The Largest Raphael Exhibition in U.S. History Is Now Open At The Met — Featuring 200+ Renaissance Masterpieces From The Louvre & Beyond

Get ready to experience the breathtaking genius of this Italian Renaissance master up close when Raphael: Sublime Poetry opened March 29.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is officially hosting a landmark exhibition dedicated to Raphael, making it the very first comprehensive international loan exhibition of the artist’s work in the United States.

According to recent coverage from art publications like Hyperallergic, securing loans for Raphael’s work is notoriously difficult, which makes gathering this collection a truly historic feat for the city.

This unprecedented exhibition brings together more than 200 works.

Visitors will be treated to over 170 of the artist’s most important drawings, paintings, tapestries, and decorative arts.

These masterpieces are traveling to New York from public and private collections all over the world.

The collection explores his entire career, starting from his early origins in Urbino and moving through his highly prolific years in Florence. It finally culminates with his last decade spent at the papal court in Rome.

The massive layout unfolds roughly chronologically to trace his life and the development of his brilliant ideas.
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You will see his prodigious versatility up close, as the museum is featuring his drawings in direct relationship to paintings and works in other media.

One major highlight you absolutely cannot miss is The Virgin and Child with Infant Saint John the Baptist in a Landscape, which is widely known as The Alba Madonna.

Coming from the National Gallery of Art, this stunning piece will be united with its preparatory drawings from the Museum of Fine Arts in Lille.

You will also get to lock eyes with the famous Portrait of Baldassarre Castiglione, arriving straight from the Louvre in Paris.

Even though he lived a mere 37 years, Raphael achieved profound success as a painter, designer, and architect.

He was an unparalleled storyteller who made pioneering use of nude female models and painted incredibly sensitive portrayals of the Madonna and Child.

To really understand the scope of his work, the exhibition features a digital video projection of his monumental fresco cycles located in four rooms of the Vatican Palace. This digital display provides a fantastic sense of scale for the many related drawings featured in the galleries.

To top it all off, you can explore the art with an audio guide hosted by Academy Award-nominated actress Isabella Rossellini.

The essential details for your visit are below:

Exhibition Dates: March 29 through June 28, 2026

Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 899, The Tisch Galleries, Floor 2

https://secretnyc.co/author/corey-fuller/

On July 4, The Port Of New York Will Host One Of The Largest Ship Gatherings In History To Mark The Country's Semiquincentennial

For the nation’s 250th birthday, the city’s waterfront becomes the stage for a historic parade of ships, jets and fireworks.

Photograph: Courtesy of Sail250
If your idea of a big Fourth of July crowd is shoulder-to-shoulder on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, get ready to think much, much bigger. Next summer, New York Harbor will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with what organizers are calling the largest international maritime gathering in U.S. history.

From July 3 through 9, the Port of New York and New Jersey will host a weeklong spectacle featuring more than 60 international tall ships from more than 20 countries, more than 40 allied and U.S. naval vessels, a British aircraft carrier, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and an aerial armada of over 100 aircrafts led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. By the numbers alone, it’s set to eclipse every Operation Sail celebration that came before it, from 1964 through 2012.

The main event hits on July 4, natch, with an International Parade of Sail that will send towering Class A tall ships gliding under the Verrazzano Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge. They will be joined by smaller Class B ships, gray-hulled naval vessels in a rare International Naval Review and a sky full of flyovers, all before the night wraps with the 50th anniversary of Macy’s July 4th Fireworks over Manhattan.

City officials project that as many as eight million spectators could line the 15-mile stretch of New York City and New Jersey coast to watch it all unfold. The economic ripple is just as outsized: an NYC Economic Development Corporation analysis estimates $2.85 billion in total economic activity, including $730 million in net new impact for the city.

The show won’t end when the fireworks fade. From July 5 to 8, many of the international tall ships will be open for free public boarding at piers across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and New Jersey. The week also brings food festivals, cultural programming and a ticker-tape parade honoring post-9/11 veterans and first responders.

It’s not just another Fleet Week moment. For Semiquincentennial the harbor itself becomes the main stage, with tall ships, naval power and aerial displays converging in a way the city hasn’t seen in decades.

https://www.timeout.com/profile/laura-ratliff

The New Oneworld Lounges Coming To New York JFK

Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways will unveil new JFK lounges in 2026.

Cathay's new JFK lounge will boast the 'signature look' already established at The Pier, among others.

Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways will cut the ribbon on flagship JFK lounges in 2026 – and with modern design, a contemporary menu and no shortage of comfortable seating, they’ll be the perfect pit-stop ahead of flights to Asia and the Gulf region.

The Cathay Pacific New York JFK lounge will be at the transformed Terminal 6, which will host CX flights after the airline moves across from its current home at Terminal 8.

Cathay currently flies out from T8, along with many other Oneworld airlines, and directs its passengers to the shared American Airlines & British Airways lounges.

“But it was always on our wish list to have our own lounge because it’s such an important port,” Cathay Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau has previously told Executive Traveller.

“JFK is a very strategic location (with) a lot of premium passengers flying on that route... so when we decided that we are going to move to this new Terminal 6 and they offered us a location where we can have our own lounge, we basically jumped at the opportunity.”

Cathay is planning a decidedly premium lounge spanning some 10,000ft2 (930m2) – making it close to half the size of The Pier First Lounge in Hong Kong – which will likewise adopt that same elegant “signature” design which has become a Cathay trademark.

Visitors can look forward to familiar elements such as the Noodle Bar, plush furnishings and high-end finishes.

It's not a Cathay Pacific lounge without a Noodle Bar.

However, Cathay has also teased that its JFK T6 lounge “will feature a number of exciting developments that will put it at the forefront of our lounge proposition.”

Also on the move is Qatar Airways, which in the second half of 2026 will relocate from JFK Terminal 8 to Terminal 1 – or “The New Terminal One”, as JFK T1 styles itself.

JFK's The New Terminal One is slated to open in mid-2026.

The Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at New York JFK T1 will be the airline’s first in the USA, sprawling across 15,000ft2 (1,400m2) and boasting direct access from the lounge to the boarding gates used by Qatar Airways flights to Doha.

Visitors can expect everything from “VIP check-in services” and premium à la carte dining to relaxation zones, children’s play areas and even a duty-free shopping outlet.

Qatar Airways is bringing its Doha lounge experience to New York.

However, as with most other Qatar Airways Premium Lounges, this one is expected to be exclusive to business class and first class passengers of Qatar Airways and other Oneworld airlines flying out of T1, with elite-tier frequent flyers being sent to one of the terminal’s independent lounges.

By David Flynn

Inside The Jewish Museum’s $14.5m Renovation In New York City

The institution's revamped third and fourth floors present reconfigured galleries, expanded education spaces and a luminous display of more than 100 menorahs from around the world.

