Facebook Introduced New Facial Recognition Feature
- Facebook introduced new facial recognition features on Tuesday.
- Moving forward, you should now get a notification if someone tries to use a photo with your face as their profile picture.
- There will also be a new on/off switch for all facial recognition features on Facebook.
In the coming weeks, Facebook may tell you that someone you don't know has uploaded a photo of you.
Don't freak out — it's a feature, not a bug.
Facebook announced on Tuesday that it is releasing a new feature that uses facial recognition to determine when a photo of you has been uploaded, even if you weren't tagged. If someone is trying to use your photo as a profile picture, Facebook will give you a notification.
"We want people to feel confident when they post pictures of themselves on Facebook so we’ll soon begin using face recognition technology to let people know when someone else uploads a photo of them as their profile picture," Facebook said in an announcement on Tuesday.
This seems like a solid improvement to user security — if you know when someone else is using your picture as their own, you can then take steps to correct the problem.
But if you think Facebook's facial recognition features are creepy, there will be a "simple on/off switch" in settings to turn it all off.
Untagged photos from friends
The facial recognition feature will also notify you if friends or acquaintances upload photos with you in them but don't tag you.
Here's what that looks like:
Facebook says that "these new features help you find photos that you’re not tagged in and help you detect when others might be attempting to use your image as their profile picture." The feature is basically an expanded version of the facial recognition technology that Facebook already uses.
Here's how Facebook describes that technology at a high level:
"Our technology analyzes the pixels in photos you’re already tagged in and generates a string of numbers we call a template. When photos and videos are uploaded to our systems, we compare those images to the template."
Facebook's head of privacy told Wired that the company sees the announcement as a "really empowering feature."
"There may be photos that exist that you don’t know about," he told Wired.
Facebook says the feature is rolling out now, except in Canada and the EU.
JACK IN THE BOX Just Sold Qdoba For $305 Million — And Chipotle Should Be Terrified
Jack in the Box is selling Qdoba, a struggling Chipotle rival with a cult following.
On Tuesday, Jack in the Box announced it had agreed to sell its fast-casual Mexican chain to Apollo Global Management for $305 million.
Qdoba's systemwide sales have exceeded $820 million this year. But the chain has been dealing with a significant sales slump, with same-store sales dropping by 1.4% in the last fiscal year and by 2.1% in the fourth quarter.
Despite its recent struggles, Qdoba has some strong attributes — especially in comparison to Chipotle.
Qdoba and Chipotle were both founded in Denver in the early 1990s. They have similar menus, selling burritos, burrito bowls, and tacos made on a fast-casual assembly line. And both have struggled recently, as the trendy fast-casual sector has filled to the brim with competitors.
However, as Business Insider's Hollis Johnson detailed, Qdoba has a leg up on Chipotle when it comes to how customers perceive the chains.
Qdoba has already managed to pull off a move that Chipotle bungled this year: adding queso to the menu. Both guacamole and queso are free at Qdoba, whereas Chipotle charges for each.
Chipotle's "strange and grainy bechamel wannabe that's passed off as queso just cannot hold a candle to Qdoba's," Johnson wrote.
Johnson continued: "It's that perfectly plasticky, fascinatingly fake and yet all too real and cheesy colloid that one expects of queso. We all know that special texture that should logically disgust any palate, yet instead manages to delight and enrapture with every goopy, hot bite."
And Qdoba has a more extensive menu — with quesadillas, nachos, soups, and taco salad — that allows it to avoid what analysts have described as Chipotle's "menu fatigue."
Some analysts argue that Chipotle's overly simplistic menu could be a bigger issue in the long run than its E. coli outbreak in late 2015 that sickened more than 50 people.
Chipotle still has not managed to shake the stigma of that outbreak, struggling to regain lost customers. Simply avoiding such a scandal puts Qdoba ahead in public perception.
Though it has already won over a solid base of customers, Qdoba is likely to undergo some major changes under Apollo's management.
The chain hasn't managed to cash in on Chipotle's sales slump in 2016, according to Nation's Restaurant News, though it could make a dent if it can persuade former Chipotle fans — or simply fans of good queso — to visit it over its fast-casual rival.
