By: 7:30 am on May 5 YIMBY photographed the sites of two forthcoming developments on Manhattan’s Upper East Side The properties are likely to give rise to new residential buildings that will add much-needed housing units to the thriving neighborhood 3,472-square-foot interior lot between Second and Third Avenues Demolition has concluded on the former occupant which stood five stories and was owned by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health The 48-foot-tall structure had served as a community housing building with 36 units managed by the New York City Department of Homeless Services and also included on-site case management and clinical services It is currently unclear what will replace the building The following photos show the site cleared of its former occupant and masonry rubble scattered across the rectangular parcel A lone excavator remains on the property from the demolition Additional photographs below show the site at the beginning of the year when crews were in the process of dismantling the ground level of the former 99-year-old building The below Google Street View image shows the former occupant before its demolition. Stroh Engineering Services filed demolition permits for the structure in December 2022 The nearest subways from the site are the Q train at the 86th Street station to the east along Second Avenue and 6 trains at the 86th Street station to the west at Lexington Avenue and a construction timeline for 222 East 86th Street have yet to be revealed The second development is 1482-1484 First Avenue a pair of interior lots between East 77th and East 78th Streets Demolition preparations are underway on 1482 First Avenue which stands four stories and spans 7,100 square feet which stands two stories and measures 13,600 square feet Demolition is anticipated to cost approximately $900,000 per building Alchemy Properties purchased the assemblage from Parkoff Organization and Prize Network Group for $33.7 million last fall Plans have yet to be announced for the project but given the Alchemy’s history of condominium developments the new structure will most likely be residential The following photos show the buildings shrouded in scaffolding and black netting YIMBY expects both structures to be razed by the summer The below Google Street View image shows the appearance of the occupants before work began The nearest subway from the development is the Q train at the 86th Street station along Second Avenue and construction timeline for 1482-1484 First Avenue have also yet to be revealed Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Do you have any news regarding the graffiti covered building at corner of 9th avenue Where is the information on the new developments All I see is demolition without any plans for the new construction The UES has a history of “evict and demolish first The biggest offender is currently 1st and 85/86th where Extell is speculating on a full block face of first avenue They are no doubt waiting to put up another medical office building which I find ridiculous since they evicted many rent stabilized tenants due to an imminent residential project Shockingly that project hasn’t materialized So is it going to be a rent stabilize resident place or is it going to be homeless families forst ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Standard_336x280-100-2.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'PCRichards Builders Division', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PCR_Beko_Compact_YIMB_336x280.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'yimby+', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/www.newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/www.newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/www.newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC YIMBY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF NIKOLAI FEDAK / NEW YORK YIMBY LLC The Best New Restaurants in Queens, According to Eater Editors The Best New Restaurants in Brooklyn, According to Eater Editors The Best Brunch Spots in New York City, According to Eater Editors A restaurant tucked inside a swanky department store to a West Village restaurant with quiet confidence The Eater New York Heatmap has existed for nearly two decades to answer the age-old question: “What’s hot and new in Manhattan?” Eater editors do thorough reporting on the most exciting restaurant openings to hit NYC as well as smaller openings and hidden gems worth having on the radar Though the local dining scene has endured tremendous challenges in recent years the city’s spirit of breaking ground and exploring new cuisines and forms continues every month we narrow the field to those places that are drawing the most excitement focusing largely on restaurants that have only been open for six months or less When an Eater editor visits a new restaurant we share insider tips on what to expect and what’s worth ordering as well New to the list in May: Fedora, a reborn restaurant from the St. Jardim team in the West Village; and, Maison Passerelle Top Chef and James Beard-winner Gregory Gourdet’s flagship restaurant inside the Financial District department store Printemps Sam Yoo is known for Golden Diner downtown. But for his next act he headed uptown and took over his parents’ massive bi-level restaurant that faces Rockefeller Center The space is split into two concepts: Upstairs Golden HOF serves casual Korean American gastropub dishes like wings with glaze options like gochujang focusing on Korean barbecue (certain tables are set up with their own grills) little neck clams with a sesame-perilla mignonette and crispy kimchi pancakes with a jalapeño soy sauce Borgo is Andrew Tarlow’s Manhattan project; it’s his first restaurant across the bridge from the Brooklyn restaurant empire he built at Diner This one is the most timeless and mature from the operator The Best Italian Restaurants in New York City Fedora takes its name not from the hat, but from its former owner, Fedora Dorato, who ran it as a red-sauce restaurant for decades. Restaurateur Gabriel Stulman took it over from her until his version of Fedora closed during the pandemic. Now, it’s been reborn again — this time from the team behind wine bar St. Jardim around the corner the menu could’ve just as easily trended towards basic bistro fare the Le Rock alum put forth a menu of familiar items (chicken Cordon bleu) with twists (like subbing out ravioli for pierogies) but there are a few larger tables — moody lighting is fit for a date Bar Recommendations From the City's Top Drink Makers 13 New York Restaurants With Great Specials Bánh Anh Em initially gained fans from its Upper West Side restaurant Bánh. When opening this downtown offshoot owners Thu Ton and John Nguyen wanted to offer something distinct: all bread for the bánh mì and noodles for phở (like the Nam Định with several cuts of beef) are made in-house Maximé Pradié has long been a one-to-watch chef leading the kitchen at Zimmi’s (in partnership with Jenni Guizio he’s cooking the homestyle Southern French cooking he grew up with but doesn’t often make its way to restaurant menus in New York Dishes like the la pastasciutta (tagliatelle with ragout and sage) and the vegetable terrine were early standouts A wine bar and bakery are on the way next door The Best Restaurants Open on Monday in New York City Following West Village hits Dame and Lord’s, husband-wife duo Patricia Howard and chef Ed Szymanski opened their third — and largest — restaurant in the neighborhood. Though the first two have looked specifically at British food, Crevette expands its reach with touches of the South of France and a can’t-miss pineapple rum cake with butterscotch An Eater Editor’s Favorite Seafood Spots in NYC