Henry Street Settlement to be a Model for Green Landmarked Buildings in NYC

Henry Street Settlement to be a Model for Green Landmarked Buildings in NYC

Tucked away on a quiet block in the Lower East Side, the Henry Street Settlement, which dates back to the late 1800s, offers a glimpse into New York City's past. But over the last year, the Settlement has been moving into the 21st Century, embarking on a groundbreaking plan to becoming the first green landmarked building in NYC by sustainably retrofitting its three historic townhouses. The organization is now competing with 39 other sites for grant money from the Partners in Preservation program, which would help the Settlement complete its upgrades and preserve a piece of New York's history.
 

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Historic Andrew Freedman Mansion to be Converted into a Bronx Bed and Breakfast

Historic Andrew Freedman Mansion to be Converted into a Bronx Bed and Breakfast

The gorgeous Renaissance landmark in the Bronx, the Andrew Freedman Home, has been nabbing a bevy of media attention lately, with its art exhibition by non-profit No Longer Empty. But when the exhibition, "The Side of Paradise," ends in June, a section of the once abandoned luxurious home for the elderly will be converted into a bed and breakfast. Inhabitat was treated to a sneak peak of the new guest rooms, bar, and common areas on the historic grounds. Coupled with a community program to train residents in the hospitality and culinary fields, the mansion will serve as an overnight retreat for tourists and Yankees' fans.
 

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Cook + Fox Reveal Renderings of Phase Two for City Point Complex in Downtown Brooklyn

Cook + Fox Reveal Renderings of Phase Two for City Point Complex in Downtown Brooklyn

The ongoing City Point project is transforming the Fulton Street Mall in Downtown Brooklyn. The first phase, a four story retail complex is already complete, and now the second phase – two residential towers – is in the works. Designed by Cook+Fox with Lee Weintraub Landscape Architecture, the LEED-seeking towers will cap an enormous retail podium, creating a new mixed-use center.



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Monet’s French Gardens Recreated Inside The Hole NYC Art Gallery

Monet’s French Gardens Recreated Inside The Hole NYC Art Gallery

Artists E.V. Day and Kembra Pfahler have transformed the Bowery’s Hole Gallery into a lush indoor park, complete with fresh grass, fragrant flowers, and even a pond! Inspired by the French gardens Claude Monet immortalized in his paintings, the exhibition features photographs taken in the gardens of Giverny, hung amidst the lilypads, vines, hyacinths, and willow trees planted within the gallery. The collaborative exhibition welcomes guests to experiences a taste of the French countryside right in the East Village.
 

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Hester Street Fair Returns to the Lower East Side on April 28th!

Hester Street Fair Returns to the Lower East Side on April 28th!

The always enjoyable Hester Street Fair is back, kicking off this weekend on April 28th! The fair returns for its third year in a row with an even more enticing selection of artisan shopping, delicious fresh food and original art.  This year’s opening party will include danceable tunes from synth-pop band Bubbles, so guests can eat, drink and dance in the new season.



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Take Your Tots to the New Amsterdam Early Childhood Center’s Annual Spring Fair this Saturday, April 28

Take Your Tots to the New Amsterdam Early Childhood Center’s Annual Spring Fair this Saturday, April 28

Kick off the spring season by treating your kids to a fun-filled festival in a Lower East Side community garden. The New Amsterdam Early Childhood Center is hosting its Second Annual Spring Fair, a three-hour event packed with games, craft-making, face painting, and special surprises for kids and their families, including a silent auction offering prizes like local restaurant gift vouchers, preschool camps at the Chelsea Piers, and sustainably-made toys. The event starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 28, and it is guaranteed to be a fun time for kids ages 2 to 6.



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Photos: Katharine Harvey’s Glittering Plastic “Chandelier” is Made from 1,000s of Pieces of Garbage

Photos: Katharine Harvey’s Glittering Plastic “Chandelier” is Made from 1,000s of Pieces of Garbage

Made from glittering strands of plastic garbage, artist Katharine Harvey's massive "Chandelier" has made its way to downtown New York just in time for Earth Day. The artist strung together water bottles, sandwich trays, muffin tins, salad boxes, egg cartons, and other trash to create the almost crystalline 21-foot tall and 15-foot wide sculpture, which currently hangs in the World Financial Center Winter Garden. Commenting on the "glut of plastic in consumer society," the deceptively beautiful light fixture will be on display from April 15th through May 11th, suspended above a luxurious marble staircase.
 

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Statue of Liberty to Re-Open in Late 2012 With Artist Residency Program

Statue of Liberty to Re-Open in Late 2012 With Artist Residency Program

photo © aa7ae

On the heels of a $27 million dollar makeover, the Statue of Liberty plans to re-open in style. In a collaboration with the National Park Service and New Jersey City University, Lady Liberty is offering a unique chance for a few artists to exhibit their art at the monument. The residency program will be open to three to six artists, giving them the chance to expose their work to the Statues’ three million yearly visitors.