MTA Running Longer C-Trains To Accommodate More Commuters
It just became slightly easier to squeeze onto a C-train. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Saturday added 40 longer cars to the line to accommodate more riders. As part of its emergency action plan, the MTA replaced some of its 60-foot long R32 models, which first debuted in the system in 1964, with 75-foot long R46 cars. The longer cars increase commuter capacity by 25 percent per train set and are expected to also help absorb crowds during the 2019 L train shutdown.
The C train platforms have always run shorter trains, despite being able to accommodate full-length ones because of the high cost of bringing in new cars. After developing more efficient maintenance of cars, more R46s have been put into service. MTA spokesperson, Jon Weinstein, told amNY in a statement: “Lengthening C trains was a promise made — and kept — under the Subway Action Plan to increase capacity and improve service for our riders.”
Although the newer R46 C subway cars, which were built in the 1970s, are replacing some R32’s, the classic-rickety car will still be in service. Known for its stainless-steel exterior and outdated roll signs, the R32 subway car is 53 years old, the oldest operated by the MTA and one of the oldest still in operation in the world.
The R32’s were supposed to be replaced by a new model, the R179, but there’s been a two-year delay in delivery. Plus, some of the cars have experienced testing failures since entering service earlier this fall.
The MTA hopes adding more cars will also improve the experience of C-train commuters. As 6sqft learned in June, the C is responsible for many of the system’s chronic problems. As the oldest line, the C-train breaks down roughly every 33,527 miles, as opposed to 400,000 miles for the average car, and sends a rippling effect of delays across the system.
[Via amNY]
Jay Leno Spends $13.5M on Oceanfront Estate in Newport, Rhode Island
Comedian and car collector Jay Leno, who has been frequently spotted at the Audrain Automobile Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, will likely be spending more time in the New England town, having bought a collection of oceanfront apartments there.
The former host of NBC’s “Tonight Show” bought four of five condominiums at the Seafair mansion on Ocean Avenue via a limited liability company, Mavis House LLC, for a total of $13.5 million, property records show.
Mr. Leno, 67, signed some of the documents that were filed with the City Clerk’s office on Nov. 30. Also, Mavis happens to be his wife’s first name.
A rep for Mr. Leno didn’t respond to a request for confirmation and comment in time for publication.
Rumors began to surface early last month that the funny man, who grew up around two-and-a-half hours away in Andover, Massachusetts, was eyeing the property.
Listing agent David Huberman of Gustave White Sotheby’s International Realty declined to comment on the sale.
The combined home Mr. Leno purchased offers 15,181 square feet of interior living, spread across 14 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. It comes with a private beach, tennis court, an infinity pool, terraces, gardens and fountains, according to a previous listing.
Sitting on nine acres of land at the southernmost tip of Newport, the property boasts 270-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean and has a six-car garage for Mr. Leno, who has been hosting CNBC’s hour-long show “Jay Leno’s Garage” since his “Tonight Show” tenure.
The seller of the four condominiums, per public records, is Richard Bready, former chairman and chief executive of manufacturer Nortek Inc. He couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.
It’s unknown whether Mr. Leno will try to procure the remaining residence in the historic mansion, which is owned by H. Larue Renfroe, owner of the Providence Bruins hockey team, and his wife, Lynda. The three-bedroom condo was once listed for $3 million, but is no longer available, listing records show.
The Seafair mansion was built in 1936 for Verner Zevola Reed Jr., a Denver mining heir, who served as vice president at Chase Manhattan Bank and a U.S. ambassador to Morocco from 1981 to 1985.
In modern days, the mansion hosted a fundraiser for former president Barack Obama in 2014 and a birthday party in 2003 for Mr. Bready, with celebrities such as Elton John among guests, according to the Providence Journal, which first reported the sale.
Newport is home to many Gilded Age mansions built for the wealthiest American families, including the Vanderbilts, Astors, and the Widener family in the early 20th century, many of which are now used as museums.
Will New York Have A White Christmas This Year?