In 2018, when an old house in Prague was torn down, a stash of almost 700 works of art by Gertrud Kauders tumbled out of its walls and ceiling, more than 70 years after she had died in an extermination camp. Several of those paintings are now on display at the Jewish Museum in New York City, where renewed galleries offer fresh narratives of the Jewish diaspora.

Located in the historic Felix M. Warburg House on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the museum reopened its third and fourth floors on 24 October after a yearlong renovation. With a combined area of 20,000 sq. ft—half the building’s public space—the redesign was led by United Network Studio in Amsterdam and New Affiliates Architecture in New York. The $14m project is a significant milestone for James Snyder, the director of the Jewish Museum since 2023. In previous roles, he oversaw renewals on a larger scale: a $60m expansion of New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1984, and a $100m revamp of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in 2010.

Galleries on the third floor, last updated by Tsao & McKown in 2018, adopt a breezier, more interconnected layout to display items from the museum’s collection. Curated by theme, the rooms present centuries-old artefacts alongside Abstract Expressionist paintings by Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell, as well as pieces from living artists that include queer and multicultural voices. In the feminist work What We Bring (2023) by Andi Arnovitz, thousands of laser-cut names of Jewish women—from Natalie Portman to Ruth Bader Ginsburg—pour forth from the artist’s wedding dress.

The fourth floor, previously closed to the public, is anchored by the Robert and Tracey Pruzan Center for Learning, which comprises two art studios, an interactive tactile wall and a simulated archaeological dig for children. The centre, which celebrates its opening on 16 November, is named after its lead donors—an investment banker who co-founded Centerview Partners and a writer who was a longtime interior designer at Cullman & Kravis and a lifestyle consultant on the HBO series Succession.

Also on the fourth floor are the Wilf Family Salon—an event space featuring a faux-woven mural by the Brooklyn-based artist Talia Levitt—additional galleries and a striking show of 139 Hanukkah lamps, housed in a 50ft vitrine that overlooks a double-height gallery below. Drawn from the museum’s collection of more than 1,000 pieces, the nine-branched menorahs are arranged geographically and reflect diverse cultures and stories of hope through the ages. There are lamps made of silver or stone, inspired by Roman tombs or Islamic art, influenced by Rococo or Art Deco, assembled with candlesticks, deconstructed violins or plastic Statues of Liberty.

Some are testaments to creativity born of constraint. One is a piece of trench art crafted from bullet casings and an artillery shell by American soldiers during the Korean War. Another is a hefty wooden creation hewn by a Turkish 15-year-old at a post-war orphanage in France. There is also lighter fare—like the Menurkey, a turkey-shaped menorah that marked the convergence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving in 2013.

Founded in 1904 by the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Jewish Museum moved in 1947 to the Warburg House, a Gilded Age mansion built in the French Gothic style on Fifth Avenue facing Central Park. A $36m renovation in 1993 added a seven-storey annex, designed by Kevin Roche, that matched the style of the original architecture. In 2024, the chef David Teyf introduced the second location of his cafe Lox, taking over the basement space vacated by Russ & Daughters, which is wrapped by a Maira Kalman illustrated mural.

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/authors/fred-voon

Saks Fifth Avenue Is Bringing Back Its Famous New York City Holiday Light Show This November, A Year After It Was Cancelled

The iconic Fifth Avenue light show returns this holiday season after a one-year hiatus, promising nightly sparkle, music and Midtown magic.

Shutterstock | Saks Fifth Avenue holiday display

Fifth Avenue will sparkle again this holiday season. After pulling the plug in 2024 for the first time in two decades, Saks Fifth Avenue has confirmed it’s reviving its world-famous holiday light show this November, restoring one of New York’s most beloved free spectacles just in time for Christmas.

The comeback was announced by Saks global president and chief commercial officer Emily Essner, who told reporters that the pause was purely a cost-cutting measure during a financially rocky year. With the retailer now on firmer ground, the nightly extravaganza will once again transform the flagship at 611 Fifth Avenue into a choreographed wall of lights, sound and seasonal cheer.

For the uninitiated, the show projects thousands of synchronized lights across the building’s façade in time with festive music, repeating every few minutes from early evening until 11 pm. The entire production is staged directly across from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, creating a Midtown mash-up of holiday traditions that draw both locals and tourists in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

While exact dates haven’t been published yet, Saks typically unveils its windows and kicks off the show with a star-studded ceremony in late November. Past years have included fireworks, live performances and even Elton John on opening night. The light show then runs nightly into early January, with brief pauses on Christmas Eve and the evening of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting.

Even in 2024, when the show went dark, Saks kept its famed holiday windows alive, proving that Fifth Avenue’s appetite for sparkle is insatiable. This year, both traditions will once again run in tandem: the elaborate, themed windows at street level and the music-driven light spectacle soaring above. Together, they create one of Manhattan’s most photographed holiday moments.

Tips from veterans? Get there early if you want a prime view from the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center, where the angels perfectly frame the Saks façade. Or sneak over to the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a less claustrophobic diagonal angle. Either way, you won’t need a ticket—it’s free, fabulous and a reminder that not every bit of New York holiday magic requires a credit card swipe.

Dust off your puffer, charge your phone and brace yourself for the crowds: Saks is back, and Fifth Avenue will shine brighter for it.

https://www.timeout.com/profile/laura-ratliff

New York Cultural Giants Bring Major Art Installations To JFK's New Terminal

Four of New York’s most iconic museums are joining forces to transform JFK’s Terminal 6 into a global arts hub, with installations by MoMA, the Met, Lincoln Center, and the American Museum of Natural History.

Copyright Courtesy of JFK Millennium Partners and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

When John F. Kennedy International Airport unveils its new $4.2 billion Terminal 6, visitors won’t just be greeted by sleek gates and high-tech screens – they’ll walk straight into a mini New York arts district.

As reported by Artnet, four of the city’s most renowned cultural institutions – the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – are teaming up to showcase major installations inside the terminal.

The artworks, all on loan from each institution’s permanent collection, will be displayed in the international arrivals corridor. It’s part of a wider effort to make Terminal 6 not just a place to pass through – but a cultural experience in its own right.

Rendering of the arrivals area in Terminal 6 at JFK. Courtesy of JFK Millennium Partners and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

“Thanks to the collaboration with four of New York’s premier cultural institutions, Terminal 6 will offer arriving visitors from around the world a unique New York experience before they leave the terminal,” said Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton.

In addition to these pieces, the terminal will feature 19 permanent, site-specific installations curated by Public Art Fund, plus a rotating display of local work selected by Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

Lincoln Center is contributing a 140-foot mural celebrating its work across music, dance, theatre and opera. MoMA has partnered with artist Yoko Ono on a piece inspired by her 2019 work PEACE is POWER. The American Museum of Natural History will create a display drawing from its scientific collections, while the Met’s installation nods to its diverse collection, showcasing 5,000 years of global art.The effort is led by architect Stanis Smith and will also feature 19 site-specific permanent installations curated by Public Art Fund and rotating local artworks curated by Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Hugo Schneider / CC licence

“We’re honoured to collaborate with such prestigious institutions – icons in the global arts community and deeply rooted in the spirit of New York City,” said Steve Thody, CEO of JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), which is leading the project with the Port Authority. “Each installation will reflect and celebrate the vibrant cultural heartbeat of New York as we welcome the world to JFK and beyond.”

