The Briefly for June 12, 2019 – The "You're A Landmark if You Like It or Not" Edition
The state legislature agreed on a package of bills aimed at strengthening tenants rights and rent laws. The bills also would become permanent, so no more regular lobbying from the real estate industry to let the laws lapse when their expiration dates come. (NY Times)
Some of the rent reforms include ending vacancy decontrol, eliminating the ability of landlords to raise rents on vacancies, it would retain preferential rents for the life of a tenant, and dramatically limit improvement charges. (Politico)
Cool down with a look at the ice creams of Astoria. (Give Me Astoria)
The Strand Bookstore is now a city landmark and as you might expect, despite a long campaign from owner Nancy Wyden against the idea. (Gothamist)
"My friend later told me that most of the businesses in this area dealt in cash only…so guns were pretty much everywhere…in every store." New York was a different place in the late 70s. (Bowery Boogie)
Your regular reminder that you can check the city's beaches for too much poop (how much poop is too much?) on the internet. (Gothamist)
If you've wanted to live in the Waldorf Astoria (and have more money than you know what to do with), the condos will be hitting the market this fall. (Curbed)
New York is the third most fun state in the country, behind Florida and California. The thing holding it back? It's not the ratpocalypse or the mountains of trash on the sidewalks, it's the high costs. (Patch)
Hundreds rallied after the death of Layleen Polanco in Rikers Island last week. She was being held and her bail was set at $500. The city is looking into the case, where she was sent into solitary confinement despite a history of seizures. (Gothamist)
Catch a sneak peek at NYC's largest rainbow "flag". (HuffPost)
The helicopter pilot who crashed into a building on Monday was lost in the rain and fog. Investigators are looking into how the craft ended up where it did instead of an airport in New Jersey. (NY Times)
FAA officials said that Timothy McCormack did not have the proper license to be operating the helicopter in low-visibility conditions. (HuffPost)
Congressmember Carolyn Maloney wants to ban all nonessential helicopter flights from Manhattan. The city banned rooftop helicopter landings after a 1977 crash on the roof of the MetLife building. (The Villager)
In the 1977 crash, five people were killed when an idling helicopter tipped over, four were on the roof, one was on the street below. (Gothamist)
The High Line's final section is open. The Spur is the home of the High Line Plinth, a site dedicated to a rotating series of artists. (6sqft)
Watch the complete debate for Queens DA. (NY1)
During the debate, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz was the favored punching bag of the seven candidates. (Politico)
We could be seeing the beginning of the end of the measles epidemic in Brooklyn. Everyone celebrate by making sure you're vaccinated. (amNY)
New York state is one of three that doesn't allow paid surrogacy, but even with a progressive legislature, it isn't certain to be abolished. Abolishment of the prohibition has the governor's support and a bill passed the state senate, but it is stalled in the assembly, where it has split progressive support. (NY Times)
The "Flower Flashes" by Lewis Miller Design might be the city's most wholesome vandalism the city has ever seen. (amNY)
Governor Cuomo plans on hiring the former federal prosecutor that convicted former Speaker of the State Assembly, Sheldon Siver, to investigate a former federal prosecutor to look into the overtime issue plaguing the MTA. (Politico)
Remember that T-Mobile/Spring merger? New York is suing to block it from happening. (Patch)
Riverside Park is getting a new skate park at 108th St. (I Love the Upper West Side)
Riverside at W 108th has a history as a skatepark. The Riverside Skate Park was the first "solid" skate park in the city, originally built by NYC skateboarding pioneer Andy Kessler. This piece in the Times from 2013 shows the history of the community's dedication to maintaining it in honor of Kessler's vision. (NY Times)
A guide to the pizza ovens of Brooklyn, illustrated by Koren Shadmi. (NY Times)
Jon Stewart, the conscience of New Yorkers, took to Congress on Tuesday to rightfully shame our government for not fully funding the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. (Patch)
John Jay College is being sued by students who allege the college botched sexual misconduct allegations against four professors, called "The Swamp." (Patch)
The best restaurants of 2019 so far, according to Eater critic Robert Sietsema. (Eater)
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