The Best Restaurants in the East Village Right Now We hate to break it to you, but Bradley Cooper’s new Philly cheesesteak spot may be the best rendition of the sandwich New York has yet to see. That’s no surprise since the 12-time Oscar nominee teamed up with Philadelphia’s owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria Whether this spot is worth braving the insanely long lines (and limited hours) that have followed since the shop was first announced is a different story Momofuku’s first New York opening in years, Kabawa You might remember the alleyway space as Ko which the team has flipped following its closing to turn into a Caribbean restaurant with modern inflections It first launched with Bar Kabawa: an a la carte front area where patties (with stuffings like conch) are served alongside expertly crafted daiquiris the back dining room — and main stage — has opened with an $145 for three-course prixe-fixe menu which include choices like pepper shrimp spiked with sorrel and thyme; cassava dumplings stewed in a Creole sauce; black bass with curry; and coconut and cream cheese turnovers for dessert Cactus Wren features a hard-to-place menu that leans heavily on seafood. Think: smoked eel tart, lagoustine beignet, and pizza with romesco and Oaxacan cheese. The team’s fine dining roots aren’t far away, both literally, in that their restaurant, 63 Clinton caviar add-ons are available (which you can skip; there’s a more interesting Anthony Ha and Sade Mae Burns built a following by running one of NYC’s most exciting pop-ups under the Ha’s Đặc Biệt name an offshoot and permanent headquarters for a rotating selection of Vietnamese-influenced snack items in a bistro atmosphere flowing with natural wine (it’s been hinted that a larger restaurant is on the way) This husband-wife team knows how to make a dining room feel warm and the tight quarters work to their benefit — the kind of place that is filled with casual exuberance that feels like an extension of a dinner party they might host at home But the tuna with dates is even more special The web server reported a bad gateway error City Councilmember Chris Banks’ Brooklyn District saw the greatest number of income-restricted apartments built: 1,439 two districts in Eastern Queens and Manhattan’s west side saw zero units New York City helped create or preserve 27,620 affordable apartments a nearly 10 percent boost compared to the average over the last five years Just over 14,000 of those units were new construction The latest report follows similar trends as in previous years: the districts that produced the most affordable housing tended to be lower-income and predominantly home to Black and Latino residents Areas that saw few new units had a higher average median income and more white residents Above: The 10 City Council districts that produced the most new affordable housing last year as the top producers in affordable housing,” said NYHC Executive Director Rachel Fee Bronx Council districts account for five of the 10 areas that saw the greatest number of new units New affordable housing over the last decade Source: New York Housing Conference’s NYC Housing Tracker a series of zoning rule changes to allow for greater residential density citywide—what supporters say will help fill an historic housing shortage and curb rising homelessness It retained minimum parking requirements for new development in certain neighborhoods and reduced the reach of some outer borough zones around public transit stations where extra density would’ve been permitted “We had a concern about the lack of infrastructure,” said Councilmember Banks who was among the lawmakers who voted against the City of Yes plan (thought it ultimately passed the Council by vote of 31-to-20) The proposed removal of parking requirements for new development was particularly unpopular with his constituents describing parts of his district as a “transportation desert,” where residents rely on cars the Brooklyn lawmaker—who took office at the start of 2024—said he was glad to see his district ranked highest when it came to new affordable units last year And we’re hoping for more housing to come and housing that really meets the needs and the desires of the local community,” he said “Our focus now is to make sure that local residents who want to stay in the 42nd Council district get the opportunity to move into some of those new apartments,” Banks added Just how much say councilmembers get when it comes to new housing in their districts is under debate. A Charter Revision Commission convened by Mayor Adams to explore changes to the city’s housing processes released a preliminary report this week on the issues it’s considering including the concept of “member deference”—a custom in which the Council defers to the vote of the local member on land use applications in neighborhoods they represent say it “promotes political accountability in land use matters with communities able to hold local members responsible for land use decisions and critics say member deference fuels the uneven production of affordable units across neighborhoods and stymies the city’s overall efforts to address its housing shortage “Councilmembers frequently use their power to block housing proposals altogether,” the Commission wrote pointing to an analysis that found since 2022 “at least 3,547 units overall have been lost as a result of Council modifications to the scale of housing proposals or the withdrawal of housing proposals in the face of opposition.” “The most significant consequence of member deference is the most difficult to measure: the projects that are never even proposed,” the report notes “If a potential project is in a district where a local member is likely to be hostile to new housing it rarely reaches the filing stage.” The Commission said it will explore ways “to give borough- or city-wide perspectives greater weight in the decision-making process,” when it comes to land use applications that require public review But Councilmember Banks disagrees with this approach “The power when it comes to land use needs to stay within the Council It needs be consistent with…being a bottom-up approach,” that starts with community board review “I believe it’s a power grab by the administration,” he added “This would be a way to kind of basically move around the Council.” The Council has already passed legislation aimed at addressing geographic disparities in housing production. In 2023, lawmakers passed Speaker Adrienne Adams’ Fair Housing Framework which mandates the city come up with a housing plan every five years that sets production “targets” for each of the 59 community districts—though stops short of mandating development have called for greater accountability for districts that don’t meet those goals In its testimony to the Charter Revision Commission NYHC recommended ending the land use public review process with the City Planning Commission “in districts that are not meeting their production targets”—bypassing the City Council vote in those instances “The long time use of member deference even though it’s an informal process has really shifted land use decisions in New York from what used to be something that really took into account more citywide needs Now it’s really about local control,” Fee said And in a city where the recent housing vacancy rate was a dismal 1.4 percent—the lowest availability in more than 50 years— “every single project makes a difference,” she added “Each unit here is somebody’s home and saying yes to housing is giving somebody that opportunity,” Fee said To reach the editor, contact [email protected] Want to republish this story? Find City Limits’ reprint policy here Take a short anonymous survey to help us deliver content to empower