The effort is led by architect Stanis Smith and will also feature 19 site-specific permanent installations curated by Public Art Fund and rotating local artworks curated by Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

The 1.2 million-square-foot terminal will feature 10 gates and is expected to create around 4,000 jobs. Airlines including JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA, Avianca, and Cathay Pacific will operate from the terminal. Cotton noted that the terminal will boast “state-of-the-art architecture, cutting-edge technology and iconic, [and] locally inspired dining and shopping."

The first six gates are set to open later this year, with full completion expected by 2028.

While JFK’s new terminal celebrates New York’s artistic spirit, the wider US cultural landscape faces increasing political scrutiny.

A letter sent by the White House last week ordered several US museums to align their content with Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history.

The move follows Trump’s signing of an executive order in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which accused the Smithsonian of coming under the influence of a “divisive, race-centered ideology” and called upon it to “remove improper ideology” from the institution's museums.

In February, Trump removed the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees and replaced them with his supporters. He even named himself chairman and vowed to end events featuring performers in drag, indicating he would take on a larger role in dictating the institution's programming schedule.

https://www.euronews.com/profiles/3106

Central Park’s Only Formal Garden Reopens After A $25M Upgrade

The Central Park Conservatory Garden might go unnoticed compared to other locations, but it is very much worthy of a visit.

While there are plenty of locations to explore within NYC’s communal backyard, the Central Park Conservatory Garden is not one you’d want to skip. The six-acre destination is nestled between 104th to 106th Street and just reopened after a three-year, $25 million restoration. Famous for its tulips, summer perennials, and chrysanthemums — among other flora — this scenic spot is one of the most romantic in the city and oftentimes serves as a wedding venue. Consider it a taste of Europe uptown thanks to its three main features: the English Garden, the Italianate Center Garden, and the French Garden.

Just in time for the nice weather this summer, the grounds are back up and running, waiting for New Yorkers to take a leisurely stroll and enjoy a brief respite into nature.

All about the Central Park Conservatory Garden

According to reps from Central Park, this is considered the most significant investment in the area since its original construction in 1937 — a.k.a. upgrades were long overdue. Among some of the upgrades include: restoration of the historic bluestone pavers, upgraded stormwater drainage and grading, modernized fountains and electrical systems, and installed ramps and realigned paths for universal access. Now that the garden is in full bloom, much like NYC’s graduating seniors, the Conservancy will have pro photographers on site on June 16th and 18th from 1-4pm to take portraits of local graduates. Betsy Smith, President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said, “This special portrait project celebrates two meaningful transitions: the reopening of one of the Park’s most cherished spaces, and the next chapter for these young New Yorkers. It’s a wonderful example of our continued commitment to investing in the northern end of the Park, ensuring that future generations can gather here to celebrate life’s important milestones in a vibrant and welcoming setting.”

Although spots have filled up, definitely keep it in mind for your future graduation snaps, or if you just want a sweet nature selfie right in the middle of NYC. This is the perfect place to find it.

https://secretnyc.co/author/danielle-valente/

American Airlines Removes Moving Walkway At Iconic Airport

American Airlines has decided to remove the moving walkway at New York's JFK Airport. The airline justified this change by stating that without such amenities, passengers are more likely to spend on shopping and dining while navigating the terminal.

A traveler walks on a moving walkway in Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, U.S., on Friday, March 26, 2021. The TSA screened more than 1.3 million people both Friday and Sunday, setting a new high since the coronavirus outbreak devastated travel a year ago. Airlines say they believe the numbers are heading up, with more people booking flights for spring and summer, reports the Associated Press. Photographer: Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images

However, this move is indicative of a wider trend within the airline and airport industries, where profit maximization is increasingly prioritized over passenger comfort and satisfaction.

As airlines focus on generating revenue, they risk turning airports into mere shopping venues rather than spaces designed for ease and comfort.

In 2021, American Airlines issued a request for proposals for a new concessions program at New York JFK Terminal 8. In 2019, before the JetBlue partnership and when American was holding onto slots and had partially withdrawn from the New York market, sales in the terminal were $107.4 million across 21 food and beverage, 3 duty free, 12 specialty retail, 4 currency exchange and 8 travel essential outlets. By July 2023, they announced for what was described as a two-year project for a redevelopment plan for the terminal.

Travelers are voicing increasing dissatisfaction over the terminal's overhaul. The Muslim World Report noted that with other issues already burdening travelers, the added stress of navigating larger distances without help is another blow to customer welfare. "Usually when I’m “struggling” at the airport, I’m not going to buy anything because I’m pissed," one traveler wrote on Reddit.

As American Airlines and others start to see airports more as profit hubs, this not only threatens individual passenger experiences but also the wider travel ecosystem. The implications go beyond mere inconvenience; they indicate a worrying trend of commodifying travel in a way that pushes customers away rather than accommodating them.

However, this trend could lead to airports becoming more focused on retail and dining rather than travel efficiency and passenger satisfaction. In the long run, such a shift could result in a more fragmented travel experience, where passengers are seen primarily as consumers rather than individuals.

Furthermore, if this model turns out to be a success in the short run, it might encourage other airlines to adopt similar strategies, thereby distancing themselves further from travelers.

This could lead to heightened dissatisfaction and public campaigns against corporate behaviors that put profits before comfort, possibly leading to regulatory examination of airport and airline practices - though this might require substantial time and concerted effort.

What happens if the removal of the moving walkway triggers a major public outcry? The possibility of passengers opting for different modes of transport or voicing their displeasure on social media platforms could act as a catalyst for change.

https://www.themirror.com/authors/anna-carlson/

If You Live In New York Uber Shuttle will get you to JFK airport for $10, Increasing To $25 After April 30th

Uber is expanding its airport shuttle service to include one of the busiest hubs in the world, New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. For a limited time, customers can grab a ride from specific stops in Manhattan or Brooklyn to JFK for just $10. After April 30th, the fare increases to $25, including taxes.

Uber’s shuttle to JFK runs every 30 minutes. Image: Uber

Airport runs are a crucial part of Uber’s business, and customers have expressed frustration at the rising cost of booking a car to the airport. JFK, in particular, is one of the most expensive airports for travelers, with Uber and Lyft trips costing $80 or more, depending on the pickup location. By bundling riders together in a shuttle, Uber hopes to introduce a more affordable option to budget-conscious customers.

