Monday’s Headlines: Permanent Paseo Edition
STREETSBLOG NYC—Sunday was a celebration by and for the people of Jackson Heights as the 34th Avenue open street — the city’s self-proclaimed “gold standard” of car-light spaces — was officially co-named “Paseo Park.” The name isn’t new, of course, the Department of Transportation has been using that name for the stretch between 69th Street […]
Bringing New Life to Empty Subway Shops
NEW YORK TIMES—Newsstands and other shops, the ghosts of a thriving economy, haunt New York City’s subway system. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has about 100 empty plots of real estate, many awkwardly shaped and lacking proper electricity, gas or plumbing. The M.T.A. wanted to give them new life, and in 2023, created the Vacant Unit […]
Summer problem has year-round solutions
DAILY NEWS—With Labor Day and the swimming season over, it’s understandable that many people put water safety out of mind with beach and pool days behind us. But for a country facing a national water safety crisis, this should be a year-round issue that demands our attention. Through strategic partnerships, targeted investments, and innovative programs, […]
Using NYC’s streets for all New Yorkers
DAILY NEWS—Zohran Mamdani’s campaign captured the attention of voters by promising to address the city’s affordability crisis and by connecting with New Yorkers on our streets. You don’t have to look hard to find city streets in just about every image of his campaign. He walked the length of Manhattan four nights before the primary. […]
Mission to Revive Abandoned Spaces With Art Expands to Public Housing
THE CITY—“Art on the Ave,” which provides artists with opportunities to showcase their work in vacant storefronts across the city, is opening its first NYCHA-based exhibit. Usually, a New York City vacant storefront has nothing to offer passersby but the dead and empty husk of what once was an alive and vibrant business. The nonprofit […]
This neighborhood in Queens has a brilliant plan to turn a busy street into a park
FAST COMPANY—A design vision for making a New York City “Open Street” permanent has potential around the world. One of the most positive legacies of the COVID-19 pandemic stretches across 26 blocks in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. The 34th Avenue Open Street emerged out of a New York City-sanctioned program in the early days of […]
How a 1.3-mile stretch of street became a much-needed park space in Queens, New York
GRIST—“What started out as a necessity during the pandemic has really evolved into an incredible place that brings people together.” During the COVID lockdowns of 2020, people in cities all over the world were desperate to get outside. As everything slowed down, residents and city governments organized to block off sections of some streets to […]
Report: A Calmer 34th Avenue Open Street Starts on Northern Boulevard
STREETSBLOG NYC —New York City’s most popular car-free street has a moped problem — but supporters hope design changes can help calm the street and redirect faster micro-mobility users to busier streets. The 26-block 34th Avenue open street in Jackson Heights is widely recognized as the “gold standard” for the city’s car-free open streets. Yet […]
Beach Season in NYC is Just Beginning. For New Lifeguards, It Began Months Ago.
THE CITY—The Parks Department now has training centers in high schools across the city, and is hoping to change the culture of the beach watchers. Summer unofficially kicks off Memorial Day weekend with the opening of New York City’s public beaches, with hundreds of lifeguards deployed to 14 miles of shoreline. For new lifeguards, the […]
A ‘Sea Change’ in the Subway: Assaults Outnumber Robberies
THE NEW YORK TIMES—While crime remains rare in the New York City subway, a surge in unpredictable attacks, not motivated by theft, signals a worrisome shift. A top concern for subway riders was once having a purse or wallet snatched. Now, they may be more worried about a sudden attack. The nature of crime in […]