Latest news with #MurrayHill
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Midtown residents claim car restrictions on 34th Street will clog nabes with traffic, worsen their lives
Residents in Midtown Manhattan complain they're getting thrown under the bus by the Adams' administration. The city Transportation Department is proposing banning or restricting cars on 34th Street by creating a busway to speed up bus commutes and truck deliveries between 3rd and 9th Avenues — provoking outrage from residents who fear rerouted traffic will clog their streets and worsen their lives. Motorists would be required to avoid the busway from Third Avenue to 9th Avenue altogether. Other cars or livery drivers who need to enter 34th Street must exit at the next avenue where a turn is permitted. DOT officials said they want to replicate the success of the so-called busway on 14th Street, which reduced congestion, sped up bus travel and curbed accidents. But there is a big difference: 34th Street is an access point for entrance and exits for the Midtown and Lincoln tunnels. Residents in Murray Hill worry that drivers coming out of the Midtown tunnel would be diverted onto their residential local streets. 'It's just going to congest all our side streets,' Murray Hill resident Michael- Ann Rowe said following a June 2 DOT presentation at a Community Board 6 transportation committee meeting last week. Another resident, Andrew Fine, said, 'the collateral damage will be immense. Please just give it up on this project.' The Murray HIll Neighborhood Association is going to bat for residents. 'Limiting access for residents and businesses with entrances on 34th Street, while diverting traffic from this critical corridor onto narrow residential streets would lead to increased congestion, safety hazards, and diminished quality of life in the neighborhood' said Jessica Lavoie,' chair of the MHNA's quality of life committee. There are 28,000 commuters who ride on the MS 34 bus routes and other express routes along the 34th Street corridor daily. There is as already a dedicated bus lane on 34th Street. But the average weekday speed for an MTA bus is 5 miles per hour and sometimes as low as 3 MPH, Joseph Chiarmonte, an analyst with the MTA's NYC Transit said. The transit official said riders on average lose a staggering 750 hours in delays per work day on 34th Street while the buses on 14th Street run 15% faster, with the car ban. Cross-town traffic on 34th, 42nd and other busy Manhattan corridors has been a vexing problem for decades. The crosstown buses run so slow that this reporter even raced against them years ago. Nearly half of vehicles on 34th Street — 47% –are headed off Manhattan to the outer boroughs or outside the city, said Rachel Eisenberg, a DOT senior project manager who gave the presentation. She said DOT will conduct a study of the impact of traffic diversion by restricting car traffic on 34th Street. But critics said DOT was putting the cart before the horse. Lavoie, of the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association, said she was 'deeply surprised' CB6's transportation approved the proposed 34th Busway without such an analysis. 'A plan of this magnitude demands a transparent, data-driven review and meaningful community engagement with local residents and businesses before any further action is taken,' she said. DOT defended the proposal as pro-commuter. '34th Street is one of the city's busiest crosstown corridors, where 28,000 daily bus riders often face speeds as slow as walking, a major pedestrian hub, and is also one of the connections between the tunnels,' a DOT spokesman said. 'This proposal—supported by all three local community boards—aims to deliver faster, more reliable service, just as we did on 14th Street, where bus speeds rose 24% and crashes dropped 42% with no negative impact on businesses. We welcome community feedback as this process moves forward.' The car restrictions on 34th Street could be implemented in late summer or fall, the DOT said in its presentation.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch: World's first drag king competition series unveils cast in fierce new teaser
The world's first drag king competition series, King of Drag, has unveiled the cast taking part in the inaugural season. In a brand new teaser shared on Thursday, May 29, viewers are introduced to the 10 contestants who will be battling it out for the coveted crown. 'Bring in the kings!' host Murray Hill announces at the start of the clip. From there, we meet Perka Sexx, who knows how to be 'wildly inappropriate'; Dick Von Dyke, who is 'desperately looking to stand out'; Charles Galin King who is just happy to be seen; Tuna Melt, who is 'going to give it to you raw'; the king himself King Molasses; the oldest person in the competition Big D; Henlo Bulfrog, who 'desperately' wants this; Alexander The Great, who finds 'ultimate freedom' in drag; the energetic Pressure K; and Buck Wylde, who wants 'every bit of it'. Joining the cast of drag acts will be a star-studded panel of judges, also known as the King's Court. Among the names are Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Tenderon, Sasha Velour, Paul Feig, Gottmik and many more. The show is set to be a celebration of masculinity in all its forms, serving bold, brilliant and unapologetic talent like never before. Get ready for swagger to meet sequins as the 10 kings take centre stage for this groundbreaking competition. According to Christopher J. Rodriguez, Co-Founder of Revry, King of Drag is one of the streaming platform's most ambitious programmes to date. He promised that the show will follow a new and exciting format, explaining, 'In each episode, we will learn more about the individual king's backstory, what motivates them, and their goals.' Rodriguez added: 'We're going to give the drag competition format a run for its money and give audiences something fresh and original.' In a press release, Revry also stated that the show will incorporate challenges that emphasise comedy, unconventional performances and 'timely commentary on masculinity, which has been part of the drag king subculture for decades.' Don't miss King of Drag, streaming June 22, only on Revry. The post Watch: World's first drag king competition series unveils cast in fierce new teaser appeared first on GCN.