For JFK trips, customers can use the Uber app to book up to four seats in a shuttle. Rides can be booked up to seven days ahead of time or simply on the day you need it. Riders will get their pricing upfront before booking and won’t be subject to surge pricing.

Image: Uber

When the shuttle arrives, riders will validate their reservation with the driver via QR code and a unique PIN. At launch, vehicles will be limited to just 14 passengers. Each rider is allowed one personal item, like a purse or backpack, and one piece of luggage (carry-on or checked) weighing up to 50 pounds. Riders can rate and tip drivers in the app, just like a normal Uber trip.

Uber says it will operate four routes to JFK, with pickup locations at Port Authority, Grand Central Terminal, Chinatown, and Atlantic Center in Brooklyn. The service will run every 30 minutes from 5AM to 10:45PM, seven days a week. For its shuttle business, Uber is partnering with fleet providers who manage commercially licensed drivers. In New York, the company is using ETS, an airport shuttle operator since 1996.

Uber has been experimenting with shuttle service for airports and concerts, including $15 rides to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Miami last year. The company also launched an $18 shuttle to LaGuardia Airport last year. (That price is now $20.) For airport trips, the company needs to negotiate terms with airport operators before a new service can be launched. Uber said it’s currently in talks with Boston’s Logan International Airport about bringing its shuttle service there.

https://www.theverge.com/authors/andrew-j-hawkins

JetBlue's Plans For Refresh Of John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 5 With 40+ New Concessions And Redesigned Communal Spaces

JetBlue, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Fraport USA, manager of John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 5, today announced a major refresh of the airline’s flagship terminal. The addition of more than 40 new concessions, and new amenities, including art installations and a redesigned center concourse inspired by New York’s iconic parks, will create a unique New York sense of place and an elevated customer experience. The first new concessions are expected to open throughout 2025, with the terminal improvements completed by the end of 2026.

JetBlue’s Terminal 5 improvements, which align with the Port Authority’s $19 billion overhaul of JFK Airport, will spotlight locally owned businesses, featuring beloved brands recognized by both New Yorkers and visitors worldwide. With more than 40 new concessions and customer experiences, including more than 18 new local food and beverage options, customers will have more options to enhance their time at JFK.

At the heart of Terminal 5, the center concourse will transform into a space inspired by the city’s famous parks. Lush greenery, park benches, concrete chess tables, and warm lighting provide city park charm for customers to relax before their next flight. The redesigned center concourse will also feature a dedicated space for pop-up experiences, interactive events, and live performances to highlight New York’s world-renowned culture.

Additionally, an art collection featuring more than 30 works by New York-based artists displayed throughout the terminal will transform Terminal 5 into a vibrant cultural destination. As a dynamic showcase of the city’s creativity, Terminal 5 will become a must-visit artistic experience of its own.

“When it opened, Terminal 5 set a new standard for customer-focused airport design that reflected our mission of bringing humanity back to air travel,” said Marty St. George, president of JetBlue. “Now, in support of the Port Authority’s plan to redevelop JFK, we look forward to further enhancing the experience for all who travel through this world-class terminal. This isn’t just about new dining and shopping—it’s about bringing the energy of New York into the terminal. From local flavors to spaces that capture the city we love, we’re making T5 more uniquely New York while staying unmistakably JetBlue.”

“We are proud to build upon our collaboration with JetBlue and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reimagine and elevate JFK Terminal 5,” said Sabine Trenk, CEO of Fraport USA Inc. “Together, we share a bold vision of transforming the customer experience — delivering a world-class, dynamic retail and dining destination that captivates customers while driving economic growth and innovation.”

“JetBlue and Fraport’s commitment to delivering world-class amenities and concessions to our customers aligns with the Port Authority’s goal of transforming JFK into one of the world’s great global gateways,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Creating a uniquely New York sense of place at JFK through the additions of iconic local concessions, art and design will make this terminal a memorable part of the customer journey through our region.”

“JetBlue customers traveling through Terminal 5 will soon enjoy authentic products and dining experiences that represent the best of what our region has to offer,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “These improvements by JetBlue and Fraport USA embrace our vision of a world-class customer experience that will serve as the front door of this region to the rest of the world.”

“I am thrilled to see this transformative project take flight, creating good-paying jobs, empowering small businesses, and driving economic growth while establishing JFK Terminal 5 as a state-of-the-art, world-class gateway,” said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks. “In addition to bringing the vibrant spirit of New York to the terminal, this project will uplift local communities by ensuring New Yorkers have a direct stake in its success and lasting impact through construction, business partnerships, and over 40 new concessions.”

“The historic $19 billion redevelopment of Kennedy Airport continues to pay incredible dividends for Queens families. A refreshed Terminal 5 will not only give travelers a fantastic first impression of The World's Borough, it will create good-paying jobs for Queens residents and concession opportunities for our small businesses,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “I'm deeply grateful to JetBlue, Queens' hometown airline, for its investment in our borough and to all our partners for their commitment to the overall reimagining of Kennedy Airport.”

A Flavor and Feel of New York City

A mix of globally recognized and locally rooted operators will debut an exceptional array of offerings to the terminal, bringing in brands such as Eataly, The Halal Guys and Shake Shack alongside NYC hot spots such as Jacob’s Pickles, Tiki Chick, Serafina, Benetari’s, Gotham Burger, Birch Coffee, Nom Wah, Devoción, Mister Paradise, the Blind Barber, Leon’s Bagels, DiFara Pizza, Neir’s Tavern and much more. These chosen prime operators are dedicated to service and include HMSHost, Hudson Group, SSP America, OTG Management, M&R Concessions, WHSmith, Paradies Lagardere and Half Moon Empanadas.

As part of the federal airport concessions disadvantaged business enterprise (ACDBE) program, joint-venture partnerships between prime operators and ACDBEs allow for local and small businesses new to airport concessions to be paired with experienced prime operators. These ACDBEs are selected after demonstrating they have the financial capacity and business acumen for the rigorous airport environment. As joint-venture partners, ACDBE firms will learn how to operate concessions at an airport while also strengthening their position in the business community.

Local and ACDBE Businesses Selected as Joint-Venture Partners

Neir’s Tavern (Queens)

Brooklyn Tea Seller (Brooklyn)

Sugar Hill Creamery (Manhattan)

Nana’s Love (Queens)

Ranchito Salvadoreno (Queens)

Neat Rules Hospitality (Manhattan)

Byrd Retail Group (Brooklyn)

The Nourish Spot (Queens)

Sullivan Hernandez Group (Nassau County)

M&R Concessions (Queens)

The Terminal 5 project represents an investment in the local community and in New York City. From construction to business partnerships, the project will create jobs, contributing to economic growth and supporting small businesses. JetBlue, Fraport USA, and the Port Authority are actively collaborating with the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council to ensure that the investment in Terminal 5 enhances economic growth and opportunities in the communities surrounding the airport. The partnership is committed to fostering local business engagement, job creation, and long-term economic vitality that extends beyond the terminal walls.

