Architecture And Design

$8.9M restoration of Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza Arch is complete

Photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Malcolm Pinckney

June 6, 2025

$8.9M restoration of Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza Arch is complete

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A Brooklyn icon has been restored. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch at Grand Army Plaza reopened on Thursday following a $8.9 million renovation, the city's Parks Department and the Prospect Park Alliance announced. The two-year project replaced the arch's roof, cleaned and replaced the brick and stone structure, repaired interiors, including the cast-iron spiral staircase, and added new lighting. The landscape surrounding the arch was also revitalized with new plants, trees, paving, and an accessible curb cut.
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New public space and skateboarding section open as part of revitalized Brooklyn Banks

Photos courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 5, 2025

New public space and skateboarding section open as part of revitalized Brooklyn Banks

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Two more acres of public open space have opened beneath the Brooklyn Bridge in Chinatown, as part of the revitalization of skateboarding mecca Brooklyn Banks. Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the expansion of "The Arches," along with an additional $50 million in funding to further enhance the park with new amenities, including public seating, plantings, lighting, and other upgrades. The new section includes a refurbished "Big Banks," which has been closed to skateboarders since 2010. The city began revitalizing and gradually reopening it as a public space in May 2023.
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The Frick Collection opens its first cafe

All photos of Westmoreland, the new cafe at the Frick Collection, courtesy of William Jess Laird, unless otherwise noted.

June 5, 2025

The Frick Collection opens its first cafe

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Spending an afternoon at a museum is one of the most "New York" things you can do. And while MoMa, the Met and the Guggenheim are flocked to, the Frick Collection is a quieter Upper East Side gem. Now, the newly renovated museum housed in the 1914 residence of Henry Clay Frick serves up Rembrandt and El Greco masterpieces with a cocktail and a bite.
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Bjarke Ingels unveils cascading concrete tower with 1,000 apartments along the Gowanus Canal

All renderings by bucharest.studio

June 3, 2025

Bjarke Ingels unveils cascading concrete tower with 1,000 apartments along the Gowanus Canal

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It's going to be BIG. Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) this week unveiled designs for a 1,000-unit mixed-use tower at 175 Third Street in Gowanus, expected to be the largest building in the neighborhood. Situated along the canal, the concrete-clad building will take a horseshoe shape and rise 27 stories in a series of cascading volumes. The u-shape design opens towards the canal, where a park and esplanade will offer public open space and flood protection.
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Artist Isolina Minjeong’s Downtown Brooklyn ground murals feel like ‘quiet blessings’

Images courtesy of DBP

June 3, 2025

Artist Isolina Minjeong’s Downtown Brooklyn ground murals feel like ‘quiet blessings’

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Downtown Brooklyn just got brighter and safer, thanks to a colorful new public art installation. In the ground murals titled "Fear No Frontier," New York City-based artist Isolina Minjeong channels her Korean and Peruvian heritage with a bold design depicting powerful creatures, like tigers and dragons, a tribute to the resilience of New Yorkers. The vibrant piece measures roughly 10,700 square feet across the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Shared Streets and the area surrounding the Jay Street busway. Ahead, learn more about the murals and hear from Minjeong, who said she wanted the artwork to feel like "quiet blessings."
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East River Park section reopens with new passive lawn, picnic areas, and courts

All photos courtesy of DDC

May 30, 2025

East River Park section reopens with new passive lawn, picnic areas, and courts

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City officials on Thursday celebrated the opening of new public spaces in East River Park, just in time for summer. Closed since 2021 as part of the project to protect the Lower East Side from rising sea levels, the south end of the park's new amenities include picnic and barbecue areas, six tennis courts, two basketball courts, a passive lawn, a nature exploration area, and a multi-use area. These areas are currently only accessible via the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge.
plan your park visit
Construction begins on new $10B Port Authority Bus Terminal

Gov. Kathy Hochul, Gov. Phil Murphy, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey broke ground on the Dyer Avenue deckovers. Photo courtesy of PANYNJ on Flickr

