A Great Big City — New York City News, History, and Events

The iconic "Charging Bull" statue has become recognized worldwide as a symbol of New York, but it was originally an illegal art installation that was dropped in the middle of the street on December 15, 1989. 🎂🐂

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. The Coney Island Cyclone wooden roller coaster opens to the public Boston Public Library / The Tichnor Brothers Collection 51 years ago on June 28, 1969 — Tensions between police and the gay community boil over into a revolt during an overnight raid on the Stonewall Inn 37 years ago on June 28, 1983 — Eight men are arrested in a $1.5 million gold heist 3 years ago on June 30, 2017 — A doctor opens fire at Bronx-Lebanon hospital, killing one and wounding six 21 years ago on July 1, 1999 — Area code 646 launches in Manhattan to supplement 212 and 917 numbers 34 years ago on July 3, 1986 — The opening ceremony of Liberty Weekend begins four days of celebrations around the Statue of Liberty's 100th anniversary and reopening after an extensive renovation 4 years ago on July 3, 2016 — A tourist steps on an explosive device in Central Park — If you have any information or photos from that day, contact NYPD CrimeStoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (1-800-577-8477), via text message at CRIMES (274637), or via online form. 2 years ago on July 4, 2018 — A woman climbs the Statue of Liberty pedestal, causing Liberty Island to be evacuated and canceling many midday Fourth of July tours AGBC history: 3 years ago — Would $123 Convince You to Bike to Work? — Wednesday, June 28 8 years ago — The NYPD's Newest Helicopter Focuses on Spotting Terrorism — Friday, June 29 8 years ago — Occupy Wall Street - June 28th, 6PM — Friday, June 29 9 years ago — Blimp Race on the Hudson — Monday, July 4 1 year ago — A Great Big City Will No Longer Publish to Facebook — Friday, July 5 9 years ago — Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus detected in New York City — Thursday, July 7 A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Mullaly Park Today's fact about New York Here's something you may not have known about New York: There is a birth in New York City every 4.4 minutes Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 103°F on July 3, 1966 Record Low: 52°F on June 29, 1888 AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Overcast, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. 123 years ago on June 15, 1897 — A fire sweeps through Ellis Island's wood buildings 136 years ago on June 16, 1884 — America's first roller coaster opens in Coney Island 72 years ago on June 16, 1948 — Australian adventurer Ben Carlin and his wife Elinore launch their amphibious jeep into New York Bay in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe 67 years ago on June 22, 1953 — The Hollow Nickel Case 45 years ago on June 24, 1975 — Eastern Air Flight 66 crashes on approach at JFK Airport, killing 113 people 101 years ago on June 26, 1919 — The first issue of the Illustrated Daily News is published, which would become the modern-day New York Daily News Manhattanhenge Photography Tips and Viewing Locations A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Michel Triangle Did you know? Here's something you may not have known about New York: The largest class of Staten Island Ferry can carry 6,000 passengers Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 98°F on June 19, 1994 Record Low: 48°F on June 18, 1950 Weather for the week ahead: Possible light rain on Sunday and Tuesday. AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, TuneIn Radio, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Manhattanhenge music: Anonymous420

7 northeast states form a joint committee to evaluate ending social distancing Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. 116 years ago on April 8, 1904 — Longacre Square is renamed 'Times Square' 107 years ago on April 9, 1913 — The first game is played at Ebbets Field 154 years ago on April 10, 1866 — The ASPCA is founded in New York City, becoming the oldest animal welfare organization in the United States 59 years ago on April 11, 1961 — Bob Dylan plays in Greenwich Village for the first time 115 years ago on April 12, 1905 — The Hippodrome Theatre opens 103 years ago on April 12, 1917 — The Bijou Theatre opens on 45th Street at Broadway 38 years ago on April 12, 1982 — Three CBS employees are killed after encountering a gunman abducting a woman on the top of the Pier 92 parking garage 17 years ago on April 13, 2003 — Subway tokens are phased out and replaced by the MetroCard 2 years ago on April 14, 2018 — David Buckel, a prominent gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate, sets himself on fire in Prospect Park 9 years ago on April 16, 2011 — Area code 929 enters service 1 year ago on April 17, 2019 — A man was taken into custody after attempting to enter St. Patrick's Cathedral with cans of gasoline 14 years ago on April 18, 2006 — Roosevelt Island Tram suffers mechanical problems, trapping 69 people in two tram cars in the air for seven hours A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Ionia Avenue Forest New York Fact Here's something you may not have known about New York: NYCHA, the New York City Housing Authority, oversees 325 housing developments citywide comprised of 2,418 buildings that house 400,000 New Yorkers Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 92°F on April 16, 2002 Record Low: 22°F on April 12, 1874 AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or RadioPublic, TuneIn Radio, Player FM, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. 69 years ago on March 29, 1951 — The 'Mad Bomber' begins his largest streak of attacks, planting a series of explosive devices in public spaces across New York 111 years ago on March 30, 1909 — The Queensboro Bridge opens to traffic April 1 in History: Greenwich Village Chase after Bleecker Street Armed Robbery March 24 in History: Ground-Breaking Ceremony for the Rapid Transit System on "Tunnel Day" 5 years ago on April 2, 2015 — Two women are arrested in Jamaica, Queens for planning terrorist bombings 161 years ago on April 4, 1859 — The Civil War anthem 'Dixie' debuts in New York as part of a blackface minstrel show 87 years ago on April 4, 1933 — The USS Akron, one of history's largest airships, crashes into the ocean off the coast of New Jersey, killing 73 and leaving three survivors U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command 53 years ago on April 4, 1967 — Martin Luther King Jr. delivers a speech at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights titled "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence" — Hear the full audio of the speech. 47 years ago on April 4, 1973 — The twin towers of the World Trade Center officially open, becoming the tallest buildings in the world ☮️ A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Haffen Park Did you know? Here's something you may not have known about New York: You can take a free training course from the Department of Health to learn the right words to say to someone suffering with mental distress or substance abuse Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 86°F on March 29, 1945 Record Low: 10°F on March 29, 1923 Weather for the week ahead: Light rain throughout the week. AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. [Coronavirus monologue] 53 years ago on March 26, 1967 — Thousands of people gathered at Central Park's Sheep Meadow on Easter Sunday for one of the first hippie "be-ins" of the 1960s 5 years ago on March 26, 2015 — A gas explosion and fire destroys three buildings at Second Ave and St. Marks 57 years ago on March 28, 1963 — Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York at the Palace Theater on Broadway 35 years ago on March 31, 1985 — The First WrestleMania is held at Madison Square Garden, featuring Mr. T and Hulk Hogan March 21 in History: Charles Lindbergh Receives the Medal of Honor in 1928 March 23 in History: Elisha Otis Installs First Passenger Elevator March 27 in History: The Disappearing House March 28 in History: Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' Premieres in New York A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Estella Diggs Park Did you know? Here's something you may not have known about New York: If the NYC population was spread out at the same density as Wyoming, it would cover nearly half of the lower 48 states Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 84°F on March 21, 1921 Record Low: 10°F on March 21, 1885 Weather for the week ahead: Rain on Monday through Friday. AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or TuneIn Radio, Spotify, RadioPublic, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com — Monologue music: ＠ｈｏｔｌｉｎｅ．ｇｏｖ by Anonymous420