Since opening Terminal 5 in 2008 and expanding it in 2014, the terminal has been recognized for its customer-focused design and amenities. Today, it serves 165 JetBlue flights and more than 35,000 customers per day.

As JetBlue continues its investment at JFK — including growth through the new Terminal 6, which will seamlessly connect with Terminal 5 and a forthcoming customer lounge — these improvements ensure that the airline’s flagship terminal remains a premier destination worthy of the incredible city it’s inspired by.

JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline® , and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada and Europe. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com.

New York Moving To Revive Manhattan Congestion Charge

New York plans to revive a congestion mitigation charge for driving in Manhattan that the state indefinitely put on hold in June, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday.

New York City's congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the United States, was initially to have charged a toll of $15 during daytime hours for passenger vehicles driving in Manhattan south of 60th Street starting June 30.

A department spokesperson said on Thursday that New York notified the Federal Highway Administration of updated plans to advance the project with a starting toll of $9 for passenger cars. The agency said it is finalizing the steps needed to complete the agreement.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul will announce the plan on Thursday, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing a source.

Hochul plans to announce a revised program at 12:00 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) that is expected to launch before Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Hochul had cited high inflation and a desire to not deter commuters or tourists because of the additional charge for her decision to halt implementation.

London implemented a similar charge in 2003.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is expected to vote next week to approve the charge, the source said.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said the decision is a long-awaited win for millions of subway users. "If we don’t get the system in operation before Donald Trump becomes president, we’ll lose $15 billion in critical transit investments," Lander said.

MTA has said congestion pricing would cut traffic by 17%, improve air quality and increase mass transit use by 1% to 2%, generate up to $1.5 billion annually and support $15 billion in debt financing for mass transit improvement.

In 2019, state lawmakers approved the plan to help fund improvements in mass transit using tolls to manage traffic in New York City, the most congested of any U.S. city.

New York says more than 900,000 vehicles enter the Manhattan Central Business District daily, which reduces travel speeds to around 7 miles per hour on average.

https://www.reuters.com/authors/david-shepardson/

The Paley Museum Named "Bethpage Best Of The City" Best Museum And Best Children's Party Place For The Second Year In A Row In Manhattan

The Paley Center for Media is proud to announce that for the second year in a row, The Paley Museum has been voted "Bethpage Best of the City"—Best Museum and Best Children's Party Place—in Manhattan. The distinguished award is produced by Schneps Media, the city's leading local media publisher behind 33 award-winning print and digital publications.

The Paley Museum is where media, sports, gaming, and entertainment come together. Known for exhibits, exclusive screenings, red-carpet events, and behind-the-scenes conversations with the stars of television's hottest shows as well as programs with renowned athletes, musicians, gamers, influencers, and podcasters, The Paley Museum is the perfect family destination with several family-friendly activities including special day-long celebrations featuring appearances by beloved characters from the most popular television shows and cartoons, arts & crafts, screenings, educational classes, and more.

The Paley Museum is also the ultimate destination for gamers with the PaleyGX gaming studio. The state-of-the-art studio features all the latest gaming systems and hottest games, immersive VR, and esports tournaments, and plays host to birthday parties year-round. Guests who celebrate birthdays in the PaleyGX studio experience the best-in-class service that has earned The Paley Museum the distinction of being named Best Children's Party Place for two consecutive years.

"It is a tremendous honor to recognized as Best Museum and Best Children's Party Place for a second year running," said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media. "The Paley Museum takes great pride in presenting best-in-class programs and exhibits for visitors from New York and beyond, and next up we look forward to welcoming visitors of all ages to PaleyLand, our annual holiday extravaganza starting on Wednesday, November 20."

Located in the heart of midtown, The Paley Museum has become a New York favorite and must-visit destination thanks to its acclaimed programs, interactive exhibits, PaleyGX state-of-the-art gaming studio and VR lab, and the Paley Archive, a national treasure with over 160,000 TV and radio programs and TV commercials. Most recently, the museum celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Latin GRAMMYs® with the acclaimed exhibit The Latin GRAMMYs®: 25 Years of Musical Excellence, and prior to that the blockbuster Super Bowl exhibit Beyond the Big Game which featured the storied Vince Lombardi Trophy, all 57 team rings from each championship-winning team, and for the first time a showcase of memorable Super Bowl commercials from the past 50 years. The Paley Museum also presented PaleyFest NY, the fall's premier television festival that this year featured a stellar lineup of events including a celebration of the final season of Blue Bloods, the 10th anniversary of Outlander, and more. Next month marks highly anticipated return of PaleyLand, The Paley Museum's holiday celebration for kids of all ages featuring photos with Santa, meet-and-greets with some of the television's most popular animated characters, a magical train display, screenings of classic holiday TV specials on the big screen, and more—all just steps from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

The Paley Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon until 6:00 pm. Admission is free for Paley Members and children 12 and under. In addition, Members receive advance and discounted tickets to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including PaleyFest, access to the PaleyGX Gaming Studio and VR Experience, access to the Paley Archive, and more. For more information and details about Paley Membership, visit paleycenter.org.   

The Vessel, A Manhattan Tourist Site Closed After Suicides, Reopens With New Safety Features

The Vessel, a towering, honeycomb-like sculpture in Manhattan that was popular with tourists before a series of suicides forced its closure in 2021, will reopen Monday with new safety features.

The 150-foot (46-meter) structure opened in 2019 as the centerpiece of the Hudson Yards development on Manhattan’s West Side. The climbable sculpture with zigzagging stairs drew crowds of tourists, but was closed to the public in 2021 after several people took their own lives by jumping off the structure.

Related Companies, which owns Hudson Yards, confirmed Sunday that the Vessel will reopen Monday with floor-to-ceiling steel mesh barriers installed on parts of it. Only the upper level sections that have been fitted with mesh will reopen and the top level will remain closed. Tickets are required.

“Not a day goes by that we don’t have visitors walking up to our staff asking where they can buy tickets and when it will reopen,” Related CEO Jeff T. Blau said in a prepared statement, “that interest hasn’t diminished during the time we’ve been closed and we’re excited to welcome guests from all around the world back to Vessel with additional safety measures in place.”

The Vessel was designed by Thomas Heatherwick and fabricated in Venice.

AP

New York City Is Getting Its First Ever 'Soccer' Stadium, Opening In 2027

New York City is getting its first-ever soccer-specific stadium, but with a housing crisis and dozens of already established sports venues (not to mention you can’t swing a cat) how have they pulled this off?

An aerial CGI shot of New York City's new stadium in Queens, New York (Image credit: New York City FC)

It could easily be the name of a Netflix docu-series your work colleagues won’t shut up about, but the ‘Valley of Ashes’ is an epithet for the plot of land where New York City’s first purpose-built soccer stadium will open in 2027.