In the United States, if at least one inch of snow falls on the morning of December 25, it gets labeled as a “White Christmas.” While some states in the north and Midwest are the most likely to enjoy a snow day on Christmas, the phenomenon is uncommon in New York, but not impossible. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a federal agency that provides timely information about climate and weather patterns, created a mapthat shows the historic probability of there being at least one inch of snow on the ground in 48 states on Christmas. The darkest gray shows places where the probability is less than 10 percent and the white areas show probabilities greater than 90 percent.
The map uses data based on the Climate Normals between 1981-2010 and then estimates the values. Users can click and zoom into a specific area to see its probability of snow. If you’re dreaming of a White Christmas this year, you might be out of luck if you’re staying in New York City for the holidays, as there’s just a 12 percent chance of at least one inch of snow covering the ground.
Unsurprisingly, Upstate New Yorkers have a better chance of making snow angels after opening presents this year than city-dwellers. Albany is at 49 percent, Syracuse at 58 and Hooker, at 92 percent chance of snow. However, the actual conditions may vary widely from what the map estimates, and it’s helpful to check the local forecast for actual weather predictions on Christmas Day.
Explore the White Christmas map here.
Tips For Your Doorman With This Helpful ‘tip-o-meter’
Not sure how much to tip your doorman this holiday season? Triplemint has released its very own, first-of-its-kind “Holiday Doorman Tip-O-Meter” to dynamically calculate exactly how much tip you should give. With six quick questions (ranging from your building size to how generous a tipper you are), the Tip-O-Meter immediately generates a minimum-maximum tip range suggestion.
The program’s algorithm is based on data collected from surveys conducted on over 100 NYC doormen in major neighborhoods in Manhattan. NYC doormen were asked: How much do you recommend you give residents this year (based on apartment size Studio, 1-Bedroom, 2-Bedroom, 3-Bedroom +)? Do you expect More/Same/Less than last year? And what is the size of your building?
If you’re looking for some more general guidelines, in early December, CityRealty posted a very handy guide on tipping. It contained a lot of useful information such as:
- When to tip (between Thanksgiving and Christmas)
- How much to tip ($20-$500 depending on status and length of employment)
- Renters vs. owners (renters typically tip less)
- How to present your tip (cash is preferable to checks)
- And what not to give (don’t give silk ties and/or gift cards in lieu of cash)
As Cait Etherington pointed out, there are many personal factors that go into deciding a tip amount like whether or not you tip during the year for help with moving, packages, handyman work, or for watching your child as you run back upstairs for an umbrella, etc. But the Tip-O-Meter suggested tip ranges takes the guesswork out of exactly how much you should give and suggests “a sense for what’s ‘normal.'” Then you can personalize your tip from there.
Try out the tip-o-meter here. Happy tipping!
160 Central Park South, Unit 2307 | 1 BD | 1 BA | $6,500/mo
Make glorious Central Park views your daily backdrop in this impeccable, furnished one-bedroom home at the prestigious Essex House.
Perched high above the city on the 23rd floor, this refined, renovated apartment offers a turnkey home for discerning residents. You'll find jaw dropping, direct Central Park views in the oversized great room, thanks to large windows that wrap the space to the north and west. Relax in the well-appointed living area or host elegant dinners in the large dining alcove while millwork, beamed ceilings and hardwood floors create a sophisticated atmosphere throughout. The efficient kitchen offers top-notch appliances and the serene bedroom includes a large en suite bathroom. Three oversized closets easily attend to wardrobe and storage. This beautifully furnished residence is available for a minimum 6 to 12 month stay.
Situated in a landmarked Art Deco masterpiece at the center of Central Park South, The JW Marriott Essex House is known as the city's very first condominium hotel. Residents enjoy five-star hotel amenities including access to the superb fitness center and spa, housekeeping, and premier white glove services, such as a bell staff and concierge. Additional hotel services and amenities available on request include 24-hour room service and business and conference centers. Here, you're at the literal heart of Manhattan surrounded by the world-class dining, nightlife and shopping of Midtown, plus the exciting entertainment venues of the Theater District and Lincoln Center. Transportation from this centrally located neighborhood is unbeatable with N/Q/R/W, A/C/E, B/D/F and 1 trains all nearby.
