © 2024 Google

June 16, 2025

Mayor Adams wants to remove part of protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue

By Devin Gannon

Mayor Eric Adams announced plans for the city to remove part of the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn after concerns from local residents. Last year, a 1.5-mile protected bike lane was added to Bedford Avenue from Dean Street in Crown Heights to Flushing Avenue in Bed-Stuy, a section known for being unsafe due to speeding vehicles. But after several crashes between cyclists and pedestrians, particularly young children, the mayor said three blocks of the protected bike lane will be removed and returned to its original unprotected configuration. Following a lawsuit filed by Transportation Alternatives, a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge on Wednesday temporarily halted the removal of the protected bike lane until a hearing in August, Streetsblog reported.
details here

How to celebrate Juneteenth 2025 in NYC

June 10, 2025

How to celebrate Juneteenth 2025 in NYC

By Aaron Ginsburg

More than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom finally reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Celebrated by Black Americans for over 100 years and only recently made a public holiday, Juneteenth commemorates that historic moment, seen as an occasion to honor resilience, uplift communities, and spotlight Black culture. This year, the festivities take on added significance as the holiday marks its 160th anniversary. Ahead, discover ways to celebrate Juneteenth in NYC, from free festivals in public parks to programming at some of the city's top museums.
Find ways to celebrate

Events & Things To Do

West Harlem becomes first neighborhood in North America to fully containerize trash

Northwest corner of West 152nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Photo Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 2, 2025

West Harlem becomes first neighborhood in North America to fully containerize trash

By Aaron Ginsburg

Residents of West Harlem can expect cleaner sidewalks and fewer rats as it officially becomes the first neighborhood in New York City (and North America) to containerize 100 percent of its trash. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Javier Lojan announced the first day of full service of the European-style on-street trash containers, dubbed Empire Bins, in Manhattan Community Board 9, which includes Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights. As part of the pilot program, all residential buildings in the district are required to put trash in containers; buildings with 31 or more units will be required to use the Empire Bins.
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Policy

NYC starts expansion of Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx

Credit: NYC DOT on Flickr

May 30, 2025

NYC starts expansion of Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has kicked off the expansion of the Harlem River Greenway in the Bronx. City officials announced Wednesday that more than four lane miles of on-street protected bike lanes will be installed along the corridor in 2025. The project aims to create a seven-mile greenway from Van Cortlandt Park to Randall’s Island Park, better connecting Bronx residents to their waterfront with new open space and bike routes.
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NYC wants to turn vacant lots into public parks and playgrounds

Greenacre Park in Midtown is one of the city’s most famous pocket parks. Opened in 1971, the park was pieced together from three lots and includes a 25-foot-high waterfall. Photo by Jim.henderson on Wikimedia

May 28, 2025

NYC wants to turn vacant lots into public parks and playgrounds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Vacant lots across New York City could soon become lush green spaces. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced plans to transform underutilized and abandoned lots into parks, playgrounds, and green space in neighborhoods lacking open public space. The $30 million proposal includes going through the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP) to allow for multiple locations in a neighborhood to be reviewed in one application. Earlier this month, the Parks Department submitted applications for 44 sites in the first two community districts identified, Brooklyn Community District 5 and Queens Community District 3.
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Policy

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