May 29, 2025

Construction begins on new $10B Port Authority Bus Terminal

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Construction began on the first phase of the new $10 billion Port Authority Bus Terminal on Thursday, marking an important milestone for the long-awaited project. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Gov. Phil Murphy joined the Port Authority in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Dyer Avenue deck-overs, which will be used for staging buses during construction and will eventually become a public green space when the new terminal opens. The first phase deck-overs, along with new ramps and a bus storage facility, are expected to be completed by 2028, with the full terminal opening in 2032.
details here
Silverstein unveils new wavy design for 785-foot-tall casino complex across from Javits Center

Renderings courtesy of Silverstein Properties / Binyan Studios

May 28, 2025

Silverstein unveils new wavy design for 785-foot-tall casino complex across from Javits Center

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Silverstein Properties this week unveiled a new design for its casino project proposed for an empty lot across from the Javits Center. The Avenir would rise 785 feet at 41st Street and 11th Avenue and include a 1,000-room luxury hotel, restaurants, a food hall, and a gaming facility, if the developer secures one of the three downstate casino licenses expected to be awarded this year. Designed by CetraRuddy Architecture and Steelman Partners, the project includes a podium with a facade of "gentle harmonious waves" topped by a sculpted 45-story tower. The design revises the original proposal, which called for two 46-story towers, following community feedback.
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The Met to reopen Rockefeller Wing with free, all-day festival

Arts of the Ancient Americas collection. Photo by Brigit Beyer

May 23, 2025

The Met to reopen Rockefeller Wing with free, all-day festival

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art will celebrate the long-awaited reopening of its Michael C. Rockefeller Wing this month with a free festival. Taking place on May 31, the all-day event will celebrate the unveiling of newly reimagined galleries for the Arts of Africa, ancient Americas, and Oceania following a four-year, $70 million renovation. Visitors can enjoy live music, interactive art-making, gallery chats, and more at the Met, all inspired by the stunning art and cultures showcased in the updated wing.
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14th Street Busway mural honors Union Square as hub for connection, above and below ground

Photos by Jane Kratochvil

May 22, 2025

14th Street Busway mural honors Union Square as hub for connection, above and below ground

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This year’s 14th Street Busway mural has officially been unveiled, bringing vibrant colors to the corridor and celebrating Union Square’s role as a hub for connection and exploration. Designed by New York-based artist Yuke Li, "Turning Point" features bold, abstract compositions and retro-inspired hues, with fluid shapes that mirror the movement of people and energy through the space. The mural was completed on Friday after five days of work, in collaboration with Brooklyn-based urban planning and design firm Street Plans, local volunteers, and community groups.
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Breuer Building gets landmarked before Sotheby’s opens headquarters

Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

May 21, 2025

Breuer Building gets landmarked before Sotheby’s opens headquarters

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The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted on Tuesday to designate the Breuer Building on the Upper East Side as an individual and interior landmark, protecting the Brutalist icon before auction house Sotheby's opens its global headquarters there. Designed by innovative architect Marcel Breuer, the building at 945 Madison Avenue was home to the Whitney Museum of American Art from 1966 to 2014. Sotheby's acquired the building in 2023; Herzog & de Meuron are currently leading a renovation and restoration of the space.
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U.S. Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium to get $800M revamp

All renderings courtesy of USTA

May 20, 2025

U.S. Open’s Arthur Ashe Stadium to get $800M revamp

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The U.S. Open's Arthur Ashe Stadium is getting an $800 million revamp, the U.S. Tennis Association announced Monday, marking the largest single investment in the tennis tournament's history. Unveiled on Monday, the project includes a grand entrance designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, expanded public space, upgraded concourses, a larger courtside bowl, and a new players-only building with state-of-the-art training facilities, premium accommodations, and cafes. Work is already underway and will roll out in three phases, continuing through 2025 and 2026 without disrupting tennis events, with completion expected ahead of the 2027 U.S. Open.
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Lincoln Center unveils design for revamped Amsterdam Avenue side of campus

Aerial view from Amsterdam Avenue looking east; visible are new streetscape, gardens, and theater. Rendering by Brooklyn Digital Foundry