NY And NJ Commit $5B To The Hudson River Tunnel Project, But Still No Word From D.C.
Govs. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie on Thursday announced commitments to totally fund New York and New Jersey’s share of the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project. The project aims to fix the 107-year-old tunnel damaged by seawater during Hurricane Sandy. It serves as the only intercity passenger rail crossing into NYC from NJ, a critical link for 200,000 daily passengers. Although two state officials wrote letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation detailing their combined $5.5 billion funding of the project through various agencies, the Trump administration has not agreed to fund the rest of the $12.7 billion project. As Crain’s reported, a senior official at DOT called the states’ funding commitment “entirely unserious.”
According to the states, the project will build a new two-track tunnel, add the concrete casing at Hudson Yards and refurbish the Amtrak North River Tunnel. In a prior agreement with the Obama administration from 2015, the two governors would fund half of the project, with the federal government paying the rest. New York commits $1.75 billion, NJ Transit commits $1.9 billion and the Port Authority said it will fund $1.9 billion, for a combined $5.5 billion or 50 percent of the project’s cost. Fixing the tunnel would cost about $12.7 billion, which is a part of the $24 billion Gateway Program that includes a Penn Station expansion and new bridges in the Metro-Area.
“The Gateway Tunnel is critical to the long term vitality of the entire Northeast region and one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country,” Cuomo said in a press release. “New York State is stepping up to fund its share of the financial commitment as we rebuild our infrastructure all across the state. Now the federal government must fulfill its commitment to fund the other half and make this urgent, long-overdue project a reality.”
President Obama had made the project a priority by committing half of the funding for the program and fast-tracking its review process, but the Trump administration has shown less enthusiasm. As 6sqft previously reported, DOT representatives withdrew from the board of the Gateway program in July.
The letters penned by Cuomo and Christie recommend the corporation take out a 35-year, $1.75 billion loan through the federal DOT’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program. New York would pay back the loan over the next three decades through its budget, while New Jersey would increase the price of Manhattan-bound NJ Transit tickets beginning in 2020.
The White House and federal agencies have remained tight-lipped about whether or not it will fund its share of the project. However, a senior official familiar with the issue told Crain’s in an email: “NY and NJ’s submission on file proposes the federal government pay 85% of the project costs, for a tunnel where 9 out of 10 passengers are local transit riders. This is entirely unserious.”
Disney/Fox Deal Could Lead To Real Estate Shakeup Here In NYC
The Walt Disney Company’s $52.4 billion deal to buy most of 21st Century Fox could have big implications for the companies’ real estate in New York City, sources said.
The Los Angeles-based Disney owns ABC, which is headquartered on an Upper West Side campus centered around West 66th Street that the company moved into in the 1980s.
When Disney acquired ABC in 1995 for $19 billion, rumors started to circulate that the West Coast company would put the campus up for sale. Disney never sold, but those rumors have started to pup up again in the wake of the Fox deal.
“It would make sense that ABC or Disney would theoretically be receptive to offers, given the value of that site,” said Gabe Marans, corporate managing director at Savills Studley.
Gary Barnett’s Extell Development and Megalith Capital are building a 25-story condo tower across from ABC’s headquarters with the help of $55 million worth of air rights the partners bought from Disney.
Disney also owns Marvel Entertainment, which occupies 60,000 square feet at 135 West 50th Street in Midtown on a sublease with Alliance Bernstein that expires in 2019.
21st Century Fox, meanwhile, extended and expanded its space to 784,000 square feet through 2025 at the NewsCorp. Building a 1211 Sixth Avenue earlier this year after abandoning plans to relocate downtown as the anchor to Silverstein Properties’ 2 World Trade Center. The deal on Sixth Avenue included an extra 128,000 square feet to make way for Fox employees to relocate from nearby at 1185 Sixth Avenue.
Over on the West Coast, Disney will be leasing Fox’s 2.3 million-square-foot Century City lot for seven years, Variety reported. The property is valued at north of $1.5 billion. Disney already owns a 51-acre campus for its studios in Burbank.
