NYS has already spent $500 million installing the congestion pricing cameras such as these installed in 2023 on Ninth Ave. to record vehicles entering lower Manhattan below 60th St. But toll readers have not gone live following Gov. Hochul’s pause of congestion pricing in June. Now it appears she may be moving forward with the plan afterall. ( Photo: Jim Henderson/Wikimedia Commons) Hochul Drops Broad Hints that Congestion Pricing Could Make Comeback Later this Year Congestion pricing lives. Governor Hochul announced an “indefinite pause” last June, blindsiding the MTA as it was about to... Home 04 Sep 2024 | 12:17
The big three railroads, MTA, Amtrak and NJ Transit, say they will need to expand Penn Station in coming years to accommodate booming demand, expecially from NJ commuters. ( Photo: Amtrak) Railway Giants Finally Unveil Why They Need to Expand Penn Station Demand for rail service into Penn Station is growing quickly again, post-covid, and the three big railroads told a community... News 05 Aug 2024 | 06:11
Filmmaker Claire Read found remnants of the old Penn Station at a storage yard in Newark, NJ. ( Photo by Lina McGinn) New Film, Penn F***ing Station Captures Rail Hub at Its Most Decrepit Glory Claire Read lived in Penn Station for four years. Well, not literally. She is neither homeless nor a character in an updated... News 20 Jul 2024 | 12:17
City Council member Christopher Marte is pushing back somewhat on the “City of Yes” Housing plans of Mayor Eric Adams. Photo: Ballotpedia Marte’s Wary of Key Parts of City of Yes Plan Pushed by Adams, Stirs Debate City Council member Christopher Marte says Mayor Adam’s City of Yes for more housing is a definite maybe. Marte, who represents... 27 Jun 2024 | 06:08
Borough president Mark Levine tried to quell a rebellion at Community Board 5 when a majority of its 50-member board urged him to rescind the ouster of two long time board members, Craig Slutznik and Mary Brosnahan. Levine defended his move and labeled as “reprehensible” a resolution that Slutznik supported last month at Educational Community Advisory Council District 2 urging the DOE to study its stance that allows transgender individuals to compete on girls sports teams. Photo: Community Board 5 Chaos at CB5: Boro Pres Levine Refuses to Reverse Decision Ousting 2 Longtime Board Members So why did Borough President Mark Levine dump two long-serving members from Community Board five, one just as he was running... News 21 May 2024 | 07:50
An overwhelming majority of Community Board 5 members have dispatched an urgent letter to Borough President Mark Levine, urging him to rescind his decision to bounce first vice chairman Craig Slutzkin from the board. Prior to the ouster, Slutzkin was seen as the favorite in the race in the race against interim chairman Samir Lavingia for the board’s top office in the June election. Photo: Linkedin CB5 In Revolt Against Boro Pres Mark Levine, Fires Off Letter Urging: Rescind Craig Slutzkin’s Ouster A majority of Community Board five’s members demanded that Mark Levine, the Borough President, reverse his decision to oust... News 08 May 2024 | 07:27
Manhattan borough president Mark Levine has bounced two members of community board 5: Craig Slutzkin who was an announced candidate for the chairman spot, and Mary Brosnahan, who was an advocate for the homeless. Photo: Office of Manhattan Borough President Levine Shakes Up CB5: Ousts Slutzkin Who Was In Running for Chairman vs Lavingia The Manhattan Borough President, Mark Levine, has refused to reappoint a leading member of Community Board Five, even as... News 07 May 2024 | 04:17
Samir Lavingia ended up as the unlikely interim chairman of CB 5 in March, but is facing a contested election when board members vote on a new chair in June. Photo: courtesy Samir Lavingia. CB5 Chairman Vote Heads Toward Contested Election in June Contested elections are rare at the city’s community boards. But Samir Lavingia, interim chair of Community Board Five, appears... News 29 Apr 2024 | 04:21
Longtime activist tells of the 50 year battle to create Hudson River Park in a just released new book. Photo: Amazon A 50 Yr Battle to Create Hudson River Park Captured in New Book by Activist Tom Fox It’s been a mere half century since a repair truck, laden with asphalt, plunged through the elevated West Side Highway on... News 29 Apr 2024 | 03:28
Samir Lavignia, the new chair of Community Board 5, is fending off charges that his Open NY group “infiltrated” the community board. His reign may be short since community boards across the city are scheduled to hold elections for new board positions in June. Photo: LinkedIn New Chair of CB5 Fends Off Charges His Open NY Group “Infiltrated” Community Board The new chair of Community Board 5, fending off charges that his housing advocacy group had illicitly infiltrated the board... Home 04 Apr 2024 | 09:06
Construction on the East Side’s Soloviev Group casino or any of the other four or five outlets seeking to land a license to erect and build multi-use casino’s in Manhattan–are probbly two years away after the state Gaming Commission said it won’t even begin accepting applications until next year. Photo: Soloviev Group/Artists Rendition. Casino Gambling Licenses Now Look to be Two Years Away Casino gambling is still coming to the New York City area. Just not so fast. That was the message from the state’s Gaming... News 28 Mar 2024 | 08:04
The artists rendition of a $12 billion casino that developers hope to build in Hudson Yards overlooking the Hudson River. Photo: Related and Wynn Resorts Hudson Yards $12 Billion Gambling Mecca Plan Unveiled by Developer and Casino Partner It will be, its developers say, the biggest thing ever on the West Side. Maybe because they never built Westway? The project,... News 15 Mar 2024 | 01:43
Eric Botcher, nyc council member representing Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen and parts of the Village, is teaming with Brooklyn Borough president Antonio Reynoso in a new push to overcome NIMBY-ism and seek residential housing across the city to avert looming crisis. Photo: Office of the Brooklyn Borough President/ District 3 City Council. Crisis Looming: With Only 8,000 New Housing Starts Last Yr, Politicos Seek Residential Push The solution to the Great City’s acute housing shortage seems, at one level, obvious. Build more housing. But since real estate... News 18 Feb 2024 | 07:51
Sadik Topia, who operated a newsstand on the corner of W. 79th St. and Broadway for 23 years, was forced by the City Departmet of Consumer Affairs to shut down in a dispute over unpaid fines. Mayor Adams said he would try to help if he could. City Council member Gale Brewer held a press conference supporting him on Jan. 25 on the corner where he once operated the newsstand. Photo: Michael Oreskes Beloved News Stand Operator Still Shut Down as Council Member Brewer Pushes Cause With the Adams administration sympathetic but unyielding to calls that it forgive or reduce the fines that have shut popular... News 26 Jan 2024 | 06:18
Mayor Eric Adams said he will “do anything in my power” to help beleaguered newsstand dealer Sadik Topia The city evicted Topia from the newsstand that he operated for 23 years at the corner of W. 79th and Broadway in a dispute over fines and penalties that have reached $94,000. Photo: Keith J. Kelly Mayor Vows He Will Try to Help Newsstand Operator Being Hit with $94,000 in Fines Mayor Adams said Tuesday he would do anything “within my powers” to get Sadik Topia back to work at his shuttered West Side... News 24 Jan 2024 | 01:03