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. Coronavirus Info for NYC — Westchester resident tests positive for coronavirus, becoming second New York case NYC looks at new idea to fix the BQE: An $11B tunnel through Brooklyn 26 years ago on March 1, 1994 — A Lebanese-born man fires two handguns at a van of Jewish students on the Brooklyn Bridge, killing one and wounding three 97 years ago on March 5, 1923 — "Human Fly" Harry F. Young falls to his death while climbing the Hotel Martinique as part of a movie promotion Upcoming Events: Mar 19 – March Equinox 50 years ago on March 6, 1970 — The Weather Underground townhouse explodes while the terrorist organization is constructing a bomb 12 years ago on March 6, 2008 — A unsolved mystery that stands out in modern New York history: An IED explodes outside the Times Square Army recruitment office 3 years ago on March 7, 2017 — The 'Fearless Girl' statue is placed at Bowling Green, facing the famous Wall Street Bull statue 61 years ago on March 9, 1959 — The Barbie doll debuts at the American International Toy Fair in New York 287 years ago on March 12, 1733 — Bowling Green Park is established as the city's first official park 6 years ago on March 12, 2014 — A natural gas explosion levels two five-story buildings on Park Avenue Stories from AGBC History: 9 years ago — What's happening with Admirals Row? — Friday, March 4 9 years ago — The TLC releases the results of their Taxi of Tomorrow survey — Friday, March 4 3 years ago — Caught on Live Video: ABC 7 Reporter Approached by Man in Mask on Lower East Side — Saturday, March 4 3 years ago — Not Real Yet - Don't Get Fooled by These Trump Internment Camp Signs — Monday, March 6 3 years ago — FDNY Debuts New Tethered Drone with Infrared Camera — Tuesday, March 7 A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Our fireworks page monitors the city's announcements of upcoming fireworks, lists them on our site, and automatically sends out a notification just before the fireworks begin, so that you can watch the show or prepare your pet for the upcoming sounds of explosions. Visit agreatbigcity.com/fireworks to see the full calendar and follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day New Lots / Dumont Triangle Parks Events Astronomy: The Full Moon Concert Calendar Celine DionDermot Kennedy with SYML070 Shake (16+, Rescheduled from October 9, 2019)Jane BirkinFabolous with Funkmaster Flexbbno$Silversun Pickups with The New RegimeOmarion with Bow Wow and Ying Yang Twins and Soulja Boy and The MilleniumCeline DionSteve HackettMoeinbbno$TchamiCeline DionThe Brothers (Allman Brothers Band 50th Anniversary)Dashboard Confessional with The Get Up Kids Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. Today's fact about New York Here's something you may not have known about New York: Residents or businesses can order posters, decals, and signs to properly label recycling bins and list items that are recyclable Weather The extreme highs and lows for this...

Passengers Aboard Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas Cruise Ship Test Negative for New Coronavirus — AGBC Health page tracking the coronavirus Gunman Who Allegedly Ambushed Cops Due in Court as Tension Between NYPD, Elected Officials Escalates 64 years ago on February 8, 1956 — Eastern Air Flight 663 swerves to avoid an oncoming aircraft and crashes near Jones Beach, killing all 84 people on board 78 years ago on February 9, 1942 — The SS Normandie catches fire and capsizes into the Hudson River 52 years ago on February 11, 1968 — Madison Square Garden opens on the site of the old Pennsylvania Station Back in April 2019 on Episode 19 of the podcast, I first talked about the possibility of a tower rising above Macy's in Herald Square, and this week, the speculation of the tower moved closer to reality as the retail giant revealed new architectural renderings of a 900ft tower planned to be built on top of the classic Midtown store. Upcoming Events: February 17: Washington's Birthday, in recognition of the 1st President's birth in 1732 9 years ago on February 11, 2011 — Maksim Gelman begins a killing spree spanning two boroughs, killing four people and injuring five 15 years ago on February 12, 2005 — "The Gates" open in Central Park 45 years ago on February 13, 1975 — A three-alarm fire burns in the World Trade Center North Tower for three hours A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Barretto Point Park Parks Events Bronx Winterfest Concert Calendar This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week: The Lumineers with Mt. JoyMarc AnthonyTove Lo with AlmaThe Lumineers with Mt. JoyEagles: Hotel California TourBell Biv DeVoe with Monica and Fantasia and a Night of Love and Xscap3Josh GrobanFalling in Reverse with Escape The Fate and The Word AliveEagles: Hotel California TourMarc AnthonyMaxwell with Mase and Musiq and En Vogue and The DreamEl Gran Combo de Puerto Rico with Tito Nieves and Jerry RiveraWeenLil Tjay: Pop Smoke with The BK Drip and Polo G and Melii and Fivio ForiegnEagles: Hotel California TourPost Malone with Swae Lee Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. Today's fact about New York 95% of the city's water supply is delivered via gravity since it is stored in reservoirs at higher elevations upstate Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 73°F on February 15, 1949 Record Low: -8°F on February 15, 1943 Weather for the week ahead: Light rain today through Thursday. AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Overcast, Player FM, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review...

