YIMBY Explores the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Midtown, Manhattan "...a look inside the recently opened Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), which is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 40th Street across from Bryant Park and the main New York Public Library building." (YIMBY)
Everything you need to know about affordable housing: applying, getting in, and staying put "Affordable housing has long been a topic at the forefront of NYC politics, but it gained even more attention with Mayor de Blasio’s plan to preserve or build 300,000 affordable units by 2026, which has resulted in a slew of new lotteries, a new more user-friendly web portal, and an update to ease the process for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers. But the topic is not without its issues, especially with the city reeling in the wake of the pandemic. Many still wonder if the city is doing enough for affordability and if some of the available units are really affordable." (6sqft)
MTA Hiked Costs of Long-Sought Eastern Queens Subway Expansion: Report "The new, independent report on a combination park/transit option takes the MTA to task for letting a consultant tell the authority that sprucing up the abandoned LIRR right of way and building four new subway stations would cost a whopping $8.1 billion. According to an engineering firm hired by QueensLink supporters, the project could be done for between $3.4 and $3.7 billion." (Streetsblog NYC)
Improving Stormwater Management in the New York City Subway "Viral videos captured commuters wading through waist-high water at 157th Street and water barreling down Dyckman Street — both in upper Manhattan. The Dyckman Street station alone took on 28,000 gallons of water. These videos are a reminder of more dramatic floods like Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and a preview of what to expect as rain-induced flooding becomes more common and climate change accelerates." (RPA)
New York’s retail rents set another record low, but restaurants are starting to sign leases again "Across Manhattan, restaurant chains signed 23 deals during the second quarter, totaling 83,333 square feet of space, CBRE found. Apparel businesses were the second-most active group with 10 leases, totaling 49,236 square feet. They were followed by health-care operators and jewelers, at two deals apiece." (CNBC)
Delta Becomes Dominant Variant In NYC, Making Up Two-Thirds Of New Cases "The delta variant now accounts for the majority of new COVID-19 cases in the five boroughs, according to data released Thursday from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The offshoot germ rose to become the city's most common variant in less than five months." (Gothamist)
