Brooklyn Dem Chair Pressure, NYC $4B BQE Fix Plan, Historic Black…

Politics & Policy

• Pressure Mounts on Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair to Abandon Rule Changes · Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn plans an executive committee vote Tues that would alter committee size and composition amid mounting opposition. Critics say the changes consolidate her power and reduce reform influence. (The City Reporter)
• Brooklyn Democrats’ rule-change vote moves forward via judge’s ruling as pressure mounts on incumbent chair · A judge cleared the way for Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Bichotte Hermelyn to hold a vote on sweeping rule changes Tuesday despite legal challenges by reform candidates. The challenger claims to have majority support to replace the chair. (AM New York)
• Queens pol wants city to be more transparent about ambulance delays · Queens Councilmember introduced legislation requiring city agencies to notify the public when ambulances face delays or are unavailable to improve emergency response transparency. (Queens Daily Eagle)
• Mamdani’s plan for cheaper groceries could hurt minority grocers, lawsuit says · A coalition of minority business owners sued Mayor Mamdani’s administration over plans to open five city-run grocery stores offering lower prices, alleging unfair competition harming minority grocers. (Gothamist)

Housing, Transportation & Infrastructure

• NYC announces $4B plan to fix city-owned portion of BQE · Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DOT Commissioner Flynn unveiled a $4 billion plan to repair the decaying Brooklyn-Queens Expressway section between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street using temporary bypass structures. (6sqft)
• East New York Residents Try Buying Back Their Neighborhood, One Lot At a Time · East New York residents are acquiring land incrementally, including a 9,500 sq ft warehouse on Jamaica Ave, aiming to reclaim community control through a local community land trust model. (The City Reporter)
• Opinion: Why Disability Access Must Be Central To NYC’s Housing Strategy · Advocates argue NYC’s housing strategy must prioritize disability access to ensure people with disabilities can live independently and remain connected to their communities long-term. (City Limits)
• See Which NYC Neighborhoods Are Behind On New Housing Targets · NYC officials identified neighborhoods lagging in growth amid a 10-year goal to build 700,000 new homes to meet rising demand and population projections. (City Limits)
• While Mayor’s Away: Housing Goals, Teacher Aide Bonuses, and Tax Moves · Experts debate NYC’s ability to reach 700,000 new housing units by 2036, weigh tax migration impacts, and discuss city legislation on teacher aide bonuses during Mayor Mamdani’s absence. (The Bigger Apple)

Culture & Lifestyle

• Beloved AMC Movie Theater in Kips Bay Will Close by Year’s End · AMC Kips Bay 15 at Second Avenue and East 31st Street will shutter by December 31, 2026, ending decades of movie screenings at the iconic theater. (The City Reporter)
• How AIDS Activists Turned Graphic Design Into a Weapon · AIDS activists in the 1980s used stark graphic design flyers and posters across NYC to demand urgent government action during the crisis. (Hyperallergic)
• The Frick announces 2026-27 season of live programming, including free pop-up concerts in the garden · The Frick Collection unveiled its 2026-27 live programming lineup featuring free pop-up concerts in the garden and other cultural events. (Time Out)
• Frenzie Is Serving Up Excellent Late-Night Pizza and Wine in Brooklyn Heights · Frenzie at 129 Atlantic Avenue offers standout late-night pizza and wine with hours extending to 2 a.m. on weekends, quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite in Brooklyn Heights. (Brooklyn Magazine)
• A Century-Old Deli With a Destination Potato Salad Closes in Queens · A historic Queens deli known for its potato salad closed in August 2026, joining the growing list of NYC restaurant closures this summer. (Eater NY)

Business & Economy

• Does Anyone Actually Shop at the Oculus? · Ten years after its opening, the Westfield World Trade Center mall—known as Oculus—struggles with high retail vacancy despite foot traffic from transit passengers. (Curbed)

Civic Services & Government

• Mamdani assembles ‘renew crew’ to make fast repairs to NYC playgrounds and parks · Mayor Mamdani launched Renew Crew, 24 trade specialists tasked with speeding up repairs to playgrounds and parks citywide to improve conditions quickly. (6sqft)
• Report shows first decrease in deaths among homeless New Yorkers in seven years · NYC agencies reported a drop in homeless deaths from 770 in 2024 to 634 in 2025, an 18% decrease marking the first decline in seven years. (AM New York)
• NYC identifies 9/11 terrorist attack victim through breakthrough in forensic DNA investigations a quarter-century later · The Office of Chief Medical Examiner identified a previously unknown 9/11 victim this month through new forensic DNA technology, bringing closure to one family. (AM New York)
• NYPD chief pledges to protect Jews at Central Synagogue one week after Shabbat attack · Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a member of Central Synagogue, vowed police protection for Jewish worshippers following a recent attack at the synagogue. (JTA)
• Exclusive: Mom speaks out after principal indicted on sex abuse charges · A mother publicly denounced KIPP Washington Heights Middle School’s principal after his indictment on sex abuse charges involving students. (NY1)

Civic Engagement

Events

• FREE THEATER IN BROOKLYN’S PROSPECT PARK THIS SEPTEMBER (SPONSORED) · Attend Molière’s Don Juan at Prospect Park this September, featuring a live cello score and free admission. The production runs through the month, blending comedy, tragedy, and the supernatural. (The Skint)
• Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents Dance Theatre of Harlem · See Dance Theatre of Harlem on Aug 29 at 7PM at 250 Bedford Park Blvd West. Tickets are $31.15-$76.65, $5 for kids 10 and under; buy at lehmancenter.org or call 718-960-8833. (Dance.NYC)

DEEP DIVE

They Paved a Historic NYC Black Burial Ground. Now It’s a Lot for Abandoned Cars.

A gravel parking lot in Elmhurst, Queens, operated by 90 Queens LLC, holds dozens of abandoned and impounded vehicles, but lies atop the burial site of as many as 290 freed African slaves dating back to the early 1800s. The land once served as the cemetery for St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church in Newtown, a historically free Black community. Local activists, including Gregory Cassagnoll and community historians, are pushing for archaeological investigation and proper recognition of this erased heritage.

This burial ground is a rare—and largely forgotten—reminder of New York’s free Black population history during a time when slavery was still legal in many places. While Manhattan’s African Burial Ground is recognized as a national monument, sites like Elmhurst’s have been paved over and obscured by urban development and municipal use. The church sold the parcel nearly a century ago, and no formal excavation has occurred to document or memorialize those interred. This erasure reflects a broader pattern of marginalization in city planning and historic preservation, where Black sites are neglected or repurposed without community consultation.

The stakes are deeply personal and cultural: the descendants and local Black community call for respect, acknowledgment, and justice to honor those buried beneath asphalt and abandoned cars. The movement seeks legal and municipal intervention to restore dignity to the site, potentially creating a historic memorial akin to Harlem’s African Burial Ground. The coming months may determine whether this ground is preserved as a vital link to NYC’s Black history or remains lost beneath continued neglect. (The City Reporter)