May 19, 2025

Lincoln Center unveils design for revamped Amsterdam Avenue side of campus

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New renderings reveal a reimagined west side of Lincoln Center, part of a project aimed at making the campus more welcoming and accessible. Lincoln Center for Performing Arts (LCPA) on Monday unveiled a preliminary design for the transformation of its Amsterdam Avenue-facing side, led by Hood Design Studio, Weiss/Manfredi, and Moody Nolan. The proposal includes an outdoor performance venue, new community park spaces, and the removal of a longstanding wall, which cuts the campus off from the rest of the neighborhood.
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NYC’s earliest concrete building in Gowanus back on market for $3M

Photos by Vanessa DeGarcia, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

May 15, 2025

NYC’s earliest concrete building in Gowanus back on market for $3M

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The Coignet Stone Building, the earliest known concrete building in New York City, is back on the market for $2,995,000. Located at 360 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, the landmarked structure was built in 1873 as both a showroom and a physical advertisement for Francois Coignet's concrete construction company, marking the first documented use of concrete for a building in the city. Whole Foods purchased the property in 2005 and completed a $1.3 million restoration in 2016 before listing it for $6 million. The building returned to the market in 2019 as a proposed residential townhouse, asking $6.5 million.
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New public art exhibition in Midtown East explores what it means to be American

All photos courtesy of The Soloviev Group, unless noted otherwise

May 13, 2025

New public art exhibition in Midtown East explores what it means to be American

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A new public art installation in Midtown East celebrates the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States with stories of veterans, farmers, activists, and other everyday heroes. Designed by C&G Partners, the nearly 7-acre exhibition, "Path of Liberty: That Which Unites US," immerses visitors in 55 personal stories brought to life through striking visuals and interactive elements. Opening on May 15, the installation is located at the site of the Soloviev Group's proposed Freedom Plaza casino on First Avenue between 38th and 41st Streets.
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NYCxDESIGN 2025: 12 can’t-miss events during New York City’s annual celebration of design

Photo courtesy of NYCxDESIGN

May 13, 2025

NYCxDESIGN 2025: 12 can’t-miss events during New York City’s annual celebration of design

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Each spring, New York City takes its turn as the epicenter of global design during the NYCxDESIGN Festival. The 2025 festivities run from May 15 to May 21, drawing industry professionals, innovators, tastemakers, and design lovers from around the world. From iconic trade events like ICFF and WANTED to a city-wide constellation of exhibitions, studio tours, discussions, and product debuts, the festival offers a first look at the ideas shaping tomorrow’s design landscape. It’s a brilliant opportunity to discover emerging talent, explore cutting-edge trends in furniture, lighting, textiles, and objects, and experience the energy of the city’s design scene. Keep reading for an overview of what not to miss.
a world of design, this way
NYC’s largest mass timber housing development to bring 500 homes to Staten Island’s North Shore

Renderings courtesy of GF55 Architects

May 12, 2025

NYC’s largest mass timber housing development to bring 500 homes to Staten Island’s North Shore

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A mixed-income housing development with more than 500 apartments planned for Staten Island’s North Shore is set to become New York City’s largest mass timber residential development. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams announced the selection of Artimus and Phoenix Realty Group to build the new homes, 25 percent of which will be designated as affordable, on two vacant sites along the New Stapleton waterfront. The development will be built with mass timber to lower the project’s carbon footprint and accelerate construction.
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Writer Michelle Young designed her Crown Heights home for work and play, with space for culture and community included

Photo on left courtesy of Zack Dezon; Photos on right courtesy Michelle Young

May 12, 2025

Writer Michelle Young designed her Crown Heights home for work and play, with space for culture and community included

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Michelle Young is an author, journalist, and founder of Untapped New York, an online publication that unearths New York City's many secrets and hidden treasures. She's also the author of the new non-fiction book, "The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland." Her Brooklyn townhouse, which she shares with her husband, Augustin Pasquet, and two young daughters, is an enviable oasis of great design with an additional dimension: On some enchanted evenings, it becomes a candlelit literary salon, hosting award-winning authors and chamber music performances. The directive for its recent renovation, a collaboration with architect Côme Ménage of re-A.D, was to create a home that combines life with small children, work, and hosting cultural events that include the larger community.
step inside a home designed for life
City landmarks duplex apartment in Paul Rudolph’s Modulightor Building