Coronavirus Info for NYC 175 years ago on January 29, 1845 — 'The Raven' by Edgar Allan Poe is first published in the New-York Evening Mirror 63 years ago on February 1, 1957 — Northeast Air Flight 823 crashes on Rikers Island after takeoff at LaGuardia, killing 20 and injuring 78 28 years ago on February 4, 1992 — Area code 917 is introduced, originally used only for cell phones 4 years ago on February 5, 2016 — A crane working at 60 Hudson Street collapses on Worth Street, killing one and injuring three — Read more about the life of David Wichs, who was killed in the collapse. 56 years ago on February 7, 1964 — The Beatles land at JFK Airport, beginning the British Invasion in American music culture 24 years ago on February 7, 1996 — The Concorde makes its final commercial flight from JFK Airport to London, ending the era of supersonic travel 7 years ago on February 8, 2013 — Winter Storm Nemo hits NYC — Winter Storm Nemo hits NYC 4 years ago — Zika Virus in NYC: Links and Information 8 years ago — A cannonball is discovered on Governors Island 2 years ago — Vintage New York Travel Tips Featured in a 1977 Newspaper — AGBC News Episode 8: The Beatles Meet NY, Empty Skyscrapers, and Travel Tips from 1977 A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Benjamin Gladstone Square Concert Calendar Here's the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week: Cold War KidsCold War KidsDijonPoppy with VOWWSRex Orange CountyAmber LiuMayer HawthorneApollo Music CafeOprah with Michelle ObamaThrice with mewithoutYouRex Orange CountyMichael Kiwanuka with Sammy BrueJ.I. PrinceApollo Music CafeRynxJ.I. Prince Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. Learn about New York Here's something you may not have known about New York: 1.8 million New Yorkers benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that helps families and individuals supplement the cost of their diet with nutritious foods Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 70°F on February 5, 1991 Record Low: -6°F on February 5, 1918 Weather for the week ahead: Rain tomorrow through next Friday. AGBC WeatherWeather.gov forecast Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Pocket Casts, Overcast, TuneIn Radio, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

11 years ago on January 15, 2009 — Captain Sullenberger lands USAir Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, an event that would become known as the Miracle on the Hudson 19 years ago on January 17, 2001 — A 2.4 magnitude earthquake strikes the Upper East Side of Manhattan 63 years ago on January 21, 1957 — The Mad Bomber is arrested after planting at least 33 bombs that injured 15 people 50 years ago on January 22, 1970 — The first Boeing 747 enters commercial service on a Pan Am route from JFK Airport to London Heathrow 15 years ago on January 23, 2005 — The FDNY suffers "Black Sunday" when three firefighters are killed are four are injured in two separate fires — Fatal fires break out in Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx early Monday — one victim likely murdered before blaze 105 years ago on January 25, 1915 — Alexander Graham Bell places the first transcontinental long-distance telephone call from New York to San Francisco 2 years ago — Gov. Cuomo Pledges State Funds to Re-Open Statue of Liberty — Sunday, January 21 2 years ago — January 24 in History: Fraunces Tavern Bombing Kills Four — Wednesday, January 24 1 year ago — Survey Says: Bring on the Marijuana, But None For Me, Thanks — Thursday, January 24 A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: Every evening, just before sundown, A Great Big City checks the Empire State Building's lighting schedule and sends out a notification if the tower's lighting will be lit in special colors for a holiday or celebration. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Church Triangle Parks Events Lunar New Year: 21st New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival Lunar New Year Celebration Dragon Dance audio via KrisNM on Flickr Concert Calendar This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week: Teddy SwimsMat KearneyBilly JoelLAUNDRY DAYGooseItzy - BandLauren AlainaPhoraStray KidsAli GatieIann Dior with Landon CubeHeilungThe Wood Brothers with Kat WrightLoud Records 25th Anniversary with Wu Tang Clan , Big Pun tribute, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep and moreThe Wood Brothers with Kat WrightGeorge Dalaras Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. Today's fact about New York Here's something you may not have known about New York: Ward's Point in Tottenville, Staten Island is the southernmost point of both New York City and New York State Weather The extreme highs and lows for this week in weather history: Record High: 72°F on January 26, 1950 Record Low: -6°F on January 24, 1882 Weather for the week ahead: Rain on Saturday. AGBC Weather Thanks for listening to A Great Big City. Follow along 24 hours a day on social media @agreatbigcity or email contact@agreatbigcity.com with any news, feedback, or topic suggestions. Subscribe to AGBC News wherever you listen to podcasts: iTunes, Google Play, or Player FM, Spotify, Podcast Addict, or listen to each episode on the podcast pages at agreatbigcity.com/podcast. If you enjoy the show, subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening and visit our podcast site to see show notes and extra links for each episode. Intro and outro music: 'Start the Day' by Lee Rosevere — Concert Calendar music from Jukedeck.com

