Homes.com featured Dylan Hoffman of The Hoffman Team at Compass as the listing agent for Babe Ruth’s former home at 345 West 88th Street on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Dylan discusses the historic residence, its flexible layout, renovated kitchen, neighborhood views and buyer response.
Manhattan (and Brooklyn), and I would venture to say most markets nationwide, are cyclical. In the Big Apple, there are two main selling seasons: spring and fall. Spring is defined as roughly March 1 to about June 15, when more apartments change hands on a weekly basis than at any other time of the year. In some cases, over 400 apartments a week go into contract during a typical spring market. However, the autumn/fall season is a little bit different. There are really only two main months to the fall season: September, the listing month, and October, the in-contract month. If a seller doesn’t go under contract by the end of October or early November, then the chances of finding a buyer during the impending holiday season are greatly diminished.
Many liken the September listing month to a “Wall of Listings.” For example, last August, 608 listings came on the market compared to 2,100 in September 2025—a 245% increase in about 30 days! This creates both pitfalls and opportunities for every property entering the post-Labor Day market. Each listing has to compete for the same buyer attention, the same saved-listing alerts, and the same first-impression window. The competition is fierce.
And when you look at the number of listings that come on the market in September, it really does look like a wall on a graph. I’ve included UrbanDigs’ version of this graph below:
There are many reasons for this massive listing dump in September. Properties that didn’t go into contract during the spring and early summer months usually come off the market for the dog days of summer. Sellers then recalibrate their listings for the fall market and relaunch after Labor Day weekend. Also, sellers who haven’t yet entered the market but missed the spring season release their properties after Labor Day. Meanwhile, buyers who have been looking all spring and summer find very little inventory by the end of August. Generally, inventory declines to seasonal lows at the end of August as the New York City exodus to the Hamptons, the Berkshires, upstate New York, and all over the world takes place during the last two to three weeks of the month. It’s uncanny. You can see it in the subways and see it on the streets. The city is extremely empty at the end of August. It’s very much a New York City thing. If you live in New York City, you see it every season.
But the city comes alive again in September. So how do sellers stand out in a crowded field vying for potential buyers? The obvious standouts are pricing, appearance, accessibility, and the willingness of sellers to pounce on offers as they come in during the first few days and weeks of September. Timing also matters. Sometimes it’s about the strategic timing of when you release your property in September. After Labor Day, there are major Jewish holidays and the start of both private and public schools to navigate. Dropping your listing on the market at a pinpointed time can help attract the right buyer at the right moment.
And for the buyers? The fall gives buyers more alternatives and temporarily reduces the competition around any one listing. However, new listings beget more buyers, and if sellers have priced their properties accordingly, buyers flock to those choice properties first—so be ready! Have your pre-approval letter or proof of funds at hand, and be aggressive with your offers on properties you like during the first few weeks of the fall market. If you’re prepared, you could walk away with the property of your dreams.
The fall market is short—roughly two months. It’s a mad scramble for sellers and buyers to sell and/or purchase their dream homes before the end of the year. However, this year inventory has been roughly 10% lower all season, so it remains to be seen how the 2026 fall listing dump will play out. And on the flip side, buyers have been putting roughly 10% more properties into contract over the first eight months of 2026, so there could be more competition for fewer listings this fall—but only time will tell. And you can always find out the latest on the Manhattan market with The Hoffman Team’s Weekly Manhattan Real Estate Update, which is posted on my blog and LinkedIn every Monday morning. Happy selling and shopping this fall!
US Open
Till September 13, 2026
The 2026 US Open is in full swing at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, bringing two weeks of world-class tennis and excitement to New York City. The tournament continues through September 13, as the sport’s biggest stars compete for one of tennis’s most prestigious titles.
Click HERE to follow the action, view the schedule, and learn more!
Little Italy’s biggest annual celebration is back for 11 days of Italian-American food, music, performances, religious traditions, and plenty of Mulberry Street chaos. The Feast of San Gennaro runs September 17 through September 27, with live entertainment every day, the Grand Procession, and more.
