Construction is nearing completion on 665 Fifth Avenue, the 28-story US headquarters for Rolex in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by David Chipperfield Architects and developed by the Rolex Realty Company, the 469-foot-tall structure will yield 199,000 square feet of office and retail space for the world-famous watchmaker. Adamson Associates is the architect of record for the project, which is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 53rd Street. ... Read full Story
Construction is progressing on 110 Boerum Place, a six-story residential building in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Designed by Brent Buck Architects and developed and built by Avdoo in collaboration with Aksoy Holding, the structure will span nearly 73,000 square feet and yield 21 condominium units. The property is located along Boerum Place between Pacific and Dean Streets. ... Read full Story
The affordable housing lottery has launched for The Ysabel, a five-story residential building at 77 Woodbine Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Designed by L&C Associates and developed by Ricardo Pagan, the structure yields 10 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are three units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $95,315 to $227,500. ... Read full Story
A new rendering has been revealed for Arras, a forthcoming residential complex in Jamaica, Queens. Designed by Beyer Blinder Belle and developed by The Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Gotham Organization, Monadnock Development, and Moses Sole Realty, the project will span more than 500,000 square feet across two 14-story structures. The development will yield 353 rental units and 72 affordable condominium units in studio- to three-bedroom layouts, as well as 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, a 1,450-square-foot community facility, and a 150-vehicle parking garage. The property is bounded by 160th Street to the northeast, 90th Avenue to the northwest, and Parsons Boulevard to the southwest. ... Read full Story
By New York YIMBY | Max Gillespie | 11/1/2025 11:31 AM
The New York City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Committee on Land Use have voted to approve the OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, a rezoning initiative aimed at creating nearly 15,000 new homes in Long Island City, Queens. Of these, 4,350 will be permanently affordable through Mandatory Inclusionary Housing requirements. The plan represents the second of the city's two largest neighborhood rezonings in over two decades and is the product of a two-year public engagement process led by Council Member Julie Won in collaboration with the Department of City Planning and other stakeholders. ... Read full Story
The affordable housing lottery has launched for 2267 Andrews Avenue North, a six-story residential building in University Heights, The Bronx. Designed by Node Architecture Engineering Consulting and developed by Erenik Nezaj, the structure yields 25 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are five units for residents at 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $73,920 to $116,640.
... Read full Story
Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 293 Wallabout Street in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Located between Harrison Avenue and Throop Avenue, the lot is near the Lorimer Street subway station, served by the J and M trains. Cheskel Schwimmer of Chess Builders LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications. ... Read full Story
PropertyShark is out with its quarterly market report -- and it shows that Manhattan now has some serious competition from across the East River. ... Read full Story
Construction is wrapping up on THE 74, a 32-story residential tower at 201 East 74th Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and developed by Elad Group, which purchased the property for $61 million in April 2022, the 420-foot-tall structure will yield 41 condominium units and a collection of amenities. SLCE Architects is the architect of record for the property, which is alternately addressed as 1299 Third Avenue and located on an interior lot facing Third Avenue with two small panhandle extensions to East 74th and 75th Streets. ... Read full Story
By New York YIMBY | Max Gillespie | 10/31/2025 11:30 AM
The New York City Council has approved a redevelopment plan for the Kingsbridge Armory at 1 West Kingsbridge Road in Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx. Led by 8th Regiment Partners in collaboration with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), the project aims to transform the long-vacant landmark into a mixed-use community hub. It was developed under the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan” and includes extensive community input. Construction will unfold in two phases and is supported by $216 million in city, state, and federal funding. ... Read full Story
The affordable housing lottery has launched for Grace's Place Senior Apartments, a ten-story residential building at 13–04 Nameoke Avenue in Far Rockaway, Queens. Designed by SLCE Architects and developed by Brooklyn Community Housing & Services along with Alembic Community Development and Love Fellowship Tabernacle, the structure yields 57 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 56 units for residents at 50 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $0 to $64,800. ... Read full Story
Permits have been filed for an eight-story residential building at 2668 Marion Avenue in Fordham, The Bronx. Located between East 194th Street and East 195th Street, the lot is near the Fordham Road subway station, served by the B and D trains. Steven Westreich of Westorchard Management is listed as the owner behind the applications. ... Read full Story
The Metro Cinema in Chelsea aims to bring a high-gloss experience to the cinema -- and a private one, to boot. And, yes, it all comes at a price. ... Read full Story
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 2, 2025 is:
arbitrary \AHR-buh-trair-ee\ adjective
Arbitrary describes something that is not planned or chosen for a particular reason, is not based on reason or evidence, or is done without concern for what is fair or right.
// Because the committee wasn’t transparent about the selection process, the results of the process appeared to be wholly arbitrary.
// An arbitrary number will be assigned to each participant.
“The authority of the crown, contemporaries believed, was instituted by God to rule the kingdom and its people. England’s sovereign was required to be both a warrior and a judge, to protect the realm from external attack and internal anarchy. To depose the king, therefore, was to risk everything—worldly security and immortal soul—by challenging the order of God’s creation. Such devastatingly radical action could never be justified unless kingship became tyranny: rule by arbitrary will rather than law, threatening the interests of kingdom and people instead of defending them.” — Helen Castor, The Eagle and the Hart: The Tragedy of Richard II and Henry IV, 2024
Did you know?
Donning black robes and a powdered wig to learn about arbitrary might seem to be an arbitrary—that is, random or capricious—choice, but it would in fact jibe with the word’s etymology. Arbitrary comes from the Latin noun arbiter, which means “judge” and is the source of the English word arbiter, also meaning “judge.” In English, arbitrary first meant “depending upon choice or discretion” and was specifically used to indicate the sort of decision (as for punishment) left up to the expert determination of a judge rather than defined by law. Today, it can also be used for anything determined by or as if by chance or whim.