NYC’s most anticipated transit project, the Interborough Express (IBX), would finally bring easier transportation service between Queens and Brooklyn, connecting 20 neighborhoods between both boroughs–though while construction hasn’t even started yet, they’re already making changes to the proposed route.

Originally, the 14-mile IBX was supposed to run street-level along a portion of Metropolitan Avenue and 69th Street, abiding by NYC’s 25 mph speed limit and likely getting stuck in traffic. Now, however, the MTA says they’re instead looking to run the train along an existing line underneath All Faiths Cemetery in Queens’ Middle Village neighborhood.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber stated how the subterranean route beneath the cemetery is underutilized and is currently only used by a freight train once per day. The new proposal would instead turn it “into something which is transformative for so many New Yorkers” and cut the trip between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights by five minutes compared to if the tram had to share right-of-way with vehicular traffic.

MTA Construction & Development Chief Jamie Torres-Springer added a press conference:

It’s a huge deal. It means we can operate so much more efficiently throughout the whole thing. We can run faster, that means more trains, it means more passengers, it means shorter durations for the whole trip. All of this is unlocked by this, so it’s a great opportunity and that’s why we’re pursuing it.

Officials have spoken with cemetery leaders and have decided the new route is feasible in both an engineering and financial perspective. On Tuesday, October 29th, the MTA released a Request for Proposals to solicit consultant bids to begin the preliminary engineering phase, which is expected to take approximately two years.

Once completed, the IBX would connect neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens to 17 subway lines, 51 current bus routes, and the Long Island Rail Road at the East New York Station, servicing 900,000 residents and 260,000 employees who work in the affected areas.

Moreover, the project will significantly reduce travel times within and between the two boroughs, bringing the trip down to the 30-minute range compared to the current hour plus trip by way of Manhattan.

Video of the proposed IBX route can be seen below:

Beyond the IBX, a network of protected bike lanes is also en route to connect Queens and North Brooklyn, and the Gateway Tunnel is also in the works to connect NY and NJ.

The post New Route Connecting Queens & Brooklyn May Take You Beneath City Cemetery appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

Grand Central is getting festive with the return of its beloved Holiday Fair, opening for the season on Monday, November 11th.

This exciting tradition will uplift 36 local vendors and small businesses for an unmissable holiday shopping destination for the season.

The entire Holiday Fair will run for six weeks only (November 11th – December 24th), seven days a week, so you’ll have just until Christmas Eve to get something for everyone on your list.

New to the fair this year will be a highly-anticipated Uncommon Goods holiday pop-up located on the bridge next to the main concourse. Also new to the Holiday Fair will be an exclusive Grand Central merchandise collection. Shoppers will be able to peruse various Grand Central terminal-branded Yeti tumblers, Baggu totes, luggage tags, playing cards and more.

“Grand Central is already a world-class travel and dining destination, but with the Holiday Fair, New Yorkers and visitors alike can celebrate the season with homegrown vendors selling merchandise that is as unique as Grand Central itself,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “It’s a joy to see these storied halls come to life with holiday cheer.”

Of course, Holiday Fair classics like the NY Transit Museum train show will once again spring to life. Admire an adorable replica of Grand Central as a collection of the museum’s model trains will chug through the miniature city en route to the North Pole. Note that the train show will not run for the same duration of the Holiday Fair, but between Thursday, November 14th through February 2025.

Other Grand Central Holiday Fair favorites like the Thanksgiving Market will grant New Yorkers a chance to pick-up delicious seasonal items to bring to their Thanksgiving dinner. The Thanksgiving market will only be open on Wednesday, November 27th in the Biltmore Room from 10 am – 6 pm.

You can learn even more details about the Grand Central Holiday Fair online.

The Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair is just one of the many magical places to go holiday shopping in NYC, because you can’t forget about other fan favorites like Bryant Park’s Winter Village and Union Square’s Holiday Market.