The moniker was coined exactly 100 years ago by F Scott Fitzgerald in his novel ‘The Great Gatsby’. It’s a fictional name for a real-life refuse dump at Willets Point. ‘Valley of Ashes’ lends more colour than ‘Willets Point’ and in the book the area represents a byproduct of industrialisation which made protagonist Jay Gatsby’s booming lifestyle possible.

In 2024 a well-struck baseball could theoretically land here from Citi Field next door. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open, is within walking distance. “It's an area that has been so desolate for a very long time,” explains Jen O’Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer at New York City FC. “If you grew up in this area, you knew it as the place to go if you lost the hubcaps on your car – it was just full of these ‘chop shops’ and auto body shops and not much else.

“With The Mets, the Tennis Centre, and UBS arena [home of the New York Islanders ice hockey team] not too far away, there becomes this sort of this sports hub if you will. Two major airports are also here. So it's just a tremendous location for so many reasons.”

As of 2011 the area had a population of just 10, there are no paved roads, no proper sewage system, and after several false starts (New York Mets owner initially pushed to build a casino on the land) City Council members voted 47-1 to proceed with plans for a soccer stadium in April.

At the heart of the push was Councilmember Francisco Moya. “I'm Ecuadorian,” he explains, “I'm born with a soccer ball in my crib, that's how real the passion for the sport of football is in my household and a lot of Latino households in Queens.”

Behind Moya hangs a picture of him taken at the Nou Camp with his father. “I go to the Clasico every year, I haven’t missed once since 2007, plus two Champions League finals, in London and Berlin.”

Moya was born in Corona, Queens and has served the district on the New York City Council since 2018. “When I got into office the vision I had was to develop something special. If you walk the streets of my neighbourhood, you're going see people wearing their favourite team’s jersey or the jersey of their home country. TVs are all filled with soccer.

Having the opportunity to bring a soccer-specific stadium, not just to Queens, but to the neighbourhood I grew up in is pretty incredible

Francisco Moya

"Having the opportunity to bring a soccer-specific stadium, not just to Queens, but to the neighbourhood I grew up in is pretty incredible. I have to give it up to New York City Football Club who are going to privately finance the construction [$800m]. We're also going to bring in over 14,000 union jobs [during construction], and over 1,500 permanent jobs after that.

"We’re bringing in 2,500 units of affordable housing, a brand new school, retail – turning the so-called ‘Valley of Ashes’ into a beautiful neighbourhood, community and place of gathering.”

Moya emphasises this isn’t just about soccer, but about building an “economic engine” that can keep a community like this thriving. “It's taken close to 10 years of my career trying to make this come to fruition.” New York City mayor Eric Adams described it as “the goal of the decade”.

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/author/matthew-ketchell

NYC Congestion Pricing Start Date Postponed Indefinitely, Sources Say. Here's Why.

New York City's congestion pricing start date is postponed indefinitely due to concerns from Gov. Kathy Hochul, sources tell CBS New York.

The new tolls were scheduled to start on June 30 -- less than a month away.

Sources tell CBS New York the governor is concerned about how the toll will impact economic recovery in Midtown, Manhattan, as inflation remains high in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Eric Adams was asked about the delay at an unrelated event Wednesday morning.

"We have to get it right, we have to make sure that it's not an undue burden on everyday New Yorkers, we have to make sure that it's not going to impact our recovery," he said. "If she's looking at analyzing what other ways we can do it and how we do it correctly, I'm all for it. We have to get it right. This is a major shift in our city and it must be done correctly."

The governor's office did not respond to CBS New York's request for a comment. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it has no comment at this time and directed us to reach out to the governor's office.

It's unclear if the state Legislature will be able to come up with another source of funding for the billions of dollars the MTA hopes to receive from the tolls. There's also the question of whether federal approvals will run out, if the plan doesn't start on time.

The Riders Alliance released a statement earlier Wednesday morning, calling a delay an "outrageous betrayal of our trust."

"New York City public transit riders gave Governor Hochul her margin of victory in the 2022 election. Stopping congestion pricing before it even starts would be an outrageous betrayal of our trust," the statement read. "Congestion pricing is the only public policy that can make our subway more reliable and accessible, speed up slow bus service, and help clear the air as wildfire smoke thickens. Governor Hochul must turn it on June 30 as planned."

Hochul previously voiced her support for congestion pricing, saying it's expected to result in less air pollution, lower carbon emissions and fewer crashes. She also said the money would be "transformative" for the MTA.

NYC congestion pricing map shows the zone

Manhattan's Congestion Relief Zone starts at 60th Street and heads south to include the Lincoln, Holland and Hugh L. Carey tunnels on the Hudson River side, and the Queensboro Bridge, Queens Midtown Tunnel, Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge on the East Side.

People who live within the zone will only be charged if they leave and come back, and some roadways, like the FDR Drive and West Side Highway, will be excluded, as long as vehicles stay off the city street grid.

The MTA was scheduled to hold a series of congestion pricing webinars starting Wednesday morning, but it appears those have been postponed, as well.

So now when does congestion pricing start?

Congestion pricing was supposed to start at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 30.

New York City would be the first in the nation to implement such a toll. It's now unclear when it will take effect.

June 30 also happens to be the annual Pride March in Manhattan and leads into the Fourth of July holiday week.

How will congestion pricing work in NYC?

Under the plan, drivers will be charged to enter Manhattan at or below 60th Street. Fees will be highest during peak hours, which are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

For drivers using E-ZPass, passenger and small commercial vehicles will pay $15 during peak hours, motorcycles will pay $7.50, and trucks and buses will pay $24 or $36 depending on size.

Some discounts and exemptions will be available, including the Individual Disability Exemption Plan for those who are unable to use mass transit due to medical conditions.

Officials say the goal of congestion pricing is to reduce traffic and improve air quality in Manhattan. The money raised from the plan will be used for mass transit projects and upgrades.

However, the plan has faced significant pushback, including multiple lawsuits in New Jersey and New York.

https://www.cbsnews.com/team/katie-houlis/

Transportation Authority Approves New York's Congestion Pricing Plan

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted on Wednesday to approve the toll rates for Manhattan's congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the United States. Under the plan, New York City will charge a daily toll of $15 during the day for passenger vehicles driving in Manhattan south of 60th Street starting in mid-June. It will charge up to $36 for larger trucks and buses. The plan still faces a number of legal challenges including from the state of New Jersey.

"This program will reduce traffic in Manhattan's central business district, reduce pollution, and provide critical funding for transit improvements," the MTA said.

New York says more than 900,000 vehicles enter the Manhattan Central Business District daily, reducing travel speeds to around 7 miles an hour (11 kph) on average.

New York City, which has the most congested traffic of any U.S. city, is set to follow London, which implemented a similar charge in 2003.