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘King Of Drag' Becomes The First Reality Show Centered On Drag Kings
For the first time TV history, a show with an exciting new premise titled 'King of Drag,' will showcase drag kings exclusively in a reality competition show. Airing on Revry, a free LGBT+ streaming app. The trailer for the show was released earlier this month, and it's entertaining and ambitious. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 11: Murray Hill (L) and Tenderoni attend the 13th annual Queerties ... More Awards at AVALON Hollywood on March 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) For years, fans of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' have argued, outside of their usual arguments concerning who they want to win the title of 'America's next drag superstar,' about one question when it comes to contestants, and that's whether Drag Kings should be featured on Drag Race. Some fans have argued that as the show's host, RuPaul, is exclusively judging contestants from his expertise as one of, if not the, most powerful drag queens on the planet and that, while there are drag competitions outside of the show that include both drag queens and kings, the premise of Drag Race is for drag queens to compete against one another. On the other side of the debate, fans in favor of drag kings competing on Drag Race have argued that if Drag Race has been called the 'Olympics of drag' by judges and fans alike, then drag kings should be included. Some contestants, like Victoria Scone, a non-binary drag queen who identifies as female, have even performed as drag kings for lip-syncs as a nod to drag kings. Even outside of Drag Race, drag competitions like 'Dragula,' hosted by the Boulet Brothers, have had drag kings and queens competing alongside one another for years. Gottmik at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards held at the New York Hilton Midtown on May 11, 2024 in ... More New York City. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images) Instead of waiting for fans to figure out what they want out of the show, drag kings have built their platform, with Murray Hill, who starred as Fred Rococo on HBO's 'Somebody Somewhere,' acting as the host of King of Drag. To aid him, Drag race contestants and drag kings alike have signed on to act as guest judges, like Gottmik, from season 13 and 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' season 9, and Tenderoni, a drag king and household name in the Chicago drag scene, are only two names that were featured in the star studded trailer. Even with the introduction of a new show and platform for drag kings on the King of Drag, the question still remains about what this may mean for the future of Drag Race. It can be argued that RuPaul helped open doors for many queer and gender non-conforming drag artists, and while his name may not be part of it, King of Drag does benefit from Drag Race already existing as a platform. Still, one of the main draws for contestants on Drag Race is the opportunities and platform it offers. On Drag Race, you don't even have to win to become a household name. A queen only needs to get their name out into the public sphere and build upon their brand once they get onto the show and they're set, even for contestants that go home on the first episode, opportunities that previously weren't available. No matter what happens, King of Drag is sure to be another interesting gateway into the world of drag and, hopefully, it propels drag kings forward into success the same way that shows like Drag Race does for its contestants.
