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New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Wagner Park's disastrous eco-zealot makeover is an insult to downtown New York City
The 'new' Wagner Park in Battery Park City opened this week after a two-year closure and a nearly $300 million redesign. But New Yorkers should howl to the moon — and to the state legislature in Albany — over the desecration of a public jewel, done to suit the agenda of environmental zealots egged on by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. It's the most rotten Lower Manhattan scam since hustlers sold 'tickets' to the free Staten Island Ferry — only the warped park's victims aren't tourists but Wagner Park's millions of annual users, most of them New Yorkers. The original Wagner Park, near Battery Park City's southern tip, opened in 1996 to universal acclaim. New York Times architectural critic Paul Goldberger called it 'one of the finest public spaces New York has seen in at least a generation.' Advertisement 7 Wagner Park's once-level, river-facing side swelled into a stepped cliff of wooden, bleacher-like seats in an effort to prevent flooding that some feel went too far. Tamara Beckwith Battery Park City residents as well as New Yorkers from every part of town and tourists agreed. They fell in love with the 3.5-acre oasis' peaceful, river-fronting lawns that were ideal for sunbathing and taking in views of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty. A popular Italian restaurant buzzed indoors and outdoors with happy sun-worshippers and sightseers. Now, they're all gone in the name of 'saving' the park from a mythical flood that exists only in its designers' imaginations. Advertisement The state-controlled Battery Park City Authority is, naturally, trying to cosmeticize the debacle with promises of future outdoor arts programs and hype over four planted 'ecological zones' that merely take space away from the original lawns. We're meant to be impressed by an 'integrated flood barrier system' that 'maximizes water capture and reuse,' a 63,000-gallon underground cistern for rainwater reuse, 'flip-up deployables' (whatever they are), sustainable materials, native plantings and 'lush gardens planted with native, salt-resistant species.' 7 The park's central area was elevated 10 feet in order to conceal a buried flood wall. Tamara Beckwith 7 Much of the lawn was sliced and diced into a ziggurat of paver-surfaced ramps and stairs that have no clear entry points. Tamara Beckwith Advertisement But park-goers know otherwise. Novelist Jon Pepper, a Battery Park City resident, said the new pavilion — slightly larger than the original one and relocated to the east — 'looks like bunkers on the Maginot Line,' a reference to France's WWII defense that failed to stop the Nazi advance. Say this for the builders: They delivered, on time and within budget, precisely the lousy product that BPCA brochures promised. Mature London plane trees were uprooted. The park's central area was elevated 10 feet in order to conceal a buried flood wall. Much of the lawn was sliced and diced into a ziggurat of paver-surfaced ramps and stairs that have no clear entry points. Advertisement 7 Jon Pepper, a Battery Park City resident, said Wagner Park's new pavilion 'looks like bunkers on the Maginot Line,' a reference to France's WWII defense that failed to stop the Nazi advance. Tamara Beckwith The park's once-level, river-facing side swelled into a stepped cliff of wooden, bleacher-like seats where I saw precious few users on two sunny afternoons this week. The revamped lawn is, on paper, only slightly smaller than the original one. But it's effectively much smaller due to the way it's segmented into landscaped portions that aren't conducive to lazing and lolling. The modest concession building on the park's eastern side gave way to a lumbering red-brick structure that looms over the lawns' remnants like an intergalactic invader. 7 New Yorkers fell in love with the 3.5-acre former oasis' peaceful, river-fronting lawns that were ideal for sunbathing and taking in views of the harbor and the Statue of Liberty. Helayne Seidman 7 The park's old, expansive lawn spaces were conducive to lolling and lazing. Gabriella Bass The BPCA put out a 'request for proposals' to operate a two-level, 5,000-square-foot restaurant — one-third larger than previous license holder Gigino's. The greater number of seats, combined with the pavilion's 'community center' and rooftop viewing area, will shatter Wagner Park's low-key ambience that was at the heart of its charm. How did this all happen? Advertisement Besides enriching a legion of architects, engineers and landscape designers, the mutant 'park' is supposed to protect against a theoretical, worse-than-worst case, one-day-or-someday '100-year' flood caused by rising sea levels. In fact, no such catastrophe has ever occurred. The original park was so securely engineered that Wagner Park suffered no damage whatsoever when superstorm Sandy caused the city's highest sea level rise ever recorded. 7 Locals led a fight to save the old Wagner Park that ultimately failed. Gabriella Bass All of landfill-based Battery Park City was designed to withstand any conceivable high water. Which was why, as New York Magazine reported and illustrated, the entire three-mile long complex 'shone brightly' after Sandy while most of the rest of Manhattan was dark. Local residents fought fiercely against losing their beloved oasis, but in the end, the 'resiliency' lobby of climate-change alarmists carried the day. Of course, New Yorkers don't want a woke lesson in saving the earth. They want a park easy to love — which, at Wagner Park, will live only in memory.