New York said the charge would cut traffic by 17% and improve air quality and increase transit use by 1% to 2%, as well as generate $1 billion to $1.5 billion a year and support $15 billion in debt financing for mass transit improvement.

Passenger vehicle drivers who enter at night will pay $3.75 and motorcycle riders will pay up to $7.50 to enter the area, the MTA said. Drivers will only be charged once per day.

Taxi users will pay a $1.25 surcharge, while Uber opens new tab and Lyft opens new tab users will pay $2.50 per trip in the congestion zone. Those fees are in addition to New York's $2.50 congestion charge for taxis and $2.75 for for-hire vehicles in place since 2019.

Vehicle owners whose adjusted gross annual income is no more than $50,000 or received low-income benefit may qualify for 50% discounts for some trips or for New York state tax credits under the plan.

https://www.reuters.com/authors/david-shepardson/

To Sir With Love: Distinguished Concerts International Kicks Off 2024 Season With 80th Birthday Celebration For Sir Karl Jenkins At Carnegie Hall

On Monday, January 15, 2024, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) will present The Best of Sir Karl Jenkins, DCINY’s 2024 season kick-off performance celebrating the renowned Welsh composer’s 80th Birthday. The concert will be conducted by DCINY’s own Artistic Director, Dr. Jonathan Griffith, and will feature singers from around the world for a once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity. The monumental event will bring this new collection of Sir Karl’s most beloved pieces to life on stage in the Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. Longtime WQXR host, Jeff Spurgeon, will serve as emcee.

Sir Karl Jenkins is DCINY’s original, and longest-performing composer-in-residence. “We are proud to be kicking off next year’s season celebrating his 80th year,” says DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Jonathan Griffith, who co-founded the company with General Director Iris Derke. “Jenkins is one of the most frequently performed composers in the world, and this concert will be his 17th performance with us. I am particularly honored to conduct his work for this event.”

One act will feature works from ‘Songs of Sanctuary’ (Adiemus, Kayama, Hymn), ‘Requiem” (Dies Irae) and ‘Stabat Mater ‘And the Mother Did Weep, Virgo Virginum, Ave Verum, Paradisi Gloria), and a second act will feature The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Now nearly 25 years old, this popular composition is one of Sir Karl’s–and the world’s–most performed compositions.

DCINY conducted extensive auditions for singing and choral groups for Sir Jenkins’ milestone concert celebration, welcoming inquiries from schools and communities around the world. Several of the selected groups have participated in Sir Jenkins’ concerts over the past 15 years, including: VOENA (Annabelle Marie, Director; CA); Pennsbury High School (James Moyer, Director; PA); Chor Capriccio; and Birgit Ensminger-Busse, Director; Germany).

Along with Chor Capriccio, performers for The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace include: KlangKunst Chor Iffeldorf (Andrea Fessmann, Director, Germany); Grand Union Community Choir (Susan Jane Cox, Director; UK); The Village Singers (Rachel McCorry, Director; UK); Meininger Kantorei (The Meiningen Lutheran Church Choir) (Sebastian Fuhrmann, Director; Germany); Hochschulchor Sankt Georgen, Frankfurt/Collegium Vocale Bad Homburg (Dr. Helmut Föller, Director; Germany); Singgemeinschaft Salzkotten e.V. (Thomas Rimpel, Director; Germany); Karl-Rehbein School Choir (Frank Hagelstange, Director; Germany); and Johannes Brahms Chor Hamburg (Kazuo Kanemaki, Director; Germany).

Joining VOENA and Pennsbury Choirs in other acts throughout the evening will be: Lutherkantorei Bad Harzburg (Karsten Krüger, Director; Germany); The Lorilee Singers (Lorilee Bajema, Director; CA); Sheppard Academy of Vocal Arts (Bettina Sheppard, Director; NY); and Mosaïque Musicale Malouine (Isabelle Ginet Besnard, Director; France).

Sir Karl Jenkins has famously and comically received global media attention after he was suspected of being Meghan Markle in disguise at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which he attended to witness the crowning and hear the coronation orchestra perform his original work, Tros y Garreg. “It was a piece I was commissioned to compose almost two decades ago, when the King was the Prince of Wales” Jenkins said. He was recently included in the New York Times list: Styles’s 71 Most Stylish People in 2023.

As part of the celebratory event, DCINY will be presenting the DCINY Educator Laureate award to James Moyer, who is a Director and serves as a Program Consultant for the organization. The DCINY Educator Laureate Award acknowledges an individual’s contribution to music education. It recognizes a personal commitment to instilling a life-long love of making music. A native of Easton, Pennsylvania, Mr. Moyer is a veteran teacher of 37 years and is in his 25th year as Director of Choral Activities at Pennsbury High School. Choirs under Mr. Moyer’s direction have performed throughout the United States and across Europe. Past recipients of the award are Dr. Donald D. Donaldson, professor emeritus of Asbury College and former choral director at Shawnee Mission South High School and chair of the music department at Kansas Wesleyan University, and Dr. Eph Ehly, formerly the Director of Choral Studies at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

For more information on DCINY’s unforgettable 2024 season opener with Sir Karl Jenkins, please visit: https://dciny.getfeedback.com/r/GtGspzuU/

Broadway Furious Over New $15 Congestion Toll To Come Into New York City, Says Theater ‘Could Be Doing Better’

Suburbanites have been the slowest to return to the theaters and the new fee cold be another reason for them to stay away.

The head of a group that represents New York City’s Broadway theater district claims that a massive new toll in Manhattan could be devastating for theaters.

A $15 congestion pricing fee is set to go into effect next Spring below 60th St. in Midtown.

Cristyne Nicholas, CEO of Nicholas & Lence Communications, says the toll will hurt theaters that are still trying to recover from the pandemic.

“Now everything is a little bit shaky, we’re not quite back yet, and this is just another impediment for people to come into the city,” Nicholas said on WABC Radio’s Cats Roundtable. “Especially the bridge and tunnel people who are so important to the Broadway theatres.”

She says 30 percent of the people who make up the Broadway audience are in the suburbs. People in New Jersey already pay a toll to get into Manhattan and now face another fee.

Those people were already the slowest to come back to theaters after COVID.

Nicholas cited remote working and crime issues as reasons attendance is down. She says congestion pricing will just create one more reason for people to stay away.

“It could be doing better and I don't think congestion pricing is going to help it,” she added.

The plan was sold several years ago as a quality-of-life win for people in the city with fewer cars bringing cleaner air, safer streets and better mass transit. The tolls are expected to raid $15 billion for public transportation projects.

But Nicholas claims the toll is more about fixing a budget hole than improving the quality of life in New York City.

“This is not the same city it was 5 years ago. The city then was booming. The city was doing great. It was pre-COVID,” Nicholas said.

She suggests putting a small toll on every bridge into the island of Manhattan to raise money instead of adding a huge tax on streets leading into Midtown Manhattan.

