Williamsburg 3651 hour agoBy Y.M. Lowy
T-Mobile customers across New York may be eligible for a refund from T-Mobile after the company raised prices on cellphone plans that customers had originally signed up for with a promise that their rates would never increase.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the settlement Tuesday following an investigation into T-Mobile’s “Price Guarantee Plans,” which were offered between 2017 and 2019 with the promise that the company would “never change the price you pay.”
But in 2024, T-Mobile began raising prices by approximately $5 per phone line, affecting nearly 253,000 plans across New York. The settlement will now give affected customers several ways to receive money back or other benefits.
Affected customers using 4G phones who choose to leave T-Mobile can receive a refund for their final month’s payment, along with a $25 gift card. Those who stay with T-Mobile can receive a new 5G phone worth $250 at no cost or a $150 credit toward a more expensive phone. If consumers choose to stay with T-Mobile, the company will not raise their phone plan costs until at least 2029.
Other affected customers, including those who have already upgraded to 5G, can choose to cancel their service and receive their final month’s payment back. Those who remain with T-Mobile will have their current plan prices protected.
The Attorney General’s Office estimates that the refunds and other benefits will provide more than $38 million in value to affected New Yorkers. T-Mobile will also pay $98,000 to New York and will be required to honor its current and future price guarantees.
“New Yorkers deserve clear and honest prices, not misleading offers with hidden fine print,” Attorney General James said. “T-Mobile misled hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers by promising that it would never raise prices on their cellphone plans, only to do exactly that just a few years later.”
The T-Mobile settlement comes just months after James’ office secured refunds for New Yorkers who were charged improper fees by Nissan dealerships across the state, another recent effort by the Attorney General’s Office to recover money for consumers.
Affected T-Mobile customers will now have the opportunity to choose from the refund, phone credit, and price-protection options available under the settlement.
Williamsburg 36514 hours agoMayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned with Gov. Kathy Hochul for the first time Friday. He hopes to help the moderate Democrat win over his left-wing voters in New York City, with less than 10 days to go before Election Day.
One day later, city voters came out in big numbers. The Board of Elections counted 86,215 voters at early voting sites across the five boroughs on Saturday, the first day of early voting. That is 73% more than the 49,709 who voted on the first day in 2022, the last race for governor.
Brooklyn, where the two campaigned, almost doubled its 2022 number. 23,296 people voted in the borough on the first day, up from 12,688 four years ago. That is an 84% jump. Only Manhattan, with 24,704, had more. The numbers are not yet official.
The two stopped at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, where they also took a few questions from reporters.
Hochul seems to have a big lead over her Republican opponent, Bruce Blakeman.
She said as she walked through the park that she was "grateful" for the "energy and excitement" the mayor is bringing to her campaign. But she didn't give him too much credit.
"Have you checked the polls lately?" Hochul replied when asked if she could win without Mamdani. "I think we're doing well."
A Quinnipiac poll out Wednesday had the governor ahead by 14 points, 55% to 41% among likely voters.
Early voting goes until Sunday, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Williamsburg 36516 hours agoYisroel R.
A new look is taking shape at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Spencer Street, where a ten-story residential development is expected to bring 38 new apartments to the neighborhood.
The building at 703 Myrtle Avenue will feature a modern, light-colored exterior with rows of balconies and upper floors set back from the street. The design gives a glimpse of the change ahead for the corner, with completion anticipated in June 2027.
The project has evolved along the way. Earlier proposals called for 54 apartments, while newer filing reports describe a ten-story building with 38 units.
The corner property was purchased by Abie Weiss for $10.8 million in 2025. At the time of the sale, Cushman & Wakefield, which handled the transaction, said the buyer planned a mix of condominiums and rental apartments.
The development follows a rezoning that allowed housing and commercial space on land previously zoned for manufacturing. The approximately 8,620-square-foot property is now being transformed for residential use, bringing new housing to this stretch of Myrtle Avenue.
Williamsburg 36516 hours agoCommunity Board 1, which covers Williamsburg and Greenpoint, was the first board in the city to ask for a 20 mph speed limit on all its streets. Now the city Comptroller Mark Levine says more people have been killed in traffic there since that vote than in any other area that asked for the same thing. He wants the Department of Transportation to move faster.
In a letter, Comptroller Mark Levine asked DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn to lower the speed limit in all 17 community districts whose boards have asked for it under Sammy's Law. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso also signed the letter, along with the Manhattan and Queens borough presidents and Council Member Shaun Abreu, who heads the Council's transportation committee.
The board voted 18 to 15 for the lower limit on Feb. 11, 2025, according to the Comptroller. From that vote until June 15, 2026, about 17 months, there were 3,203 crashes and 10 deaths in the district, his numbers show. In all 17 districts together, 14 people were killed after their boards voted. That means 10 of the 14 deaths were in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Most of the other boards only voted this year, so CB1 has been counted for a lot longer.
But even month by month, CB1 is much worse. Using the Comptroller's numbers, Williamsburg and Greenpoint saw about one traffic death every seven to eight weeks after the vote. The 12 other districts that have numbers had 4 deaths in 49.5 months put together, or about one death per district a year. CB1 also had about 3.1 deaths for every 1,000 crashes, while the other districts had about 1.2. So a crash in CB1 was more than twice as likely to kill someone.
Sammy's Law is named after Sammy Cohen-Eckstein, a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a car in 2012. It lets the city lower speed limits on its own, Williamsburg365 reported when the board first voted.
"Today, we join together in calling for a broader, district-wide implementation," the letter says. The officials also asked DOT to start with the districts that have the most deadly crashes.
The Comptroller's office found that the 17 districts had 22,490 crashes, 60 deaths and 11,644 serious injuries in 2025 alone. CB1 is also one of 23 boards that asked the city to remove parking spots at corners, so drivers and people walking can see each other better.