For $55M, Own The 47-Acre Long Island Waterfront Estate Home To Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
A property spanning 47 acres of Long Island waterfront that includes a 22,000-square-foot Tudor revival-style mansion in the secluded Gold Coast village of Lloyd Neck is on the market asking $55 million. In addition to offering a private cove with its own pier, a 30-by-60-foot pool, lush gardens and a tea house, the estate was famously home to Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and family in 2009 when Jolie was filming “Salt” on Long Island (h/t New York Post). And it’s only a 15 minute trip to Manhattan by helicopter.
Known as Sassafras, the estate is among the area’s largest private landholdings. Tucked away in the exclusive wooded village of Lloyd Neck, sheltered within in a private cove, the estate is anchored by a 20,000 square foot 25-room main residence. The property’s current owner redesigned the Tudor-style home and grounds in homage to British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.
The grounds offer carefully-tended specimen gardens, an exercise path, a private beach with its own pier that an accommodate three jet skis, an 80-foot motor yacht, a 24-foot sailboat, a 30-foot speedboat and two maintenance boats with three additional moorings.
Entering the main house via a Great Hall with a 48-foot cathedral ceiling, you’ll find a study and formal dining room that opens to a wraparound terrace with gorgeous water views. A vast living room is anchored by a massive fireplace. The house has a Brangelina clan-worthy eight bedrooms and eight full and four half baths, an enclosed dining veranda and a dazzling master suite with 120-degree views of Long Island Sound and Connecticut.
Also on the grounds are two guest houses at over 5,000 square feet each, a log cabin tea house with endless sea views, a tennis court and a beach cabana with a full kitchen and deck.
Ready for grand-scale entertaining are a 30-by-60-foot pool and a gazebo with a bar, bathroom and outdoor shower and hot tub.
The secluded North Shore home abuts the 2,000-acre Caumsett State Park with horseback and bike trails, Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge and Huntington Harbor Nature Conservancy.
The estate is about an hour drive away from New York City–15 minutes by helicopter from either of two helipads on the grounds.
[Via NY Post]
First Look At 130 William Street In FiDi
Nearly four years after wrapping up his first NYC project, Harlem’s Sugar Hill affordable housing development, renowned British architect David Adjaye is inching closer to completing his first skyscraper in the city. Preliminary plans for his Financial District condo tower surfaced in May, but developer Lightstone has shared the first official reveal of the tower, now known as 130 William. The height has increased from 750 to 800 feet, or 61 to 66 stories, and it will hold 244 residences. Adjaye says the “rich history” of one of “the city’s earliest streets” influenced the building’s unique concrete form. “I was inspired to craft a building that turns away from the commercial feel of glass and that instead celebrates New York’s heritage of masonry architecture with a distinctive presence in Manhattan’s skyline,” he said.
As 6sqft previously reported, “Lightstone bought the site at 130 William Street for $60 million in 2014 and paid another $15 million the following year to buy additional air rights; it’s expected value is $701 million.”
Adjaye is working with Hill West architects on the building, whose facade will be constructed of hand-cast concrete with bronze detailing. According to a press release, “one of the building’s signature features is a unique silhouette of rhythmic, large-scale arched windows, which draw inspiration from the beloved lofts that once populated the area.”
At the top of the building will be penthouse loggias with double-height ceilings. In all, units will range from studios to five-bedrooms, the interiors of which will also be designed by Adjaye.
The long list of amenities includes a health club with spa, swimming pool, cold and hot plunge pools, a fitness center with a yoga studio and basketball court, private IMAX movie theater, golf simulator, lounge, game room, children’s playroom, pet spa, outdoor terraces, and rooftop observatory deck. In addition, the building will create a new public plaza park.
Adjaye was recently knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and was named one of TIME’s 2017 most influential people. His most notable projects include the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC, the recently announced National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Center in London, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver. Here in NYC, he (somewhat surprisingly) designed a forthcoming spy museum in Midtown, and he’s already revealed designs for the Studio Museum in Harlem’s new space.
Construction of 130 William is expected to begin in spring 2018, with closings expected to commence in spring 2020.