Congestion pricing already faces a federal lawsuit by New Jersey. Gov. Phil Murphy calls it a double tax on commuters.

https://themessenger.com/author/luke-funk

Transformative Plan Unveiled To Save America's Flagship, The SS United States

The SS United States, America’s Flagship, could return home to New York as a transformative economic development project unveiled today by the SS United States Conservancy, the owner of the famed vessel.,br />

The plan, developed in conjunction with two prominent New York firms, RXR and MCR Hotels, would repurpose the legendary ocean liner as a unique, mixed-use destination, including a 1,000 key hotel, numerous food and beverage destinations, multiple event venues, acres of public green space, and a world-class museum. The project could be a capstone to a decades-long effort to protect and revitalize the Hudson River waterfront, create thousands of new jobs, and generate millions in tax revenue annually.

During her storied service career, the SS United States smashed the transatlantic speed record in 1952 using only two-thirds of her power, a record that has never been broken. From her Hudson River berth, she carried more than one million passengers, from celebrities and royalty to immigrants and tourists. She was also a top-secret convertible troop transport that could rush 14,000 troops 10,000 miles without refueling.

The release of a redevelopment plan comes at a time when the SS United States is in peril. The ship faces possible eviction from her current pier in Philadelphia. The vessel’s landlord doubled the Conservancy’s rent without notice during the coronavirus pandemic, placing significant financial strain on the organization. The Conservancy is presently in litigation on the matter, with a trial date slated for early December.

The conceptual plan for a privately funded, commercial redevelopment identified Manhattan’s Hudson River as the optimal “home port” for the vessel, due to its proximity to transportation and pedestrian access to the Javits Convention Center. The project would entail the redesign and reconstruction of adjacent piers, which would create acres of new public green space aboard the vessel and adjoining areas. The ship’s transformative potential is not restricted to New York. Other locations and port cities could benefit from the ship’s commercial revitalization and iconic status.

RXR and MCR developed full schematic design drawings, extensive engineering and construction feasibility diligence in consultation with U.S. shipyards, a financial analysis to demonstrate the project’s commercial viability, and an assessment of the permitting and regulatory requirements to advance the redevelopment program. The project diligence team included Gibbs & Cox, the vessel’s original design firm, Perkins Eastman and HLW architects, and local land use and regulatory counsel.

The overall program was informed by MCR and RXR’s extensive experience redeveloping iconic, historic properties in New York, including Eero Saarinen’s landmark 1962 TWA Flight Center and hotel at JFK Airport as well as Manhattan’s historic Pier 57.

The Conservancy is now seeking state and local interest from New York or other potential cities to advance its plan at a host pier location. The nonprofit organization and its development team are prepared to donate the ship and the design and engineering work completed to date to expedite progress in securing a prime location for the vessel’s revitalization.

“The SS United States symbolizes the nation’s ambition and innovation. Our development partners have embraced the patriotic and economic significance of this monumental project. Through their extensive due diligence, they have created a bold and exciting plan that preserves the ship’s history and activates the vessel’s commercial potential,” said Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy, the national nonprofit organization that has worked tirelessly to save it for more than a decade.

The ship was once a global ambassador of her namesake nation, and her red, white, and blue funnels were a source of pride and inspiration following the devastation of WWII. Although the Jet Age silenced her engines in 1969, the SS United States continues to represent an inspiring synthesis of post-war technological innovation, mid-century modern design, as well as the nation’s enduring ambition, resilience, and optimism.

“The Conservancy’s partners and passionate supporters from across the country and around the world have created a viable path forward to save the SS United States,” added Gibbs, the granddaughter of the ship’s original designer. “But we are quickly running out of time. We know this can be a viable, transformative project. Let’s rally together to secure a home for America’s Flagship.”

The American Museum Of Natural History Will Remove All Human Remains From Display, Vowing Policy Change

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City will remove human remains from its displays and has vowed to make policy changes after recent reports raised concerns about legality and ethics of their acquisition.

Erin Thompson, a professor of art crime at John Jay College of the City University of New York, had investigated the museum’s collection of the remains for a report published by Hyperallergic on October 15.

The removal was announced in a news release before Thompson’s report was published. The bones will be taken out of the museum’s displays over the course of the next eight weeks and the policies will be updated to recognize the importance of returning human remains.

Sean Decatur, the museum’s recently appointed president, said the museum holds the remains of about 12,000 individuals in its collection and there are currently 12 cases displaying them. He called the removal the “right course of action.”

“The museum no longer collects human remains. Non-invasive research on the collection is permitted only after community consultation and consent, and the moratorium on destructive analysis is continuing,” the news release reads. “We commit to the removal of human remains from public display, while continuing to display casts where appropriate to further the museum’s education mission.”

Decatur said discussions about the museum’s collection began before he was appointed in April and he has called the changes just “initial steps” in addressing the problematic remains. The human remains in the collection range from instruments and beads made from human bone to skeletons and mummies.

Thompson said she spent months investigating the museum after receiving an anonymous tip from a staff member and that she was surprised by the lack of publicly available information about the remains.

“They won’t tell you any information about just who these individuals are,” Thompson told NPR. “Where did they come from? How did they get these remains?”

About 26 percent of the remains belong to Native Americans from within the United States with about 1,200 of them housed there by the federal government, Decatur said. Another 2,200 skeletons are managed by the museum’s cultural resources office in accordance with the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires the return of such remains to Native American communities.

To date, the museum has returned about 1,000 such remains and another 200 internationally.

Thompson added that museums like the AMNH had collected and used human remains for scientific research rooted in eugenics and racism: “They were looking for physical proof of the superiority of white people and they didn’t find it, but that meant they just kept looking.”

Decatur agreed with Thompson, stating that the museum must acknowledge that “no individual consented to have their remains included in a museum collection” with the small exception of those who bequeathed their bodies to medical schools for continued study.

“Human remains collections were made possible by extreme imbalances of power,” he said. “Moreover, many researchers in the 19th and 20th centuries then used such collections to advance deeply flawed scientific agendas rooted in white supremacy—namely the identification of physical differences that could reinforce models of racial hierarchy.”

Decatur specifically addressed a recent report in The New York TimesThe New York Times, highlighting that some of the remains may have belonged to enslaved African Americans.

“These remains were removed from a burial ground in the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan during a city road construction project in 1903–04 and accepted into the collection,” Decatur affirmed.

“Enslavement was a violent, dehumanizing act; removing these remains from their rightful burial place ensured that the denial of basic human dignity would continue even in death. Identifying a restorative, respectful action in consultation with local communities must be part of our commitment.”

Decatur told museum staffers that the remains will further be discussed at an all-staff meeting, which was scheduled for today. It was not immediately clear how the meeting went.

Thompson has since shared a database she created to help people discover whether the remains of their ancestors are in the museum’s collection. She said she has found information for about 10,500 of the remains.

Source: https://news.artnet.com/about/adam-schrader-34468