The Independent
24-07-2025
- The Independent
Twenty-two incredible free things to do and see in New York City, from beaches to secret gardens
New York City is notoriously expensive. This year, based on square meter prices for property, it was ranked as the second-most expensive city in the world to live in by wealth firm Henley & Partners, behind Monaco. There, property costs $38,800 per square meter, with New York residents facing a $27,500 tariff for each square meter. And tourists are confronted by $30 sandwiches, $150 show tickets and $500-plus hotels. But here, we reveal that if you know where to look, New York isn't just cheap, but completely gratis. Read on for our guide to 22 fantastic and completely free things to do and see in the Big Apple. Ride the Staten Island Ferry Views of the epic Manhattan skyline and one of the world's most famous landmarks can be enjoyed from the 100-percent-free Staten Island Ferry, which sails across New York Harbor, right past Lady Liberty. It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Take a Circle Line cruise The Circle Line, which bills itself as "America's favorite boat ride since 1945", offers outstanding views of the skyline from cruises that take passengers in a loop around Manhattan from piers 16 and 83. And this summer and beyond, in honor of its 80th anniversary, guests turning 80 in 2025 get a complimentary sightseeing cruise as part of the "Born in 1945" program. Visit Stroll The High Line Enjoy mesmerising views of the Hudson River and skyline on Manhattan's West Side from The High Line, a 1.5-mile-long elevated freight rail line turned public park. Visit Hunter's Point South Park For an "unbeatable" free view of the skyline, Nicole Lawson, British Airways Holidays Destination Manager, recommends heading to Gantry Plaza State Park, then walking down to Hunter's Point South Park in Long Island City. She tells The Independent: "The Manhattan skyline looks incredible from there, especially at sunset. And here you can enjoy it away from the hustle and bustle of the city." Relax and gaze at Brooklyn Bridge Park For "iconic waterfront views", Amore Philip, Brooklyn resident and Founder of Apples & Oranges Public Relations, urges visitors to visit Brooklyn Bridge Park, which stretches from the trendy Dumbo neighborhood to Brooklyn Heights. She adds: "There's also free kayaking in the warmer months and plenty of photo-worthy spots that feel like mini getaways within the city." Beautiful buildings and fascinating museums New York Public Library Inside the New York Public Library, points out Georgia Fowkes, a travel advisor for Altezza Travel, you can see the first printed Bible, James Joyce's handwritten Ulysses and the original toys that inspired Christopher Robin Milne's timeless children's stories — Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Tigger. They're part of a Treasures exhibition that can be seen for free during a 45-minute reservation-only guided tour. Georgia tells The Independent: "I've gone three times. And every time, I'm hit with the same feeling: How is this even accessible? To stand face to face with a true cultural archive of the planet. Right here in the middle of the city." Arguably, the building is a treasure in its own right, with people absorbing tomes beneath chandeliers and an ornate ceiling smothered in murals. Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms, with 44 of them spread across two underground levels. But this structure isn't worth visiting for its dimensions alone, it's also a historical treasure trove and full of surprising extras. The building has 12 constellations painted in gold leaf on the ceiling; an opal glass clock valued at $20 million; a 'Whispering Gallery' where arches bounce utterances across the room; and marble oak leaf and acorn embellishments, symbols of the Vanderbilt family, who financed the construction of the 1913 wonder. The terminal also houses a tennis court, an Apple store and an oyster bar. Trinity Church When Trinity Church, at Broadway and Wall Street, was completed in 1846, its 281-foot steeple made it the tallest building in the U.S. Today, visitors don't marvel at its height, but at its beautiful Gothic Revival architecture and to see the grave of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The current building is actually the third edition of the church. The first was built in the 17th century but burned down in the Great Fire of 1776, and the second was dismantled in 1839 after a heavy snowfall collapsed the roof. The Morgan Library and Museum The Morgan Library and Museum on Madison Avenue houses over 350,000 treasures, rare manuscripts and letters from the sixth to the 16th centuries – and this former private library of financier J. Pierpont Morgan is a jewel of a building, described by one Tripadvisor user as "sumptuous" and "magical". If you visit, try to find the hidden doors. Admission is free on Fridays, 5-8pm. Visit Queens County Farm Museum Learn how farm products travel from field to fork at this remarkable 47-acre tract of farmland in Queens. There are animals from goats to alpacas to meet and a corn-maize maze to explore. Visit Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian, part of the Smithsonian Institution, cares for "one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts". Tripadvisor