our community previously serving as youth program manager she covered Astoria and Long Island City for DNAinfo.com and reported for Bronx community papers and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Revitalization of East New York IBZ Underway with Release of Multi-Site RFP Completed Renovation and Lease-Up of NYCEDC’s Industrial Building and Activation of Vacant Lot with Local Recycling Organization Sure We Can Public Realm Improvements at Broadway Junction Advance with Release of Streetscape and Gateway Plaza RFPs BROOKLYN, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Council Member Sandy Nurse today announced a series of progress updates as part of its commitment to improve the Broadway Junction station complex and the East New York Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) by delivering vibrant public space NYCEDC has engaged with the community to solicit their ideas and aspirations for these investments in the East New York IBZ and Broadway Junction addressing a longstanding priority for business leaders Approximately 100,000 commuters pass through this station every day making it the third busiest station in Brooklyn and this administration is committed to investing in the area’s economic development potential and create quality of life improvements for residents and visitors alike working-class families should have access to good-paying jobs East New York is no exception,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams “From the first year of our administration we saw East New York as a neighborhood with endless possibility and potential Thanks to a cross-agency collaboration and our strong partnership with the state we are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to bring the best jobs and public spaces to East New York The neighborhoods of tomorrow are being built today—and nowhere is that more evident than in East New York.” “We are fulfilling our commitment to the East New York and Broadway Junction communities by fostering inclusive growth and creating new economic opportunities for local residents,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer “Through the revitalization of public spaces and the improvement of infrastructure we are laying the foundation for a vibrant community where families can thrive while ensuring that long-overdue progress reaches neighborhoods that have been historically underserved.” And that is what NYCEDC will deliver,” said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball “We are taking major steps forward in the transformation of East New York into the thriving hub where families can live and play that residents have long asked for.” I have joined community groups at symposiums and rallies calling for the long overdue investments owed to East New York and the Industrial Business Zone,” said Council Member Sandy Nurse I am focused on implementing a shared vision of a green industrial zone where East New York residents can take part and more importantly lead in the green economy Whether it is allocating $2.5 million in targeted investment or leading direct local task forces I am committed to making the ENY IBZ a destination for the green industrial economy in New York City.” NYCEDC has advanced a series of leasing opportunities on public sites to drive economic growth and create more space for new business development across the IBZ highlighting city investment and activations across the IBZ and Broadway Junction Station Complex At the nearby Broadway Junction Station Complex NYCEDC has made significant progress towards its 2023 commitments to transform the public realm around the station with a $110 million city investment and $20 million federal grant through the RAISE program Public realm projects aim to create a safer and more welcoming area around Broadway Junction and could include improvements to lighting new street trees and right-of-way planting To complement the ongoing real estate and public realm improvements in East New York NYCEDC is working with city agencies to build the area’s workforce and develop an employment hub in Brooklyn Public realm improvements surrounding Broadway Junction were a key initiative in Mayor Adams’ and New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s “New” New York action plan, “Making New York Work for Everyone,” which identified the area as an emerging jobs hub “The upgrades coming to the East New York IBZ and Broadway Junction will ensure it is an enduring hub for high-paying As manufacturing opportunities dwindle in Brooklyn it's critical we double down on industrial zones like the East New York IBZ that are a lifeline for thousands of working-class families,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso “Thank you to the EDC for pursuing infrastructure that will support 21st century “The progress being made in East New York exemplifies our commitment to invigorating employment hubs across the five boroughs,” said “New” New York Executive Director B.J Jones “Families deserve these continued investments in new open space “We are excited to advance transformational public spaces at one of the major transit hubs in Brooklyn an area that thousands of New Yorkers walk through daily” said Ya-Ting Liu “The strong partnerships with our city agencies and the MTA will allow us to continue to build on the momentum and realize new and improved spaces to Broadway Junction and East New York.” “New York City is full of unique and vibrant communities and it is imperative that they have all the necessary resources to ensure they can remain strong and resilient—East Brooklyn being no exception,” said DCAS Commissioner Louis A “We are proud to partner with NYCEDC to advance the revitalization plans for East New York and help do our part to deliver transformative change to this neighborhood.” “The Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY) and the East Brooklyn Business Improvement District (EBBID) have worked in conjunction with NYCEDC for the past 45 years to transform the area,” said Bill Wilkins we have created and revitalized the East New York Industrial Business Zone Our mutual efforts have produced a vibrant industrial zone The release of this RFP is a major opportunity to advance our tireless efforts in sustaining local industrial development and bring new opportunities for growth in East New York building on a legacy and tradition of industrial development.” “The improvements to the Broadway Junction area are necessary and welcomed by Community Board 16,” said Genese T “We know from our participation in the early planning efforts that these enhancements are happening as a result of community advocacy and coordination with the elected officials; and federal We look forward to the complete implementation of the projects and a better neighborhood experience for our local residents.” By: 8:00 am on May 5 Façade installation is underway on the New Museum‘s seven-story expansion at 231 Bowery in the Bowery section of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. PG New York is fabricating and installing four distinct corrugated metal panel types and ACM panels on the North and South façades Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu of OMA along with Cooper Robertson & Partners the 174-foot-tall annex stands directly south of the SANAA-designed main building The 60,000-square-foot addition connects laterally to the original structure and will more than double the institution’s footprint to 115,277 square feet The new building will contain three gallery floors The property is located at the intersection of Bowery and Prince Street Recent photographs show the angular steel-framed superstructure in the process of being enclosed in its façade including the tall atrium surrounded