The city has been allowed to make these changes for more than a year, but has done very little. Only about 2 percent of the streets that could be lowered to 20 mph have been, Transportation Alternatives says, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has told DOT to put 15 mph limits on streets right next to schools.
DOT spokesperson Mona Bruno said the agency is looking at the letter. "The Mamdani administration is committed to reducing speed limits within entire neighborhoods or other defined zones throughout the five boroughs," she said. She added that the city has already put in hundreds of 15 mph school zones and wants 800 by the end of the year.
DOT did not say which neighborhoods would get the lower limit first, or when. Under the rules, DOT has to email a community board 60 days before it changes a speed limit.
Williamsburg 36516 hours agoNearly 60,000 runners are expected to take to the streets of New York City on Sunday, November 1, for the annual TCS New York City Marathon, bringing major road closures, traffic disruptions, and travel restrictions throughout Brooklyn and the rest of the city.
The 26.2-mile race will begin on Staten Island, with runners crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn before continuing through all five boroughs and finishing in Manhattan's Central Park.
Although the marathon route does not pass directly through Boro Park, residents traveling through nearby neighborhoods should prepare for significant traffic disruptions, particularly along Fourth Avenue and major routes connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island.
In Williamsburg, the marathon will pass directly through the neighborhood, with Bedford Avenue and surrounding streets along the race route closed to regular traffic. The closures are expected to affect local drivers, businesses, and residents throughout much of Sunday.
The route continues through Greenpoint before crossing the Pulaski Bridge into Queens, with additional restrictions expected along connecting streets.
Among the major closures will be the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn, Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, and the Pulaski Bridge. Additional closures will affect portions of Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx.
The first race division is scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m., with professional runners and additional waves starting throughout the morning. The final wave of runners is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m.
City officials say numerous street and bridge closures will be in effect from approximately 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., although some restrictions may begin earlier or remain in place longer depending on the location and race operations.
For Williamsburg residents, a designated pedestrian crossing zone will be available at Bedford Avenue and Broadway, allowing pedestrians to cross the marathon route under controlled conditions.
The NYPD will be stationed along the course to manage traffic, maintain security, and assist with pedestrian crossings. Drivers should expect detours and additional congestion on surrounding streets as traffic is redirected away from the marathon route.
The annual event is one of the largest marathons in the world, drawing runners and spectators from across the globe. This year's race marks the 50th anniversary of the marathon's five-borough course.
Residents planning to travel on Sunday, particularly between Brooklyn and Staten Island or through Williamsburg, are advised to allow additional travel time, consider alternate routes, and check updated traffic advisories before heading out.
Williamsburg 3652 days ago
Williamsburg 3652 days agoThat crispness in the air means New York City’s “heat season” is starting.
Starting Oct. 1 each year, landlords are required to keep apartments at 68 degrees during the day when it drops below 55 degrees outside, and at 62 degrees at night no matter how warm it is outside. The rule runs every year until May 31.
Still, every year hundreds of thousands of tenants complain that their landlord never turned the heat on, or kept it too low. Many of those complaints come from city-owned buildings.
Last winter was the busiest heat season ever. From October 2025 through May 2026, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) received 344,437 heat complaints, up 22 percent from the year before, The Real Deal reported. The city’s latest management report says HPD handled more than 188,000 heat and hot water problems. During a long cold spell in January, tenants made more “no heat” calls than in any month before. On Feb. 8 alone, the city received 6,144 heat complaints, the most ever in one day. Several people died in the cold.
But last year, some tenants who asked for help never got it. The city closed tens of thousands of complaints without sending an inspector. Officials would group many complaints from the same building together and close them all at once, without checking if each apartment actually had heat.
one person and ask them how the heat was, and if that person had their stove going or their space heater, they might say, ‘Yeah, I think it’s fine.’ And everyone else was shivering, but they just closed down the complaint with no inspection,” said Ellen Davidson, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Civil Law Reform Unit.
“So even though there might be 100 people in the building who were freezing, if they reached the one person who was fine, that was the end of the inquiry,” Davidson said.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration said in its housing plan that it will change that.
Starting this heat season, HPD will try to inspect every apartment that files a heat or hot water complaint, even when the whole building has no heat. Before, the agency only checked some of the apartments in a building with many complaints.
To do it, HPD has added staff. It now has 320 inspectors, about 11 percent more than five years ago, with more coming under the mayor’s Block-by-Block housing plan, HPD Commissioner Dina Levy said
Levy said the agency will look closely at buildings, help owners with repairs
The city is also pushing owners to use the J-51 tax break, which helps pay for heating and energy upgrades. The City Council renewed it for 10 years and raised it to cover up to 100 percent of reasonable costs, up from 70 percent.
“We have new tax abatement programs, we have new capital programs where we can actually make loans to help landlords address conditions,” Levy said. “Landlords who want to do right by their tenants and their buildings should consider HPD an ally and consider our doors open to assist them however they need”
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Williamsburg 3653 days agoTwo U.S. Postal Service employees assigned to the East New York Post Office in Brooklyn have been indicted on charges of stealing checks from mail they were supposed to deliver, taking nearly $15,000 intended for residents.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the charges alongside officials from the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The defendants were identified as Nicole Bernard, 41, of East Flatbush, and Kenisha Hazzard, 30, of Brownsville. Both were employed as mail carriers at the East New York Station on Atlantic Avenue.
Bernard stole four checks between March 2023 and January 2024, depositing some into bank accounts connected to her. The checks totaled $12,465.80.
Hazzard stole seven checks between October 6 and October 31, 2023, and deposited them into her personal bank account. Those checks totaled $2,487.75.
The alleged thefts affected 10 victims, with total losses of $14,953.55.
“The defendants in this case were entrusted to deliver mail, including checks, safely to residents of East New York,” District Attorney Gonzalez said, adding that they allegedly took advantage of that responsibility to enrich themselves.