JFK’s TWA Hotel Tops Out, On Track To Open In 2019!
MCR and Morse Development announced this week the topping out of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport less than a year after breaking ground on the project. Designed by celebrated 20th-century architect Eero Saarinen in 1962, The hotel is set to reopen in early 2019, when it will become JFK’s only on-airport hotel. Saarinen’s iconic TWA Flight Center terminal building will serve as the hotel’s lobby; at 200,000 square feet, it is thought to be the world’s largest hotel lobby. Hotel guests and passengers will be able to access the hotel through the famous Saarinen passenger tubes that connect directly to JFK’s Terminal 5 as well as through via the AirTrain system.
The hotel will offer 505 guest rooms, 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art event space and a variety of food and retail options. In addition, the hotel will feature a Jet Age and mid-century modern museum exhibiting the era’s contributions in the way of furniture, TWA uniforms, David Klein destination posters, inflight amenities and other TWA memorabilia, much of which has been donated by the TWA employee community.
Tyler Morse, CEO of MCR and Morse Development said, “This topping out brings us one step closer to reviving this treasured landmark and reopening it to the public for generations to come. Thank you to all our partners in government, labor, and construction for their support over this past year—we look forward to welcoming everyone to the TWA Hotel in 2019.”
One of the largest construction projects in New York City, the TWA Hotel will create more than 3,700 permanent and construction union jobs, with approximately 300 union construction workers on-site daily. The new hotel involves involves 22 federal, state, and city agencies, but is an entirely privately-funded investment.
If you can’t wait until 2019 to get your Jet Age design fix, MCR has created the TWA lounge, located on the 86th floor of One World Trade Center, designed to preview the look of the TWA Hotel. Open to the public by appointment, the project’s marketing and events space features a replica of Eero Saarinen’s legendary sunken lounge, the Italian Solari split-flap board and a growing collection of TWA and mid-century memorabilia.
Brooklyn Brewer Receives Cease And Desist Over Beyoncé-Inspired Beer.
A beer honoring Beyoncé that was created by a female brewer in Brooklyn was, alas, not a perfect duet as the brewery received a cease-and-desist letter from Queen Bey’s people, Pitchfork reported.
Lineup Brewing owner Katarina Martinez created Bïeryoncé in the singer’s honor after she missed one of the singer’s concerts even though she had tickets, she told Pitchfork.
“As a Hispanic, female-run business, I am very inspired by her, so I thought I’d pay homage,” she said. “We’re disappointed she didn’t take it as a compliment, but oh well. It was fun while it lasted!”
According to Lineup Brewing’s Facebook page, Bïeryoncé was released last week and was the brewery’s first canned brew.
But luckily the one-time batch isn’t irreplaceable, as it will now be called Kätariná to honor its “badass female brewer and owner,” the company wrote on Facebook Monday.
“We’re still huge Beyoncé fans,” it added.
City Has Ideas On How To Relieve Brooklyn Bridge Congestion
Dubbed the “Times Square in the Sky,” the Brooklyn Bridge promenade remains the borough’s most popular attraction, experiencing an increase in pedestrian volume by 275 percent between 2008 and 2015. The New York City Department of Transportation released a report on Friday that details ways to reduce the growing congestion of cyclists, pedestrians and vendors on the promenade. After hiring the consulting term AECOM over a year ago to conduct an engineering study aimed at improving safety, DOT has finally outlined steps to be taken in order to limit crowds. As the New York Times reported, the city is exploring ideas like building a separate bike-only entrance to the Manhattan side of the bridge, possibly expanding the width of the promenade and reducing the number of vendors allowed to sell goods, while restricting where they can sell them.
For 134 years, the Brooklyn Bridge has remained a beloved and iconic piece of New York City’s infrastructure. However, over the years its popularity has soared, creating unsafe, overcrowded conditions for walkers, bikers and selfie-takers. The Times found 32,453 pedestrians cross the bridge on average every weekend, compared to just 14,145 in 2011. Cyclist crossings have also increased, jumping from 2,981 in 2011 to 3,147 on average each weekday.
