Public libraries across New York City will soon be closed on Sunday in response to budget cuts announced by Mayor Eric Adams this week. Under the updated fiscal year 2024 budget released Thursday, every city agency will see a 5 percent budget reduction, including the police, sanitation, and education departments, as well as the public library system. New York, Brooklyn, and Queens public libraries said seven-day service will be eliminated, including ending Sunday service at most branches that offer it.

The first version of Adams’ budget for the next fiscal year included cuts to the library system totaling $36.2 million. After several rallies in protest and a campaign that garnered over 120,000 letters to City Hall voicing opposition to the cuts, the library funding was restored in June.

On Thursday, Adams said the cuts were necessary due to the current asylum seeker crisis, which the city has spent $1.45 billion this year and expects to spend nearly $11 billion on this crisis over the next two fiscal years without significant support from the federal government.

“To balance the budget as the law requires, every city agency dug into their own budget to find savings, with minimal disruption to services,” Adams said in a statement. “And while we pulled it off this time, make no mistake: Migrant costs are going up, tax revenue growth is slowing, and COVID stimulus funding is drying up. No city should be left to handle a national humanitarian crisis largely on its own, and without the significant and timely support we need from Washington, D.C., today’s budget will be only the beginning.”

Under the updated budget, the libraries face a $23.6 million cut for FY24, and a $60 million cut in FY25. The libraries plan to reduce spending on materials, programming, and building maintenance and repairs.

“Without sufficient funding, we cannot sustain our current levels of service, and any further cuts to the Libraries’ budgets will, unfortunately, result in deeper service impacts,” reads a statement from the three libraries. “We know how much New Yorkers rely on the vital resources we provide, and we remain committed to meeting their needs as best as we can.”

Service at the following library branches will be affected:

New York Public Library (last day of Sunday service is November 26)

• Bronx Library Center (Bronx)
• Grand Concourse (Bronx)
• Parkchester (Bronx)
• Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (Manhattan)
• SNFL (Manhattan)
• Jefferson Market (Manhattan)
• Washington Heights (Manhattan)
• Todt Hill–Westerleigh (Staten Island)

Brooklyn Public Library (last day of Sunday service is December 17)

• Borough Park
• Brooklyn Heights
• Central
• Greenpoint
• Kings Highway
• Macon
• Midwood
• New Lots

Queens Public Library (last day of Sunday service is November 26)

• Central Library (Jamaica)
• Flushing Library

According to the New York Times, budget cuts will bring the number of NYPD officers to below 30,000 for the first time since the 1980s. The education department’s budget will drop by $1 billion over two years, with universal Pre-K and the Summer Rising program affected. Plus, curbside compost pickup in Staten Island the Bronx will be delayed by seven months, Gothamist reports.

RELATED:

• NYC public libraries say $36.2M budget cut will impact service, free programs

The post NYC public libraries end Sunday service due to budget cuts first appeared on 6sqft.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen on Tuesday unveiled new details for his plan to build a casino across the street from Citi Field. The billionaire hedge fund manager has teamed up with Hard Rock International on the proposed “Metropolitan Park,” a sports and entertainment development planned for 50 acres of what is currently parking lots next to the Flushing, Queens baseball stadium. The $8 billion proposal includes a Hard Rock-run entertainment complex with a hotel, live music venue, restaurants, and a casino, 20 acres of public space, a Queens-themed food hall, a renovated transit station, and more.

“It’s time the world’s greatest city got the sports and entertainment park it deserves,” Cohen said. “When I bought this team, fans and the community kept saying we needed to do better. Metropolitan Park delivers on the promise of a shared space that people will not only want to come to and enjoy, but can be truly proud of.”

As stated in a press release, Cohen and his team have hosted 15 public workshops, “hundreds” of meetings with local leaders, and held 20,000 “door-to-door” conversations with community members over the last three years.