user Ronald R described the attraction as "informative and thoughtful". He added: "A great place to visit if you have any interest in true history." The museum is located on the first two floors of the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in lower Manhattan. Visit Places so peaceful you might even hear birdsong Elizabeth Street Garden, Nolita Walk too fast and you'll miss Elizabeth Street Garden, says Georgia Fowkes. This "secret fairy garden" sits behind a metal gate in the middle of a busy Nolita block, she reveals, and is "filled with antique busts, terracotta urns, and wild lavender". Georgia adds: "The best part is just sitting in the grass and realizing you can hear birds in downtown Manhattan." The Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn "Before there was Central Park," says Georgia Fowkes, "there was Green-Wood — its predecessor." The travel expert explains that the cemetery was founded in 1838 and was once the second-most-visited tourist destination in New York State after Niagara Falls. Georgia continues: "People came here to walk, picnic, and watch birds. "Today, it's a landscape of Gothic architecture, historic monuments, ponds, and cobblestone paths. At the top of Battle Hill — the highest natural point in Brooklyn — you'll see one of the best views of Manhattan." In addition, Georgia points out, there are open-air cultural events year-round — including free ones like The Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration and Family Day. Central Park No list of freebie New York attractions would be complete without Central Park, the 843-acre lungs of New York, where locals and visitors have come for more than 150 years for respite from the bustling streets. Central Park is open 6am to 1am daily. Visit Be colored impressed by art in the street Bushwick Collective Street Art, Brooklyn There's never a charge to see the vibrant street art in the Bushwick neighborhood. Georgia says: "I start at Jefferson Street and follow the walls. The beauty is that it's living art — what you see today might be gone tomorrow." She adds: "Bushwick Collective began as a platform for street artists, but it's become a visual archive of what the city is feeling right now — what's making people angry, hopeful, or loud today. "People line up for MoMA and miss Bushwick. Big mistake. This is a museum that grew by itself — no curators, no tickets. Just walls and artists who had something to say — sometimes in letters ten feet tall." Fragile Giants Renowned French sculptor Michel Bassompierre recently unveiled Fragile Giants in Manhattan's Murray Hill neighborhood. Nine giant animal sculptures can be viewed along Park Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets, until May 2026. Pick a performance See a Shakespeare play The Delacorte Theater in Central Park has been putting on Shakespeare plays for free for over 60 years. It returns in August after a two-year renovation. Free tickets are distributed on each public performance day via free ticket lines in the park. Tickets are also distributed in the boroughs and at The Public Theater on Lafayette Street. Visit Festival fun The Summer on the Hudson The annual Summer on the Hudson festival in Riverside Park features music concerts, dance performances, movies under the stars, DJ dance parties, kids shows, wellness activities, and more. Everything is free to the public, with places available on a first-come, first-served basis. The festival, spanning 59th Street to 153rd Street, runs to the end of September. Visit Hudson Yards A smorgasbord of free concerts, sports screenings, theater performances, fitness classes and more are there for the taking at Hudson Yards. Some of the biggest sporting events of the summer will be shown on a big screen, pickleball enthusiasts can book free court time and there's even a two-hour "reading party". Times Square Free open-air performances are taking place through the end of September across Times Square's public plazas as part of the TSQ Live festival. "Times Square is the world's stage, described by many as a bucket list venue to perform at and thrilling for fans and commuter audiences who enjoy these unique, collective experiences that make the plazas of Times Square feel like they belong to everyone," said Joe Papa, Director of Events and Programming at the Times Square Alliance. "TSQ Live is raising the bar once again this year, hosting over 80 free events with more than 20 different cultural partners and supporting over 300 performers through DJ sets, workshops, and live music from favorite local bands and surprise pop-up performances from today's icons." Visit Throw down a towel on a beach Rockaway Beach Thought New York wasn't a beach destination? Think again. At seven miles in length, Rockaway Beach — made famous by the Ramones' 1977 hit song of the same name — is America's largest urban beach and accessible by the A subway line and NYC Ferry. As well as a boardwalk and golden sands, there are seven playgrounds, spots for fishing, and areas for volleyball and basketball. Manhattan Beach Amore Philip favors Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn. She says: "It's a peaceful, scenic neighborhood tucked away near Sheepshead Bay, with a calm beach, a wide boardwalk, and tree-lined streets full of beautiful, Hampton-esque homes."
