Author: Site Adminstrator
This Museum In Brooklyn Has One Of The Largest Human Bone Collections In The Country
If you’re craving a knowledgeable and atypical afternoon excursion, might we suggest a visit to the Bone Museum in Williamsburg?
The 1,000 square-foot showcase is a deep dive into medical osteology that features 150 real human skulls and over 15 complete skeletons. Visitors will also find a pathological collection featuring cases of leprosy, syphilis, hydrocephaly, and other rare conditions. In other words: this ain’t something you see every day.
“Many people may go their entire lives without ever seeing a real human bone, and we want to change that by offering an opportunity for everyone to engage with this important subject matter,” says managing director Jon Pichaya Ferry, who’s behind JonsBones, a.k.a. the leading provider of medical human osteology. “We aim to foster equity and inclusion by transforming a field that has traditionally been confined to academia and elite institutions.”
This Brooklyn attraction might be considered one of the lesser known NYC museums, but it’s certainly worth a peruse for its specialized flair. It’s the only spot within the five boroughs to offer a glimpse of real skeletal remains, and one of the largest exhibitions in the country to do so. Plus, it’s meant to spark curiosity in other related areas, such as forensic anthropology, medicine, and chiropractic care, to name a few.
And good news for the science-obsessed: there’s plenty underway, including an expanded collection, talks, and events, all centered around a very common but often misunderstood topic.
“Through this exposure, we aim to inspire curiosity and spark interest in areas that many people might not have previously encountered,” Jon adds. “We hope visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for the skeletal system and a better understanding of what makes us human.”
Visit the museum website for more information.
255 McKibbin St Studio 0014
Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 7pm
$20, $15 for students and educational affiliates
You might also like: The best science museums in NYC worth exploring
The post This Museum In Brooklyn Has One Of The Largest Human Bone Collections In The Country appeared first on Secret NYC.
LaGuardia Was Just Deemed The Best Airport In The Country
Sure, you look better than you did in high school, but there’s no other glow up quite as significant as LaGuardia Airport’s. Forbes Travel Guide’s inaugural Verified Air Travel Awards just selected LGA as the best airport in the country—quite a long way from it previously being one of the worst.
This revolutionary change in status can be accredited to the airport’s historic $8 billion transformation, causing earlier accolades for its new Terminal B and winning the title of America’s best mid-sized airport.
The Verified Air Travel Awards spans 22 categories, from best airport lounges to the top private jet carriers.
To conduct their ranking, Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) “scoured the globe to come up with a list of nominees.” From there, they invited 5,000 survey participants of their most traveled fliers made up of FTG incognito inspectors and training team, along with hospitality industry experts, to decide the fate of the nominees.
Results were verified by FTG for integrity and objectivity.
Proud Port Authority Executive Director, Rick Cotton, said, “From the very start, our mission at LaGuardia Airport was to transform what was once the worst airport in the nation into an airport that would rival the best in the world…Today’s award from Forbes Travel Guide is further proof that with our private partners, Delta Air Lines and LaGuardia Gateway Partners, we have created a new LaGuardia Airport that is no longer a national laughingstock, but something our entire region and country can be proud of.”
“This award from Forbes Travel Guide, recognizing LaGuardia as the best airport in the nation, is affirmation of all the hard work and resources that the Port Authority and our partners have invested to reimagine what LaGuardia could become,” added Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole.
You can explore each category of the awards and winners on Forbes.
The post LaGuardia Was Just Deemed The Best Airport In The Country appeared first on Secret NYC.
These 2 Boroughs Earned Top 10 Status On The Hardest Renters’ List
We New York City dwellers will likely be complaining about the city’s rental market until, well, the end of time–but when NYC rent is 164% above average for the U.S., NYC rents are rising 7x faster than wages, less than 5% of NYC rents are affordable for those making the city’s average salary, and even NYC stabilized tenants keep facing rent increases, can you blame us?! And things aren’t getting any better.