Williamsburg 3653 days agoThe Dushinsky Rebbe, who is visiting the United States for the wedding of a shared grandchild with the Satmar Rebbe, visited the new Chaveirim of Williamsburg headquarters at 98 Lorimer Street yesterday, where he took part in a Kvias Mezuzah and l’chaim.
The new headquarters has been serving as Chaveirim’s base on a limited scale over the past several months. With additional sections now completed, the facility is preparing to serve as the organization’s full-time headquarters.
During the visit, the Rebbe heard a report on Chaveirim’s activities and the assistance it provides to residents throughout Williamsburg, along with an overview of the expanded facilities.
Williamsburg 3653 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
The new edition of Dee Voch features extensive coverage of major events that took place over the past week, including the gatherings of the worldwide Torah initiative Veshinantam in Eretz Yisroel and the United States; event for Dirshu learners; the Satmar Rebbe’s opening-the-zman drasha for talmidim of the yeshiva gedola; the yahrtzeit of Ruzhiner Rebbe; and the Bobover Rebbe’s farewell to Bobov bochurim from Eretz Yisroel; the wedding of a grandson of the Rachmastrivka Rebbe; the Bobov-45 Rebbe’s opening-the-zman drasha for yeshiva talmidim; the tena’im of a grandson of the Satmar Rebbe; Governor Kathy Hochul’s visits with the Satmar and Skverer Rebbes; the Stutchiner Rebbe’s visit to Eretz Yisroel; and a hachnosas sefer Torah held in honor of the Zidichover Rebbe.
This week’s Shrift features an in-depth feature presenting candid conversations with five prominent askanim who share, for the first time, their personal experiences of being attacked and persecuted simply for their work on behalf of the community.
The Business Shrift feature highlights R’ Eliezer Levin, who built Elvy Developers into a company that guides clients through every stage of the home-building process, from the initial decision to purchase a property all the way until they move into their completed home.
This week’s Fink Magazine feature explores the difference between helping others for personal benefit and performing acts of kindness with genuine selflessness. Through a conversation between saleswomen in a store, the story highlights the contrast between these two approaches to chesed, drawing a connection to the mesiras nefesh of Mama Rochel.
The Kinder Shrift is filled with exciting and educational content for children of all ages!
Get your copy at grocery stores and local retailers, or subscribe via WhatsApp or the website!
Williamsburg 3653 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
New York City has completed its expansion of red light cameras to 600 intersections across the five boroughs, reaching the maximum number allowed under state law.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the completion, saying the cameras have helped reduce dangerous driving and prevent serious crashes.
According to city data, red light running was involved in 22% of fatal crashes at intersections between 2023 and 2025. At locations with red light cameras, running red lights has dropped by more than 80%.
The cameras have also been linked to fewer injuries. Since installation, injuries from rear-end crashes at camera-equipped intersections have declined by nearly 60%, while injuries from T-bone crashes have dropped by 70%.
Most drivers caught running red lights do not repeatedly violate the law. In 2025, 95% of vehicles receiving red light camera violations were issued no more than one or two tickets, while fewer than 0.7% received five or more violations.
The cameras are placed at intersections based on factors including past crashes and injuries involving drivers who run red lights. About 39% of red light camera violations are issued to vehicles registered outside New York City.
The expansion was made possible by state legislation passed in 2024 that increased the number of cameras the city could install.
Williamsburg 3654 days agoTenants at 420 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg are suing their landlord, Spitzer Enterprises. The company is run by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The tenants say they were charged more rent than the law allows.
The suit was filed Wednesday, Oct. 14, Patch reported. The building sits on the waterfront at Kent Avenue and South 8th Street. It has 857 apartments.
Some of the apartments are rent-stabilized. That means the rent can only go up by a set amount each year. In the last 10 years, the city never allowed more than 3.25 percent on a one-year lease.
Some tenants did not pay the full listed rent. The company gave one to four free months on some new leases, which made the real rent lower, The tenants say the company added each rent increase to the higher listed rent, not to the lower rent they actually paid. A 2019 state law says the increase has to be based on the lower rent.
Aaron Carr, head of the tenant group Housing Rights Initiative, led the tenants' effort. He said renters could be owed about $30 million going back to 2020, That is his estimate. No court has ruled.
Spitzer said he will fight the case. He said his company plans to "litigate the case hard," and that the suit came out of the blue, We'll have to see how this plays out, He also told the paper that before the 2019 law, landlords often gave free months and based the raises on the full rent.
About 20 percent of the apartments are affordable. They were given out through city housing lotteries, 6sqft reported in 2019. The first lottery was for 65 apartments. A second lottery that year was for 121 more, for households earning 60 percent of the area median income. Rents in that one started at $867 a month for a studio and went up to $1,123 for a two-bedroom, 6sqft said.
Spitzer bought the 2.8-acre site, where the Kedem Winery once stood, for $165 million in 2014, Hoodline reported. He built the rent-stabilized apartments using the 421a tax break, a city program that has since ended
Assemblymember Emily Gallagher said other buildings have the same problem. "This is not the only building where this is happening," she said, according to Patch.
The law firm that filed the case, Newman Ferrara, has sued at least 12 landlords over the same issue since August, Most of these suits are signed by Roger Sachar, a partner at the firm, the paper said. The firm has also sued the owners of a Douglaston Development rental in Williamsburg, as well as Blackstone and Black Spruce Management.
No court date has been reported. A judge will decide if the rent increases broke the law
Williamsburg 3654 days agoYisroel R.
Williamsburg residents should be aware that a film production will set off a planned explosion and large fireball today in the area of Washington Avenue and Flushing Avenue.
The filming will take place between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and will include an explosion effect that will send a fireball approximately 20 feet into the air.
Residents in the area should not be alarmed if they hear an explosion or see a large fire, as it will be part of the film production and not an actual emergency.
FDNY will be on the scene during the filming to make sure the explosion and fire are carried out safely.
Residents and drivers in the area should be prepared for activity surrounding the production while filming is underway.