Exterior photo courtesy of the Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture; interior photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

May 6, 2025

City landmarks duplex apartment in Paul Rudolph’s Modulightor Building

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The duplex apartment inside Paul Rudolph’s iconic Modulightor Building in Midtown East is officially a New York City landmark. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate the third- and fourth-floor residence at 246 East 58th Street as an interior landmark, citing the significance of its "complex, multi-layered interior." With the designation of the Modulightor Building as an individual landmark in December 2023, the interior and exterior of the building are now both protected.
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Hudson Valley’s Storm King Art Center reopens after $53M renovation

An entrance path connects the Outdoor Lobby and visitor pavilions to Storm King’s grounds. Artwork: Chakaia Booker, “A Moment in Time,” 2004. Photo © Richard Barnes

May 2, 2025

Hudson Valley’s Storm King Art Center reopens after $53M renovation

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Storm King Art Center, the popular 500-acre outdoor museum in the Hudson Valley, reopened this week following a $53 million renovation and expansion. The sculpture museum's first-ever capital project, a response to its rapid visitor growth, added five acres of landscape for art, a new visitor arrival area with more accessible amenities, streamlined parking, and a conservation and fabrication building. Storm King officially opens for the season on Wednesday, May 7.
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Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

Courtesy of Central Park Conservancy

April 25, 2025

Central Park opens stunning year-round rec center that seamlessly connects to the landscape

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A new recreation center has finally opened on the northern end of Central Park. The $160 million Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is a year-round facility integrated into the park's historic landscape with the ability to transform each season, from a pool in the summer, an ice rink in the winter, and a green lawn in the spring and fall.
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NYC could landmark five Garment District skyscrapers ahead of Midtown South rezoning

On left: Lefcourt Clothing Center, photo by Eden, Janine, and Jim on Flickr; On right: Barbey Building and Fashion Tower, courtesy of Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 24, 2025

NYC could landmark five Garment District skyscrapers ahead of Midtown South rezoning

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Several notable skyscrapers in the Garment District are up for landmark status. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to calendar five buildings in Midtown that are architecturally notable, as well as significant to the history of the neighborhood. The potential landmarking comes as Mayor Eric Adams' plan to rezone Midtown South, which would allow for up to 10,000 new homes, enters public review.
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Landmarks approves Frida Escobedo’s new Met Museum wing

Exterior rendering of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Tang Wing (view from the northwest corner). Visualization by © Filippo Bolognese Images, courtesy of Frida Escobedo Studio

April 23, 2025

Landmarks approves Frida Escobedo’s new Met Museum wing

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The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to approve architect Frida Escobedo's design for a new wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The $550 million Tang Wing will replace the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing at the museum's southwest corner and house its collection of 20th- and 21st-century art. The commission also approved landscape changes to Central Park next to the museum, which will include more trees and plantings.
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The Frick Collection reopens after $220M renovation: See inside the revitalized Gilded Age museum

West Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.

April 17, 2025

The Frick Collection reopens after $220M renovation: See inside the revitalized Gilded Age museum

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The Frick Collection is back and more accessible than ever. Following a five-year, $220 million renovation, the Gilded Age house museum reopened on Thursday with more gallery space, an auditorium, improved accessibility, a new cafe, and access to the second floor for the first time. Designed by Selldorf Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle, the project marks the first upgrade and expansion of the 1914 mansion since the home became a museum 90 years ago.
see inside
Tompkins Square Park’s infamous bathrooms reopen after $5.6M renovation

All photos courtesy of NYC Parks / Daniel Avila

April 15, 2025

Tompkins Square Park’s infamous bathrooms reopen after $5.6M renovation

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You no longer have to hold your nose when using the bathroom at Tompkins Square Park—at least for now. On Monday, the city’s Parks Department reopened the East Village park’s field house following a two-year, $5.6 million renovation, finally restoring the restrooms after years of being known as some of the filthiest facilities in the five boroughs. The project included a full overhaul of the four bathrooms, with upgrades to the building’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems, as well as improvements to accessibility and the building’s exterior.
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