Good morning and happy Earth Day. The weather is changing with cloudy skies today and rain from this evening. Highs of 68 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday. Next week will see temperatures drop ten degrees.
Last May, when Julio Ramirez’s friends told W42ST their frustration with officials treating his death as a drug overdose, we used our resources to keep it on the agenda and to be investigated as a homicide. Yesterday was one year since his murder, and we took the time to reflect on the road to finding Justice for Julio. Read more…
Here’s the rest of the Hell’s Kitchen news this week…
May the 4th be with you! W42ST took a peek behind the curtains at the Look Dine-In Cinemas and can unveil that the luxury auditoriums will open on Star Wars Day with a Marvel movie! Read more…
Michael D’Angora’s first job was at the TKTS booth — now he is a producer, and during the pandemic he and husband Tom raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to save West Bank Cafe, Birdland and York Theatre. Read Michael’s West Side Story…
West Siders who hoped last summer’s record-breaking high rents would cool are preparing to once again feel the burn. Median Manhattan rents — hovering at $3,000 a month during the peak pandemic-concessions era of late 2020 and early 2021 — have skyrocketed, hitting $4,000 a month in May 2022 with no sign of a return to those halcyon days. Read more…
Award-winning photographer, artist and creative director Nicole Wilson was born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen and grew up in Manhattan Plaza alongside Alicia Keys. Read Nicole’s West Side Story…
West Side restaurateur Besim Kukaj was sentenced this month to 57 months in prison for fraudulently seeking at least $6.14 million and receiving at least $1.5 million from the federal government’s COVID-19 relief loans. Read more…
City officials announced that a final suspect had been arrested in connection with the homicides of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, who were drugged, robbed and killed in separate incidents after visits to Hell’s Kitchen gay bars last year. Read more…
On a windy, sunny Tuesday, curious locals and the neighborhood’s ever-present pigeons looked on as Hell’s Kitchen-raised street artist Hektad brought new life to the oft-painted vacant walls of a long-shuttered Starbucks on the corner of W47th Street and 9th Avenue. Read more…
It seems like only yesterday that Hell’s Kitchen was littered with invasive, striking spotted lanternflies — but as the trees bloom and temperatures rise, the ubiquitous pest has emerged once again to blanket New York City. Read more…
Author Amy Fusselman has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for over 20 years and still marvels at the neighborhood’s versatility — “You can never predict what’s going to appear,” she says. Read Amy’s 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…
There’s no need to sacrifice taste for gluten-free dining at Senza Gluten by Jemiko, which has just opened on 10th Ave. Chef Jemiko Solo’s 100% gluten-free kitchen offers Italian favorites like lasagna and ravioli that were once off-limits to celiac diners. Read more…
Lena Grotticelli is a Senior Editor for TAG24.com. She has lived in Hell’s Kitchen for over ten years – and is happy to share some neat hacks for cut-price Broadway tickets. Read Lena’s West Side Story…
What we’ve been reading
* Stories that might be behind a paywall are marked with a 💰
The city’s “unlocking doors” initiative for NYC landlords could help bring back vacant apartments. (The Real Deal💰)
Check out this theater director’s beautifully designed studio in Hell’s Kitchen. (Elle Decor)
The scaffolding is down and Tiffany’s is reopening. (New York Times💰)
New Yorkers could deliver back their reusable food packaging. (WSJ)
Here are some ideas for Record Store Day! (Washington Square News)
Freeze Frame
Celebrate Earth day by heading along W42nd Street to Broadway from 10am to 3pm today to enjoy a car-free stroll down to E17th Street. You’ll find fun and entertainment along the way. Or, if you fancy being more active there’s still a chance to sign up to join the Litter Legion for their 3rd Annual Earth Day Costume Cleanup at 12pm! After the cleanup, there will be a costume contest and refreshments in Hell’s Kitchen Park. Sign up at litterlegion.org/events
Happy birthday tomorrow to Jeffrey LeFrancois, Mark Lanham and Dirk Vanoirbeek.
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