Happy Friday! Here’s the scoop on what’s been happening in the New York real estate world this week.
The Week: February 22-26
Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. This week was a week of good-ole city infrastructure news thanks to a (hopefully) final opening date for the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, and a new chapter in the long-plagued Second Avenue subway line.
TripleMint’s Pick: At Last, Tour Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub
At long, long last, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, crowned by Santiago Calatrava’s grand skeletal sculpture Oculus, is set to open on March 3rd, 2016. After over a decade of construction costing $4.4 billion (originally estimated to be $2.2 billion), the striking structure will open without fanfare – likely a prudent decision for a development once referred to as “a symbol of excess.” That being said, check it out while it’s still new for prime social media photo opportunities.
Airbnb’s Purged Listings Are Already Coming Back
Two weeks ago, we reported that Airbnb allegedly deleted as many as 1,000 of its NYC listings. This Wednesday, Airbnb confirmed it scrubbed 1,500 listings before opening its books to the public. In another twist to this bizarre controversy, Bloomberg reports that many of the hosts operating purged units are adding those listings back to Airbnb.
City Planning Approves East New York Rezoning Plan
In an effort to boost Mayor de Blasio’s ambitious affordable housing plan, the City Planning Commission approved a rezoning proposal for East New York. Through the proposal, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development will finance 1,200 units of affordable housing in the neighborhood.
Best Cities for Families Report: NYC Receives “C” Grade
Raising a family in New York City is tough, as indicated by this study by Apartment List. Specifically, it ranks #314 in the United States, based on a methodology measuring safety, housing costs, school quality and child friendliness. Don’t be too worried – New York scored higher than other large cities like Chicago and San Francisco.
New York’s Next Hot Neighborhoods
The New York Times addresses the oldest question in New York real estate: how do you find “the next big neighborhood?” They’re betting on Sunset Park West, The Rockaways, Flatbush and East Harlem.
To Meet a December Deadline, MTA to Spend $66 Million Accelerating 2nd Ave. Subway Work
Last December, an independent contractor told the MTA that the long-controversial Second Avenue subway line risks missing its December 31st, 2016 deadline. In a move seemingly responding to these risks, the MTA plans to inject $66 million more into construction efforts.
Meet the TripleMint Team: Anne Richmond
This week we sat down with Client Experience Manager (CEM) Anne Richmond. One of the quirkiest and most fun members of the team, we learned about her early astronaut aspirations, fascinating hobbies, and what makes her happy about working at TripleMint.