AGBC collects a variety of links from across the internet and analyzes them to power our links page. Links are selected and ranked based on whether they are about New York and interesting enough to share. A few times per day, this same system also re-ranks the past few hours of news links and creates our top stories page. Taking that same idea and expanding it, here are the top stories about NYC for each month of 2019, along with a bit of follow-up to see how things have progressed since they were first published. January 2019 New York City's 2019 Women's March in Photos Not quite as large as the original 2017 Women's March, but still impactful enough to earn the highest-rated news story from January 2019. The third Women's March was actually two marches after one had split from the original organizing committee. Accusations of antisemitism against organizers of the national march led local organizations to split from the group based in Washington D.C. On January 19th, both an independent group, the Women's March Alliance, and the original national group held protest marches, one on the Upper West Side and one in downtown Manhattan at Foley Square. For 2020, the Women's March Alliance plans to march near Columbus Circle, but has not released a route as of yet, and the official local chapter of the national Women's March plans a rally in Foley Square. Both events are scheduled for January 18th. February 2019 Police detective killed by friendly fire in New York City A chaotic robbery at a T-Mobile store in Richmond Hill in Queens led to the first NYPD killed in the line of duty in nearly two years. The death of Detective Brian Simonsen brought increased focus to the case and revealed the many strange details of what would have been a typical store robbery. Most striking was the revelation that, although a bystander correctly told police that the man was robbing the store with a gun and forcing employees into a back room, in the aftermath of the police response and the shooting of the suspect, the gun was found to have been fake, and Simonsen had been accidentally shot and killed by fellow police officers. When the suspect emerged from the back room holding the realistic gun, officers retreated back outside, but the suspect not only raised the gun, but made movements as if he were firing it at officers. The seven officers at the scene then fired 42 shots within 11 seconds, striking the suspect eight times and hitting two officers. A second suspect, who had served as a lookout during the robbery, was captured several days later. Sergeant Matthew Gorman, who was also one of the first to respond to the robbery, was also hit in the hip by shots fired by other officers, but survived his injuries. In an interview with local news site The City in April 2019, the suspect said he was attempting to commit suicide by cop and he expressed that he wanted to tell the family of Detective Simonsen how sorry he was, although more recently, speaking to the NY Post from Rikers while awaiting trial, he stated that the robbery was meant as a prank and that he shouldn't be held responsible for the shootings of the officers. Although Detective Simonsen's death had been the first NYPD death in almost two years, tragedy would strike again in September 2019, when Detective Brian Mulkeen was accidentally shot and killed by fellow NYPD officers during a struggle with a suspect at the Edenwald NYCHA Houses in the Bronx. March 2019 Manhattan drivers near new era that may include $11.52 tolls The top story for March was about the congestion pricing plan, which was planned as part of the budget. Although the final toll price to charge vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street hasn't been decided on, a prior study in 2017 by a state-appointed task force called for a $11.52 toll, which is being used as a baseline for what the new recommendation will actually be in 2020. The congestion pricing plan would go on to pass as part of the state...

Starting off with a bit more busway news this week: In a study released by Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants [PDF link], the 14th Street busway has improved travel times on multiple modes of transit by evaluating a variety of data sources, including the Department of Transportation, independent traffic counting, and Citibike data. M14 A and D bus weekday ridership is up 24% compared to last year, and transit times between Third Avenue and Eighth Avenue are faster by 36%, making the crosstown bus ride 5.3 minutes faster. Although the criticisms of the busway before it was even implemented were that the surrounding streets would become parking lots, the data shows that travel time on the surrounding crosstown streets stayed the same or increased by an average of one and a half minutes during weekday rush hours, with the biggest total increase found on 17th Street, the first crosstown street to the north of 14th that isn't broken up by Union Square. By comparison, travel times on the next-closest two-way crosstown streets, 23rd to the north and Houston to the south, showed a variety of increases and decreases in total travel times compared to October last year. On the Avenues, only minuscule changes were seen in drive times, with speeds actually increasing significantly during morning rush hours. The preliminary report released by Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants is the first of seven scheduled reports, with the final report on the project set to be released in Spring 2021. In the span of just 16 hours, four people were struck and killed by drivers across the city. In Manhattan, a 26-year-old woman was struck at a crosswalk in SoHo by a box truck driving in reverse, a man in Hell's Kitchen was struck and killed by a sanitation truck driver, an 85-year-old man was killed in Sunset Park by a truck driver, and a 57-year-old man was struck by three drivers separate and killed in Park Slope. According to Streetsblog.org, that brings the total number killed by drivers this year to 214, an 8% increase over 2018. In response, Mayor de Blasio stated that the NYPD will be deploying extra officers citywide to increase truck enforcement. The news sadly coincides with bicyclist Daniel Cammerman being struck and killed by the driver of a school bus on the 96th Street Central Park transverse on December 18th and the Brooklyn Supreme Court handing down a $43 million ruling this week in the case of a young girl struck and seriously injured by the driver of a school bus in 2017. Now is the time to focus on avoiding the flu this winter. The measles outbreak was a rare occurrence that was confined to small communities and mostly young children who hadn't yet been vaccinated, and only a few hundred people were affected, but different types of flu viruses take hold each year and flu vaccines must be built to properly address the flu strains that will be most prominent during each flu season. Data from the New York Department of Health shows that flu activity in New York City is already at a high level and there has been a 48% increase in hospitalizations statewide due to influenza. Within the city, there have been a total of 2,028 cases since the flu season began in October, with the past week showing a sharp increase of nearly 1,000 new cases within a week. The number of total cases is much higher at this point in the season than it has been in previous years. Given the early arrival of flu season, it's important to get a flu shot as quickly as possible, and it is a vital step for young children and older adults, especially anyone with heart disease, diabetes, asthma, lung disease, liver disease, or those who are pregnant. Just like the measles vaccine, everyone should receive a flu shot to avoid potentially spreading the disease to someone else in the city who may have a more compromised immune system. To find flu vaccinations across the city, use the NYC.gov Health Map at nyc.gov/flu or visit your neighborhood pharmacy, hospital, or...