Williamsburg 3654 days agoIn a major development just days before the election, both leaders of the Satmar communities in Williamsburg, Rabbi David Niederman and Rabbi Moshe Indig, are endorsing Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for re-election.
Rabbi David Niederman, executive director of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, and Rabbi Moshe Indig, executive vice president of the JCC of Williamsburg, officially endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for re-election, Letitia James for attorney general and Tom DiNapoli for state comptroller.
That puts the united Williamsburg bloc vote behind the Democratic slate ahead of the November election.
The endorsements come after years of working together between the Hochul administration and the Williamsburg Jewish community. The governor has also kept in close touch with local elected officials and askonim.
In September, Gov. Hochul joined Rabbi Niederman in Williamsburg to open a new kosher food pantry run with the Met Council before Rosh Hashanah. Attorney General James was also there. "We owe it to the governor, providing resources to our community to be able to deliver much needed social services and food," Rabbi Niederman said at the event.
“Governor Hochul has earned our support by delivering on issues that matter deeply to families: ensuring the continuation and independence of religious education, championing tougher penalties for hate crimes and antisemitism, strengthening protections for our schools and communities, expanding access to child care, and helping parents afford tuition. She listens to our community and follows through with action”
“I am proud to join fellow Williamsburg community leaders in endorsing Governor Hochul and our longtime friends, Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. We value their partnership and urge every eligible voter to make their voice heard”
“We have hakaras hatov, Rabbi Moshe Indig said. We remember who stands beside us, who has our community's back when it counts, and who our friends are that we can always count on. Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli have been those friends, and now we stand with them. We ask every eligible voter to show up for them at the ballot box. They have earned it”
Hochul faces Republican Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, in the race for governor. James is running against Republican Saritha Komatireddy. DiNapoli faces Republican Joseph Hernandez.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Early voting runs from Saturday, Oct. 24, to Sunday, Nov. 1.
Williamsburg 3654 days agoWilliamsburg will get a new member of Congress this year. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who has served in Congress since 1993, is not running again. Voters will choose her replacement on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting starts this Saturday, Oct. 24.
Much of Hasidic Williamsburg is in the 7th Congressional District. That includes blocks around Kent Avenue, Lee Avenue, Bedford Avenue, Division Avenue, Wallabout Street and Flushing Avenue. The district also covers Greenpoint, Bushwick and parts of Queens, including Long Island City
Three names are on the ballot, according to the state Board of Elections. Assemblymember Claire Valdez is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines. Melvin Rivera is running on the Republican and Conservative lines. Priscilla Ghaznavi is running on the Our Future line.
Valdez, a democratic socialist backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, won the Democratic primary in June with 39,626 votes. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso received 25,127, according to the city Board of Elections. That’s a gap of about 14,500 votes, based on the board’s numbers.
Chasidic Williamsburg voted the other way. Before the primary, leaders from Satmar, Pupa, Vizhnitz, Skver, Klausenburg and other groups backed Reynoso, Williamsburg365 reported on June 8. Rabbi David Niederman said Reynoso “has built a strong relationship with our community.”
The results showed it. In eight voting districts around Kent, Lee, Bedford and Division avenues and Wallabout Street, Flushing, Marcy and Harrison Harrison Avenues Reynoso won overwhelmingly, according to city Board of Elections results for those districts.
Since winning the primary, Democratic nominee Claire Valdez has met several times with Williamsburg leaders and promised to work side by side with the community on issues affecting residents
She attended and addressed a Williamsburg Shomrim appreciation event, met with the United Jewish Organizations board and Rabbi David Niederman, and attended a sukkah event hosted by Rabbi Moishe Indig
Rivera, the Republican candidate, was born and raised in Bushwick. He has worked as a community activist and tenant organizer for more than 30 years.
The Federal Election Commission lists Ghaznavi as an independent.
Valdez has a big fundraising lead. Her campaign raised about $1.89 million and had about $139,000 left at the end of September, according to the FEC. Ghaznavi raised about $40,000 through Oct. 14, including a $30,000 loan she made to her own campaign, FEC records show. The FEC website shows no money reported by Rivera’s campaign.
The seat leans heavily Democratic. Velázquez won it in 2024 with 78.1 percent of the vote, and the Cook Political Report rates the race “Solid D.”
Early voting runs from Saturday, Oct. 24, to Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the city Board of Elections. Most days, polling sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, and Wednesday, Oct. 28, hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Thursday, Oct. 29, hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On Election Day, Nov. 3, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Williamsburg 3654 days agoThe city wants to put bus lanes and protected bike lanes on DeKalb Avenue and Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn. Some residents say it will take away hundreds of parking spots.
The Department of Transportation plans to start the work this fall. That is according to a plan DOT showed Community Board 3 on Sept. 8. The lanes would run on DeKalb from Flatbush Avenue to Broadway, and on Lafayette from Fulton Street to Broadway. That is almost six miles of street,
The route goes through Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant. It ends at Broadway, where Bed-Stuy meets Bushwick, not far from Williamsburg.
DOT says the main goal is a faster B38 bus. The bus has 18,000 riders on an average day, DOT says. The city wants trips to be about 20 percent faster, the Daily News reported. DOT also says the streets are dangerous. Since 2021, 841 people were hurt in crashes on the two avenues, 47 of them badly, and one person was killed, according to the DOT plan.
The big worry for drivers is parking. On most of the route, the curb on one side will turn into a bus lane from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. No parking there during those hours. Cars can park there again at night and on weekends, the Daily News reported. On the other side, parked cars will move out from the curb, with the bike lane between them and the sidewalk.
Some blocks get hit harder. On DeKalb between Cumberland Street and Flatbush Avenue, one parking lane will be gone for good. It will become a bus lane that runs day and night, the paper said. On Lafayette between Marcy Avenue and Patchen Avenue, there will be no parking at all except at night and on weekends.
Local residents claim the plan will take away hundreds of parking spots. One resident says "this will take away 100's of parking spots."
