SHSAT Kindergarten Crisis, Housing Proposals After Rental Ripoff,…

Politics & Policy

• The SHSAT Crisis Starts in Kindergarten · NYC Department of Education’s annual specialized high school admissions report highlights persistently low enrollment of Black and Hispanic students, renewing debate over the SHSAT exam’s fairness and accessibility. (The Bigger Apple)
• New York attorney general files lawsuit against makers of PFAS chemicals · Attorney General Letitia James sued chemical companies producing harmful PFAS, citing pollution that threatens public health and the environment. (Emily Kenny)
• NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin backs bill to end Central Park horse-drawn carriages · Council Speaker Julie Menin endorsed legislation to phase out Central Park’s horse-drawn carriages, marking the first sitting speaker’s public support for the ban. (Gothamist)
• Levine to Audit $243 Million in Migrant Shelter Contracts After Bribery Charges · City Comptroller Mark Levine launched an audit of $243 million in no-bid migrant shelter contracts awarded to BHRAGS Home Care after indictments for bribery against its former leaders. (The City Reporter)

Housing, Transportation & Infrastructure

• City unveils housing proposals after ‘Rental Ripoff’ hearings · The Mamdani administration released 23 recommendations to simplify housing access, strengthen tenant protections, and increase landlord accountability. (Spectrum News NY1)
• NYCHA CEO breaks down redevelopment of Fulton and Elliot-Chelsea houses · Redevelopment plans for 18 public housing buildings at Fulton and Elliot-Chelsea houses will resume after a court lifted a four-month project stay. (Spectrum News Staff)
• NYC moves ahead with Bronx busway, Brooklyn upgrades · City officials advanced busway and infrastructure improvements in the Bronx and Brooklyn aimed at speeding commutes for nearly 200,000 daily riders. (Spectrum News NY1)
• Development Team Selected For The Aurea Affordable Development at 324 East 5th Street In East Village, Manhattan · HPD chose a developer team for The Aurea, a mixed-use project with 131 deeply affordable units, including 30% set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers on East 5th Street in Manhattan. (New York YIMBY)
• Harlem to get 11-story condo with 72 residences and a daycare · The development team secured $45 million to build an 11-story condominium with 72 units and daycare at 264-272 West 135th Street in Harlem. (6sqft)

Culture & Lifestyle

• When Will It End? In Harlem, gun violence tragically devastates a community sports event · Gun violence at a Harlem basketball tournament killed a player, leaving the community stunned and grieving. (New York Amsterdam News)
• Cosme is opening a brand-new bar in NoHo this fall · The renowned Cosme team announced a new bar opening this fall at Lafayette and Great Jones, following nearly a decade at Atla. (Time Out)
• Bark’s Brilliant Dominican-Texas Barbecue Gets a Huge New Space in Bushwick · Bark Barbecue expanded to a larger space at 25 Thames Street in Bushwick, open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday through Sunday with extended hours. (Brooklyn Magazine)
• If You Still Haven’t Had This Cheese Tart, You’re Missing Out · Chinatown’s Bridges restaurant features a standout Comté cheese tart that defines chef Sam Lawrence’s European-inflected globally inspired menu. (Eater NY)
• We Asked a Meteorologist About Those Beach Sandstorms (by Darude) · Beachgoers at Coney Island recently endured a sudden sandstorm that sent chairs and umbrellas flying, prompting reflections on this rare but intense coastal weather event. (Hell Gate)

Business & Economy

• Airbnb buys landmarked Gramercy building for $81.5M · Airbnb purchased the 1890s Church Missions House at 281 Park Avenue South for $81.5 million, planning to convert it into office space. (6sqft)

Civic Services & Government

• New York Noise · Noise complaints top 311 calls by over 200,000 annually, yet political focus remains minimal; Mayor Mamdani cited only congestion reduction without a concrete noise plan during 2025 debates. (Vital City)
• Haitian healthcare workers and NYC system under threat from TPS protection end · NYC healthcare system faces risk as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian workers nears expiration, threatening workforce stability. (New York Amsterdam News)
• UPDATE Married Yonkers Couple Sentenced for Defrauding NYC DOE with Fake Invoices Exceeding $170,000 · A married Yonkers couple was sentenced for a scheme defrauding NYC Department of Education out of more than $170,000 via fake invoices. (Norwood News)
• Boot camp to improve diversity at elite NYC schools also lacks diversity, data shows · NYC’s summer prep program aimed at improving racial diversity at specialized high schools reveals a lack of diversity among its own participants, per new DOE data. (Gothamist)

Events

• COMEDIANS INTERVIEW EXPERTS: SEE YOUR FAVORITES TALK ABOUT THE MTA, MENTAL HEALTH, SPACE, & MORE! (SPONSORED) · Caveat debuts a series where comedians engage experts on topics like the MTA, mental health, and space in unscripted, educational conversations. (The Skint)
• DanceAction Garden Series #1: July 17, 2026 · The DanceAction Garden Series presents short, improvised performance pieces July through September in a private Upper West Side garden; tickets start at $10, with only 25 seats available. (Dance.NYC)

DEEP DIVE

See plan to add 1,100 apartments and new park across from the Intrepid Museum in Hell’s Kitchen

Governor Kathy Hochul selected a development team to transform the state-owned parking lot at 621 West 45th Street in Hell’s Kitchen into a mixed-use complex featuring 1,127 new apartments, including 338 affordable units, new museum facilities, and a public park connecting to Hudson River Park. The project will replace a parking lot used by the Intrepid Museum while preserving bus parking and access to the pedestrian bridge.

The lot was acquired in 2000-2002 for West Side Highway reconstruction and requires environmental remediation due to its past as a manufactured gas plant. The proposal mandates 30% affordable housing targeting families earning 40% to 130% of the area median income, with additional workforce housing for middle-income earners such as teachers and first responders. The two connected skyscrapers will include 108 for-sale condos, a quarter of which are affordable.

This project represents one of Manhattan’s largest undeveloped parcels and a rare opportunity to add substantial housing in a high-demand area while addressing affordability. With plans moving forward, residents and advocates will watch for construction timelines and details on affordability enforcement as the city aims to relieve its housing shortage and enhance neighborhood amenities. (6sqft)