Click HERE to learn more!
Direct journeys to Montauk on the Long Island Rail Road will no longer be seasonal, with transit officials making the service permanently year-round. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced service changes and infrastructure upgrades to the LIRR’s Montauk Branch, including the addition of a year-round weekday 5:13 p.m. train from Penn Station to the coastal hamlet, providing a one-seat journey to the eastern end of Long Island. Set to begin next month, the added service comes as the Montauk Branch has experienced continued growth, with ridership increasing 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
The service currently operates throughout the summer, providing a convenient one-seat journey to Montauk. During the off-season, however, passengers must make at least one transfer, lengthening an already long trip that takes roughly three hours and 10 minutes even without a transfer.
Ridership on the branch continues to reach new highs, with 1,212,229 passengers recorded so far this year. Several stations along the Montauk line have also seen substantial ridership increases, including Hamptons Bay, up 23 percent, and Southampton, up 46 percent compared to last year.
Officials announcing the Montauk Branch service upgrades. Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr
Additionally, during the summer, many trains to and from Montauk operate at close to 100 percent capacity. The continued growth in ridership has prompted the LIRR to expand the direct service year-round to meet passenger demand.
“As we continue to show our commitment to the east end of Long Island, these improvements on the Montauk Branch will deliver even more reliable service and shorter waits for the thousands of daily LIRR riders who depend on us,” LIRR President Rob Free said.
“With a new year-round weekday one seat ride to Montauk from Penn Station, we’re delivering the kind of convenient, predictable service our customers deserve while supporting the tourism and local industries that power the East End,” he added.
Complementing the new service is a two-phase infrastructure project that will extend a track siding between Southampton and Montauk and install a second platform at Hampton Bays station.
A 27-mile stretch of single-track rail between Southampton and Montauk currently limits the number of Montauk Branch trains that can operate. The project will extend the train car siding at Amagansett by 14 LIRR train-car lengths, reducing the single-track section to 11 miles between Amagansett and Montauk and 16 miles between Southampton and Amagansett.
The project will improve scheduling flexibility and the LIRR’s ability to recover from service disruptions while providing riders with more reliable service. Construction is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2028, with completion anticipated in the second quarter of 2029.
Phase two will make permanent a temporary second platform installed at Hampton Bays station for U.S. Open events at Shinnecock Hills, when the station experiences increased demand. The new eastbound side platform will allow riders to board and exit trains in both directions, improving reliability and accessibility for riders while giving the LIRR greater operational flexibility.
The Hampton Bays station will also receive track and signal upgrades, allowing the siding to accommodate trains with up to eight cars, compared with the current six. Customers will also be able to board and disembark along the entire length of the platform.
A timeline for the second phase will be developed as part of the project’s planning and design process.
“The LIRR is already the best and most convenient way to travel to and from the East End, but for years, aging infrastructure has stood in the way of improving service to keep up with surging demand,” Hochul said. “By making smart investments in our rail system, we can soon make jam-packed summer trains a thing of the past by increasing reliability and running more service on the Montauk Branch, making it easier than ever for New Yorkers to travel out east by train.”
August 26, 2026
Cover Photo Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr
Here’s a chance to pitch a tent under the stars in parks around New York City. First launched over 20 years ago, the NYC Parks Department’s Family Camping program provides a free way for New Yorkers to experience overnight camping without leaving the five boroughs. The events, hosted by the Urban Park Rangers, include night hikes, storytelling, and, of course, s’mores. As space is very limited, with just 30 participants per program, according to Gothamist, interested campers must enter a lottery for each event. While registration for the Central Park event has passed, there are plenty of opportunities in other parks across New York, like Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan and Orchard Beach in the Bronx.
“For more than two decades, our Urban Park Rangers’ Family Camping program has introduced hundreds of New Yorkers to the joy of spending a night outdoors, helping families unplug, connect with one another, and experience nature right here in our city,” NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said in a statement.
“In a place as bustling as New York, creating opportunities for people to camp, explore, and build a relationship with the natural world is more important than ever.”