Time Out
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A 1.5-mile mural showcase just popped up under the BQE in Brooklyn
Next time you're sitting in traffic on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (knock on wood), take a glance out the window and you may spot this new addition to the neighborhood. The Atlantic Avenue BID, in collaboration with Thrive Collective and NYC DOT Art, has transformed 1.5 miles of the BQE underpass between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street. The open-air mural is one of the most ambitious street art projects in NYC right now, as seven massive works now line the streets connecting Atlantic Avenue with the Brooklyn waterfront. The mural features bright, colorful and eye-catching paintings of iconic NYC culture—pizza, pigeons, coffee (in a traditional bodega cup, of course), the Staten Island Ferry and a smiling cartoon version of the Statue of Liberty. Most importantly, the people of NYC and Brooklyn are heavily featured, with themes ranging from immigration and industry to biodiversity and community healing. For the south wall, seven artists were selected by Thrive Collection to build the six art pieces and interpret the complicated past of the thoroughfare, while still celebrating the future. The pieces were each given individual titles: "Dockyards" by Will Power, "Industrious" by Vince Ballentine, "Restore" by Jodi Dareal, "Biodiverse" by Peach Tao, "Recreate" by Miki Mu, and "Reframe" by Christian Penn. In his piece, Will Power (William Richardson Jr.) featured Brooklyn's dockworkers. This painting honors their courage and the power of solidarity. "In this painting, I strive to capture the indomitable spirit of the Brooklyn dockworkers at Red Hook Terminal. Their silhouettes stand resolute against the backdrop of towering cranes and vast cargo ships, symbolizing their unwavering strength and unity," he said in an artist statement. "These workers are the unsung heroes of our nation's commerce. Their labor ensures the seamless flow of goods that sustain our daily lives and drive the economy forward. This painting honors their courage and the power of solidarity, reminding us that the heartbeat of our ports—and indeed, our economy—lies in the hands of dedicated workers who stand together for justice and dignity." The north wall, "The Avenue," by artist Marrisa Molina spotlights the power of neighborhood voices during land use changes. It also expores the architecture that was preserved as landmarks in Atlantic Avenue's historic districts, highlighting the 60-year anniversary of the NYC Landmarks Law. You can see this represented in the paintings of construction workers carrying steel beams behind Atlantic Ave road signs. Although the BQE is a regular part of life for New Yorkers nowadays, back in the 1940s when it was first constructed by urban planner Robert Moses, the expressway was viewed as a tragic mistake. By displacing thousands of people and severing the connection between Atlantic Avenue and the waterfront, the previously pedestrian friendly street became car centric. As long as the BQE remains a part of Brooklyn's infrastructure, its walls should be used to celebrate and honor Brooklynites. "As long as the BQE remains a part of Brooklyn's infrastructure, its walls should be used to celebrate and honor Brooklynites, particularly those whose neighborhoods were fractured and displaced by the expressway," Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn's borough president, said in a statement. The mural was commissioned after the Atlantic Avenue BID was awarded funding to redesign the Atlantic Avenue BQE Underpass via a $60,000 Public Realm Grant from the NYC Department of Small Business Services. —so you can take a stroll and experience these powerful works of art even as the sun sets.