Opponents claim half the daytime parking will go. A flyer was left on parked cars on Lafayette Avenue
A flyer was left on parked cars on Lafayette Avenue says "50% of daytime parking gone on affected blocks." The flyer does not say who made it.
DOT has not said how many spots will be lost. Its plans shown to Community Boards 2 and 3 do not give a number.
A petition started by a local resident asks DOT to change the plan before work starts. Its wording is much like the flyer. It says residents "have not been provided with a clear block-by-block analysis" of how many spots will go. The petition says its signers want better buses and safer bike lanes too. It had 464 signatures on Tuesday.
DOT says most people near the avenues do not drive. About 62 percent of homes within a quarter mile do not own a car
Both local City Council members support the plan, Streetsblog reported. Council Member Crystal Hudson asked DOT to keep "limited disruptions" for businesses, schools and houses of worship during the work. Council Member Chi Ossé said he will "listen to our community's feedback."
DOT says the lanes go in this fall. The city will watch how they work over the winter. In spring 2027, DOT plans to look at more changes
Williamsburg 3654 days agoWhen New York Governor Kathy Hochul came to the Bais Rochel girls' school in Kiryas Yoel, the renowned Rentastic Party Rental company was there first. Rentastic's crews prepared thousands of chairs, stages, and all the accessories needed to welcome the Governor in grand fashion.
The setup turned the school grounds into a full-scale event venue. Everything was in place and ready well before the Governor's arrival.
The Governor's visit drew a large crowd of Bais Rochel students. The girls came out in force to show their support for Governor Hochul, who is currently running for re-election.
Rows upon rows of seating filled the grounds, facing a stage built for the occasion. The arrangement gave every student a clear view and lent the visit the dignity befitting a governor's appearance in the community.
An event of this size leaves no room for error. A visit from the Governor means tight timing, security requirements, and a crowd of thousands that must be seated in an orderly way.
Rentastic handled the full setup from start to finish:
Seating: thousands of chairs, arranged in neat rows for the students
Staging: a stage built for the Governor and the program
Gates and accessories: barriers, gates, and every other item needed to keep the event running smoothly
When the program ended, Rentastic's team cleared the grounds just as efficiently as they had set them up.
Rentastic Party Rental has become a trusted name for event setups across the community. From weddings and simchas to school events and large public gatherings, Rentastic brings the equipment, the experience, and the manpower to get it done right.
The Governor's visit to Kiryas Yoel is the latest example. Whether the guest of honor is a governor or a chosson and kallah, Rentastic is the address for seamless, hassle-free event setups.
Rentastic serves customers throughout the Tri-State area, with fast delivery to the Catskills as well.
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Williamsburg 3655 days agoYisroel R.
Four people were injured after a multi-vehicle crash near Williamsburg sent a car crashing through the fence of a playground on Sunday morning.
The crash occurred shortly after 9 a.m. near Vandervoort Avenue and Anthony Street in Greenpoint, near Sgt. William Dougherty Playground.
According to police, the crash began when a driver struck another vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and collide with two additional vehicles. A white Mercedes-Benz them went crashing through the playground fence and coming to rest on a damaged concrete barrier.
Four people sustained injuries in the crash, including two who were transported to Woodhull Hospital for treatment. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.
The driver believed to have caused the initial crash fled the scene. NYPD is investigating the incident.
Williamsburg 3655 days agoFamilies in Williamsburg and nearby neighborhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick and Clinton Hill who heat their homes with electricity could pay about $3,300 to get through the winter, more than four times the roughly $790 it would cost with natural gas, according to a new estimate from the Empire Center for Public Policy.
Heating an average New York home from October to March would cost about $790 with natural gas, about $1,100 with a heat pump, and about $3,300 with electric resistance heat, such as baseboard heaters. The estimate is for the whole state, not Brooklyn alone.
Why is electricity so expensive? New York home electricity prices are 63 percent above the national average and 14 percent higher than a year ago, according to the Empire Center. Residential natural gas prices are 17 percent above the national average and 7 percent higher than last year.
Con Edison, which supplies power to Williamsburg, says two things are pushing bills up. First, the power itself costs more. Con Ed buys electricity on the open market and passes that cost straight to customers. Second, delivering it costs more. The state approved a three-year rate plan in January so Con Ed can pay for grid upgrades, to protect against storms and to handle more demand as people switch to electric heat and electric cars.
The war with Iran, which began in February, has also pushed up energy prices, mostly oil and gasoline.
The issue matters in Williamsburg, where many newer buildings have gone up in recent years. Under New York City's Local Law 154, most new buildings seven stories or shorter must be all-electric starting in 2024, with taller buildings following in 2027. That means families moving into new construction in the area may have no gas heat option.
The Empire Center based its estimate on last year's natural gas and electricity prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and on weather data from NYSERDA, the state energy agency. It assumes a home needs 40 MMBtu of heat for the season. It does not include the cost of buying and installing a heat pump, which can run from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
"Replacing natural gas with electricity for home heating could add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to New Yorkers' energy bills," said Zilvinas Silenas, president of the Empire Center.
For large families in the area, who often live in bigger apartments, a higher heating bill can add up quickly.
Silenas called on state lawmakers and candidates to say clearly whether they plan to push New Yorkers to switch from gas to electric heat.
Williamsburg 3655 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
If you want a say in what happens in your neighborhood, now’s your chance. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso has opened applications for residents to join Brooklyn’s 18 community boards.
Community boards are made up of volunteers who live, work, or have a significant interest in the community. They weigh in on local issues ranging from housing developments and public transportation to liquor licenses, sanitation, city services and more. Brooklyn has 18 community boards, each with up to 50 members.
Anyone age 16 or older who lives, works, or has a significant interest in a community can apply. Board members attend monthly meetings from September through June and are required to serve on a committee and attend its meetings. The expected time commitment is approximately six to eight hours per month.