The Parks department will bring the tents; campers need only bring sleeping bags, bedding, food, and snacks. Camping events will happen throughout the city’s parks on a rolling basis. Applications via the lottery will be accepted every Monday, running for four days with each submission.
The program was designed to introduce sleeping in the great outdoors to city folk who may have never camped before. Each family camping outing will accommodate about 30 people (you don’t need to be a family to enter; you can bring your friends, too).
Other than Central Park, additional camping sites include Alley Pond Park in Queens, Van Cortlandt Park and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn, Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, Blue Heron Park on Staten Island, and more. The program is free. Camping in these city parks is prohibited at other times.
Check the NYC Parks website for more information and camping locations.
According to Shimamura, Parks will announce a new program this fall that will allow more New Yorkers to enjoy the great outdoors.
“Stay tuned — this fall, we’re taking our beloved Family Camping program to the next level with a special new camping experience that will give even more New Yorkers the chance to make unforgettable memories in one of our city’s most recognizable public spaces,” she said.
August 11, 2026
All photos courtesy of NYC Parks
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and state officials this week announced plans to cool New York City subway platforms that turn into saunas during the summer. The mayor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are teaming up to study thermal energy networks (TENs) at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall and Chamber Street complex, among the city’s hottest subway platforms. The technology, the first in the nation installed in a transit system, involves capturing, storing, and recycling the excess heat to surrounding buildings in the winter. The TENs study will be part of a thorough renovation of the Chambers Street station, one of the city’s oldest.
Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA
Funded using congestion pricing revenues from the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan, the much-needed renovation of the 113-year-old Chambers Street station would rebuild, replace, and upgrade structures, tiles, and stairways, as well as repair leaks and assess water damage. The MTA will assign a contract to move forward on the renovation by the end of this year.
Courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA
The Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall 4/5/6 station recorded average summer temperatures as high as 96 degrees in 2025. The top-to-toe modernization project offers an opportunity to study TENs as a way of cooling subway platforms and reusing the excess heat in nearby municipal buildings, which would lead to a long-term reduction of energy costs.
The heat would be captured in boreholes that run between 500 and 600 feet underground. A system of circulating pumps and pipes will bring the heat from below the surface to warm the municipal office buildings above, as the mayor said during a press conference on Monday.
“This would be the first thermal energy system of its kind in any American transit system, a historic feat that would not only help the city to save money and limit steam consumption but help us mitigate the extreme level of heat in our subway stations,” Mamdani said.
Heat-related issues can lead to service delays. For its part, the MTA prioritizes dependable service and air-conditioned trains to minimize the time riders spend on platforms, but the new study aims to improve rider comfort even further.
“For years, New Yorkers have suffered through sweltering summer heat on subway platforms, with seemingly no hope for a cooler ride in sight. Today, I can assure riders during this hot summer week that help is on the way,” Hochul said in a statement.
“Working with Mayor Mamdani and the MTA, we are harnessing cutting-edge climate technology for a truly cool purpose: making our subway stations tolerable during the summer and heating critical city buildings during the winter. This is what effective partnership between city and state government can yield—innovative solutions that have the potential to help millions of subway riders.”
August 11, 2026
Cover Photo: All photos courtesy of Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr
New Yorkers will have to wait a little longer for the self-filtering floating pool in the East River. Initially slated for a pilot this summer, the +POOL team announced on X on Wednesday that while construction is nearly complete, ongoing work on the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience project will delay testing of the prototype until at least 2027. More than 15 years in the making, the project reached a major milestone in summer 2024, when Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Mayor Eric Adams selected Pier 35 as its official location.
The nonprofit +POOL first proposed a self-filtering floating pool in 2015. Since then, the group has worked with the city’s Economic Development Corporation and local stakeholders to create a plan, analyze the city’s water quality, and identify the best location for the pool, as 6sqft previously reported.
In May 2021, +POOL received approval to move forward with plans for a floating pool on the south side of Pier 35 on the Lower East Side. In January 2024, Hochul and Adams committed $16 million to the nonprofit to help bring the project to fruition.
