Good morning and happy Saturday. The sun disappears behind clouds at around 8am this morning (you might have missed it) — but it will return on Monday, bringing an 80-degree day with it! For now, make do with a cloudy weekend with a high of 60 degrees today and 72 degrees tomorrow.
It’s been nearly a year since Congestion Charge cameras started appearing overhead in Hell’s Kitchen. At midnight on Sunday, June 30, they will be switched on and start charging New York drivers. Read more…
Here’s the rest of the news from Hell’s Kitchen this week (with a big thank you from me to Catie, Dashiell and Sandra for holding the fort while I was away in the UK)…
On Wednesday, March 27, a sheen of oil floating in the embayment next to Pier 84 shocked an instructor at Manhattan Kayak Company. The sighting came more than a week before gallons of oil leaked from the Con Edison facility at W59th Street. Read more…
North River Lobster Company has kicked off its 10th season providing dinner cruises on the Hudson River. Hop on board with W42ST during opening weekend and learn more about their FREE Season Pass Club for locals. Read more…
Last weekend, New York State lawmakers passed a $237 billion budget for the next year, including a major housing deal that some advocates say might be a bigger win for landlords than tenants. Read more…
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The Chelsea Classics are back — and they’ve moved to Look Cinemas 57 in Hell’s Kitchen. Book your tickets now for Mommie Dearest on May 8 with host Ben Cameron. Read more…
New York City will have more power to crack down on illegal cannabis shops, the governor announced, in a deal that will also empower the state to revoke liquor, tobacco and lottery licenses from businesses selling illegal weed. Read more…
Crime and quality of life issues have always been hot topics in New York City, and last week, we asked Hell’s Kitchen residents how they felt about life on our streets. More than 40% of the respondents said they had a personal experience with crime in the past year. When asked about the level of trust in the crime-related statistics shared by city officials and politicians, only 13% showed confidence in the figures. Read more…
Actor and writer Jon Spano moved to New York right after graduation, almost 45 years ago — and in that time has worked briefly with a young Madonna and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Jackie Onassis and Barbra Streisand. Read Jon’s West Side Story…
Checkmate! Hell’s Kitchen Success Academy students made bold moves and the West Side proud this month as they nabbed a national chess championship. Read more about these budding chess masters…
Intrepid Museum launched a new season of Free Fridays, with Tim Straube, deputy manager of APS for NASA’s Orion spacecraft leading an Astro Live discussion on NASA’s work to return humans to the Moon under the Artemis campaign. Read more…
Check out Lifestyle Editor Sarah Beling’s “Make Way For The Weekend” newsletter. Read more…
Asylum seekers living at The Row and The Watson, both hotels in Hell’s Kitchen that have been converted into shelters, are ready to start working and move out of the City’s care — as soon as they receive their work permits. Big thanks to Dashiell’s bilingual reporting talents, a great addition to the W42ST team. Read more…
Personal trainer, fitness instructor and vlogger Adriana Greaves arrived in Hell’s Kitchen from Massachusetts in the middle of the pandemic and feels right at home in the neighborhood. Read Adriana’s West Side Story here…
What we’ve been reading
* Stories that might be behind a paywall are marked with a 💰
New York’s coffee shops and restaurants will soon be warning about sugar. (CBS)
Now might be a good time to get a deal on self-storage in NYC. (Bisnow)
City releases new maps to show where housing is being built. (6sqft)
Mayor Adams requests the head of the police oversight board to step down. (New York Times💰)
Longtime NYC preservation activist says: “There are not enough loud voices pushing back on all kinds of terrible development.” (Arch Daily)
Freeze Frame
Thank you to Teale Dvornik (better known as @thebackstageblonde on Instagram) for sharing this picture of the new Majestic Theatre sign being delivered to W44th Street by North Shore Neon Sign Co. Another reader, Mel, confirmed that the new red sign has been lifted and secured in place. Renovations continue at the historic theater after Phantom of the Opera departed in April last year after 13,981 performances.
Happy birthday tomorrow to Brenda Hutchings.