The application process includes submitting an online application explaining your background and interest in serving, followed by a brief virtual conversation with a member of the Borough President’s team.
Borough President Reynoso is encouraging residents from across Brooklyn to get involved and help ensure that community boards reflect the people and neighborhoods they serve.
Applications are open through February 8, 2027.
To learn more and apply, visit brooklynbp.nyc.gov/community-boards.
Williamsburg 3655 days agoMayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the school districts that will receive the next 10,000 2-K seats in fall 2027, according to a press release from the Office of the Mayor.
The seats will expand the program across all five boroughs, including six school districts in Brooklyn, every Bronx school district and all of Staten Island.
“For far too many New York City families, the joy of welcoming a child comes with a terrifying set of questions,” said Mayor Mamdani. “How will I afford child care? Will I need to give up my job? Will I be forced to leave the city I love? Today, for more than 10,000 families, we have an answer.”
In Brooklyn, the new seats will go to six school districts. District 16 covers Bedford-Stuyvesant, including Stuyvesant Heights, and parts of northern Crown Heights and Ocean Hill. District 17 covers Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Wingate, Prospect Heights, Flatbush and East Flatbush, and parts of Erasmus, Farragut, Rugby, Remsen Village, Ocean Hill and Brownsville. District 19 covers East New York, New Lots, Cypress Hills, City Line, Spring Creek and Starrett City, and parts of Ocean Hill, Brownsville and Canarsie.
District 20 covers Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton, Dyker Heights and Bath Beach, and parts of Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Sunset Park, Kensington, Gravesend, Mapleton/western Midwood and western Flatbush. District 21 covers Coney Island, Sea Gate, Brighton Beach, Gravesend, Homecrest, Mapleton/Ocean Parkway and Midwood, and parts of Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Madison and western Flatbush. District 32 covers Bushwick and parts of East Williamsburg and northern Bedford-Stuyvesant.
*For Orthodox Jewish families in Williamsburg, the news is mixed. Most of the community, in School Districts 13 and 14, is not included in the new 2-K seats. Only the eastern edge of the community, roughly between Myrtle and DeKalb Avenues east of Throop Avenue, falls in District 16 and will get seats*
Elsewhere in Brooklyn, Districts 20 and 21 include parts of Borough Park, Midwood, Madison and Flatbush, and District 17 includes Crown Heights.
The expansion follows the launch of 2,000 2-K seats in five school districts around New York City, including Brooklyn’s Districts 18 and 23, beginning in fall 2026. Families submitted more than 5,700 applications for seats across those five districts.
The 2-K expansion is designed to provide early childhood education and child care for eligible 2-year-olds, and it is not limited to traditional public school classrooms.
According to the announcement, services will be offered through center-based child care programs and licensed family child care programs, using full-day, full-year operating models. Participating providers may include eligible private early childhood centers and child care programs that contract with NYC Public Schools.
Families whose children attend, or plan to attend, private, Jewish, parochial or other non-public schools may still be able to benefit from the program. However, the free 2-K seats will not automatically cover tuition at every private school. Families will need to apply for a seat with a participating provider and meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
The announcement does not yet establish that every private or non-public school will participate. Families should check whether their preferred provider is approved to offer 2-K services as more details become available.
The next 10,000 seats will be backed by a $1.2 billion state investment, advancing the vision of universal child care for children from six weeks to five years old.
“Generations of parents have had to contend with the stress of child care costs in this state and state,” Hochul said. “But thanks to our partnership with Mayor Mamdani, that’s changing.”
In preparation for fall 2027, the city will release a survey for providers that currently contract with NYC Public Schools, along with a Request for Information for new providers interested in offering 2-K services.
More information about the fall 2027 application timeline for families is expected to be announced in the coming weeks
Williamsburg 3656 days agoWliamsburg is mourning the sudden petirah of Reb Shlomo Moshe Pinkasowitz, z"l, a longtime Williamsburg resident and a respected mispallel at the Vizhnitz beis medrash on Lee Avenue. He was niftar suddenly on Shabbos at the age of 75.
Reb Shlomo Moshe lived in Williamsburg for many years before moving to Monsey about three years ago. He was one of the important mispallelim at the Vizhnitz beis medrash on Lee Avenue, where he davened and joined the tish by the Rebbe shlita.
This Shabbos he was back in Williamsburg for a family simcha. He stayed at the tish on leil Shabbos until the end. On Shabbos, moments after getting up, he suddenly collapsed and was niftar.
He was a son of Reb Pinchas a"h, one of the elder chassidim of Vizhnitz, a son-in-law of Reb Moshe Nechemya Shtroibl of Sanz-Klausenburg, and a brother of Kaser Village Mayor Eli Pinkasowitz.
The levaya was held in Williamsburg on Motzaei Shabbos. A levaya also took place in Monsey on Sunday at 1:30 PM.
Yehi zichro boruch.
Williamsburg 3656 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Citi Bike has completed an expansion bringing more than 230 new stations and 3,700 bike docks to seven neighborhoods across the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.
The expansion adds service to Norwood, Riverdale, Brownsville, East New York, Kensington, Bay Ridge and Forest Hills, including areas that previously had limited or no Citi Bike access.
In Brooklyn, the new stations serve Bay Ridge, Brownsville, East New York and Kensington. Since the first Bay Ridge stations opened last September, riders have taken more than 75,000 trips from the neighborhood.
The expansion adds about 10 square miles to Citi Bike’s service area, bringing its total coverage to 86.5 square miles. The system now reaches areas where 62% of New York City residents live.
More docks are also planned for this fall in neighborhoods already served by Citi Bike, including Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Gowanus, as well as Midtown and Chelsea.
Williamsburg 3656 days agoYisroel R.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made clear that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch will remain in her position, despite growing demands from his own political allies to remove her following a controversial shooting involving federal immigration agents.