The 320-ton shell of the pilot +POOL was craned into the water at Port Newark on July 30, 2025. Photo courtesy of Friends of +POOL.
Then, in August 2024, when Hochul and Adams announced Pier 35 as the official location, the +POOL team said that the structure could be ready by the summer of 2025. After further delays due to ice floes, blizzards, and seaweed, the project is delayed again.
Original renderings of the project depicted a 110-by-36-foot, plus-shaped floating pool equipped with a filtration system designed to clean raw river water to an “acceptable microbiological standard for swimming.”
According to +POOL, the city’s ongoing work on the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience (BMCR) project, which is installing a series of flood-prevention measures to protect the Two Bridges area from a 100-year storm surge into the 2050s, has further delayed the project’s deployment until at least 2027.
In a post on X, the group said the sewer line that +POOL is permitted to connect to is being replaced as part of the BMCR project and will not be completed until the fall. Because +POOL requires a sewer connection to discharge wastewater produced by the regular backwashing of its filters, the pool’s pilot cannot proceed until the new sewer line is complete.
For now, the completed prototype sits at the Erie Basin Bargeport in Red Hook, where it will eventually be transported to Pier 35 in the East River, according to Gothamist. The nonprofit said it has secured all required approvals from city, state and federal agencies for the upcoming testing phase.
“Our primary responsibility, as stewards of such a large-scale, publicly funded project, is to pivot when necessary to support the needs of our city and state partners, investors and the people of New York,” Kara Meyer, managing director of Friends of +POOL, said in a statement, as reported by Time Out.
“While this shift comes at a cost to the organization and the project, those realities will feel insignificant when we are living in a New York City that has advanced infrastructure to protect from storm surges while opening up safe public river access for healthful recreation.”
July 31, 2026
Cover Photo: + POOL Rendering. Designed by Family New York & Playlab, Inc. Image: Family New York. Courtesy of Friends of + POOL
There has been so much press surrounding the recent Pied-à-Terre Tax and the overall state of the Manhattan real estate market. As a result, many of my clients have reached out with understandable concerns about their property values, taxes, and the direction of the market.
I wanted to take a step back and look at the Manhattan real estate market over the past three months as the current city administration implements new real estate taxes, continues to strengthen rent stabilization laws, and cracks down on landlords and slumlords. Rather than focus on headlines or politics, I wanted to summarize where we've been from a factual, data-driven perspective. My hope is that by looking at the numbers, we can gain a clearer understanding of where the Manhattan real estate market may be headed in the months ahead.
Looking back over the past three months, one theme has consistently defined the Manhattan real estate market: historically low inventory paired with remarkably resilient buyer demand.
Throughout the spring and into the early summer months, listing inventory remained well below normal levels, generally running 7% to 10% lower than the same time last year and below the five-year average. While inventory followed its typical seasonal pattern—building through the spring before beginning its descent into summer—it did so from a much lower starting point. Buyers not only had fewer listings to choose from, but roughly 40% to 44% of the market consisted of properties that had been listed for more than 90 days, leaving relatively few fresh, well-priced opportunities available.
Despite those supply constraints, buyer demand remained surprisingly strong. After a sluggish start in March, contract activity steadily improved beginning in early April and remained elevated throughout most of the spring. Rather than seeing the typical spike followed by a quick decline, the market produced a consistent stream of buyers putting properties under contract week after week. The rolling 30-day pace frequently stayed around or above 1,100 signed contracts, often running 8% to 15% ahead of last year's pace, before finally beginning its expected seasonal slowdown in July.
One of the more interesting stories of the spring was that strong transaction volume did not translate into stronger pricing. Manhattan continues to be a market where prices have largely moved sideways for years. The lesson remained the same throughout the season: price is king. Properly priced properties continued to attract buyers and sell quickly, while aspirational pricing often resulted in listings lingering on the market despite historically tight inventory.