The project includes two powerhouses for the design of Metropolitan Park: SHoP Architects (Barclays Center, The Brooklyn Tower) and Field Operations (The High Line, South Street Seaport).

The proposal maps out public parks, gardens, and athletic space, a hotel with restaurants, bars, and conference space, a casino and sportsbook (subject to Gaming Commission license, the press release notes), a live music venue, a food hall with local Queens vendors and affordable options, and connections to the waterfront and new bike networks.

“Hard Rock at Metropolitan Park will be rooted in the spirit of music while embracing the unique culture and character of Queens,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, said.

“Metropolitan Park captures the energy and vision of bringing people together for memorable shared experiences that exemplify the company’s mottos to Love All Serve All, All is One, Save Time to Be Kind and Save the Planet. We’re excited to bring our unique brand of world-class entertainment to Queens.”

In addition to securing one of the three downstate casino licenses to be issued, Cohen also needs to gain state authorization to build on the Citi Field parking lot, which is city-owned and state-regulated. According to The City, the parking lot is technically parkland as part of the 1939 creation of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and requires the state to “alienate” the site to allow for construction. A bill introduced in the State Assembly would do this, but no legislation has been introduced in the Senate yet.

The proposed Metropolitan Park sits across from the Willets Point development, which will be home to the city’s first professional soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club and has recently entered public review. Notably, The City reports, Cohen has not yet agreed to let NYCFC park at Mets parking lots, attempting to “leverage the land for his casino bid.”

Cohen’s proposal joins a long list of plans released by other developers seeking one of the three casino licenses to be issued in downstate New York. These include the Bjarke Ingels-designed Freedom Plaza near the U.N., “The Avenir” complex across from the Javits Center, atop Saks Fifth Avenue, and a Jay-Z-backed Caesars Palace casino in Times Square, among others.

RELATED:

• Major Willets Point development with NYC’s first pro soccer stadium enters public review
• Midtown East casino proposal adds Bjarke Ingels and 500 affordable apartments
• NYC’s latest casino bid calls for two 46-story skyscrapers across from the Javits Center
• See what a casino atop Saks Fifth Avenue could look like
• Caesars Palace casino proposed for Times Square office tower

The post Mets owner reveals ‘Metropolitan Park’ proposal for $8B casino complex next to Citi Field first appeared on 6sqft.

Visiting Midtown during the holidays will be more festive and less stressful this year. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced plans to fully pedestrianize Fifth Avenue from 48th and 59th Streets on three Sundays in December, expanding the open street by three blocks to reach Central Park. Plus, certain streets around Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall will be closed to cars every day throughout the holiday season, reducing crowds and making it safer for the hundreds of thousands of people visiting the iconic Christmas Tree, holiday window displays, and the Rockettes.

Citing the popularity of the pandemic-era Open Streets program, Adams last year announced the city’s “largest-ever holiday season-specific Open Street,” which included closing Fifth Avenue to cars for the first time in 50 years.

This year, the open street will expand to reach Central Park at 59th Street. On December 3, 10, and 17 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Fifth Ave will be pedestrian-only between 48th Street and 59th Street. Like last year, the Sunday open street will feature live performances, public seating, and food and beverage vendors.

On all other days throughout the entire season, there will be moveable barriers on the east and west sides of Fifth Avenue between 48th and 52nd Street that will repurpose a lane of traffic on each side as additional space for pedestrians.

Starting with the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on November 29, streets surrounding Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall will be partially or fully closed to cars. According to the mayor, West 49th Street and West 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues will be fully pedestrianized between 11 a.m. and 12 a.m. daily.

“Walking down Fifth Avenue during the weekend can sometimes feel like navigating an obstacle course,” Council Member Keith Powers said. “Thankfully, as we enter one of the busiest periods of the year, we are once more making Fifth Avenue an Open Street, which will give New Yorkers much-needed room to stroll, shop, and enjoy the timeless holiday displays. Last year’s Open Streets was a huge success and I know this year will be even better.”