Daily Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Telegraph
Inside Graham Norton's $8.6m New York City home
Graham Norton is offloading his historic New York City carriage house for the hefty sum of $US5.59 million ($A8.6 million). The Irish comedian's brick house in Manhattan traces its history back to horse stables constructed during the Civil War and, in more recent history, the supermodel Claudia Schiffer, the New York Times reported. The unique home features jewel box details and an address along one of New York City's precious few mews. Norton purchased the home, located along Murray Hill's Sniffen Court, in 2002, the New York Post reports. 'Once you step into Sniffen Court there is no sense that you are in the heart of Manhattan,' Norton told the Times. MORE: Rural hide-out celebrities are flocking to Gene Simmons' bizarre $22m demand The home, which Norton bought off of Claudia Schiffer, long served as his pied-à-terre in the Big Apple, he told the outlet. The quaint private alleyway, he said, reminded the 'Graham Norton Show' host of London. Norton's residence is one of 10 distinct carriage homes in the Sniffen Court Historic District. The street was initially a collection of horse stables constructed between 1863 and 1864 by John Sniffen. These alleyways, called mews, were vital to pre-industrial life in New York City. The broadcaster's pad is located smack dab in the middle of Sniffen Court. The home measures about 20 feet across and spans roughly 2,500 square feet across three floors, plus a 465-square-foot rooftop deck. 'There have been lots of parties, big and small, over the years,' Norton told the Times. According to the listing, the house boasts floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the library nearby, and the formal dining room pops with red-lacquered walls. A curving banister leads to the second-floor guest room, topped off by the primary suite on the third floor. The primary includes a separate sitting room, an ensuite bath with a tub, a kitchenette and access to the sun-drenched rooftop deck. MORE: Packer's $93m record deal amid $400m stash Staggering fortune Harry, Meghan lost exposed Norton recently renovated and restored the home with the help of Gachot Studio, with upgrades including central airconditioning, window treatments and custom lighting. Norton told the Times that he once considered retiring to the Big Apple, but the London-based entertainer recently put down even more roots across the pond when he married Scottish filmmaker Jono McLeod in 2022. Norton's home isn't the only Sniffen Court address with a celebrity past. Musician Lenny Kravitz and composer Cole Porter have also resided along the private street. Previous residential mews remain in the city, making listings at Sniffen Court, as well as Greenwich Mews in the West Village and Sylvan Terrace in Washington Heights, a true real estate treat. Parts of this story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.
News.com.au
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Inside Graham Norton's $8.6m New York City home
Graham Norton is offloading his historic New York City carriage house for the hefty sum of $US5.59 million ($A8.6 million). The Irish comedian's brick house in Manhattan traces its history back to horse stables constructed during the Civil War and, in more recent history, the supermodel Claudia Schiffer, the New York Times reported. The unique home features jewel box details and an address along one of New York City's precious few mews. Norton purchased the home, located along Murray Hill's Sniffen Court, in 2002, the New York Post reports. 'Once you step into Sniffen Court there is no sense that you are in the heart of Manhattan,' Norton told the Times. Gene Simmons' bizarre $22m demand The home, which Norton bought off of Claudia Schiffer, long served as his pied-à-terre in the Big Apple, he told the outlet. The quaint private alleyway, he said, reminded the 'Graham Norton Show' host of London. Norton's residence is one of 10 distinct carriage homes in the Sniffen Court Historic District. The street was initially a collection of horse stables constructed between 1863 and 1864 by John Sniffen. These alleyways, called mews, were vital to pre-industrial life in New York City. The broadcaster's pad is located smack dab in the middle of Sniffen Court. The home measures about 20 feet across and spans roughly 2,500 square feet across three floors, plus a 465-square-foot rooftop deck. 'There have been lots of parties, big and small, over the years,' Norton told the Times. According to the listing, the house boasts floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the library nearby, and the formal dining room pops with red-lacquered walls. A curving banister leads to the second-floor guest room, topped off by the primary suite on the third floor. The primary includes a separate sitting room, an ensuite bath with a tub, a kitchenette and access to the sun-drenched rooftop deck. Staggering fortune Harry, Meghan lost exposed Norton recently renovated and restored the home with the help of Gachot Studio, with upgrades including central airconditioning, window treatments and custom lighting. Norton told the Times that he once considered retiring to the Big Apple, but the London-based entertainer recently put down even more roots across the pond when he married Scottish filmmaker Jono McLeod in 2022. Norton's home isn't the only Sniffen Court address with a celebrity past. Musician Lenny Kravitz and composer Cole Porter have also resided along the private street. Previous residential mews remain in the city, making listings at Sniffen Court, as well as Greenwich Mews in the West Village and Sylvan Terrace in Washington Heights, a true real estate treat.