The luxury market also continued to outperform expectations. Weekly contract totals regularly met or exceeded historical averages, with the $4 million-plus market showing impressive consistency throughout the spring. Trophy properties at $10 million and above remained active, although activity varied from week to week. At the same time, one emerging trend became increasingly apparent: the shortage of new development inventory. Rising construction costs, expensive land, higher financing costs, and fewer new projects have created one of the tightest new development markets Manhattan has seen in years.
As we moved into the summer months, the market began behaving much as it typically does seasonally. Listing inventory started its annual decline as sellers either delayed bringing properties to market or removed unsold listings in preparation for the fall season. Contract activity also began to ease, although it continued to compare favorably with historical averages and, in many weeks, remained ahead of last year's pace.
Overall, the past three months painted the picture of a Manhattan market that proved healthier than many expected. Tight inventory continued to define market conditions, buyer demand remained resilient despite limited choices, and the luxury sector continued to perform well. Most importantly, the market once again demonstrated that while inventory may be scarce, buyers remain active. If there was one lesson reinforced over the past quarter, it's this: properly priced properties continue to sell, while aspirational pricing continues to sit on the sidelines.
If history is any guide, the market should continue its slow but steady path toward an even healthier marketplace in the months ahead. Of course, only time will tell. But if the market were to follow the media headlines, we'd be looking at armageddon in the proverbial streets of Manhattan—and probably one of the best buying opportunities in years. :-)
No matter where the market goes from here, my opinion remains the same: the Manhattan real estate market has proven to be remarkably resilient, and I expect that resilience to continue.
August 24, 2026
The 2026 US Open kicks off August 24 with Fan Week and qualifying rounds, ahead of the main draw. Gates open early, with qualifying matches for men's and women's singles plus mixed doubles running through the week at the National Tennis Center in Queens.
SUMMER STREETS
August 1, 2026
Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City's most valuable public space – our streets. On select summer Saturdays, the city will open its streets to walkers, bikers, runners, and performers. Discover a wealth of free cultural programs, performances, fitness classes, interactive art, giveaways, and more.
A high-end food hall is coming to a Brooklyn landmark. Miami-based hospitality brand Casa Tua will open Cucina by Casa Tua inside the former banking hall of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, also known as One Hanson Place, bringing Italian fare and fine goods to Downtown Brooklyn. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to approve designs for the new food hall, which will preserve the landmarked interiors, keeping its cathedral-inspired design, and add new spaces for dining and gathering.
The banking hall at One Hanson Place hosted the Brooklyn Flea, but has been empty for years. Photo by Rik Panganiban on Flickr
Designed by Halsey, McCormack, and Helmer, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building was constructed in the late 1920s in a Romanesque Revival design. The 512-foot-tall tower was the tallest in Brooklyn for 80 years until 2009. With its domed clock tower, it remains an integral part of the borough’s evolving skyline. LPC designated the tower an individual landmark in 1977 and as an interior landmark, including the banking hall, in 1996. The office skyscraper was converted into 175 apartments in 2006.
Renderings courtesy of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
Renderings courtesy of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE), the parent company of the Barclays Center, acquired the retail portion of One Hanson Place in October 2024 for $10.3 million. In May, BSE announced plans to bring Cucina by Casa Tua to the ground floor of the tower, marking its first hospitality expansion beyond the Barclays Center, as Crain’s reported.
The banking hall, described by the LPC in their designation report as “basilica-like,” has over 60-foot ceiling heights, nearly a dozen types of marble, and ornate mosaics.
The project, designed by Acheson Doyle Partners Architects and Hapstak Demetriou, adaptively reuses the space, which has been vacant for years. New mezzanines will be installed, which will overlook the food hall. According to the presentation, there will be a main bar, a raw bar, and a sushi/crudo kiosk in the center. There will be pizza, pasta, a bakery, a salad grab-and-go section, and a cafe.
According to BSE, additional features of the building include a “lounge, private dining and special event spaces on the lower level, marking a significant expansion in how Cucina, and the group more broadly, will host and engage with its community.”