A recent report released by RentCafe found that this past summer’s rental market reached its boiling point, and so they’re lending a helping hand. In an effort to help Americans looking for a new place to call home find out what other options are out there, RentCafe went on a mission to find the most competitive rental markets. They looked at five relevant metrics in terms of rental competitiveness:
- The number of days apartments were vacant
- The % of apartments that were occupied by renters
- The number of prospective renters competing for an apartment
- The % of renters who renewed their leases
- The share of new apartments completed recently
With this data RentCafe was able to measure the U.S. rental market’s competitiveness–calculating a Rental Competitiveness Index (RCI)–during peak moving season. Currently, the national RCI score is 75.8, meaning the apartment market in the U.S. is very competitive during peak rental season.
As for the nation’s hottest rental markets during the peak season, two NYC boroughs made it to the top ten–Manhattan at #9 and Brooklyn at #10. Moreover, both earned RCI scores higher than the national score, coming in at 82.2 and 82.0, respectively.
NYC boroughs have become significantly more competitive this summer than last. The report writes:
Fueled by New York City’s economy, Queens, NY, has become increasingly hot, as well, mainly due to its close proximity to Manhattan and more affordable apartments. To that point, Queens’ RCI score increased by 12.8 points year-over-year to reach 71.5 in peak rental season. Similarly, Brooklyn, NY, saw a significant 10.3-point increase to bring its RCI score to a whopping 82 this busy summer.
NYC’s diverse economy is mainly what’s fueling apartment competition–Manhattan is the ninth-hottest rental market in the U.S. and fourth in the region, though the borough has seen almost zero new apartments in recent months. Moreover, vacant Manhattan apartments are typically snatched up in only 37 days, with each available unit attracting an average of nine applicants looking to apply.
And renters turning to Brooklyn instead aren’t having any easier of a time–Brooklyn is the fifth-hottest rental market in the Northeast with only a 0.75% increase in housing supply. The borough has seen a 3.3% increase in renewal rates year-over-year, meaning less than 4% of apartments are available on the market. Compared to Manhattan vacant apartments in Brooklyn take three days longer to fill, so you do have some extra wiggle room, but available units each receive an average of 14 applicants, more than in Manhattan and up from nine compared to last summer.
As for the most competitive rental market, that title went to our friends over in Suburban Chicago, IL, and our friends in Miami, FL came in second. The full top ten is as follows:
1. Suburban Chicago, IL
2. Miami-Dade County, FL
3. Milwaukee, WI
4. Bridgeport – New Haven, CT
5. Chicago, IL
6. North Jersey, NJ
7. Omaha, NE
8. Suburban Philadelphia, PA
9. Manhattan, NY
10. Brooklyn, NY
The full report can be found here.
The post These 2 Boroughs Earned Top 10 Status On The Hardest Renters’ List appeared first on Secret NYC.
A new Minnie Mouse balloon is debuting at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
It’s always exciting when a brand new balloon joins the lineup at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, especially when it involves a beloved theme. This year, the event will feature a new Minnie Mouse inflatable that is part of a novel collaboration between the retail giant and Disney.
In addition to the balloon, the partnership involves a number of limited-edition Disney products that are exclusively available at Macy’s stores nationwide and online.
The Herald Square flagship location of the brand in particular will host a special concession stand featuring an interactive AR experience “that will allow customers to see themselves as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ‘balloon handlers,'” reads an official press release.
In terms of products, expect to shop apparel pieces, accessories and collectibles, including Disney artwork by Disney’s iconic director of character art Jeff Shelly.
Fun fact: the first-ever Disney inflatable to partake in the Macy’s Parade was one of Mickey back in 1934—that’s 90 years ago!
Minnie isn’t the only new addition to this year’s roster: back in September, the Bronx Zoo announced that it will debut a float during the November festivities as well.
Dubbed “The Wondrous World of Wildlife,” the new float will honor the zoo’s 125th anniversary, celebrating the venue’s awesome exhibits.
Expect a Russian boreal forest section, compete with an Amur tiger in its natural snow-covered environment; an African savanna portion boasting four different species (giraffes! Zebra! Ostriches! Horbills!); the African rainforest with a grey parrot, a gorilla and an okapi; and odes to the Rainey Memorial Gate and the Zoo Center, two of the most iconic pieces of architecture when analyzing the destination as a whole.
The holiday season is basically upon us and, to be honest, it cannot come soon enough.