by a wraparound staircase along the edge of the abstract multistory geometric volume Crews were also seen working across the sloped rooftop behind the orange perimeter netting Three of the four triangular cutouts on the roof will house terraces while the remaining void will serve as a skylight that will illuminate the new exhibition space The below street-level rendering looks east along Spring Street at the new addition and its sleek angular volume that contrasts with the original structure’s form of stacked boxes The annex’s façade of laminated glass and metal mesh adds further contrast to the main building’s metal envelope The following circulation diagram previews the new wing’s programming and the connection points with the original structure A portion of the main building’s southern elevation was removed to accommodate the overbuild Ceiling heights in the new three-story gallery spaces will also align with SANAAS’s existing structure Additional programming in the annex will include artist residency studios an upper-level forum for education and public programs that will connect to the existing Sky Room and a home for the museum’s new cultural incubator The building will feature an expanded lobby with three new elevators and a new public plaza that will host art installations The nearest subways from the New Museum are the F train at the 2nd Avenue station to the north at Houston Street the 6 train to the west at the Spring Street station and the J and Z trains at the Bowery station to the south The New Museum is expected to reopen with the new addition sometime next year Usually not a good idea when the ‘envelope’ competes with what’s inside it Yeah I like seeing all those steel details and framework of the structure too Just because its “different” doesn’t mean its creative or art I do understand that a museum is a special use and the structure must be designed to maximize the use inside; museums need space and light I also understand the desire for a museum to stand out from its surroundings But can we now design something that is attractive and complimentary to its setting It is the architectural equivalent of the Cybertruck The Cybertruck analogy is unfortunate (given these times) but sadly not without merit when looking at the renders the basic strategy and diagram behind this design (and the urban/experiential payoffs) all seem good: pushing the vertical circulation to the front (in contrast to the original New Museum building) activating the facade with that circulation and fostering a connection for visitors back to the street and city at large Not a huge fan of the fenestration (window pattern) in the renderings – but am withholding final judgement until the building is completed… The two buildings complement each other so well/s By: 6:30 am on April 26 Permits have been filed for a three-story residential building at 912 Crescent Street in East New York Located between Wortman Avenue and Stanley Avenue the property is closest to the New Lots Avenue subway station is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 31-foot-tall development will yield 4,423 square feet designated for residential space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 737 square feet The steel-based structure will also have a cellar and a 25-foot-long rear yard Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant An estimated completion date has not been announced The New Lots Avenue station is served by the 3 line (4 during late nights) Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC By: 8:00 am on October 20 Construction has topped out on 1663 East New York Avenue, an eight-story residential building in Brownsville Quatela Architects and developed by Like Minded People LLC the 85-foot-tall structure will span 29,085 square feet and yield 42 rental apartments with an average scope of 692 square feet The formerly vacant property is located at the corner of East New York and Christopher Avenues Recent photographs show the reinforced concrete superstructure built to its pinnacle with scaffolding and construction netting shrouding most of the exterior as crews work to frame out the window grid with insulation boards The site was formerly occupied by an open-air lot for an auto repair shop The main rendering shows the façade largely composed of light gray EIFS surrounding a checkerboard fenestration of floor-to-ceiling windows and brown paneling Brown accenting is also used for the cornice lines at the seventh-story setback and along the parapet on the western end of the primary southern elevation The ground floor is clad in earth-toned brick and some landscaping is visible atop the flat roof where a communal roof deck will be located The former iteration below featured a different massing and façade utilizing corrugated metal paneling and also included numerous Juliet balconies Rendering of 1663 East New York Ave – Frank J Residential amenities will include tenant storage and a rooftop terrace The nearest subways from the development are the L train at the elevated Atlantic Avenue station and the A and L trains at the Broadway Junction station further north Access to the Long Island Rail Road is also located nearby at the East New York station 1663 East New York Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for spring 2025 OMG… CHECKERBOARD siding… instant neighborhood blight it might cause me to drive on wrong side of the street: Thanks to Michael Young I use to live in that neighborhood I hope the buildings that they are building all three bedroom because I have a three bedroom voucher I was living in a shelter on 51 Junius I need an application because my apartment that I’m in now is going to be up for a year I do not want to stay here because I’m in a two bedroom I have a three bedroom voucher so my lease will be up in a year August Stacy Horn diligently uncovers the relationships between a 1960s subprime mortgage scandal and the decades of urban violence that followed Stacy Horn’s The Killing Fields of East New York opens with a crime that seems at first glance to be entirely unconnected to mortgage fraud seventeen-year-old Brooklyn resident Julia Parker was hanging out with her friends on a street corner in East New York when a gunman “walked up The story that the local police and community came to believe about Parker’s death was that someone killed her to keep her from talking to the police about neighborhood crimes or about her involvement in the city’s drug trade But Horn’s approach is not that of your standard true-crime narrative is part of a more complicated history best summarized by the book’s subtitle: “The First Subprime Mortgage Scandal and the Collapse of an American Neighborhood.”  