Renderings courtesy of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
Casa Tua currently has locations on the Upper East Side, Miami Beach, Aspen, Paris, and Capri; the Cucina format is currently only in Miami.
Cucina is expected to open at One Hanson Place in 2027.
“Growth has always been very deliberate for us. It’s about extending our version of hospitality – our quality, connection, and care – to a wider audience without losing the intimacy that makes Casa Tua special,” Miky Grendene, co-founder, Casa Tua, said in a May press release.
“One Hanson Place is a remarkable, historic setting, and with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, we share a clear vision for how to approach it: with the utmost respect for the landmark building, the neighborhood, and the people who will bring it to life every day.”
By Devin Gannon
July 21, 2026
Cover Photo Renderings courtesy of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment unless otherwise noted
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.
Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr
Designed by architectural firm Delano & Aldrich, the Marine Air Terminal opened in 1940 amid a boom in commercial air travel. Even with just six gates, the terminal is regarded as one of the city’s finest examples of Art Deco architecture, anchored by its two-story circular interior, according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which landmarked the interiors in 1980.
In its designation, the LPC described the terminal as “the only surviving American airport terminal dating from ‘the Golden Age of the Flying Boat,'” when transoceanic passenger flights were made aboard hulking Pan American Clipper ships that competed with ocean liners in providing luxury service.
The “Flight” mural. Image via WikiCommons
The interior is characterized by striking geometry, marble paneling, and fine proportions, which serve as a fitting backdrop for the huge “Flight” mural, painted by artist James Brook between 1940 and 1942. The mural is the largest and only surviving mural commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration, according to Living New Deal.
Marine Air Terminal was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
That designation has helped preserve the structure while the rest of LaGuardia Airport has undergone an $8 billion transformation. The airport, once likened to a “third world country” by then-Vice President Joe Biden, was ranked the best airport in the United States by Forbes Travel Guide in October 2024.
Spirit Airlines began partially operating out of the terminal in April 2021 before moving all of its LaGuardia operations from Terminal C to the Marine Air Terminal the following March, according to Business Insider.
In May, Spirit filed for bankruptcy and immediately ceased operations, setting the stage for this week’s auction. JetBlue’s $58.5 million bid ultimately narrowly outpaced Frontier Airlines’ $57.5 million offer, according to Gothamist.
Frontier’s bid will serve as a backup if JetBlue’s offer does not go through, but the sale is expected to be approved. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York will hold a hearing Thursday to consider approval of the sale.
A final sale order is expected no later than August 5. The purchase is also subject to regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
If the deal goes through, JetBlue would be able to operate up to 12 additional daily round trips at the airport. The airline is still determining how it will use the slots, according to a statement reported by Travel Weekly. They also said any expansion at LaGuardia tied to the new slots would begin “in 2027.”
“We’re currently evaluating how best to utilize these slots as we consider opportunities to bring more of JetBlue’s competitive, customer-focused service to New York,” JetBlue said.
According to The Points Guy, operating out of the Marine Air Terminal could provide JetBlue with “much-needed cost savings” to support its expansion at the airport. In recent years, JetBlue has scaled back its LaGuardia operations due to costs, focusing much of its New York service at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The Marine Air Terminal could offer the airline lower upkeep costs while providing an opportunity to establish the landmarked structure as a dedicated “JetBlue terminal” at LaGuardia, industry analyst Robert Mann told The Points Guy.
For now, renovations of the terminal’s non-landmarked 1980s-era boarding areas and gates will continue as they are modernized to meet increased passenger demand. The original terminal structure will remain intact.
In a statement to Gothamist, Port Authority spokesperson Halimah Elmariah said the auction reflects LaGuardia’s critical role in the region’s aviation industry.
“We are pleased the auction has concluded and look forward to working with JetBlue as it expands its operations at LaGuardia,” Halimah Elmariah told the website.
“The Port Authority remains committed to the long-term future of Terminal A, and plans to move forward with preserving the landmarked Marine Air Terminal while dramatically upgrading the attached non-landmarked 1980s-era concourse and boarding area.”