Crown Heights Affordable Housing Lottery Lists Units Less Than $500
From Gowanus to Williamsburg to Madison Ave, some pretty incredible affordable housing lotteries have been opening up around NYC, and if you know anything about the NYC rental market you know to not pass up on the chance to apply to an affordable housing lottery. And good news: a brand new Crown Heights Affordable Housing Lottery just opened!
As part of NYC’s efforts to provide affordable housing to its residents (affordable meaning anything that’s a third or below someone’s income), the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) constantly open housing lotteries that reserve units for a fraction of the cost.
Dubbed Weeksville Place, the lottery is an eight-story building comprising 36 residential units, and New Yorkers making an income between $18,480 and $134,160 are eligible. Apartment amenities include the following:
- Bike storage lockers
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Air-conditioning
- Playground
- Community center
- Outdoor areas
- On-site resident manager
Of the 36 available units 15 are studios starting at $454, seven are one bedrooms starting at $577, and 14 are two bedrooms starting at $1,364. And considering apartments.com notes that the average monthly rent for a studio in NYC is $3,133, you cannot beat this price.
Interested residents have until October 28, 2024 to apply to the Crown Heights affordable housing lottery. The lottery doesn’t require deposits or application fees and, in addition to rent, selected tenants will be responsible for electric and electric stove.
20% of the building’s units are preferred to go to Brooklyn Community Board 8 residents, 5% of the units are preferred for NYC employees, and 56% are preferred for those aged 62+. Moreover 2% is for vision/hearing and 5% for mobility. Those interested can apply here.
And to increase your chances of snagging an apartment, be sure to check out these 5 secret tips to win an NYC housing lottery, straight from the pros.
1559 Prospect Pl, Brooklyn
The post Crown Heights Affordable Housing Lottery Lists Units Less Than $500 appeared first on Secret NYC.
At Least Half Of NYC’s Yellow Taxi Fleet Must Be Wheelchair Accessible By 2028, Court Orders
Progress in a more than decade-old settlement is requiring every new yellow taxi cab entering NYC’s fleet to be wheelchair accessible.
The settlement originally agreed that 50% of NYC’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) fleet must be wheelchair accessible by 2020. It’s recently been adjusted to a 100% rule that requires all new entering taxi cabs to be wheelchair accessible in order to effectively reach the 50% goal after TLC’s lack of compliance, even when the deadline for the original obligation was extended to 2023.
As of June 2023, less than half of NYC’s fleet was wheelchair accessible, only “reaching only 32% for the Authorized Medallion Requirement and 42% for the Active Medallion Requirement”, according to court records.
A new deadline for 50% of the fleet (both Authorized and Active Medallion) to be wheelchair accessible has been set for 2028.
Taxis must perform a “hack-up” (maintenance update) every seven years in NYC. Due to this update ruling, every hack-up from here forth must involve the addition of accessibility equipment.
As of now, there are over 13,000 NYC yellow taxi cabs in commission. Keep in mind that when the original lawsuit was filed, only 2% of NYC’s taxi fleet was wheelchair accessible.
In comparison, NYC now has over 80,000 active ride-share vehicles (Lyft, Uber, etc.). This leads to conflict with NYC taxi drivers arguing the push to retrofit their vehicles adds even more strain on top a slow comeback from Covid-19 and the already difficult competition against ride-share services.
Though the TLC tried to push back and relieve themselves from the settlement claiming “impossibility defense” about their failed compliance (which basically means that they were claiming the ruling was an impossible task), the court denied it, finding that they have not taken “virtually every action within [their] power to perform [their] duties under the contract.”
Therefore, the new deadlines will remain in place, and the TLC must comply. However, if a taxi driver can prove financial hardships, TLC added an amendment to grant them an extra six-month extension to add ramps.
Learn more from the court order which states
The Original Settlement Agreement and Amended Settlement Agreement remain enforceable and Defendants shall (1) immediately take all necessary steps to modify TLC’s current 50% rule to implement a 100% Rule (pursuant to Section III(A)(3)) until they meet the Authorized and Active Medallion Requirements and (2) provide bi-annual reports (as prescribed in Section IV) to Class Counsel and this Court beginning on January 10, 2025.
In other news: Uber Launches $18 Flat Rate Rides From Manhattan To LGA
The post At Least Half Of NYC’s Yellow Taxi Fleet Must Be Wheelchair Accessible By 2028, Court Orders appeared first on Secret NYC.