Good morning and happy Saturday. After temperatures in Central Park hitting 90 degrees two days in a row, today is a bit of a shock! It’s going to be grey all day with showers and the chance of a thunderstorm early evening. Tomorrow will be a little nicer.
Nearly 10 months after almost all her belongings and her entire Hell’s Kitchen apartment was destroyed in a fire, Gail Ingram has spent upwards of $90,000 and is caught in a cycle of fighting for insurance reimbursement. Read more…
Here’s the rest of the neighborhood news this week…
A quiet Easter Sunday afternoon in Hell’s Kitchen descended into chaotic scenes on W44th Street after shots were fired. Video of the sunny street shows neighbors running and taking cover as gunshots rang out between 9th and 10th Avenue just after 2pm. Read more…
NYC For Free founder Rebeka Getty was excited to move to Hell’s Kitchen in 2020 and feels right at home because of the neighborhood’s food, diversity — and proximity to Broadway! Read Rebeka’s West Side Story…
One of the last vestiges of New York City’s dormitory-style women’s housing, the century-old Webster Apartments, has packed its bags and sold for $52.5 million. Read more…
He describes himself as a “brand-new resident” of Hell’s Kitchen, but Joe Restuccia is a neighborhood housing, historic preservation and community advocate who has been firmly planted here since 1979. Read Joe’s West Side story…
COVID-19 cases have dropped, but the entertainment industry is still navigating uncharted territory, with Off-Broadway’s brightest working hard to stay afloat amid tiny budget margins, small casts and sometimes uncooperative audiences. Read more…
Nelson Christopher Ala arrived in NYC as a rock ’n’ roll guitarist. The freelance photographer based in Hell’s Kitchen shares his West Side Story, including his personal journey of resilience after a life-changing accident on 9th Avenue. Read more…
Ted Arenas, a prominent figure in Hell’s Kitchen’s LGBTQ nightlife community, is expanding his hospitality portfolio. The Red Stache, set to open in August, will occupy the space previously held by Casellula on W52nd Street. Read more…
Diana Kusko is an advisor on senior living who moved to the neighborhood 12 years ago — “it just feels right,” she says. Diana is W42ST’s former dating columnist and a keen scuba diver. Read her West Side Story…
Check out Sarah’s latest edition of “Make Way for the Weekend” for ideas of what to do around New York. Read more…
Spring has brought a new pop-up beer garden to Worldwide Plaza! The Barking Dog team is serving up brews, burgers, and pretzels in the former Blockheads outdoor space. Go enjoy the sun (when it’s back) and the dog-friendly patio while it lasts! Read more…
Anna Pakman is a digital pro, independent film producer and a champion for disability representation. Her latest film, Cripfished, is a must-see! Read her West Side Story…
What we’ve been reading
* Stories that might be behind a paywall are marked with a 💰
The death of local man Haleem Johnson in police custody is being investigated. (Gothamist)
NYC pilots new technology to better understand pedestrian and cyclist activity on city streets. (Curbed💰)
Check out the most checked-out books at New York Public Library. (NYC Tutoring)
Travel back in time with these 1970s images of the New York Subway. (The Guardian)
Over-the-top restaurants are a new trend in NYC — we’re looking at you, Bad Roman! (Grub Street💰)
Freeze Frame
Thank you to Francisco Esteva for sending us this picture of the sunny view over Hell’s Kitchen with Shallot, “the king on his throne.”
Happy birthday to Mike Luca.