Grand Central Terminal

November 11th – December 24th, 2024

The post Grand Central’s Fantastical Holiday Fair Announces First-Time Uncommon Goods Holiday Pop-Up appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

It is the end of an era: the legendary department store chain Kmart has just closed its last full-size store in all of America, which happened to be right here in New York at 2044 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton.

The news of the then upcoming closure was confirmed last month, just a few weeks before the final day of operations on October 20. 

Known for its discounted products—from electronics to groceries, household items, clothing and more—Kmart used to operate over 2,000 stores across the country at its peak but now only helms locations in the British Virgin Island and Guam, plus a smaller, convenience store-like shop in Miami.

Who can forget the iconic Astor Place Kmart at 770 Broadway in Manhattan that shut down in July of 2021? Frequent area visitors still mourn the loss of the popular downtown destination, so we can only imagine how this latest closure will affect the chain’s diehard fans and the local residents who relied on the store’s affordability.

We shopped there eight days before its closure earlier this month and most of the racks were gone with massive sales on the leftover merch, including make-up, outdoor gear and clothing.

Why is Kmart closing?

Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy production back in 2002—over two decades ago!—also announcing intentions to close down more than 250 stores.

Since then, though, things have only gotten worse: the 2008 recession hit the company hard, as did the Amazon boom and the popularity of similar destinations like Target and Walmart.

What Kmarts have closed so far?

Although the first-ever Kmart store opened in Michigan back in 1962, the retail chain quickly expanded all around the world, at one point operating nearly 2,500 shops globally. 

That network, which eventually merged with department store chain Sears, included the Astor Place address, a midtown West storefront by Penn Station, Long Island destinations and more. All of them have now closed. 

Other closures in the U.S. so far

Unfortunately, Kmart’s trajectory has not been unique. The retail chain is one of many that has had to shutter all operations following financial issues in recent years, including 1,200 unprofitable Walgreens, beloved diner chain Denny’s, Red Lobster addresses nationwide and Pizza Hut, which surprisingly and abruptly closed down over 300 restaurants in the midwest. 

It’s not all bad news, though! Following a pretty sad closure in 2020, Century 21 re-debuted its flagship in the Financial District of Manhattan in 2023, for example.

There’s also Wegmans: the supermarket chain opened its first-ever Manhattan address in 2023 and has recently announced it will launch a space on the Upper West Side in the near future.

* This article was originally published here

If you braved the COVID pandemic in New York City, you’ve probably noticed that rent prices have been getting worse and worse since 2020. And the situation has only deteriorated since then.

According to data by Zillow and StreetEasy, the average New York City rent price has gone up by a staggering 36% since before the pandemic, with a median asking rent of $3,800 in August of this year. That’s more than one-third more expensive than it was just five years ago. 

RECOMMENDED: Check out the new park that just opened along the Long Island City waterfront

As if that wasn’t bad enough, it turns out that we are in the middle of a pretty awful housing shortage all across the country, too, with a deficit of 389,924 homes.

There’s more: it’s likely that your pay at work is not even keeping up with the rising cost of living. Rents have grown seven times faster than wages in the past year, according to the report, meaning that if you haven’t received significant salary increases, it’s harder than ever to pay for rent.

According to the report, in the most popular borough, Queens, demand for apartments is outpacing supply, a fact that has led to a 9% year-on-year increase in asking price. That’s just an example of how bad the situation has become.

Just in case you were wondering, according to the survey, the most competitive month for renters is April (it used to be May), so you have some time to find the very best way to secure an affordable apartment if your lease is up then. 

On that note, we reached out to Casey Roberts, StreetEasy Consumer Trends Expert, to get a guru’s take on the current outlook.

“The good news for renters is that we’re starting to head into the colder months, which is when rents in the city tend to be at their lowest, so if you’re looking now, you’re more likely to snag a deal,” said the expert. “Renter competition has softened this year, as the ongoing affordability and supply challenges have discouraged some renters from moving altogether.”

Could it be worth it to break your lease a bit early? Perhaps—or you can pack a bag and consider moving to a more affordable city, where we can all actually afford to pay rent. We’re looking at you, Philly. 

* This article was originally published here