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. A moment of remembrance this week for Alelia Murphy, who I mentioned back in July on Episode 30 of the podcast when she celebrated her birthday as the oldest living American. The Harlem resident died at the end of November at the age of 114 years, 140 days old. Ms. Murphy was born in North Carolina in 1905 and has lived in Harlem since the 1920s. Her funeral was held December 6th at the United House of Prayer for all People church on Frederick Douglass Boulevard. The previous oldest American, Lessie Brown, died in January 2019. According to the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest living American is now Hester Ford, born just one month after Ms. Murphy in 1905. According to the records of the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest known New Yorker was Susannah Mushatt Jones, who was born in 1899 and lived 116 years, 311 days until her death in 2016 at a senior home in Brooklyn. In Uber's end-of-year report, the Empire State Building topped the list of most Ubered-to locations worldwide, with 1WTC coming in second place. — Transportation reporter Aaron Gordon wrote on Jalopnik that the Empire State Building is within a 10 minute walk of nearly every single subway line, PATH trains, MetroNorth, and the LIRR. At the World Trade Center, the second-most Ubered-to location worldwide, 12 subway lines and the PATH train stop nearby. Other proposals, like City Council Speaker Corey Johnson trying to convince Mayor de Blasio to duplicate the 14th Street busway in Midtown streets on 34th or 42nd Street would also help replace the caravan of crosstown Ubers with city buses that could alleviate the gridlock near the Empire State Building. According to the DOT's 2019 Mobility Report, on 34th, 42nd, and 57th Streets, over 50% of the traffic is composed of taxis and rideshare vehicles, and traffic speeds in Midtown are 30% slower compared to the rest of Manhattan south of 59th, with vehicles creeping along at just 4.9 mph. Christmas tree lightings are already happening! So check out the AGBC list of tree and menorah lightings at agreatbigcity.com/christmas or agreatbigcity.com/hanukkah, where there are currently 41 lightings across the city. If you don't see your local event on the list, drop us a note and we'll put the info up, whether it's the Rockefeller Center tree or just a neighborhood gathering to hang homemade ornaments on an evergreen in the local park! 5 years ago on December 5, 2014 — Korean Air Flight 86 is forced to return to the gate at JFK Airport after Korean Air vice president Heather Cho throws a temper tantrum over the serving of in-flight macadamia nuts Back in Episode 49 we covered the closing of Ellis Island in 1954 and how the brick buildings were almost torn down to make way for a futuristic city designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, but 119 years ago on December 17, 1900, A new Ellis Island processing center opens after a fire destroyed the original wood buildings 25 years ago on December 7, 1994 — Howard Stern and a passing motorist save a man threatening to jump from the George Washington Bridge 40 years ago on December 2, 1979 — Elvita Adams attempts to jump from the Empire State Building, but is saved after hitting a ledge 20 feet below 1 year ago on December 10, 2018 — The 'Fearless Girl' statue is relocated from Bowling Green to a permanent location outside the New York Stock Exchange building 30 years ago on December 15, 1989 — Arturo Di Modica's 7,100 pound bronze 'Charging Bull' statue is secretly installed overnight near the New York Stock Exchange Christmas tree as a gift to the people of NYC A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A...

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. The ridership on crosstown buses at 14th Street has increased to more than 32,000 daily riders, an increase over last year's 26,000 daily riders, and now the city is looking at increasing service along the route. Now that buses are moving faster thanks to the clear streets and the installation of bus loading platforms, some are beginning to need to hold at bus stops to avoid getting ahead of schedule. The 14th Street buses will also be getting on-board camera systems that photograph any bus lane blockers and send that info to the Department of Transportation. Any scofflaws caught blocking buses by those on-board cameras or street-mounted cameras will be subject to fines. These are the same on-board cameras that made a dramatic debut recently when the Transit Authority posted a video on social media showing the bus camera zapping a delivery truck out of the bus lane. Although there haven't been any reports of disintegrating delivery vans, the cameras have been operating on the M15 and B44 Select Bus routes. Good and bad news for any holiday shoppers hoping for some traffic relief in Midtown this holiday season: City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said the success of the 14th Street busway should lead the city to expand the program to similar streets like 34th and 42nd, but Mayor de Blasio's view is still that instituting busways on other streets would be a premature move before the 14th street pilot program has completed. The current busway pilot program is scheduled to last 18 months, after which the DOT will examine the results and decide whether the program will continue. Midtown bus riders may still be stuck behind empty Ubers on 34th Street, but visitors to Rockefeller Center will get a bit more breathing room. The city announced on November 22nd that, beginning Friday, November 29th, movable barriers will be installed to close streets around Rockefeller Center and add more pedestrian space during the holiday season. The plan is to completely close 49th and 50th Streets from Fifth to Sixth beginning in the afternoon until midnight, when most shoppers and visitors will be in the area. Along Fifth Avenue from 48th to 52nd, a lane of the road on each side will be reclaimed for pedestrian traffic with movable barriers. On Sixth Avenue, a similar barrier setup will take over one lane of traffic, but only when the NYPD and DOT observers see that crowds are growing and more pedestrian space is needed. According to State Senator Brad Hoylman, the Rockefeller Center area attracts 125 million visitors during the holiday season. When news of the potential street closure plan leaked at the end of October, Mayor de Blasio emphasized that it had not yet been approved by City Hall and that someone at the DOT may have accidentally or intentionally leaked it "trying to further their own agenda". The plan will take effect the day after Thanksgiving. You may notice one problem when you combine the previous two stories: In response to news of the Rockefeller Center street closures, Transit Authority head Andy Byford released a short statement criticizing what he called a unilateral decision by the city that will slow down buses in the Rockefeller Center area since they are not given priority in the current plan. Fifth Avenue is a major north-south route for buses, and it remains to be seen how the four-block narrowing of the street will impact traffic or transit times. This week, the Port Authority announced this week that they hope to use autonomous vehicle technology to more closely space their buses through the Lincoln Tunnel. While they plan realistically wouldn't eliminating drivers, the technology would allow the buses to drive close to each other and maintain a higher...