The relationship has come under renewed pressure following an October 8 shooting by federal immigration agents in Marble Hill, which sparked protests and criticism of the NYPD’s response. Members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the political movement that helped elect Mamdani, have demanded Tisch’s removal, accusing the department of assisting federal immigration authorities and mistreating protesters.
However, Mamdani made clear Tuesday that he has no intention of replacing her. “Jessica Tisch is the police commissioner. I have no plans to change that,” the mayor told reporters, praising her record of fighting corruption within the NYPD and overseeing declining crime rates. The two later appeared together at a ceremony honoring fallen police officers.
The mayor’s continued support for Tisch is particularly interesting given their political differences and the unusual relationship the two have maintained since Mamdani took office.
Tisch, who was appointed by former Mayor Eric Adams in November 2024, was retained by Mamdani when he took office in January. The decision created an unusual political partnership between a mayor known for his outspoken criticism of Israel and a Jewish police commissioner who has publicly expressed her personal connection to the matter.
Tisch has also spoken openly about her Jewish identity. During an August appearance at a Manhattan synagogue following an antisemitic attack, she described herself as a “proud Jew” and promised that the NYPD would continue protecting Jewish New Yorkers. She has also spoken about her family’s experiences with growing antisemitism.
The mayor’s continued support for Tisch highlights a striking political relationship in City Hall, where two officials with sharply different positions on Israel and policing have continued working together despite growing pressure from Mamdani’s political base.
photo: Kara McCurdy/Mayoral Photography Office
Williamsburg 3657 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Monday will bring a mix of sunshine and clouds, with a high of 63° and a low of 52°.
Tuesday will be pleasant, with periods of sunshine and clouds throughout the day. Temperatures will reach a high of 69° and drop to a low of 52°.
Wednesday will start off breezy, but otherwise it will be a pleasant day with plenty of sunshine. The high will reach 65°, with a low of 50°.
Thursday will bring plenty of sunshine, with a high of 61° and a low of 51°.
Williamsburg 3657 days agoFor thousands of Williamsburg residents, the daily commute to work starts at the Marcy Avenue or Hewes Street subway stations.
On five weekends this fall, they will have to find another way to get around.
The MTA is replacing 29-year-old track switches near the Marcy Avenue station. No J or M trains will run between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Delancey Street-Essex Street on the weekends of October 17–18, October 24–25, and November 7, 14 and 21.
Free shuttle buses will run between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Delancey Street-Essex Street. The J will run only between Jamaica Center and Myrtle Avenue-Broadway, while M trains will not run in Williamsburg.
Weekday riders will feel the impact, too. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., J trains will stop at every station along the route between Marcy Avenue and Myrtle Avenue-Broadway, so midday trips will take longer. This change will remain in effect until November 20.
The switches were installed in 1997 and help trains move between tracks.
“This switch replacement is needed because these switches are 29 years old,” said Heather Ferguson, a senior vice president at New York City Transit.
The MTA says riders can use other lines, including the L at Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues, the A, C or L at Broadway Junction, and the 4, 5 or 6 for Lower Manhattan.
Regular service is expected to resume in late November
Williamsburg 3657 days agoNew York City has spent approximately one-third of 2026 under a Flash Flood Emergency activation, according to a striking statement released by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The figure means that for roughly one out of every three days this year, the city has been operating under an emergency preparedness activation related to the threat of flash flooding.
The unusually high number highlights the growing challenges New York City faces from heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread street flooding, particularly in densely populated neighborhoods where drainage systems can quickly become overwhelmed.
Flash flooding has become a major concern across the five boroughs, with heavy downpours capable of turning streets into temporary waterways, flooding basements, disrupting traffic, and overwhelming portions of the city's sewer infrastructure.
In its statement, NYC Water said the frequency of emergency activations has prompted closer coordination between city agencies and Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration.
The agency said officials are working together on a citywide approach to protecting neighborhoods ahead of future major storms, emphasizing the need for preparation before severe weather strikes.
Much of New York City's drainage infrastructure was built decades ago, and some areas rely on combined sewer systems that carry both rainwater and wastewater. During intense storms, the volume of water can exceed the system's capacity, increasing the risk of flooding and sewer backups.
The city has been pursuing drainage improvements and flood-resilience projects, but the latest statement underscores how frequently officials have had to prepare for potentially dangerous rainfall conditions.
Importantly, a Flash Flood Emergency activation does not necessarily mean flooding occurred on every one of those days. Rather, it indicates that the city activated its emergency preparedness procedures in response to the potential threat.
Still, the fact that New York City has spent approximately a third of the year under such activations illustrates just how significant flash flooding has become as a concern for city officials.
Williamsburg 3657 days agoRents in Brooklyn went up again in September, while the number of apartments on the market fell to its lowest point in years, according to new numbers from real estate firm Corcoran. In Williamsburg, the squeeze is even tighter.
The median asking rent in Brooklyn was $4,300 a month, 5% more than in September last year. In August, it hit a record $4,368. Only 3,428 apartments were listed for rent across the borough at the end of September, 25% fewer than a year ago and the lowest September count since 2022.
City Comptroller Mark Levine shared the report on Thursday. “We desperately need to build more housing, and especially more affordable housing,” he wrote.
In Williamsburg, the number of apartments for rent has fallen faster than in the rest of the borough. Listing data shows 2,043 Williamsburg apartments listed in September 2024. A year later, there were 1,780. This September, there were 1,334. That is about a third fewer in two years.
Rents rose at the same time. The median asking rent in Williamsburg was $4,500 in September 2024, $4,930 in September 2025 and $5,041 this September, up 12% in two years.
Larger apartments, the kind Chasidic families need, went up the most. A three-bedroom apartment rented for about $2,800 to $3,600 a month in 2024. In 2026, it goes for about $3,200 to $4,200, an increase of roughly $500 a month. A four-bedroom apartment went from about $3,300 to $4,200 in 2024 to about $3,800 to $5,000 in 2026, roughly $650 more a month. That is approximately $6,000 more per year for a three-bedroom and $7,800 more per year for a four-bedroom.