The Killing Fields of East New York: The First Subprime Mortgage Scandal and the Collapse of an American Neighborhood Horn connects the dots as diligently as any detective between 1960s-era housing legislation corruption in the mortgage and banking industries and an explosion in violent street crime in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood beginning in the 1960s and 70s Connecting those dots is a complex endeavor which is made clear by the book’s structure Horn details the relentless onslaught of murders and other violent unrest and crime that has plagued East New York since at least 1966 Horn focuses on the concurrent and strongly correlated white-collar crimes perpetrated by bankers and real estate agents on and around the neighborhood’s housing stock East New York was first developed in the 1840s by shoe merchant John Pitkin who changed the name of the small town from New Lots and advertised land that “a poor man may purchase in a healthy country a lot of ground.” The town was annexed by Brooklyn in 1886 former residents who grew up in East New York during the 1940s and 1950s describe their childhoods as idyllic two landmark pieces of legislation were passed: the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (also known as the Fair Housing Act) and the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (frequently called the HUD Act) The laws were intended to address housing discrimination practices commissioner of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) told a group of FHA employees that the agency’s “mission of highest order” would become “stimulating a flow of mortgage funds into the inner city But the legislation had unintended consequences: The HUD Act offered programs to help low-income families afford a home particularly in “declining urban areas,” and the FHA which was responsible for insuring mortgages so that banks would lend to home buyers then had to “relax their standards” for which loans they would insure had essentially “just created the subprime mortgage business.” Unscrupulous bankers like Harry and Rose Bernstein, owners of the Eastern Service Corporation—one of the largest mortgage banks in New York—had stumbled onto a gold mine: They could with their network of bribed white-collar professionals have them appraised at fraudulently high prices find buyers who would likely not be able to keep up with their mortgage payments and collect the mortgage insurance promised by the new Horn’s methodical detailing of how individuals in several industries exploited government programs and initiatives designed to help low-income families makes up the book’s crux Even President Donald Trump and his father along with the many housing discrimination lawsuits against them the fallout from this scheme was swift and brutal The foreclosures resulting from the scheme sent families into financial ruin increased the number of vacant buildings where crime flourished and made it harder for the already stretched police and fire departments to keep up she would be one of 116 murders in East New York that year Sarah Cords is a children’s nonfiction book author and lives in Wisconsin. Sign-up for our free weekly e-mail newsletter. The Progressive Inc. publishes The Progressive magazine plus Progressive.org and Public Schools Advocate. © 2025 • The Progressive, Inc. • 931 E. Main Street, Suite 10 • Madison, Wisconsin 53703 • (608) 257-4626 Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations City officials are moving ahead with a major overhaul to Broadway Junction that has some East New York locals voicing fears they could be priced out of their neighborhood the city’s Economic Development Corporation opened bidding for a contract that aims to raze an NYPD transit precinct and install a pedestrian plaza filled with public seating outside the intersection’s busy transit station Broadway Junction connects five subway lines and sits near a Long Island Rail Road stop The project is the latest step in a $500 million program to add more green space to the industrial area and boost the economy in a neighborhood where roughly a quarter of residents live at or below the poverty line The new investments are anchored by a new Human Resources Administration building which broke ground across the street from the Broadway Junction station in 2022 and is scheduled to open this year The MTA also plans to renovate the subway station to make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act But longtime locals like Shelly Woodard — who distributes food at Calvary United Free Will Baptist Church a block away from the station — said they’re skeptical of the changes fearing the new developments will bring growth that will ultimately price them out of their homes “The community has drastically changed with the building,” Woodard said of the new Human Resources Administration facility It won’t be as much of a need for us and our outreach but we will still be here to help the less fortunate and those who need us.” A rendering showing the city's plans to overhaul Broadway Junction Woodard has volunteered at the church for 15 years, but it could be razed due to a four-block rezoning plan proposed in 2023 that calls for the construction of a new tower on its lot said as he repaired a garbage truck next to the church But at the moment there is nothing like that which aim to bring upgraded parks and basketball courts to Broadway Junction will stand in stark contrast to the current state of the area’s infrastructure Glistening streams of motor oil still flow freely from parking lots across the street from the station and the area’s sidewalks are scarred with holes a tow truck idled for more than half an hour on the sidewalk as people walked in and out of the station “ It's a very mixed and diverse neighborhood,” Benicia De La Cruz said inside the subway station De La Cruz said she’d welcome an improved plaza and the MTA’s planned accessibility upgrades at the station But she called for a safer connection to the nearby East New York LIRR station which she said is “practically inaccessible for some of us in the neighborhood.” said it's long been neglected by city agencies “The idea of these public plazas is nice and we want more open space,” she said there's a long list of outstanding needs that the city has not prioritized.” Economic Development Corporation spokesperson Julia Zita said in a statement the agency is committed to investing in the future of the transit hub and the broader community NYCEDC closed a [request for proposals] for the design of streetscape improvements along Van Sinderen Avenue and Broadway to improve safety and the commuter experience around the station complex,” Zita said in a statement East New York Community Land Trust president Boris Santos argued the developments should come with long-term financial commitments and safeguards for renters and homeowners who might see their rent or property taxes spike “With public investment also comes real estate opportunities yes we need the right kinds of design and plazas and maintenance of those plazas,” he said “How do we use funding not only to maintain and sustain what we’re putting in but helping our neighbors stay put as well?” There’s still a long road ahead for the redevelopment: The NYPD precinct at Broadway Junction isn’t scheduled to be demolished until 2028 and the work on the pedestrian plaza isn’t slated to finish until after 2030 Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] The Trump administration is imposing ideological conditions to federal funding. NYC and 7 other cities say that's illegal. Diabetes-related amputations in the Bronx are 60% higher than the city as a whole. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. Gothamist is a website about New York City news By: 6:30 am on February 13 Permits have been filed to horizontally expand a four-story residential building at 2352 Atlantic Avenue in East New York Located between Eastern Parkway and Sackman Street the lot is near the Atlantic Avenue subway station Yuriy Rubinov under the 3058 Bracha LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 40-foot-tall development will yield 10,599 square feet designated for residential space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 883 square feet The masonry-based structure will also have a cellar James Chun of Chun Engineering Consultant is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the project calls for an expansion By: 6:30 am on April 8 Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 681 Snediker Avenue in East New York Located between Linden Boulevard and New Lots Avenue the interior lot is near the New Lots Avenue subway station Hussein Hamade of 681 Snediker LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 60-foot-tall development will yield 15,027 square feet designated for residential space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 653 square feet The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar Ling Li of Li Architect Associate is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits have not been filed yet for the single-story structure on the property The night was clear and warm when ten young men gathered in the East New York section of Brooklyn on July 21 They were members of a loosely knit group calling themselves SPONGE The name stood for Society for the Prevention of Negroes Getting Everything (or “n*****s,”depending on who was listening) a racist witticism currently making the rounds SPONGE members converged on Frank’s Restaurant located just before the apex of the triangle formed by Livonia and New Lots Avenues to make what would become their last stand The triangle was a famous location in East New York and a favorite hangout of a local neighborhood gang who counted a number of SPONGE guys among their ranks and one of the few remaining white holdouts in what had increasingly become a Black neighborhood over the last ten years The SPONGE guys were there to heckle Mayor John Lindsay who was meeting with local leaders about growing racial unrest While Lindsay was inside discussing how they could ease the tension SPONGE members carrying signs surrounded the place shouting we don’t want to integrate.” The number of picketers soon grew to thirty-five Although the police hadn’t been alerted to Lindsay’s visit word got out and a police detail of twenty-five cops were sent to keep order but the boys didn’t come to chant slogans and go home When a group of Black young men and boys came up from Warwick Street and made their way down New Lots Avenue the SPONGE mob charged but this was a more organized protest than they’d realized the police were pelted with rocks from above and Molotov cocktails stashed on the roofs The crowd now numbered more than one hundred A code 10-13 was sent for Dumont and Ashford Streets The cops who rushed to the scene found an eleven-year-old Black boy named Eric Dean lying in the street had seen her nephew clutch his stomach and collapse Eric Dean was pronounced dead at Brookdale Hospital a few hours later Three more 10-13s were called in that night as the fighting spread and continued Over one thousand officers eventually swarmed the neighborhood Days later the NYPD would send out a memo titled “Unusual Disorder: 75th Precinct.” told reporters there hadn’t been any “real trouble” with the Black people who’d moved into the neighborhood “until last week when they bombed a cab service where the white kids used to hang out.” From his point of view the trouble only began when Black residents fought back against ongoing resistance to their presence in Brooklyn There are about twenty of ’em and there’s no real harm in them They’re just kids.” According to one SPONGE member and trying to throw us out of the neighborhood We’re standing our ground and we’re not leaving.” The police report would say the crowd had grown to two hundred Mayor Lindsay brought together twenty-four-year old SPONGE leader James McMenemon Lindsay got the three men to shake hands and agree to a truce Jones has a lot of friends,” McMenemon said I’ll talk to my friends and he’s going to talk to his friends.” Although Lindsay’s gathering was credited with calming things down a few of Lindsay’s aides gathered to discuss how to respond It was the first year of the Lindsay administration and “We were still novices in a lot of ways,” Sid Davidoff had told them that morning that he knew a guy who knew Albert and Larry Gallo mobsters who had ties to the Genovese crime family Let me see if the Gallos would be willing to have a word with the SPONGE kids but they weren’t going to ignore the Gallo brothers East New York was essentially under martial law When a member of SPONGE replied with a racial slur he was slapped to the ground who’d always been considered attention-craving posers in the neighborhood was no longer a problem for the Lindsay administration when Lindsay gathered them in City Hall to meet with Black and Puerto Rican representatives “We had a very different meeting than we would have had.” Lindsay would later defend Arricale from fierce criticism when word got out about how he’d addressed the situation.“You can’t always deal with people who are leaders in the Boy Scout movement Sometimes you must call upon individuals with fairly rough backgrounds.” “I would have sent the devil in if I thought it would have worked,” Davidoff says of their decision but one thing we knew was the police were not going to solve it They always say the police are your first line of resistance “Just think if it had been a white boy,” who had pulled the trigger But Ernest Gallashaw hadn’t killed Eric Dean Dean’s case was added to the growing list of unsolved murders in East New York “The whites in East New York have to get over the idea that this place is theirs But East New York was brimming with community groups Frank Rivera and William Wright formed the United Negro and Puerto Rican Front (which was quietly investigated by the NYPD who had a tendency to see community activists as a possible threat) SPONGE and those who shared their views not only objected to the influx of Black residents but also to the many Puerto Rican families who were moving in East New York would simmer for the rest of the summer as helicopters hovered over the neighborhood during the day and a beefed-up police presence roamed the streets at night But they were more of a danger to each other than to their neighbors Just a few years before racists had converged on Frank’s Restaurant East New York had been a thriving community of working-class and middle-class Jewish and Italian immigrant families and their descendants It was the kind of place where all the moms in the neighborhood banded together to make sure you had dinner every night when your father lost his job published a memoir called Old Days and Old Ways in East New York He described how the neighborhood grew from a “small cluster of farms to a community of modern homes and schools,” which still preserved “the best elements of suburban character.” When actor Danny Kaye’s family moved to East New York from Williamsburg they were surrounded by a lively and prosperous group of doctors who came to East New York in 1957 from Brownsville the move to the Linden Houses was a step up “It was like we moved to Heaven.” It was a feeling shared by many of his neighbors When Jeff Eisenberg’s parents heard about the new middle-income housing in East New York (built by the New York City Housing Authority) they packed up their basement apartment in East Flatbush It was a great upbringing in great surroundings.” “Those projects were a city unto themselves,” said Steven Lang And every building was “a neighborhood within a city,” Goldberg added whose grandmother bought a home across the street “There were hundreds and hundreds of kids in each building and on each block,” he said When school was out kids ran through the halls knocking on doors to ask if their friends could come out to play From morning until night in the summertime if they weren’t playing in the fields at George Gershwin Junior High dozens of kids were always hanging out in front of the buildings It felt as if “the neighborhood was ruined overnight,” Ira recalled On the day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination before they sent the kids home from Thomas Jefferson High School administrators asked the football team to patrol the halls protecting the students from possible protesters you couldn’t walk down the street,” said Barry Kestenberg they fled the place that had once been a blissful