After AECOM studied the structural feasibility of expanding the promenade deck between the tower towers, they found the expansion would add additional weight, with the heaviest coming from an increase in pedestrians. As a result of their study, AECOM recommends the cables be inspected before considering a deck expansion. This could take about two years to fully inspect.
While the inspection of the cables is underway, DOT will begin to enforce vending regulations on the promenade. According to the report, vendors located at the entrances create bottlenecks that cause pedestrian traffic to spill over into the bike lane. New rules from DOT, which will go under a public review process and are subject to change, aim to curb the number of vendors near the bridge.
As part of a 2018 street improvement project, Park Row will be re-opened to pedestrians and bikes, with a two-way protected lane and 12,000-square-foot pathway for walkers. Graphics to help navigate will be placed on the stairs of the bridge and at Frankfort Street for pedestrians. DOT is also exploring the conversion of a closed Park Row exit ramp into a bike lane, designated for bikes only.
The report dismissed an idea to turn an existing lane into a bike lane, finding the inbound lane reduction cuts vehicle capacity in half for both entrances. The study found this would actually create a mile-long line of traffic and affect the street network of downtown Brooklyn.
The executive director of Transportation Alternatives, Paul Steely White, told the Times he hopes DOT reassess its dismissal of the new bike lane. “Improving the entrances is welcome, but you’re not doing enough to address the core problem that there is not enough space for pedestrians and bikers on the bridge itself,” White said. “Generally, cars are still coming first and bikers and pedestrians are left to fight over the leftovers.”
Happy Hannukah!
From latke-frying to dreidel-spinning, may your eight days be illuminating. Wherever you call home, everyone at The Hoffman Team and COMPASS wishes you a wonderful festival of lights!
Happy Hannukah!🕯️
Dylan Hoffman | Andrew T. Corso | Bryan Pak | Amy Axelrod | Lisa Kobiolke | Zach Khalifeh | Thiago Belmont | Jaclyn Treinkman | David Yablon | Andrew Klima
Christmas Tree Prices Rise
Each year in December, scores of Christmas tree vendors descend on New York City from as far as Quebec to turn the city’s sidewalks into a virtual pop-up forest. What makes this seasonal opportunity so appealing? The “coniferous tree” exception, a City Council law dating from 1938, says vendors can sell and display Christmas trees on a sidewalk in December without a permit as long as they get an ok from adjacent building owners and they don’t block the sidewalk. Sellers lobby adjacent storefronts for permission, sometimes paying a fee and often in competition with other sellers. This year, as the New York Times reports, competition from chain stores–and other vendors jockeying for prime spots in parks and other public locations that come with high fees–are chopping into the profits for the army of tree sellers that descends on the city at holiday time. Costs get passed to consumers–and prices are soaring.
According to the Times, prices have actually been rising for a while: In 2008 the average buyer paid $36.50 for a Christmas tree in 2008; last year that number was $74.70. Mom-and-pop sellers are facing more competition from chains like Whole Foods, who can buy trees in bulk and is selling seven- to eight-foot-high Fraser firs for $34.99–a 40 percent discount.
Scott Lechner, who manages the stand in Washington Market Park and several other park locations auctioned by the city, said, “We’re an endangered species.” Other factors are at work, too, including scarcity. A shortage of trees can be traced back to the recession of 2008, when fewer trees were harvested to be sold, meaning fewer new trees were planted. Trees being trucked in from Canada are incurring an uptick in shipping costs. A high-stakes bidding process for permission to set up shop in a small number of available locations in the city’s parks can now cost vendors as much as $25,000 in fees.
Vermont farmer George Nash, who has been making the pilgrimage to sell Christmas trees in the Big Apple since the 1970s, prices his festive wares–highly desirable Douglas and Fraser firs–according to the neighborhood they’re being sold in. “Our high-end locations are subsidizing all our cheaper locations in the barrio, where we need to sell our trees for $35 to people who really don’t have much more than that.”
This year, there’s no reason to worry, but take note: Doug Hundley, a spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association, said, “We’re not going to be short — everybody looking for a real tree will be able to get one. But it is a tight market, and prices will rise.”
