A developer in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood, having struck out with a glassy office makeover of the Watchtower Buildings, now proposes nearly 700 apartments instead—a shift prompted by New York’s sagging commercial demand and ballooning housing ne…
Dozens of faith leaders and local stalwarts gathered at Brooklyn’s Flatbush Jewish Center for the District 39 Interfaith Immigration Summit, rallying—yet again—against persistent federal raids by ICE in New York City neighborhoods. Orchestrated by Council Member Shahana Hanif and the Interfaith Center of New York, the summit encouraged solidarity and practical defense, because, as we’re learning, even gods expect robust community organizing these days.
New York has opened an $89.5 million, purpose-built intake center for homeless women in East New York, aiming to banish the faintly Dickensian vibe of old shelters with private rooms, pastel walls, and—luxury of luxuries—a mural. Officials hope the trauma-informed design will coax more of the city’s 4,000 annual seekers indoors, though dignity is likely cheaper in bulk than in single-bed allotments.
New York’s supposedly tamed homicide rates have not prevented a deadly run of shootings: Demitri McKay, 29, died early Tuesday after being shot in the arm inside Hangar 11 in Kew Gardens, Queens—a bullet that found his heart, alas. Hours prior, a 16-year-old met a similar fate in a Brooklyn housing complex. As NYPD chases suspects, we wonder if “record lows” are a touch too celebratory.
The Brooklyn Museum intends to weave its vast Arts of Africa holdings into fresh galleries, aiming to give the entire continent a rare unified billing. We’re told this renovation promises “dignity,” a commodity sometimes in short supply on museum labels. If the curators resist the lure of sweeping generalizations, perhaps visitors will leave with more than just another fragmented stamp in their cultural passport.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has invited developers to conjure new life for a dormant lot on Atlantic Avenue in Crown Heights, together with the air rights from the abutting Franklin Avenue Shuttle—a package likely to pique the interest of those fond of building skyward. If New York’s history is any guide, we can expect years of wrangling before the first hard hat grazes those heights.
The Peace, Accountability and Leadership PAC, intent on checking the likes of AIPAC, has thrown its second congressional endorsement behind Claire Valdez, a Democratic Socialist and die-hard critic of Israel who is running to replace Nydia Velázquez in a North Brooklyn-Queens district. As Valdez touts calls for a Gaza ceasefire and arrests from last year’s protests, we note the PAC’s clout remains more aspiration than balance-sheet for now.
The Brooklyn Museum will channel $13 million into fresh galleries for its 4,500-piece African art collection, aiming to open a 6,400-square-foot space in fall 2027. Local architects Peterson Rich Office—supported by preservationists Beyer Blidner Belle—will fuse the new rooms with the museum’s Egyptian galleries, inviting visitors to stroll from Cairo to Cape Town without risking jet lag or lost luggage.
Brad Lander, New York City's bean-counting former comptroller and erstwhile mayoral hopeful, has set his sights on Congress, throwing down the gauntlet to Democratic incumbent Dan Goldman in the primary for a district spanning Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Lander laments that deep-pocketed politicians aren’t “meeting the moment”—as if campaign coffers alone could douse democracy’s alleged five-alarm fire. We await sparks or, perhaps, just more smoke.