While the holiday open streets are great for visitors, the plan also benefits businesses. According to a report released last month, the 2022 holiday-specific open streets led to an additional $3 million in spending at businesses on pedestrianized blocks.

The success of the car-free holiday streets program also laid the groundwork for a permanent redesign of Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park. Last month, Adams announced the “Future of Fifth” public-private partnership that will help reimagine the corridor as a pedestrian-centric space. The partnership includes the Fifth Avenue Association, Grand Central Partnership, Bryant Park Corporation, and Central Park Conservancy.

A plan with a conceptual design for the Future of Fifth is expected by the middle of next year, with a final design finished by early 2025.

“Open Streets are good for people and good for business, and we can’t wait to bring back the iconic Fifth Avenue Open Street this holiday season — bigger and better than ever,” Adams said.

“I felt the energy walking down the middle of Fifth Avenue last year — it was electric. And as we get excited for more of the same this December, we’re moving full speed ahead on permanently reimagining Fifth Avenue, so people can have this incredible experience every day of the year.”

RELATED:

• Last year’s holiday open streets in Midtown drove $3M in spending at local businesses
• NYC proposes pedestrian-friendly path on Fifth Avenue from Bryant Park to Central Park
• NYC to close streets around Rockefeller Center to cars during holiday season

The post NYC holiday open streets return to Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center first appeared on 6sqft.

The plan to extend the Q train to East Harlem received a funding boost this weekend. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Saturday announced a $3.4 billion federal grant for the Second Avenue Subway extension, covering nearly half of the project’s estimated total cost of $7.7 billion. The plan will extend the Q by 1.8 miles and connect its current endpoint at 96th Street on the Upper East Side to 125th Street in Harlem, with fully accessible stations between them at 106th and 116th Streets.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed the $3.4 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement under a program that received funding under President Jose Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“This project has been decades in the making, and will extend the existing line to East Harlem, an area often considered a transit desert,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “With support from President Biden, Secretary Buttigieg, Leader Schumer, Congressman Espaillat and the entire New York Congressional delegation, we are finally getting this done.”

The Second Avenue subway extension will deliver subway access to East Harlem, a subway desert since the Second Avenue EL stopped service above 57th Street in 1940, according to the MTA. The transit agency projects that the extension will serve roughly 100,000 riders daily, reduce crowding on the 4, 5, 6, and Q subway lines and local bus service, and lead to shorter commute times, saving some passengers as much as 20 minutes.

The line will also offer commuters from NYC’s northern suburbs and Connecticut an easy transfer to the Metro-North Railroad.

The second phase builds upon improvements made in the first phase, which opened to New Yorkers in January 2017 after a decade of construction. The first phase’s completion marked the largest extension of the NYC subway system in half a century. As part of the first phase, the Q line was extended from 63rd Street to 96th Street, with new stations created at 72nd Street and 86th Street. Since it began operation, the new line has served over 130 million passengers in total.

“The fact of New York City, its existence, is one of the great marvels of human achievement, and that great marvel rests on a great marvel of engineering and public works that it is the subway system,” Buttigieg said during a news conference in Harlem Saturday. “A system that runs 24/7 and is the reason why over 8 million people can get to where they need to go. But it has been too hard for too long for residents in East Harlem.”

“It can take two hours a day round-trip even within Manhattan, and because there’s not another option, the 4, 5, and 6 trains get so crowded. The kind of transportation access you have or don’t have can decide the kind of job you will have or not have, the kind of health care you will have or not have, the kind of time with your family that you will have or you will not have.”

Phase one drew criticism for its staggering $4.6 billion price tag, which when it was completed in 2017 became the world’s most expensive subway system on a cost-per-kilometer basis, according to a study by New York University’s Marron Institute of Urban Management.