and protected paradise How did East New York transition from a thriving neighborhood of German and Jewish immigrants to a declining and neglected African American and Hispanic neighborhood where children were shot and killed “We all knew somebody who went off to Vietnam and either didn’t come back or came back a shell,” said Steven Lang Then heroin and other drugs started to appear The lives of people “who were shining stars their “lives ended because of drugs,” adding “Friends of mine robbed my house.” But two racist financial practices that had ramped up in the fifties and sixties Brokers would convince white homeowners that if Black families moved into their neighborhood schools would go downhill They’d parade a Black family down the street to scare white homeowners into selling cheap then sell the homes to struggling African Americans at inflated prices and pocket the difference Blockbusting leveraged racial prejudice for profit Once a neighborhood became predominately Black (or Puerto Rican) banks would literally draw red lines around the neighborhood boundaries term everyone living within high credit risks and automatically disqualify them for mortgages and two historic pieces of legislation passed in 1968 promised to be as important as the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the answer to the decline Together they would put an end to housing discrimination and make it easier for low-income families to find a decent home In the same year that African American sanitation workers held up signs declaring “I am a man,” because it was something that still needed to be said it looked as if the arc of the moral universe might actually be bending toward justice Black and Puerto Rican families who moved into well-cared-for homes left behind when white families fled began building safe a city planner who’d been hired in 1966 to revitalize the area “It would be incorrect to suggest that East New York must be raised from the dead Much of the area is attractive; thousands of families live in the community with a certain amount of harmony and satisfaction.” East New York needed help They provide Negro and Puerto Rican families of modest means with the chance to own their own home and establish a middle-class life for themselves and their children.” East New York was still a lovely neighborhood and not everyone wanted to take up arms against the new neighbors When long-time East New York activist and community leader Vivian Bright moved to Pennsylvania Avenue in the 1960s she and her husband were the first Black family on her block and their white neighbors brought casseroles to welcome them There was still a chance to turn it all around Julia Arlequin brought her twenty-year-old daughter Nancy back to East New York; she had sent her to Puerto Rico a few years earlier for hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting into trouble Julia’s other daughter was about to have a baby It was time for Nancy to rejoin the family and help with the new arrival Excerpted from The Killing Fields of New York, by Stacy Horn. Copyright 2025. Published by Zando – Gillian Flynn Books. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. Masthead About Advertisers: Contact Us Privacy Policy Become a member for as low as $5/month By: 7:00 am on December 28 The affordable housing lottery has launched for Shepherd Glenmore, a seven-story mixed-use building at 365 Shepherd Avenue in East New York Designed by MHG Architects and developed by Lois Murphy of Shepherd Glenmore HDFC Available on NYC Housing Connect are 60 units for residents at 30 to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI) ranging in eligible income from $21,566 to $100,620 a landscaped courtyard with a community garden there are seven studios with a monthly rent of $544 for incomes ranging from $21,566 to $37,290; five one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $689 for incomes ranging from $26,949 to $41,940; and one two-bedroom with a monthly rent of $813 for incomes ranging from $32,263 to $50,310 there are three studios with a monthly rent of $1,010 for incomes ranging from $37,543 to $62,150; six one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,271 for incomes ranging from $46,903 to $69,900; and one two-bedroom with a monthly rent of $1,512 for incomes ranging from $56,229 to $83,850 there are five studios with a monthly rent of $1,243 for incomes ranging from $45,532 to $74,580; nine one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,563 for incomes ranging from $56,915 to $83,880; and three two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,864 for incomes ranging from $68,298 to $100,620 Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than February 24 This is great because East New York needs to be revitalized Upgrade the neighborhood and the Bodegas need to renovate their stores the area must have a decent and well stocked supermarket Why do all the new “affordable” buildings look like medical centers from the 70s By: 7:30 am on October 28 Construction has topped out at 2396 Atlantic Avenue, an eight-story hotel in East New York Designed by Michael Kang Architect and developed by Nehalkumar Gandhi under the Far Rockaway Equities LLC the 85-foot-tall structure will span 30,557 square feet and yield 75 hotel rooms with an average scope of 305 square feet along with a cellar level and a 49-foot-long rear yard The property is located at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Sackman Street Recent photographs show the reinforced concrete superstructure largely covered in black netting and a wraparound sidewalk shed with wooden fencing obscuring the entire ground floor There is a hoist attached to the rear southern elevation and it’s unclear what materials will be used No architectural renderings of 2396 Atlantic Avenue have been released with the exception of the following black and white elevation diagram that shows the hotel with a grid of square windows and metal ventilation grilles The ground floor features more expansive windows and a metal envelope Atop the flat roof parapet are several egress and mechanical bulkheads The structure’s ground floor will house five guest rooms Floors two through eight will hold ten rooms each The basement will have a compactor room an oil fuel tank room The property was formerly occupied by a four-story structure that housed the Institute for Community Living The nearest subways from the development is the L train at the elevated Atlantic Avenue station and L trains at the Broadway Junction station to the north Also nearby is the East New York station on the Long Island Rail Road 2396 Atlantic Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for fall 2024 sometime in the latter half of 2025 is more likely The building in the photos is much bigger than the rendering The project is still vague and questionable people in that area will see guests coming to stay: Thanks By: 7:30 am on October 14 Construction has topped out on 114 Snediker Avenue, a four-story women’s shelter in East New York Designed by Curtis + Ginsburg and developed by Camber Property Group and Urban Atelier Group all-electric structure will yield 60 dormitory-style units accommodating 200 beds as well a cellar level and a 60-vehicle surface-level parking lot The property is bound by Glenmore Avenue to the south Recent photographs show the reinforced concrete superstructure built to its pinnacle and crews in the process of completing the parapet with CMU blocks and additional CMU blocks are gradually enclosing all four sides of the building above the sidewalk shed and wooden fencing YIMBY expects façade installation to begin sometime near the start of winter The main rendering depicts the façade composed of a mix of