New York Post
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Another torpedo hits Colin Jost, Pete Davidson's Staten Island Ferry project
Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's Staten Island Ferry dreams are so far underwater they apparently can't even pay their lawyers. The 'Saturday Night Live' pair, along with their partner, comedy club owner Paul Italia, owe $13,500 to a downtown law firm, which filed a lawsuit this week to recoup the debt after years of waiting, court records showed. The trio hired Nicoletti, Hornig Namazi Eckert & Sheehan to handle dockage and towing contracts when they bought the decommissioned John F. Kennedy at auction in March 2022 for $280,000. Advertisement They renamed the vessel the Titanic 2, and plan to convert it into a $34 million entertainment venue — but have been treading water ever since. 3 The decommissioned vessel was bought by the comedy duo at an auction in March 2022. @chadrock 'There has been no reason given by Titanic 2/Mr. Italia for the non-payment,' Nicoletti attorney Val Wamser told The Post. 'We have received no response to our repeated efforts to obtain payment for the legal services rendered.' Advertisement The firm hasn't done any work for the trio since April 2022, Wamser said. The original bill was more than $27,000 but only partial payments have been made, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court legal papers. 3 Jost and Davidson were unaware of the overdue bill, according to a source. WireImage 3 Paul Italia paired with SNL's Colin Jost and Pete Davidson on the ferry project. The trio renamed the vessel Titanic 2. Paul Italia/ Linkedin Italia did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Advertisement Staten Island-bred Jost and Davidson 'were unaware of this as they don't handle the day to day business operations of the ferry,' a source told The Post. The fate of the project has predictably turned into the butt of numerous jokes, as Jost recently admitted buying the seaside sensation was 'absolutely the dumbest and least thought-through purchase I've ever made in my life.' In January Jost appeared on the 'Today Show' with actress wife Scarlett Johansson in a sketch debating whether they should sell the ferry for scrap, and last month, he made a rare appearance in an SNL sketch begging someone to take the maritime mess off his hands.
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Daily Mail
New York family's desperate search for teenage boy who vanished into busy harbor after posting haunting final message
A New York City family is desperately searching for a teenage boy who jumped from a ferry after posting a haunting final message. Brandon Pino, 17, had taken to Instagram to write a farewell message to his followers and sent worrying texts to his friends before he jumped off the Staten Island Ferry around 9:45am on Saturday. He was last seen swimming near Governor's Island by a witness, who reported his fall to the ferry crew as it docked at Manhattan's Whitehall Terminal. Police search-and-rescue crews descended on the gray waters between Staten Island and the heart of the city, ultimately unable to find the high school senior. The search was called off around 6pm. But the Pino family hasn't, his sister told the Daily Mail. 'We're all taking turns,' said Cathleen Pino before criticizing the New York Police Department, which she said is just 'waiting for a body to resurface.' 'They're not giving it the importance [it deserves],' the mother-of-two told said. An NYPD spokesperson told the Daily Mail that its Harbor Unit continues to search for Brandon daily. The department said it also deployed a scuba team, Emergency Services Unit, and aviation unit after the call came in. 'The search and investigation remains ongoing,' the spokesperson said. The Pino family is on foot, on boat, and in cars searching high and low for the teen, desperate for any sign of him as they hold out on hope he survived, Cathleen explained. So far, they've spent at least $400 on EZ-Pass tolls, as well as on ferry tickets. They've even been looking into chartering a boat to search the waters. Cathleen insisted that the largest police force in the US isn't giving Brandon's case the 'attention he deserves.' 'He's a person, he's a teen,' said the sister, who lived with Brandon. 'For my brother, it was just a few hours... In the important times, they didn't do what they needed to do. 'We're doing what they should be.' On Saturday, the Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School senior had visited his uncle around 7am before taking the 9:30am ferry from St. George Ferry Terminal to Manhattan, his sister said. Brandon's jump came after he posted on Instagram, announcing to his followers that it was 'my last day on earth' and made a post about mental health awareness. The young teen was also texting a group of friends prior to jumping, worrying them. Leading up to the leap, Cathleen said there were no signs her brother was in distress. The last time she had seen Brandon was when she picked him up from school. She had offered to buy him food, but he opted to make some at home as he preferred eating healthy. They talked about graduation plans and summer outings they were planning to take. Nothing seemed abnormal. Now, her house feels empty and her two young children keep asking about their uncle. Cathleen has opted to not tell them about what happened, but they're beginning to ask questions, she revealed. 'We holding back tears,' she said. 'It's very hard to hold back tears. We don't have peace.' The family does not plan to hold a funeral for the young boy until his body is found, per his mother's request. As for if they believe the teen survived the fall, Cathleen said the tight-knit family is praying he did. 'We have hope,' she said. The family has started a GoFundMe to help continue their search. Cathleen called her brother as a very caring and patient person who had dreams of being a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) and planned on going to nursing school. 'He was always very caring,' she said. 'He was a very smart, caring person with an amazing future ahead of him. 'He was loved, so loved.' If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 988.