For this next phase, the MTA has committed to construction methods that will lower costs, such as addressing the requirements of relocating utilities beforehand to lower the risks of adding unexpected costs and having to delay the project as construction progresses.

To further bring down the costs, the MTA will utilize tunnels on Second Avenue between East 99th and 105th Streets and between East 110th and 120th Streets that were dug in the 1970s but left vacant after a financial crisis in 1975 forced work to stop, according to Patch.

In July, the MTA released renderings and announced that it was soliciting the first contract for the project. The contract was solicited as a Design-Bid-Build A+B contract, which is a type of agreement that incentivizes participants to complete a project using no more than the agreed-upon costs and time needed to finish. This type of contract saved the MTA’s Construction and Development more than $100 million in project costs in 2022, according to a press release.

The announcement comes days after work began on another ambitious transit project known as the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP). The HTP last week received an additional $3.8 billion in federal funding that will help accelerate construction of the project’s first phase, which will create concrete casings for trains to travel under the Hudson River and through to Pennsylvania Station and will raise a section of road in New Jersey that will feed into the mouth of the new tunnel.

MTA officials estimate it will take at least seven years to complete the extension of the Q.

RELATED:

• MTA moves forward with expansion of Second Avenue Subway
• Infrastructure bill will bring billions in funding for NYC transit projects and more
• Cuomo to fast-track NYC infrastructure projects, including overhauls of Penn Station & LaGuardia

The post Second Avenue Subway extension to East Harlem gets funding boost from Biden administration first appeared on 6sqft.

Work to replace a decaying rail tunnel under the Hudson River is moving ahead after receiving $3.8 billion in federal funding. Gov. Kathy Hochul, United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Chuck Schumer and other officials on Friday announced the start of the first phase of the $16 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, part of the Gateway Program. This early phase of the project will create concrete casings for trains to travel under the Hudson River and through to Pennsylvania Station and will raise a section of road in New Jersey that will feed into the mouth of the new tunnel.

According to Schumer, with the additional $3.8 billion, the federal share of the cost is at 70 percent.

“For a long time now, the Gateway project has been my passion. It’s a labor of love. And after many false starts and obstacles placed in our way, Gateway is full speed ahead with billions in federal dollars I secured ready to go towards this critical work and construction,” Schumer said.

“Gateway’s future is assured and the most important public works project in America is all systems go.”

In September, the Gateway Development Commission awarded the first contracts for construction on the New Jersey side of the two-track tunnel project, with work expected to break ground in October.

Using $25 million in grants from the federal government, the commission approved $47.3 million in contracts that allow Conti Civil, a NJ-based company, to proceed with moving utilities and starting construction on a new roadway bridge on Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen. The company will raise a portion of the avenue to provide a 19-foot clearance above the train tracks and create a bridge that feeds into the mouth of the new tunnel, according to the New York Times.

After the avenue is raised, work can begin on the actual excavation of the rail tunnel below the Hudson River, which is expected to begin in 2025. If it all goes according to plan, the new tunnel will open after a decade of construction.

In 2010, a similar plan was underway to realign the same portion of Tonnelle Avenue to provide access to the end of a different tunnel connecting to NYC. The plan, known as Access to the Region’s Core (ARC), was discarded by former Gov. Chris Christie who feared that NJ would be left to pay for the project’s hefty $8.7 billion price tag.

Had the state continued with the work, the tunnel would be ready for use within the next couple of years, according to the New York Times.

The Hudson Tunnel Project will replace two aging tunnels, allowing trains to operate at faster speeds and with fewer delays. The two passageways, which are 113-years-old, were damaged in 2012 during Hurricane Sandy by millions of gallons of salt water that flooded into the tunnels. Some of the seawater still continues to corrode the concrete, steel, tracks, and rails of the tunnel’s infrastructure to this day.

The Hudson tunnel requires constant maintenance which leads to numerous delays that impact the commutes of hundreds of thousands of riders. During 2020, passengers experienced 12,653 minutes of delays due to the tunnel’s aging infrastructure, according to a statement from the White House.