beige brick and gray metal paneling with brown accents framing a grid of recessed rectangular windows The main entrance is positioned along Snediker Street beneath a metal canopy and new tree-lined sidewalks will surround the property Sustainable design features include rooftop solar panels and a greenhouse that will be used to cultivate various seasonal vegetables and L trains at the Broadway Junction station The East New York station on the Long Island Rail Road is also in close proximity to the site 114 Snediker Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for fall 2025 The facility encompasses 60 dormitory-style units Very interesting on living experience: Thanks 2024The fire started inside a Metro PCS story on New Jersey Avenue in East New York just before 1 a.m.EAST NEW YORK Brooklyn (WABC) -- A fire broke out in a store in Brooklyn and spread to an apartment upstairs on Tuesday morning The fire started inside a Metro PCS store on New Jersey Avenue in East New York just before 1 a.m Flames spread through the store and then to an apartment upstairs The cause of the fire is under investigation * More Brooklyn news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. News 12 New YorkDownload the AppWhere to WatchRebuilding BrooklynFire rips through high rise building in East New YorkNo injuries were reported.News 12 Staff Gabriel Thompson (Rail): Where are you from in Brooklyn? Martín Espada (Espada): I was born in 1957 in the East New York section of Brooklyn, and grew up in the Linden projects on Wortman Avenue, moving later to Stanley Avenue. Rail: It was a trip to your old apartment on Wortman Avenue that inspired your poem “Return.” What was it like to return to Brooklyn? Rail: Many parts of Brooklyn seem to be changing dramatically. Can the same be said for East New York? Rail: How old were you when you left Brooklyn? Rail: So you were a Puerto Rican in an all-white school? Rail: In “Beloved Spic,” it seemed like the white students fetishized the word. Espada: Yes, and there were very exotic forms of torment. Somebody once gave me a cake, and I opened up the box and there was the word “spic” written in icing. There was no way to accommodate with that kind of environment, no way to compromise with it. In a way it forged me because I had to make a choice. I had to stand up for myself and fight back or I would have been completely obliterated. Which probably has a lot to do with who I am today. Rail: As a poet, you seem to have held a wide variety of jobs. Espada: Well, I was a poet before I was anything else. My first love was actually drawing, but that was beaten out of me by an art teacher. Rail: And you’ve been everything from a bouncer to a tenant lawyer. Rail: So during all this time that you’re bouncing around at different jobs, are you also writing poetry? Espada:Absolutely. In a sense I became a poet spy, because I was invisible. I was seen only for what my hands could do—what my hands could clean up as a dishwasher or janitor. Rail: Some of your poems are sweeping in scope. Others, like “Jorge the Church Janitor Finally Quits,” focus on very specific activities and people that usually aren’t considered subjects worthy of poetry. Subjects that perhaps most poets don’t have any exposure to. Rail: What is the emotional landscape of being a bouncer? Espada:Well, there’s one bouncer poem where I describe what it’s like to break my hand on somebody’s head, which I don’t recommend [laughs]. But in the end it’s about observing a tragedy and only being able to help in the most minimal of ways. You watch people drink themselves into oblivion night after night, and then do your best to care for them, to help them gather their things and get them into a taxi. That’s mostly what a good bouncer is doing. Rail: Let’s shift to poetry and politics. What roles can poets play in society? Rail: With the Republic of Poetry, you write about a number of poets that are activists. Is that tendency muted in the US? Rail: So the tradition continues, even if it’s not always gaining huge exposure. Rail: At the same time, your political poetry feels very personal. Espada: In order to write poems, you have to make yourself very vulnerable. There are many poets today who are afraid to take risks, who are terrified of expressing emotion openly. They are terrified of appearing vulnerable on the page. They are ultimately afraid of being accused of sentimentality. That’s the greatest crime in our contemporary world. Espada: Exactly. Detached, hip, cynical, and absolutely invulnerable. And we all know that that’s a dishonest pose. Rail:The focus of your newest book is Chile. What is it about that country that has drawn you to pay so much attention to it? Rail: That’s an image straight out of the final stanza of your poem “The Republic of Poetry.” I thought you had just made it up. Rail:And you’ll be returning to Chile soon to do a series of readings, right? Home News Distributed by NYC NEWSWIRE A few months ago NYC Newswire reported exclusively that the HRA building was almost at completion at Broadway Junction and now NYC EDC is announcing additional progress The City is making big moves in East New York NYCEDC and Council Member Sandy Nurse have announced a series of transformative investments that will bring new jobs and an economic boost to the East New York Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) and Broadway Junction Station Complex These efforts mark a crucial step in fulfilling the administration’s vision for a more vibrant the East New York IBZ has been underutilized That’s changing with the release of a multi-site request for proposals (RFP) which invites developers to breathe new life into key properties The 51,000-square-foot site at 116 Williams Avenue and the 19,000-square-foot paved lot at 173-191 Sackman Street are now available for job-generating and green economy uses This is in direct response to community feedback ensuring that the projects align with local needs NYCEDC has wrapped up a $9 million renovation of the East New York Industrial Building NYCEDC is also working with DCAS to activate a 3,500-square-foot vacant lot for Sure We Can a women-run recyclables redemption facility “The release of this RFP is a major opportunity to advance our tireless efforts in sustaining local industrial development and bringing new opportunities for growth in East New York,” said Bill Wilkins Executive Director of the Local Development Corporation of East New York (LDCENY) & East Brooklyn Business Improvement District (EBBID) photo credit: Sandy Nurse for City Council and rallies calling for the long-overdue investments owed to East New York and the Industrial Business Zone NYCEDC has released an RFP for the design of a new gateway plaza that will create a half-acre of new public open space The redesign will also involve relocating the NYPD Transit Bureau District 33 station funded by a $110 million city investment and a $20 million federal RAISE grant will enhance safety and aesthetics with better lighting an area that thousands of New Yorkers walk through daily,” said Ya-Ting Liu Economic revitalization isn’t just about buildings—it’s about people NYCEDC is establishing a workforce development fund for East Brooklyn ensuring that local residents benefit from these investments With an emphasis on green industries and legacy trades this initiative will connect jobseekers to opportunities in the evolving economy Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the significance of these developments: “No matter your zip code East New York is poised for a future defined by opportunity EastNewYork.com is the digital media source for East New York and contact us if you have questions or want to be involved See Full Calendar Here Add Your Event Here