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Curious Irish Hunger Memorial is a Green-Roofed Monument in Battery Park City

Curious Irish Hunger Memorial is a Green-Roofed Monument in Battery Park City

Even the most been-there-done-that New Yorkers might find themselves surprised to stumble upon the Irish Hunger Memorial, a sloping patch of wild grass that protrudes from Vesey Street and conceals one of the city's hidden gems beneath. Designed by artist Brian Tolle, landscape artist Gail Wittwer-Laird and 1100 Architect, the green-roofed monument entices passersby with its curiously overgrown field and, once they are inside, educates them about the Great Irish Famine and Migration of 1845-1852, a devastating event which actually led many Irishmen to make New York their new home. Comprised of an elevated limestone plinth supported by stones from each of Ireland's 32 counties, the beautiful structure contains a dark passageway that eventually leads to an idyllic knoll that reaches towards Ellis Island, symbolizing the new beginning that many Irish found in America.
 

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State of the Air 2012 Finds NYC Air Pollution at Lowest Levels in 13 Years, Still Lots of Room for Improvement

State of the Air 2012 Finds NYC Air Pollution at Lowest Levels in 13 Years, Still Lots of Room for Improvement

The American Lung Association’s 2012 State of the Air report is out, and it contains some positive news for New Yorkers. According to the findings, the city’s air pollution is at its lowest levels since the reports began 13 years ago – but there’s still significant room for improvement. Overall, the city received C and D grades, with the Bronx declared to be the “dirtiest county in the metro region for high particle pollution,” while Staten Island received a failing grade for its ozone levels.


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Solar Panels Will Help F/G Train Straphangers Experience a Smoother Ride in Brooklyn

Solar Panels Will Help F/G Train Straphangers Experience a Smoother Ride in Brooklyn

photo © Elvert Barnes via Creative Commons

The MTA has turned to green energy to help make subway rides a little more pleasant for riders. A system of solar panels has been installed at the Smith-Ninth Street F and G train stop near the elevated Culver Viaduct. The solar energy harnessed from the panels will fuel track lubricators, creating a smoother ride.



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Chad Person Makes Mythical Beasts and Military Vehicles from Sliced Dollar Bills

Chad Person Makes Mythical Beasts and Military Vehicles from Sliced Dollar Bills

Artist Chad Person transposes the issues of economic, political, and societal power with his commanding collages. Composed from fine fragments of cut United States currency, the collages portray military vehicles, mythological scenes, and phrases. Person manipulates the tones and patterns on each bank note to illustrate his meticulous scenes.
 

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Park Avenue Tower Set to Get a LEED Renovation in Hopes of Becoming NYC’s Next Iconic Building

Park Avenue Tower Set to Get a LEED Renovation in Hopes of Becoming NYC’s Next Iconic Building

A New York City developer has created a competition to enliven the Park Avenue skyline. L&L Holding Co. is asking distinguished architects, including Jean Nouvel and Norman Foster, for design proposals to transform the boxy building of 425 Park Avenue into a LEED-certified skyscraper. The company wants to give the building a modern edge in the style of iconic buildings such as the Lever House and the Seagram Building.



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Greenpeace Protests Call on Apple To Clean Up Coal-Powered iCloud

Greenpeace Protests Call on Apple To Clean Up Coal-Powered iCloud

Earlier this month, the enviro-activist group, Greenpeace, released a report, “How Clean Is Your Cloud?” which revealed that Apple relies heavily on coal to power its cloud-running data centers. This morning Greenpeace took its message straight to Apple’s customers, staging protests that involved releasing big clusters of black balloons at several of Apple’s flagship stores, calling for the company to end its relationship with coal power.


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Pollos del Pueblo Will Bring Farm Fresh Eggs and Produce to East New Yorkers

Pollos del Pueblo Will Bring Farm Fresh Eggs and Produce to East New Yorkers

Chickens are coming to Cypress Hills! In a collaboration with The Peoples Food Project and Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Pollos del Pueblo (The People’s Chickens) will help provide fresh organic eggs to the East New York community. With help from volunteers and ioby funding, a vacant lot is in the process of being transformed into an urban farm that will grow fresh produce and raise chickens.
 

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New York Flower Show: 30 Greenery-Topped Tablescapes Fill a Manhattan Ballroom with Blooms

New York Flower Show: 30 Greenery-Topped Tablescapes Fill a Manhattan Ballroom with Blooms

Fashion and flowers overtook 583 Park Avenue last week for The Horticultural Society of New York's magical showcase of greenery-topped tables and fantastical floral arrangements. Taking just one day to complete their task, 30 different New York designers filled the Delano & Aldrich-designed architectural gem with their lavish creations reflecting this year's theme of “Couture en Fleur." Tying in everything from 1920s Paris fashion to Alexander McQueen's book "Savage Beast" to the over-the-top visuals of Cirque du Soleil, the fanciful tablescapes featured moss-covered mannequins, gowns made of botanical buds and more.
 