Despite its decrepit condition, the tunnel is a vital part of the economy. If it were to shut down for just one day, it would cost the nation’s economy roughly $100 billion, according to President Joe Biden. The project is expected to create roughly 72,000 direct and indirect job over the course of its construction and will work with unions for job training.

“A century ago our leaders knew and had the vision to recognize this need for a connection to bring our nation together. They knew that a reliable rail system could bring tremendous benefits beyond just New York and New Jersey,” Hochul said.

“Today we’ve seen that this corridor is vital to our economic success. That has been the story for over a century. But now we’re called upon to make the investments to ensure for the next 100 years. This is reliable, it’s stable, it can be counted on.”

In July 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul of NY and Gov. Philip D. Murphy of NJ agreed to split the $14 billion price tag for the local costs of the Hudson Tunnel Project. The Port Authority of NY and NJ have a total commitment of $2.7 billion to the first phase of the project, but a signed agreement with the federal government is not expected until next year, according to the New York Times.

In February, Biden appeared at Hudson Yards to announce a $292 million investment in the HTP. The funding was put towards a $649 million project to extend the concrete casing of the tunnels between Penn Station and the Hudson River before any work on the tunnels could actually begin.

RELATED:

• Work on Hudson River rail tunnel project could begin next month
• In New York, Biden touts $300M investment for Hudson River rail project
• Hudson River rail tunnel project moves forward as NJ, NY reach agreement

The post Construction officially begins on Hudson River tunnel project first appeared on 6sqft.

The time has come. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday installed the first OMNY vending machines at select subway stations across the city, marking a major step in the retirement of the MetroCard. The new machines allow people who pay with cash to purchase a tappable card to use at the turnstiles, which are all equipped with tap-to-pay technology. The installation of OMNY vending machines, which will also accept cards and digital wallets, in all 472 stations will continue through 2024.

“Installing OMNY vending machines in subway stations makes it easier than ever for transit customers to leave MetroCard in the past and embrace the convenience of tapping, especially those who pay with cash to ride,” NYC Transit President Richard Davey said. “Our station agents are trained and ready to support customers who make the switch to OMNY so they can start tapping.”

The new OMNY machines are now in service at the following stations:

• 86th Street – 4, 5, and 6 lines -​  at the Downtown and Brooklyn entrance
• Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center – B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 lines​​​​​​​​​
  -Atlantic Avenue/Flatbush Avenue/Barclays Center entrance
  -Pacific Street/4th Avenue entrance
• Bowling Green ​​- 4 and 5 lines
• Fordham Road – B and D lines -​​ at the East 188th Street/Grand Concourse entrance
• Fordham Road – 4 line
• Junction Boulevard – 7 line

For a limited time only, commuters can buy a new reloadable OMNY card for $1, which is the same price as a new MetroCard. Customers can also buy a new single-ride OMNY ticket for $3.25

The MTA will pilot the use of the new OMNY machines and gather feedback from customers before expanding service to more stations.

With OMNY, riders can tap and pay for fares through a digital wallet on smartphones or watches, with a credit or debit card with microchips, and with a reloadable OMNY card.

“Vending machines that allow people paying with cash to use OMNY now means that everyone can take advantage of OMNY’s benefits, such as the $34.00 rolling seven-day fare cap, and the simplicity of tapping your OMNY card at the reader,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

“If you haven’t already, now is the time to trade in your MetroCard for OMNY – it’s the future of transportation in New York.”

The city began the gradual replacement of the MetroCard with OMNY in 2019 when they launched a pilot program of the contactless payment system that allowed riders to tap their credit cards, debit cards, and smartphones to pay fares.

In September 2022, the MTA announced that it would be replacing all of the subway system’s MetroCard vending machines with OMNY machines by the end of 2023. The transit agency said they would begin swapping out the classic machines for OMNY during the first half of 2023 after finalizing hardware and software testing, as NY1 reported.

