Kremlin (110 Livingston Street)
The Board of Education used to be located at 110 Livingston Street in Brooklyn. The new Department of Education is located at the Tweed Courthouse near city hall in Manhattan. In July 2003, Mayor…
Archive for 09/2005
Bronx Toilet (Yankee Stadium)
Yankee Stadium has been called "the Bronx Toilet" by Boston Red Sox fans. A new Yankee Stadium has been planned next to the current one. One post below states that the Bronx Cineplex has…
Rendez-Vous With French Cinema
The annual "Rendez-Vous With French Cinema" at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center is a decade old. http://www.filmfestivaltoday.com/dailies_item.asp?ID=661The Film Society of…
New York International Latino Film Festival
The New York International Film Festival (NYILFF) is one of the newer annual film festivals. http://www.nylatinofilm.com/festival.htmThe New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) is a…
Latino Expo
The Latino Expo has been held annually at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square. This is a new event that has been growing in recent years. Miami claims to hold the largest "Latino…
Chippendale Building (SONY building)
The AT&T Building at 550 Madison Avenue was designed by Philip Johnson (who died in 2005 at age 98). The style was quickly dubbed "Chippendale." The building is now occupied by SONY.…
Swedish Broadway (Atlantic Avenue)
Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn) used to be called "Swedish Broadway" in the 1890s and soon thereafter, but it has entirely lost its Swedish influence. Middle Eastern stores can be seen there…
Ray’s Pizza (started by Ralph)
Many pizza places have "Ray" in the name. It all began in 1959 with Ray's Pizza at 27 Prince Street. http://www.urban75.org/photos/newyork/ny432.htmlRays Pizza, 1986-2005 New York…
Liberty Bonds
The Liberty Bonds program started afte Spetember 11, 2001. http://www.newyorkbiz.com/WorldTradeCenter/GrantsInfo/LibertyBondProgramAnswers.htmlWhat are New York Liberty Bonds? New York Liberty…
Empire Zone
There are "Empire Zones" in New York City and throughout New York State (the Empire State). Businesses in those zones get a break on their taxes. Chinatown recently received Empire Zone…
Empowerment Zone
New York City has an Empowerment Zone (NYEZ). http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/nyez.htmlThe New York Empowerment Zone (NYEZ), created to revitalize Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx, is an…
Mexican Day Parade
The Mexican Day Parade (or Mexican Independence Parade) celebrates Mexico's independence from Spain. The parade began in the 1990s. New York City has seen a large increase in immigrants from…
Lavender Lake (Gowanus Canal)
The Gowanus Canal (opened in 1866) became so polluted that it was called "Lavender Lake." Recent efforts have been proposed to clean up the area.…
“The Bronx” (Batley, England)
Batley, England has been called "the Bronx" because of its rough citizens. http://indianewswatch.blogspot.com/2005/07/authorities-probe-pakistani-linked-to.htmlAswat, 31, grew up in…
Murder Avenue (Myrtle Avenue)
Myrtle Avenue (Fort Greene, Brooklyn) used to be known as "Murder Avenue" in the early 1990s, but the neighborhood has changed. http://www.myrtleavenue.org/newsPress_media_2004.cfmMyrtle…
Lights Out NY
"Lights Out NY" is a program to encourage buildings to turn off lights late at night. The lights interfere with bird migratory patterns, and the program also helps save energy. FOR…
Zebra (420 West 42nd Street)
The building at 420 West 42 Street has stripes, so it's known as the "Zebra" building. "Oreo" is another nickname that has been used for it. http://www.420w42.com/…
Cemetery Belt (Glendale)
Glendale in Queens has been called the "Cemetery Belt." Glendale began to be surrounded by cemeteries after Manhattan stopped added cemeteries in 1852.…
Darth Vader Building (Family Court)
The Family Court Building in lower Manhattan has been called the Darth Vader Building by some. It's a gloomy building. http://www.downtownexpress.com/DE_11/talkingpoint.htmlMore darkness comes…
Stuff and Guff, or Gog and Magog (Herald Square figures)
The New York Herald newspaper used to be printed at what is now still called Herald Square (34th Street, where the Macy's department store is). Two bell ringers (dubbed "Stuff" and…