July 22, 2026
Cover Photo Marine Air Terminal in 1974. Image via WikiCommons
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is selling historic Art Deco bricks from the Lincoln Tunnel’s original retaining walls, built between 1937 and 1945, as they are dismantled to make way for the new Midtown Bus Terminal. The distinctive bricks were used in the walls outside the New York approach of the New Jersey-bound north tube and along Dyer Avenue. As part of a broader effort to promote sustainability and reuse, the agency will list the bricks for $2.25 each, allowing New Yorkers and architecture buffs to own a piece of history from the same era that produced the Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, and other Art Deco landmarks.
Vintage postcard depicting the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel in New York City. Via Wikimedia
The bricks are being removed as part of the Midtown Bus Terminal project. During the first phase of the $10 billion transit hub redevelopment, a new 50,000-square-foot ramp structure is being built to connect directly to and from the Lincoln Tunnel, requiring the disassembly of the existing retaining walls.
Rather than send the bricks to be crushed and disposed of in landfills, the Port Authority hopes to put them “back to work.” The agency says the bricks deserve to be preserved for their historical value, with their distinctive vertical bands and stylized columns offering a glimpse into the golden age of Deco architecture.
Courtesy of the Port Authority
The bricks were designed by an architectural team led by Aymar Embury II, who served as consulting architect to the former Port of New York Authority before collaborating with Robert Moses on the design of hundreds of projects across the five boroughs, including bridges, parks, and college campuses.
According to Orbit, an online marketplace that sells salvaged construction materials, the retaining walls were “patterned with vertical, recessed brick bands with concave ridges and capped with concrete coping.”
Sustainability is also a key motivation behind the preservation effort. The initiative addresses embodied carbon, or the emissions generated throughout the lifecycle of building materials such as steel, concrete, and brick, from production through installation and disposal. Reusing existing materials instead can significantly reduce the environmental cost associated with new construction.
According to the Authority, this approach is known as the “circular economy” model in the construction industry, which the agency is looking to explore for future projects.
The initiative is serving as a test of the circular economy concept, with support from the Transit Tech Lab, a public-private partnership between the Partnership Fund for New York City and regional transit agencies.
With help from Chief Bricks, a specialist in salvaged materials, and Orbit, a web-based marketplace for recirculating construction materials, the agency is recovering as many bricks as possible. The bricks are cleaned, stripped of mortar, and resold.
The Authority is also preserving some bricks for future repairs to the remaining tunnel walls. The rest are being sold to businesses, organizations, and individuals across the region through Orbit, here.
July 10, 2026
Cover Photo Courtesy of the Port Authority
New York City has launched a new interactive web tool that maps the city’s diverse linguistic landscape at the citywide, borough, and neighborhood levels. Released by the Department of City Planning, the NYC Language Explorer provides users with detailed tables, maps, and charts showing the languages spoken by New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The tool offers a way to better understand the city’s many languages and identify distinct language needs at the local level.
Credit: NYC DCP
Using the explorer, users can uncover insights into language use across NYC. For example, the tool shows that roughly 1.8 million residents have limited English proficiency, with the Bronx having the highest share of residents who speak a language other than English at 58 percent.
Additionally, Spanish is the most commonly spoken language among residents with limited English proficiency in every borough except Staten Island, where Chinese is the most prevalent.
Credit: NYC DCP
While the tool provides New Yorkers and language enthusiasts with a closer look at how language is used across the five boroughs, it is especially valuable for city agencies, nonprofits, researchers, advocates, and community organizations. Using the map, these groups can better tailor services and provide more accessible resources to residents.
“NYC is home to hundreds of languages, and that diversity is central to who we are,” DCP Director Sideya Sherman said. “NYC Language Explorer gives agencies, service providers, community organizations, and New Yorkers an accessible way to better understand the languages spoken in our neighborhoods.”
“By putting this data at people’s fingertips, we can help support more responsive planning, outreach and services across the five boroughs,” she added.