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. If you're one of the 26,000 people who visit the Wall Street Bull on a typical day, you may soon need to ask for a different set of directions. Back in April 2018, when it was announced that the Fearless Girl statue was going to be moved from Bowling Green to outside the New York Stock Exchange, there were also rumblings of a possible move for the Charging Bull statue. The Bull is one of the city's most popular and iconic attractions, but its location in the middle of Broadway has long caused a dangerous situation, with onlookers standing inches away from the taxis and tour buses that travel down Broadway. A small pedestrian area added along the border of Bowling Green plaza has not helped, and concrete barriers are still necessary along the border of the plaza to prevent the multiple lanes of traffic from hitting visitors to the statue. A year after the city moved Fearless Girl, the mayor's office has confirmed that the Wall Street Bull will be moving out of Bowling Green and into the plaza outside the NYSE, where visitors can more safely gather around the iconic statue. Tourists may be asking for directions to the Bull for quite a long time, as Google Maps currently still shows the Fearless Girl statue as being located in Bowling Green, despite being moved to the Stock Exchange a year ago in November 2018. If you're a fan of the Bull, be prepared for its 30th anniversary, coming up on December 15th, when the Bull was first dropped off in front of the Stock Exchange in what sculptor Arturo Di Modica called a gift to the people of New York that was meant to represent the strength and power of the American people. Despite initially placing the Bull in front of the Stock Exchange, Di Modica is no fan of the statue being relocated there again. Although no final placement has been announced, Di Modica was also critical of the placement of the Fearless Girl near his statue, and would likely fight having the statues placed facing each other again. The Parks Department does not purchase art to display in city parks, so in a unique arrangement, the Bull is technically still owned by Di Modica, but has also long outlasted the one-year limit that pieces of art are typically granted to be displayed in public parks. This unofficial arrangement over the statue's ownership will likely cause further confusion if the sculptor disagrees with the city's plans to relocate the statue. Checking in with the 14th Street busway, the Department of Transportation will be installing new bus-boarding platforms along 14th Street from now through December 2019. These are snap-together plastic islands that allow faster boarding of buses without taking up sidewalk space. The plastic platform extends out from the bus shelter and prevents vehicles from being able to block the bus stop and allows the bus to continue along the route without pausing to merge back into traffic. This, combined with the all-door boarding of the Select Bus Service allows faster bus stops with more room for passengers while exiting or waiting for the bus. Each platform will take about six days to install and will temporarily close the bus stop at that location, but the DOT will stagger the installations so that the nearest surrounding bus stops remain in service. The busway itself just passed one month in operation after a series of lawsuits delayed its opening. Both city Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Transit Authority president Andy Byford have publicly praised the results of the busway and see it as a template for possible busways in other parts of the city where traffic has slowed buses to a crawl. The 14th Street busway program is expected to last 18 months, after which the DOT will examine the...

Take a trip through the slimy, sickening side of the city and prepare yourself for A Great Big SCARE! It's ironically appropriate that the subway celebrates its birthday right around the spookiest time of year, as it prominently features in New Yorkers' nightmares. 115 years ago on October 27th, 1904, The original 28 subway stations opened, stretching from City Hall to 145th Street in Manhattan. From 1904 until 1948, the price for a subway ride was just 5¢, a price range that's equivalent to about 92¢ in today's dollars. Instead, you'll be paying three times that amount for a ride today, in a 100-year-old system that is struggling to keep up with modern demand. Although the subway's on-time performance recently hit a six-year high, only 81% of trains arrive on time during a typical weekday, and the subway's previous on-time figures put it at the lowest among all major cities' transit systems. In 2017, Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the New York transit system in an effort to revitalize the deteriorating subway and modernize its signal system. In an effort to avoid further increasing the subway fare, the MTA's $54 billion plan to improve the subway will rely on revenue from a congestion pricing toll on vehicles that enter Manhattan south of 61st Street. Vehicles entering central and southern Manhattan will be subject to a toll of around $12 for the privilege of sitting in traffic that has slowed to a crawl in recent years as rideshare drivers have flooded the streets, with speeds in Midtown in 2018 averaging just 4.7 mph. If streets lined with traffic and a subway running on ancient tracks make New York sound like the city for you, don't forget to pay at the door! Beginning January 2020, the cost of entering the city via bridge or tunnel will increase to $16 and the AirTrain ride to JFK Airport will increase to $7.75. If you've finally paid your toll to get into the city, good luck finding a place to stay! According to real estate site StreetEasy's data through August 2019, the prices of rentals are increasing while the prices of homes for sale are decreasing. The median asking price for a one-bedroom in Manhattan jumped 7.5% year-over-year, adding $233 to the monthly rent. If you end up looking at apartments more in your price range, the horrors continue. According to bedbugregistry.com, there have been 4,490 reports of bedbugs across the city, including a report from October 26th of a traveler who woke up from a lovely sleep in room 1622 of a hotel in Midtown only to find a bedbug crawling on his pillow. The hotel refused to believe him until he capture a live bug in a sandwich bag and showed it to the hotel staff. If you think you're safe from bedbugs if you don't stay in a Midtown hotel, consider the tale of a resident in Long Island City, who ordered a bed frame and headboard online, only to open the package and find bedbugs inside. When New Yorkers glance up to see air conditioners precariously hanging from every apartment window, a pedestrian's mind turns to tragedy, picturing their inevitable death after one of those menacing sheet metal boxes breaks free from its windowsill. If the air conditioner plummets toward you, will those days at the gym give you the nimble speed to heroically jump out of its path? In the past 30 years, there have been only a handful of documented air conditioner drops, despite millions of New Yorkers propping their A/Cs up on the hopes that the power cord will support the full weight of the machine if it ever tears loose. While you allow the fear of falling machinery to fade from your mind, consider a report from 2008 that showed the increased energy usage of air conditioning during the summer directly contributes to up to 1,000 deaths annually in the eastern United States. Without sustainable forms of energy, power-hungry air conditioning units put extra demand on coal-burning power plants, increasing ozone levels and fine particulate matter in the air, all of which will...