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The Top 8 Eco Products from the First Ever NYC Green Festival

The Top 8 Eco Products from the First Ever NYC Green Festival

From creatively-flavored kale chips to organic and recycled fashions, the first ever New York City Green Festival featured some of the best trends in eco living this weekend. Inhabitat talked with tons of eco-conscious vendors, listened to amazing speakers, and tasted many delicious green treats. In case you missed it, here are some of the best eco-finds from the festival, fit for everyone from the indoor gardener to your four-legged friends.
 

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54 NYC Bike Share Locations Revealed For Manhattan’s West Side

54 NYC Bike Share Locations Revealed For Manhattan’s West Side

The nation’s largest Bike Sharing program, scheduled to launch in NYC with 600 stations and 10,000 bikes this July, recently revealed a plan for 54 of the bike sharing stations, most of which will support more than 30 bicycles each. The locations were reveal by the NYC Department of Transportation during a Manhattan Community Board 4 meeting. Also introduced during the meeting were the local requirements for the stations and the strategy for placing 100+ bikes at some of the world’s busiest transportation hubs, Pennsylvania Station and Port Authority Terminal.




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Help Create a More Sustainable Food System at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12

Help Create a More Sustainable Food System at the Brooklyn Food Conference on May 12

On Saturday, May 12th, the Brooklyn Food Coalition, a grass-roots community based organization that works on creating a just and sustainable food system in Brooklyn, will be hosting its annual Brooklyn Food Conference. First hosted in 2009, the humble and unassuming event, spearheaded by Nancy Romer and the Park Slope Food Coop, ballooned into something much larger than expected, with more than 3,000 people in attendance. This year, the conference is expected to draw upwards of 5,000 attendees, young and old from all five of New York City’s boroughs.



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‘Reimagining the Waterfront’ Contest Winner Proposes a Venice-Like Canal Network for NYC

‘Reimagining the Waterfront’ Contest Winner Proposes a Venice-Like Canal Network for NYC

Architecture student Joseph Wood has been chosen as the first place winner for Civitas’ innovative contest, “Reimagining the Waterfront.” The design competition asked architects and designers of all ages to redesign the East River waterfront to create a more vibrant and accessible public space. This contest focused on the stretch from 60th to 125th Streets in Harlem, and the winning ideas present some unique and thought-provoking solutions for the crumbling area.
 

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Brooklyn’s Old Stone House Teaches Students Permaculture, Urban Farming, & Local History

Brooklyn’s Old Stone House Teaches Students Permaculture, Urban Farming, & Local History

The historic Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn is not only a center for learning local history and permaculture, but it has also quickly become the neighborhood’s source for composting. With help from the neighboring William Alexander Middle School students, the grounds of the Old Stone House flourish with an educational and edible garden for all to enjoy. The inside of the home functions as a museum and classroom, while the outside is a source of native plants used for food, medicinal purposes, and animal habitats.
 

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Green Map Launches New NYC Energy Map

Green Map Launches New NYC Energy Map

Green Map, the open source system that maps everything eco, is one of our go-to resources for discovering sustainable businesses, local initiatives, and green-living resources. Now the organization has just launched a new map that’s tracking everything energy-related in New York City. Aptly called the NYC Energy Map, the new guide shows green and LEED buildings, bike lanes, solar power systems, parks, pedestrian plazas, and much more. With more than 460 places currently mapped, the NYC Energy Map visualizes the abundance of sustainable energy in New York City.

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Hayseed’s Urban Farming Supply Store Opens in North Brooklyn

Hayseed’s Urban Farming Supply Store Opens in North Brooklyn

Hayseed's Big City Farm Supply opened at the beginning of the month to a warm reception from both the local Greenpoint community and aspiring urban farmers. The pop-up shop is a collaboration between Brooklyn Grange, Domestic Construction and Brooklyn Homesteader. Beyond selling farm supplies of all sorts, it features weekend workshops, classes and events now through June on everything from beekeeping to backyard livestock, composting, and garden planning.
 

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Ten Ecotastic Earth Day Activities in New York City

Ten Ecotastic Earth Day Activities in New York City

While we like to treat every day as Earth Day, the official eco holiday is this Sunday, April 22, and groups across the five boroughs are celebrating with a slew of special events. Whether you want to learn more about NYC's green groups at the massive annual Grand Central Earth Fair or spend some time giving back with New York Cares Day, we've rounded up the best events taking place this weekend. Click through to find out how you can celebrate Ma Earth with your fellow New Yorkers -- including a solar-powered rooftop film and a giant salad on the High Line!
 

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Brooklyn Bridge Park Gets $40 Million Donation to Build Indoor Velodrome Field House

Brooklyn Bridge Park Gets $40 Million Donation to Build Indoor Velodrome Field House

photo by Jessica Dailey for Inhabitat

Yesterday, competitive cyclist Joshua P. Rechnitz single handedly made the largest monetary gift to the NYC park system and made the widely longed for dream of an indoor velodrome within NYC come true. Rechnitz, the grandson of philanthropists, pledged $40 million to build a new recreational center in an old warehouse on Pier 5 of the Brooklyn Bridge Park near Furman Street. The velodrome will be an easily accessible crown jewel in the NYC parks department, and it could open as soon as 2016.



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