May 29, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan One thousand new electric mopeds hit the streets of Brooklyn and Queens earlier today after tech startup Revel launched its rent-by-the-minute moped business in the two boroughs. After a successful test run last summer of 68 bikes in Bushwick, Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the moped sharing business will now cover… Read more »
May 29, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan A Lyft driver was left battered and bruised after a passenger in Astoria attacked him mid-trip. On Thursday May 23, just after 6 p.m., Eduardo Madiedo, 36, picked up two passengers, a man and woman, who wanted to go to Mount Sinai hospital on 30th Avenue. Once inside the… Read more »
May 28, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan The Department of Transportation installed the first of hundreds of new speed cameras–specifically in school zones–on Friday. The new speed camera, which went up near P.S. 199 on the Upper West Side, was the first to be installed since the city got the go ahead from Albany that it… Read more »
May 24, 2019 By Meghan Sackman (Updated: May 29, 2019) Community Board 1 has announced updates regarding the long-awaited reopening of some of Astoria’s parks including Triborough Bridge Playground C–with a new dog run–and Dutch Kills Playground. Triborough Bridge Playground C, located on Hoyt Avenue South between 23rd Street and 24th Street, is likely to reopen… Read more »
May 24, 2019 By Meghan Sackman A restaurant focused on high-end Mexican cuisine opened on 30 Avenue in Astoria last month. Hoja Santa, located at 40-17 30 Ave., offers elevated versions of traditional Mexican fare, and focuses on artistic presentation of the dishes as well. The 1,500 square foot locale, which officially opened on April 20,… Read more »
May 23, 2019 By Meghan Sackman Quontic Bank is moving its corporate headquarters from Astoria to midtown Manhattan. The Astoria bank, located at 31-05 Broadway, will be uprooting its executive team in Astoria and moving them to 1 Rockefeller Plaza. The Astoria location will remain open, with the focus being on retail banking and small-business lending…. Read more »
May 23, 2019 By Meghan Sackman A developer is calling on the city to extend the Astoria ferry line to include an Upper East Side stop. The Durst Organization, a privately owned Manhattan-based real estate company, wants the city to pay for an additional stop beyond the Hallets Cove Ferry Dock–the final stop on the Astoria… Read more »
May 22, 2019 By Christian Murray Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer said that he is going to approve a rezoning application for a site on corner of Northern Boulevard and 34th Avenue since the developers have agreed to scale down their proposal. Developers Ashley Young LLC and John Young Associates have been given the all-clear… Read more »
May 22, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan The soil at Astoria Park has lead levels far in excess of the safety threshold widely used by public health experts, a recent WNYC study revealed. High levels of lead in children have been linked to a number of mental and physical side effects, including developmental delays and hyperactivity…. Read more »
May 22, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed public defender Tiffany Cabán earlier today in the hotly contested race for Queens District Attorney. “New Yorkers deserve a seat at the table, and a champion who will fight to realign our priorities towards equal treatment under the law,” said Ocasio-Cortez, later adding, “We deserve… Read more »