Last week I walked you through the history of the Guggenheim Museum to mark its 60th anniversary on October 21, 1959, and this week I wanted to point you to a podcast by 99% Invisible, a design and architecture podcast, which worked with the Guggenheim to produce a special audio walkthrough that talks about the history of the building and some of the art that has been displayed in the museum over the years. For instance, you may not have known that Frank Lloyd Wright initially intended for museum attendees to ride an elevator to the top of the building and experience the museum's exhibitions from top to bottom. Learn more about the Guggenheim at 99pi.org and listen to episode 375 of 99% Invisible while you tour the museum. — The Guggenheim Museum Opens on the Upper East Side A few more details this week on the observation deck at Hudson Yards that we talked about in Episode 13 of the podcast: The deck is the glass triangle jutting off the southeast corner of 30 Hudson Yards that the surrounding neighborhood lovingly referred to as a bird beak! The observation deck is called New York Edge and will be the highest observation deck in the western hemisphere at 1,131 feet above street level, surpassing both the observation deck at 1WTC and the former Sears Tower, but still falling far short of overseas marvels like Shenzhen's Ping An International Finance Centre's observation deck that is 700 feet higher. The most striking aspect is the glass floor section at the center of the triangle, offering a view straight down the side of 30 Hudson Yards. Walking to the tip of the triangle-shaped deck will offer views across the entire city, from the new skyscrapers lining Billionaire's Row, full views of the Empire State Building, and a look down the western side of Manhattan all the way to 1WTC. The deck won't open until March 2020, but tickets are already on sale at an introductory price of $36/person for a specific time or $56/person for a daily pass. If you're a New York resident, you can receive a few more dollars off the list price. Both prices are comparable to what you'll pay to rise above the city at One World Observatory or the Empire State Building's observation decks. — Living with a view like that doesn't come without a hefty price tag, either! In PropertyShark's latest data, Hudson Yards ranked as the most expensive neighborhood, pushed to the top by a slew of expensive new sales in newly-opened buildings. For the third quarter of 2019, Hudson Yards sailed past Tribeca to post a median sale price of $5 million — more than twice Tribeca's $2.4 million median price for the same time period. Since PropertyShark's ranking of expensive neighborhoods is based on real estate transactions that closed during each quarter, neighborhoods can jump up the list quite drastically, as was seen in this report when the Lower East Side made an appearance at #8 on the list, jumping up eight places, after a number of units were sold at 250 South Street, a massive 72 story tower that grew along the waterfront at the base of the Manhattan Bridge. Sales during the third quarter in that building alone had a median price of $1.6 million. While you're up on the new observation deck at Hudson Yards, bring a pair of binoculars and see if you can spot some new signage in Dumbo: The former glowing-red Watchtower sign that stood along the Brooklyn waterfront for nearly 50 years will now be replaced with a glowing-red Welcome sign. The architectural renderings show a slightly less ominous font than the Watchtower sign, but the new Welcome sign will still be displayed in bold letters and still feature the LED clock above the sign. The building was sold by the Jehovah's Witnesses for $340 million in 2016 and the new owners are redeveloping the site into a mixed-use complex named the Panorama, which will incorporate shopping and innovative outdoor public spaces. Interestingly, the website for the Panorama still features an earlier rendering of the replacement...

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. We've been following the 14th Street busway since it was first proposed, and after being blocked twice by legal complaints, the street has been swept free of cars and the buses have been roaming free for two weeks now. In a press release from the MTA, preliminary data shows that ridership is up and buses are moving faster along 14th Street. A cross-town trip from Third Avenue to Eighth Avenue will now take 10.6 minutes, compared to a 15 minute trip from last year. While collecting data on the Select Bus Service plan implemented along the M14 route, the MTA saw a jump in ridership, with 15% more people choosing to take the prioritized buses, and in the short time the 14th Street busway has been operating, the ridership has jumped again, topping 31,000 daily riders on an average weekday. The busway, which limits traffic on 14th Street from 6am to 10pm, is planned to last 18 months, after which the DOT will assess the impact it has had on bus transit and traffic in the surrounding area. — Also this week, independent data analysis firm INRIX evaluated traffic data from the streets surrounding the 14th Street busway and found that there was no change in traffic speeds, and zero impact on traffic to the immediate north or south of 14th. The initial objections raise by local community groups claimed the busway would negatively impact nearby streets by pushing 14th Street's traffic into their neighborhoods, but the speed increase for 31,000 daily bus riders came at no expense to traffic, with differences in average speeds on surrounding streets never slowing more than a half a mile per hour. Here's how INRIX described the results: "The impact, or lack-there-of, may seem surprising but similar projects around the world have had similar results. The reallocation of space from vehicles to buses represents a far more efficient use of a limited public resource. Whereas one urban lane in congestion can move roughly 1,000 people an hour, a transit way can hit 25,000. As a result of this project, more people are getting where they need to be faster and more reliably." 53 years ago on October 17, 1966 — 12 members of the FDNY are killed when a burning building collapses, becoming the largest single loss of life in FDNY history until the 9/11 attacks 18 years ago on October 24, 2001 — A 14-story construction scaffolding and brick building façade collapses, killing five workers and seriously injuring 10 others in a courtyard at 215 Park Ave South near Union Square 54 years ago on October 18, 1965 — Closing day of the NY World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Park — Bowery Boys podcast 24 years ago on October 23, 1995 — A Greenpeace activist piloting a "gas-powered parachute" flies a banner outside the UN building 88 years ago on October 24, 1931 — The upper level of the George Washington Bridge is opened in a dedication ceremony, and opens to traffic the next day — United States Marine Band conducted by Leonard Slatkin playing William Schuman's 1950 composition "George Washington Bridge" 60 years ago on October 21, 1959 — The Guggenheim Museum Opens on the Upper East Side 136 years ago to October 22, 1883 — The original Metropolitan Opera House opens Beginning October 18th through the 20th, you'll have the once-a-year opportunity to explore the city like never before when Open House New York brings you exclusive tours of the city's architectural masterpieces that are sometimes hidden from public view or pass by unnoticed the rest of the year. Visit ohny.org for the full schedule of events, some of which require advance registration, but most of which are open all day to the public. The choices range from brand-new developments like 277 Mott Street to historic homes like the...