Lyft Reveals That New Yorkers Took The Most Rides To...
These days, cars from ride-hailing services are as common on New York City streets as those ubiquitous yellow taxis, and if you’ve ever wondered where exactly New Yorkers are taking those cars, we’re about to let the cat out of the bag. Lyft just released its third annual Lyftie Awards, a tally of the company’s most-popular drop-off locations across the country, which increased from 24 cities last year to 32 this year and including cities from Honolulu to here.
The Award Goes To....
Thrilling News This Morning!
Compass just announced a $450M fundraise from the SoftBank Vision Fund, known for making bold investments in the technology companies transforming our world. With this investment, we will continue to reshape the real estate industry, elevate the client experience, and live out our mission – to help everyone find their place in the world.
Below is the first wave of press coverage on the SoftBank Vision Fund investment in Compass.
TechCrunch | Compass gets $450M from SoftBank; real estate portal now valued at $2.2B
Fast Company | SoftBank’s $450 million investment puts Compass on the global map
Business Insider | A NYC startup that wants to make finding a home easier just raised $450 million at a $2.2 billion valuation
CNBC | Softbank invests $450 million in real estate tech company Compass
Founder and executive chairman Ori AllonCompass, COO Maelle Gavet, and CEO Robert Reffkin.
Real estate startup Compass has raised $450 million from SoftBank at a $2.2 billion valuation.
The money will be used to expand where Compass operates.
Compass, the New York-based startup with the goal of disrupting the real-estate market, has raised $450 million at a $2.2 billion valuation.
The new money, which comes from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank's $100 billion tech fund, will be used to bring the Compass platform to more cities than the 11 areas where it now operates.
“With the support of the SoftBank Vision Fund, we will be able to move quickly to execute our ‘Compass Everywhere’ vision, partnering with top agents and their clients in every major U.S. city," Compass founder Ori Allon said in a statement shared with Business Insider. "Just last week, we launched in Chicago with the number one agent team in the State of Illinois, and we are continuing to gain momentum with top agents everywhere.”
Compass has now raised $775 million to date. And with a more than $2 billion valuation, SoftBank's investment propels the five-year-old company into the upper ranks of New York's most valuable tech startups.
While it employs traditional brokers, the main selling points of Compass are the leveraging of data to improve the efficiency of the real estate business along with a sleek mobile app for buyers and renters.
“Real estate is a huge asset class, but the sector has been relatively untouched by technology and remains inefficient and fragmented,” SoftBank's Justin Wilson said in a statement. “Compass is building a differentiated, end-to-end tech platform that aggregates across diverse data streams to support agents and homebuyers through the entire process, well beyond the initial home search. With disruptive technology and unique data advantages, Compass is well-positioned for future growth in a sector that represents trillions in transaction volume.”
Live Like Lady Gaga In Her Former Penthouse For $33K/Month
The former penthouse of singer-songwriter superstar, Lady Gaga, has hit the rental market for $33,000 per month. Located in prestigious 40 Central Park South, the two-bedroom, two-bathroom features a sunken living room, two wood-burning fireplaces and a whopping four terraces. As the New York Post first reported, the sprawling duplex has been home to other celebrities like Liza Minnelli and Lance Armstrong. The apartment was featured in Lady Gaga’s recent documentary, “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” which is currently streaming on Netflix.
The 2,000-square-foot apartment has no neighbors on either side, making it the perfect private oasis. The foyer leads to a sunken living room that boasts oversized windows, allowing for panoramic Central Park views and lots of natural light. On this level, there is a granite chef’s kitchen, equipped with high-quality appliances, and a dining area.
The duplex features two spacious bedrooms, with a staircase leading to the master suite. The suite includes a second wood-burning fireplace, park views and a huge marble bathroom. The bathroom has a deep soaking pool, whirlpool and walk-in closet.
With its two balconies and two terraces, this penthouse offers an abundance of outdoor space. The terraces that surround the bedroom measure 750 square feet total.
In addition to an in-unit washer/dryer, amenities at 40 Central South include a keyed elevator, 24-hour doorman and fitness center.
[Via NY Post]