The installation of OMNY vending machines in all 472 subway stations will continue through 2024.

RELATED:

• MTA to replace all MetroCard vending machines with OMNY by end of next year
• MTA to roll out fare-capping pilot program for OMNY this month
• 60 more subway stations will get MTA’s tap-to-pay system this month

The post MTA rolls out OMNY card machines at select subway stations first appeared on 6sqft.

Due to technical issues, almost all of the subway system’s new futuristic cars have been taken off the rails. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last week confirmed that six out of the seven new R211 subway cars had been taken out of service due to malfunctioning gearboxes which caused the car’s wheels to lock up, drag along the tracks, and flatten, as first reported by Gothamist. The cars are expected to be back in service in a few weeks after being repaired.

The R211 cars currently operate on the A subway line, and the MTA has assured commuters that no train service has been affected by their removal.

Gearboxes on subway trains are best compared to the gears that connect to the chain of a bike and keep its wheels turning. If a subway car’s gearbox is damaged, the wheels will lock up and drag along the rails, gradually flattening them out and causing the train to bump up and down as it rolls down the tracks, subway operators explained to Gothamist.

“During routine operations of R211 subway cars in service, New York City Transit crews discovered a faulty gear box in some of the cars,” Eugene Resnick, an MTA spokesperson, told the news site in an email. “As is the case whenever we identify an issue with a particular subway car model, we have temporarily removed the affected trains from service until further testing is complete.”

This isn’t the first of the new trains that have been pulled from service since they first hit the tracks. In April, one of the new cars was taken off the rails after it received a fresh coat of graffiti—a proper NYC welcome, according to Gothamist.

In November 2017, the MTA first revealed its newest class of subway cars and its “open-gangway” design. This design feature is meant to reduce delays and speed up boarding by increasing capacity and allowing for better movement between cars. The new cars also feature 58-inch door spans, eight inches wider than the doors on existing cars.

They also feature digital displays with real-time service updates, brighter lighting, and better signage, and are equipped with the MTA’s new communications-based signal technology, which allows more trains to run closer together.

The R211 will eventually replace the MTA’s R46 cars, which were built in the late 1970s and currently run on the A, F, R, and C lines, as well as the Staten Island Railway.

The MTA announced it would be spending $4 billion to buy more than 1,600 of the new subway cars in January 2018. The transit agency set up a three-phase contract with Kawasaki, the Japanese company that manufactures the train cars. The first of the new cars was supposed to be delivered by July 2020 but experienced a 13-month delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

RELATED:

• New open gangway subway cars to debut on the A and C lines this year
• First new futuristic subway cars arrive in NYC for testing
• MTA unveils first look at new open-gangway subway cars

The post New R211 subway cars taken out of service due to faulty gears first appeared on 6sqft.

New Yorkers can now access a waterfall in Prospect Park without having to hop a fence for the first time in decades. The Prospect Park Alliance on Thursday opened Fallkill Trail, a new woodland pathway leading to the scenic Fallkill Waterfall that has been behind fencing since 1995. The new trail was created by staff and volunteers from Prospect Park Alliance who worked to remove invasive plants, plant native species, haul logs, grade paths, and form the trail.

Fallkill Falls closed to the public in the mid-1990s as part of an initiative to restore Prospect Park’s woodlands which had experienced years of deterioration due to a lack of funding to the city’s Parks Department in the 1970s and 80s, according to the New York Times.

From the mid-1990s to 2004, an abundance of trees, shrubs, and plants were added to the area, and the space around the waterfall was fenced in to ensure that the new plantings had time to settle. The first iteration of the fence measured eight feet tall but was cut in half to allow visitors better views of the falls.