A surprising development in the city's fight against billboard barges — The company floating the LED billboards in the waters around Manhattan has thrown in the towel after new state regulations pushed them back 1,500 feet from the shoreline. The advertising company promoting the billboard boats has now settled with the city and agreed to be subject to a $100,000 fine if they operate within New York waters. The barge will be relocated to Florida, where the company set up a similar barge along the Miami shoreline in 2016. The agreement with the city ends both the company's six-month fight with the city and the challenge they raised to the state law. As of October 11th, the company's website has been replaced with a generic image saying the site is down for maintenance. According to a presentation acquired by Digiday in January 2019, the company was touting their Hudson River and East River coverage to advertisers at the rate of $55,000 for a 30 second looping at on the banner boats, and they referenced the city's plan to continue developing the shoreline and the city's ferry system as reasons to advertise on LED billboard barges. 86 years ago on October 10, 1933 — A United Air Lines Boeing 247 from Newark, NJ exploded in what is believed to have been the first sabotage bombing of a commercial aircraft 56 years ago on October 14, 1963 — A New York Airways helicopter crashes just after takeoff from Idlewild (JFK) Airport, killing all six people aboard Double-check your speed if you're on the West Side Highway after October 12th — The city is dropping speeds from 35 to 30 mph on the West Side south of 59th Street beginning Saturday. The move comes as part of Vision Zero, a set of plans adopted by cities worldwide and introduced to New York by Mayor de Blasio in 2014. Vision Zero aims to eliminate pedestrian injuries and fatalities from vehicles, and the reduction in speed on the West Side Highway is meant to reduce the severity of vehicle impacts in areas south of 59th where the highway becomes street-level and pedestrians and cyclists frequently have to cross highway traffic at intersections, including busy areas like the Intrepid museum, Chelsea Piers, and Battery Park City. While drivers may rarely even have the opportunity to top 30 mph in rush hour traffic, the DOT will catch any drivers speeding using new speed cameras along the highway. If the area south of 59th Street sounds familiar, it's because it's the same area targeted by the upcoming congestion pricing plan, where a system of cameras will collect tolls on cars entering the area south of 61st Street. While vehicles staying on the FDR or West Side Highway will be exempt from congestion pricing, vehicles would also be monitored by cameras used for collecting tolls on vehicles exiting the West Side Highway once it reaches street level and begins exiting into the central business district south of 61st. The speed limits on all small streets within the city were dropped to 25 mph in November 2014. If you can't enjoy a low-speed drive on the West Side Highway and don't want to pay a congestion toll, consider a ride along the new 14th Street busway, which was finally able to open on October 3rd, and has been going swimmingly ever since. The street has been cleared of cars, leaving the buses to freely glide from stop to stop along 14th Street from Third Avenue to Ninth Avenue. Even though the implementation was delayed by three months by community groups, the first week of the busway seems to have had no noticeable impact on the surrounding streets. Bus riders on social media showed quiet, peaceful, and efficient rides during multiple times of day, with just a sparse few delivery trucks parked along the curb. It remains to be seen if the city's experiment with a busway can indeed increase the average speeds of buses on 14th Street while also not slowing down the surrounding area, but for right now, the first attempt at reorganizing 14th Street seems to be a success....

Visit agreatbigcity.com/support to learn how to support New York City local news and allow us to keep bringing you this podcast. If you are a New York-based business and would be interested in sponsoring our podcasts, visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. 9 years ago on October 4, 2010 — 🎉 A Great Big City is founded 🎉 99 years ago — Two young women, Beverly Bayard and Lorline Davis, complete a cross-country walk from San Francisco to New York that took four and a half months 20 years ago on October 1, 1999 — Area code 347 becomes active in NYC, adding to the area covered by 718 in the outer boroughs 44 years ago on October 6, 1975 — Diana Nyad swims entirely around Manhattan in record time 19 years ago on October 8, 2000 — Attackers attempt to firebomb a synagogue in Riverdale, Bronx 34 years ago on October 9, 1985 — The 'Imagine' mosaic in Central Park's Strawberry Fields is dedicated to John Lennon on what would have been his 45th birthday 5 years ago on October 10, 2014 — Construction of 432 Park Ave tops out at 1,398 feet, becoming the second-tallest building in NYC and 15th tallest in the world 13 years ago on October 11, 2006 — A Yankees pitcher and his flight instructor were killed when their small single-engine plane crashed into an Upper East Side apartment building The housing market may be moving in your favor if you can afford to buy instead of rent your next apartment. According to real estate site StreetEasy's data through August 2019, the prices of rentals are increasing while the prices of homes for sale are decreasing. In fact, the median asking price for a one-bedroom in Manhattan jumped 7.5% over last year, tagging on $233 to the monthly rent. At the same time, sale prices in Manhattan dropped 4.5%, matching price levels from April 2015. Brooklyn and Queens didn't escape the trend, so your chances at home ownership in the outer boroughs are also increasing. Brooklyn sales prices dropped 2.4% and prices stayed level in Queens, both movements that are at odds with what had been steadily increasing prices. On the flip side, rental prices also jumped in Brooklyn and Queens, a move that should really have city residents comparing the math on paying a monthly rent versus paying a mortgage payment. A Great Big City has been running a 24-hour newsfeed since 2010, but the AGBC News podcast is just getting started, and we need your support. A Great Big City is built on a dedication to explaining what is happening and how it fits into the larger history of New York, which means thoroughly researching every topic and avoiding clickbait headlines to provide a straightforward, honest, and factual explanation of the news. Individuals can make a monthly or one-time contribution at agreatbigcity.com/support and local businesses can have a lasting impact by supporting local news while promoting products or services directly to interested customers listening to this podcast. Visit agreatbigcity.com/advertising to learn more. AGBC is more than just a news website: It also automatically checks MTA data before morning rush hour and sends out notifications if there are delays on any subway lines, LIRR or MetroNorth trains, and bridges and tunnels. Follow @agreatbigcity on social media to receive the alerts. Park of the day Brust Park Parks Events 17th Annual My Dog Loves Central Park Fair Concert Calendar This is the AGBC Concert Calendar for the upcoming week: Phil CollinsMadonnaPhil CollinsMadonnaMercyMe with CrowderRaphaelMadonna (Rescheduled from 9/12)Bon Iver with Yo La TengoRenaissanceAmericaRolling Loud Festival (2 Day Pass) with Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, Meek Mill, and moreChris Thile with Trey AnastasioWilcoThe Temptations with The Four TopsMadonna (Rescheduled from 9/14)slenderbodies Find more fun things to do at agreatbigcity.com/events. New York Fact Here's something you may not have known about New York: Times Square is the most-visited place in the world, with 360,000...