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NYC was just ranked second best city in the U.S. for book lovers
It is always the right time to celebrate all things literary but today happens to be extra special: it’s National Book Lovers Day!
Given the myriad books set in or about New York and the many bookstores that we claim as our own, it should come as no surprise that the Big Apple is considered one of the best cities in the U.S for book lovers, at least according to a new ranking by travel website Explore.
To come up with its list, the outlet looked at data from the “Top 100 Best American Cities” list by World’s Best Cities and then evaluated towns based on a variety of factors, like the number of bookstores and libraries per 10,000 residents, notable literary landmarks and the availability of literary tours.
Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, came out on top, thanks in part to the region’s annual literary festivals and its “impressive number of independent bookstores,” according to the survey.
New York City followed at no. two, with the study specifically calling out the iconic New York Public Library and legendary bookstores like the Strand.
“Not only that, but New York City is also home to 20 literary landmarks—including iconic spots like the Plaza Hotel from The Great Gatsby, Holden Caulfield’s duck pond in Central Park from The Catcher in the Rye and the Greenwich Village streets from The Bell Jar,” reads the study. “Beyond that, the city’s rich literary history is also evident in its many writer’s haunts—with places the White Horse Tavern and Chelsea Hotel, where literary giants like Dylan Thomas, James Baldwin, Henry Miller, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac (just to name a few) once gathered.”
Poughkeepsie in New York, which boasts 3.15 bookstores and libraries per 10,000 residents, also made the ranking at no. five. Keep in mind that the Vassar College Libraries, open to the public and home to an extensive rare book collections, are also in Poughkeepsie, a fact that undoubtedly contributes to the city’s position in the study.
Needless to say, we are incredibly proud of being included in the ranking. Books rock!
Top ten best cities for book lovers in the U.S.
1. Lancaster in Pennsylvania
2. New York City in New York
3. Harrisburg in Pennsylvania
4. Pensacola in Florida
5. Poughkeepsie in New York
6. Portland in Oregon
7. Pittsburg in Pennsylvania
8. Birmingham in Alabama
9. Cincinnati in Ohio
10. St. Louis in Missouri
NYC homeowners can now build backyard cottages and basement apartments
We’ve all witnessed the mad rush to secure an apartment in NYC. We’ve seen the lines around the block and heard the horror stories of desperate New Yorkers getting beat out by someone else’s hefty down payment. It’s a housing crisis—there aren’t a lot of apartments and prices are high.
A new plan rolling out from the Eric Adams Administration, though, aims to provide more housing by allowing homeowners of one- or two-family homes to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their properties.
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These ADUs can be backyard cottages and basement apartments measuring up to 800 square feet with separate entrances—and would still fit within building and zoning codes.
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity would permit one- or two-family homes in New York City to add an accessory dwelling unit of up to 800 square feet, while adhering to building code and other city and state regulations.
According to the administration, ADUs have been helpful for families in need of a living space for loved ones or caretakers, have brought in extra income and provided space for families to grow without changing the neighborhood they’re in.
The pilot program, fueled by $4 million in grant funding, will provide up to $395,000 to qualified homeowners through the Housing Preservation & Development agency and it’ll provide funds from New York State Homes and Community Renewal to build or convert an ADU on their properties. Up to 35 homeowners will be able to create an ADU under current zoning and building codes.
When the pilot was first launched in 2023, nearly 80% of applicants said they were interested in improving their family’s finances or housing a family member with an ADU, officials say.
Those interested in creating an ADU on their properties will have tools at their disposal once NYC creates its “one-stop shop” portal that’ll include a library of pre-approved designs, much like what is done in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon.
Again, this new plan is part of the Adams Administration’s “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,” which is currently under public review. According to officials, it’s the “most pro-housing zoning proposal in New York City’s history” because as many as 108,850 new homes could be built over the next 15 years.
“For our seniors fighting to stay in the neighborhoods they call home or young people struggling to find a living space, accessory dwelling units can be a lifeline to stable, affordable housing,” Mayor Adams said in a statement. “For too long, our policies have lived in the past and ignored the present: We are facing a generational housing crisis. The only solution is to build more and make it easier, not harder, for homeowners to join government in addressing this crisis head on. Together, we can build our way towards a better future, but that must include saying ‘yes’ to ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ and legalizing accessory dwelling units.”
In addition to the City of Yes plan, the city’s planning department is pushing plans that if approved could bring more than 50,000 units to NYC over the next 15 years in the Metro North station area in the Bronx, Central Brooklyn, Midtown South in Manhattan, Long Island City and Jamaica, Queens.
It may not happen overnight, but NYC’s future rental market is looking more promising.