For years, park visitors have frequented the Fallkill area by jumping over fencing that surrounded the area. These actions have resulted in trampled woodlands, graffiti, and litter. The Alliance hopes that by officially opening the area to the public, the trail can be more accessible and encourage visitors to carry out their litter instead of leaving it.

“We have monitored how people are engaging with the park and we adapt our uses to meet them where they are. This new trail will invite visitors to explore a previously fenced area of the park and enjoy the beautifully restored landscape,” Morgan Monaco, President of Prospect Park Alliance, said.

“The park’s natural areas are a true respite for New Yorkers and the long-term health of our natural areas requires us to be champions and strong stewards of the park and I urge all who come to experience the park’s woodlands to stay on the designated trails, carry out all trash that you bring in, and always keep dogs on-leash to protect these delicate habitats.”

Last November, workers began cutting fallen trees, removing invasive species, and figuring out which plants would be best introduced to the area. They then planted native woodland herbaceous seeds and marked the path.

The logs that have been cut from the fallen trees will line the path, and once they begin to degrade, will further feed the ecosystem. Steps and swales have also been added along the path to help with erosion.

The Alliance plans to extend the path over a ridge and down to some nearby baseball fields over the next couple of years.

While the trail is now officially open, the waterfall won’t be able to be seen in the near future. The waterfall is man-made and has been turned off to prevent Prospect Park Lake from flooding, according to the New York Times. The lake’s water level is still high due to September’s heavy rain and it is unclear when it will be turned back on.

RELATED:

• New York City’s best spots for bird watching
• City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway
• Proposal to restore Prospect Park’s Vale faces criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates

The post Prospect Park reopens Fallkill Waterfall trail after nearly 30 years first appeared on 6sqft.

New York is making the largest-ever state investment in renewable energy in the United States. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the state has awarded contracts for three new offshore wind farms that are expected to generate 4,032 megawatts of clean energy, lowering CO2 emissions by more than 7 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of removing 1.6 million cars from the road annually. The wind projects paired with 22 land-based renewable energy projects will create enough clean energy to power 2.6 million homes in New York, or 12 percent of the state’s electricity needs.

“New York continues to set the pace for our nation’s transition to clean energy. An investment of this magnitude is about more than just fighting climate change – we’re creating good-paying union jobs, improving the reliability of our electric grid, and generating significant benefits in disadvantaged communities,” Hochul said.

“Today, we are taking action to keep New York’s climate goals within reach, demonstrating to the nation how to recalibrate in the wake of global economic challenges while driving us toward a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come.”

Developed by Total Energies, Rise Light & Power, and Corio Generation, Attentive Energy One will generate 1,404 megawatts of clean energy. Located 44 miles off NYC’s shores, the project aims to retire the use of fossil fuel power generation and transition the current workforce to clean energy jobs.

Attentive One Energy would also connect to Long Island City’s Ravenswood Generating Station, NYC’s largest fossil fuel burning facility, and shift it to 100 percent renewable energy. The idea of shifting the plant’s power source was introduced by Rise Light & Power, the facility’s current owner.

As part of the ambitious plan, Ravenwood will replace three steam generators that have been in service since 1960 with offshore wind and solar power while retaining a more modern machine that uses a mixture of gas and steam.

The station’s iconic stacks, which have polluted the surrounding areas for decades and fueled an asthma crisis in the neighborhood, would be taken down as part of the project, according to City Limits.

Rise Light hopes to start the transition to clean power at the Long Island City station by the end of this decade into the early 2030s.

The second project, Community Offshore Wind, would be located 64 miles offshore and maximize the delivery of clean electricity to NYC. Developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures, the project would connect to ConEdison’s Brooklyn Clean Energy Hub in Downtown Brooklyn and create 1,314 megawatts of renewable energy.

Developed by Vineyard Offshore, Excelsior Wind would be located 23 miles offshore and generate 1,314 megawatts of clean power. The project would connect to Long Island’s East Garden City substation and create new cable route options that will better deliver energy throughout the area, according to Gothamist.

