On her way to attend a congestion-pricing rally at West 14th Street and Ninth Avenue, Gov. Kathy Hochul rode the M14D bus with regular passengers and media representatives. ( Photo: Ralph Spielman) Trump’s DOT Head Rips Hochul Handling of Subways, Calls System a ‘Shithole’ A day after Gov. Kathy Hochul said she didn’t have to go to war with the federal government over the congestion-pricing question,... News 24 Mar 2025 | 01:20
Flagbearer waves to crowd at 264th St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Ave. on March 17. ( Photo: Heather Stein) Wet Weather Does Not Dampen Spirits at St. Patrick’s Day Parade There was a little bit of everything surrounding the 264th St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17. It kicked off with an early-morning... News 22 Mar 2025 | 11:42
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church on Seventh Avenue and West 30th Street would be spared now that Gov. Hochul no longer wants to demolish the city block where it sits to accommodate an expanded Penn Station. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly) Hochul’s Retreat on Penn Station Expansion Will Spare Entire Block from Demolition Gov. Kathy Hochul pulled the rug out from under Amtrak’s hope to double the capacity of Penn Station by tearing down the... News 22 Mar 2025 | 05:38
Grand Penn Alliance’s chief architect, Alexandros Washburn, who led the creation of the Moynihan Train Hall, outlines the plan for a new Penn Station that would move Madison Square Garden across Seventh Avenue and in its place create a green park leading to the nation’s busiest rail hub. ( Image: Michael Oreskes) New $7.5B Penn Plan–This One Pushed by Trump Allies The time has come to make Penn Station great again. That not particularly subtle message to Donald J. Trump—who routinely... News 15 Mar 2025 | 09:35
Assembly member Tony Simone (right) has an alternative Penn Station plan that will spare the block south of Penn Station from demolition. To the rear is the empty lot that once housed the Pennsylvania Hotel. Simone wants that to be a park, whereas the parcel’s owner, real estate developer Vornado, says it still has plans for future office towers on that spot. ( Photo: Michael Oreskes) New Penn Plan: 2 West Side Pols Unveil Proposal to Save Block South of Station from Teardown New York State’s plan to redevelop the neighborhood around Penn Station should be drastically revamped to provide more housing,... News 09 Mar 2025 | 01:36
Across Twelfth Avenue from the Intrepid Museum, a parking lot for museum employees and buses will be transformed into a mixed-use commercial/residential tower that will include affordable housing. ( Photo: Ralph Spielman) From Gas Tanks to Tower: Hochul Plans Housing, Intrepid Parking for 12th Avenue Parcel One of the largest undeveloped parcels of vacant land on the far West Side of Midtown Manhattan, at 621 W. 45th St., is being... News 08 Mar 2025 | 09:58
Mayor Eric Adams calls reporters “liars,” as he leaves a press conference at Bellevue Hospital Feb. 18 , where an NYPD office had been taken after getting shot. He refused to answer questions about his embattled administration, which saw four deputy mayors resign. Calls are growing for him to resign. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly) Adams Still Feeling Pressure Even After Hochul Says She Won’t Force Him Out Turmoil continued to swirl around Mayor Eric Adams even after Gov. Kathy Hochul said she would not take the unprecedented... News 24 Feb 2025 | 03:15
A visibly angered Gov. Kathy Hochul addresses the demand by the Trump Administration to cease the New York Congestion Pricing program. ( Photo: Office of NYS Governor) Hochul Fires Back after “King” Trump Pushes to End Congestion Pricing It is all out war over congestion pricing after President Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation issued an edict to... News 23 Feb 2025 | 06:56
The MTA wants to buy 435 more of the subway cars known as the R211s. Pictured here is the inaugural ride of the first R211A subway to enter customer service, from 207 St on the A line on Friday, Mar 10, 2023, taken at 145th Street in Manhattan. As of 2027, there were be 1610 Kawasaki-built R211s, including the open-gangway cars, the single unit R211A as pictured here. ( Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA) Cameras Will be in 435 New Subway Cars that MTA Wants to Buy for $1.27B–But Only If New Budget Gets OK The good news: at its last board meeting of 2024, the MTA tentatively approved a $1.27 billion contract to purchase 435 new... News 03 Jan 2025 | 01:35
Governor Kathy Hochul (left) chats with local lawmakers including Assembly members Tony Simone (rear) and Linda Rosenthal and NYS Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal after the Nov. 14 announcement that she is “unpausing” congestion pricing toll. All three lawmakers are supportive of the toll that Houchul plans to start on Jan. 5. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly) Hochul “Unpauses” Congestion Pricing; Seeks to Start Jan. 5 with $9 Toll It is a race against time as Governor Kathy Hochul unpaused congestion pricing tolls below 60th St in Manhattan, setting... News 16 Nov 2024 | 05:52
A rendering of the planned 2nd Phase of the Second Avenue subway extension, which can resume inching forward after Governor Kathy Hochul announced $54 million in state funding for the project. The price tag was previously covered by congestion pricing, which she indefinitely paused. ( Photo: MTA ) Stalled Second Avenue Subway Expansion Inches Forward, After $54M State Allocation The Second Avenue subway expansion project will resume again, after Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she had managed... News 31 Jul 2024 | 06:46
Rendering of the proposed makeover of the former Bayview Correction Facility. ( Gov. Kathy Hochul) Closed Chelsea Women’s Prison to Become Affordable, Supportive Housing in $108M Rebuild A run-in with Superstorm Sandy put the former jail out of commission in 2012, and today it’s on its way to becoming affordable... Home 29 Jul 2024 | 11:57
Gov. Kathy Hochul touched on a wide range of topics during a Q&A session at the Hearst Tower–from housing to her reversal on congestion pricing and Joe Biden before the President made his stunning announcement he would not seek reelection. Photo: Keith J. Kelly Hochul Talks Congestion Pricing, Housing, Cell Phone Ban in Schools and her City Apt Governor Kathy Hochul took part in a one-on-one live Q&A at Hearst Towers July 18 in which she gave some new insight on her... News 21 Jul 2024 | 05:48
An earthquake with a 4.8 magnitude that struck an epicenter in New Jersey, one mile from Tewksbury, NJ on April 5 at 10:23 a.m.also sent shock waves to Manhattan and up and down the East Coast. Outlined in red is the earthquake at its most intense point stretching along New Jersey. Photo Credit: earthquake.usgs.gov. A 4.8 Quake in NJ Rattles Manhattan; Around 30 Smaller Aftershocks Hit Over Weekend Dozens of small aftershocked continued over two days following an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter scale... News 08 Apr 2024 | 10:13
State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal sponsored the bill’s passage in the upper house. A similar passed the NYS Assembly and now all eyes turn to Governor Hochul to see if she will sign or veto the bill. ( Source: New York State Senate Media Services) City Joins Business, Medical Groups in Lobbying Against Grieving Families Act Backed by Hoylman-Sigal New York City has joined an expanding chorus of local governments, businesses, and medical groups urging Governor Kathy Hochul... News 24 Nov 2023 | 04:21
Karen’s Quirky Style Honors Photographer Helen Levitt