Credit: NYC DCP
The Language Explorer builds on DCP’s broader commitment to making demographic data more accessible, useful, and easier to understand, alongside tools such as Population FactFinder and Population MapViewer.
Its release also follows the recent publication of DCP’s Newest New Yorkers report, which offers a comprehensive analysis of the city’s foreign-born residents.
“NYC is a multilingual city, and NYC Language Explorer serves as another example of this administration’s commitment to language justice,” Commissioner Faiza N. Ali of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs said.
“The Language Explorer tool makes language data accessible and actionable, helping City agencies and community-based organizations to move beyond assumption-based decisions and towards evidence-based planning so that critical services and information can reach all New Yorkers,” she added.
July 8, 2026
Cover Photo by Saul Macias on Unsplash
Summer Streets returns to New York City this month with more than 20 miles of car-free streets and programming through August, along with later hours in the outer boroughs. Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn on Friday announced that the annual event will open select stretches of street to pedestrians and cyclists from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Manhattan and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island over five Saturdays in July and August, starting July 25.
Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr
“Summer Streets gives back our largest public space, our streets, so that all New Yorkers can walk, run, bike, play, dance, or simply connect with their neighbors,” Flynn said.
“This year, we’re adjusting the hours of Summer Streets in the outer boroughs to help more New Yorkers enjoy these events later in the day. We thank our sister agencies, programming partners, elected officials, and advocates for their support behind New York’s biggest block party.”
Last year’s Summer Streets featured a fully car-free corridor stretching the length of Manhattan for the first time, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Dyckman Street in Inwood. More than 500,000 people walked, ran, cycled, or played on Summer Streets in 2025.
The 2024 edition returned with expanded hours, extending street closures by two hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It also marked the first time Grand Central Terminal participated in the program, hosting “The Grand Lawn” at 40th Street and Park Avenue on August 10 and 17. The event, which had been Manhattan-only for years, expanded to all five boroughs in 2023.
Like previous years’ programs, the DOT’s art program will present a series of vibrant public art installations across the Summer Streets. Two dynamic one-day art installations, “The Bower” by Elsa Ponce and “Big Spinning Wheels” by Josh Cohen, will be displayed in Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and on Staten Island.
Ponce’s installation is a shade structure that invites visitors to create chalk drawings on the ground using playful shadows, while Cohen’s kinetic sculptures create mesmerizing optical patterns as colorful arms spin together.
The city will also unveil four NYC Art Stop Letter designs by illustrators Amanda Lobos and Grace Park, celebrating summer throughout the event dates. The artists and illustrators were selected through open calls.
DOT has again partnered with New York Road Runners to host several free community races during Summer Streets. The series begins Saturday, July 25, in Queens, and will include events in Manhattan on August 1 and the Bronx on August 22.
Through a partnership with Lyft, event attendees can receive discounted access to Citi Bike e-bikes and bikes on July 25 using the promo code SUMMER2Wheel. Lyft will release additional promo codes for future Summer Streets dates in the coming weeks.
WABC-TV will be the official media sponsor of Summer Streets, along with Grand Central, Zespri Kiwifruit, Yerba Madre, Volo Sports, and Just Ice Tea, according to a press release.
“As a born and raised New Yorker, Summer Streets is one of my favorite seasonal traditions in NYC,” Sen. Kristen Gonzalez said. “These Saturdays are amazing opportunities to embrace our neighborhoods, connect with small businesses, organizations, and other community members, and celebrate public open spaces!”
The 2025 Summer Streets will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:
Queens: Vernon Boulevard, from 44th Drive to 30th Drive.
Staten Island: Broadway, from Richmond Terrace to Harvest Avenue.
Bronx: Grand Concourse, from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway.
Brooklyn: Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue.
The 2025 Summer Streets will operate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the following locations:
Manhattan: From the Brooklyn Bridge to Dyckman Street in Inwood.
Credit: NYC DOT
July 13, 2026
Cover Photo Credit: NYC Department of Transportation on Flickr