The wind farms are projected to increase consumer electric bills by $2.93 per month for the duration of the projects, according to Hochul’s office.

The projects will also lessen the public’s exposure to harmful pollutants, leading to fewer incidents of illness, premature death, lower healthcare costs, a smaller number of missed days of school and work, and fewer disruptions to business.

Projects will now enter contract negotiations with the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority. According to the governor, New York will now have enough operating, contracted, and under development renewable energy projects to supply 79 percent of the state’s 2030 electricity needs with renewable energy.

Hochul’s announcement comes days after the Governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed for the creation of a transmission line underneath a public beach in Long Beach for one of the five boroughs’ wind farms. Hochul said that opposition from local officials influenced her decision to veto.

After criticizing Hochul for the veto, the New York Offshore Wind Alliance applauded Hochul’s announcement.

“Today’s announcement by the Governor, awarding three contracts for more than 4,000 MW of offshore wind generation, shows that New York is prepared to double down on this clean, renewable and job-creating resource, and will go a long way towards instilling confidence in a market that has recently faced tremendous headwinds,” New York Offshore Wind Alliance Director Fred Zalcman said.

RELATED:

• South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to become one of nation’s largest offshore wind ports
• NY lawmakers introduce ‘Dark Skies Act’ to protect migrating birds and limit light pollution
• Nation’s largest offshore wind farm proposes Sunset Park factory

The post New York approves three offshore wind projects in historic renewable energy investment first appeared on 6sqft.

A developer hoping to build a casino near the United Nations is adding two components to its plan to appeal to New Yorkers: a famous architect and hundreds of affordable apartments. Soloviev Group last week announced its proposed mixed-use development in Midtown East dubbed Freedom Plaza will include 1,325 apartments with more than 500 of them permanently affordable. Plus, as the New York Times first reported, starchitect Bjarke Ingels will design the project, which includes a hotel, museum, public green space, and an underground casino.

Soloviev Group is among a group of several developers vying for one of New York City’s three casino licenses. Early this year, the developer unveiled plans for Freedom Plaza on a six-acre stretch of vacant land near the U.N. headquarters. The proposal calls for a hotel, two residential towers, retail space, a human rights museum, public green space, and a partially subterranean casino operated by Mohegan from 38th to 41st Streets east of First Avenue.

The original plan also included a giant Ferris wheel, but that idea has been scrapped. Instead of an amusement park ride, Soloviev’s latest proposal offers something desperately needed in New York City, particularly in this section of Midtown: affordable housing.

The development’s two high-rise apartment towers would share a podium and include 513 studio to three-bedroom apartments priced below the market rate. The developers say at least 30 percent of the 1,325 total homes will be permanently affordable “at an average of 80% or below the average median income,” which is $112,960 annually for a family of four.

According to the Times, the affordable housing will only be built if a casino license is issued to the developer. “We’re not required to do it,” Michael Hershman, the firm’s CEO, said.

The project would create more affordable housing than has been built in Midtown East from 2010 to 2020, the Times reports. If a casino license is granted, construction could begin in 2025, Hershman told the newspaper.

“Affordable housing, specifically the creation of new low- and moderate-income units, is a top priority in our City and nationally,” Hershman said in a statement. “We are dedicated to mitigating the housing crisis within our community and intend to develop more than 500 affordable units, while also introducing meaningful economic and social benefit initiatives.”

Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the Brooklyn- and Copenhagen-based firm, will design the development.

Soloviev will also debut a free light installation at the proposed casino light this winter. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza will include 17,000 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change hues and create a dreamlike landscape. The installation, which will be on view for 12 months, cost $1.5 million.

RELATED:

• Renderings show massive light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site
• Latest casino proposed for NYC includes a giant Ferris wheel near the U.N.

The post Midtown East casino proposal adds Bjarke Ingels and 500 affordable apartments first appeared on 6sqft.