The median asking rent for a Williamsburg apartment with three or more bedrooms was $5,800 two years ago. This September, it was $6,990, a jump of about 20%. Two-bedroom apartments rose about 18%, from $4,650 to $5,500. One-bedrooms went from $4,195 to $4,680, about 12% more. Studios barely moved, from $3,800 to $3,950.
Corcoran’s report, which tracks apartments that were actually rented, splits the neighborhood in two. In North Williamsburg, the average rent rose 4% from a year ago, to $5,929. In the area Corcoran calls South Williamsburg, the average was $5,299, about 2% lower than last year. Only 52 leases were signed there in September, down from 64. That number may include newer buildings near the waterfront and not only the Chasidic area.
Greenpoint saw an even bigger jump in family-size apartments. The median asking rent for apartments with three or more bedrooms there went from $5,695 in September 2024 to $7,800 this September, up 37%. Overall, the Greenpoint median rose about 11% in two years, from $4,400 to $4,900, while the number of listings fell from 688 to 576.
Across Brooklyn, the two-year picture shows the same direction. The median asking rent for the whole borough was $3,548 in September 2024, $3,800 a year later and $3,945 now, about 11% higher. The number of listings dropped from 13,421 to 10,758, about 20% fewer. Demand has not slowed. Corcoran said 1,407 leases were signed in Brooklyn in September, the most for any September since 2020.
Rents in southern Brooklyn are much lower, but most are rising there too. In Flatbush, the median asking rent was $2,900 two years ago and $3,199 this September, up about 10%. In Midwood, it went from $2,750 to $2,845, about 3% higher over two years, though it rose 6% in the past year alone. The number of Midwood listings fell from 217 to 176.
Borough Park saw less movement. The median asking rent was $2,600 in September 2024 and dipped to $2,395 last year. This year, a three-bedroom apartment there goes for about $2,750 to $3,800, and a four-bedroom for about $4,500. But very few apartments in Borough Park are listed right now, only 44 last month, so the numbers can swing from month to month.
Corcoran’s figures for the south of the borough show the average rent at $3,238 in September, about 1% lower than a year ago.
illustration photo: Shutterstock
Williamsburg 3659 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Today will be warm and increasingly windy, with a high of 76° and a low of 51°. Expect considerable cloudiness and rising humidity, along with a couple of showers into the early afternoon. A rumble of thunder is also possible.
Shabbos will bring a big change, with temperatures dropping to a high of 56° and a low of 41°. It will be windy and much cooler, with clouds giving way to sunshine later in the day. Gusty winds will make it feel even chillier, so a warm jacket may come in handy.
Sunday will stay cool, with a high of 58° and a low of 47°, but plenty of sunshine will make for a beautiful fall day.
Williamsburg 3659 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Residents heading to the waterfront near 470 Kent Avenue should be aware of ongoing construction activities that will temporarily affect pedestrian access to parts of the wharf.
Scaffolding installation is currently underway and is scheduled to continue through Saturday, October 17. During this period, the central waterfront access corridor aligned with South 11th Street remains closed to pedestrians.
Visitors can continue accessing the waterfront through the Division Avenue corridor or the Schaefer Landing corridor from Kent Avenue.
Crane loading operations are also continuing, including overnight work scheduled for tonight, Friday, October 16, under an approved 24-hour work permit. Additional crane operations are scheduled for Monday, October 19, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, fencing will be installed along part of Schaefer Landing's upland connection to the river on Monday and Tuesday, October 19 and 20, during regular construction hours.
Residents and visitors are advised to use the available alternative access routes while construction continues.
photo: williamsburgwharf.com
Williamsburg 3659 days agoFor more than 50 years, New York had a big tax break for new apartment buildings. It was called 421-a. The state started it in 1971. A builder who put up new apartments paid little or no property tax on the building for many years, sometimes decades. In return, the rental apartments were rent stabilized, and later versions also required some affordable apartments.
The program was renewed many times. The last version, called “Affordable New York,” started in 2017. It ended on June 15, 2022. Buildings that started before that date can still get the tax break if they are finished by June 15, 2031.
In April 2024, Albany passed a new program called 485-x to replace it. According to the city’s housing department, HPD, rental buildings with 100 or more apartments must make 25% of them affordable. Most buildings with 6 to 99 apartments must make 20% affordable. Under 485-x, the regular apartments are not rent stabilized.
For condo owners in Williamsburg, the biggest change is the tax bill. When a condo has 421-a, the owner pays very little tax at first. As the break runs out, the tax goes up a little every year.
In South Williamsburg, condo taxes have gone up a lot. In the 2022-23 tax year, the average condo there paid about $6,880 a year. For 2026-27 it is about $10,370. That is about 51% more. In 2022, about 4 in 10 of these condos still had a 421-a break. Today about 2 in 10 do.
On Wallabout Street, the average condo tax went from about $7,120 to about $13,710. On Walton Street, from about $6,550 to about $10,750. On Lynch Street, from about $6,940 to about $9,570. On Middleton Street, from about $6,110 to about $9,140. On Lee Avenue, from about $4,790 to about $6,410.
A Williamsburg condo that still has 421-a pays about $3,300 a year on average. Without the break, the same apartment would pay about $16,300. These numbers come from the city’s assessment records, not real tax bills, and they do not include STAR credits or tax appeals.
There are also fewer new condos for sale. New condo sales in Brooklyn dropped 41% from July to September compared to last year, because not many new buildings came on the market. The middle price of a new condo still went up 4%, to $1.361 million.
485-x is harder on Williamsburg than on most of the city. HPD puts Greenpoint, Williamsburg, South Williamsburg and East Williamsburg in “Zone A,” together with Manhattan below 96th Street. In Zone A, a building with 150 or more apartments must pay construction workers at least $76.12 an hour, or 65% of the prevailing wage, whichever is lower. Builders say this makes big buildings too expensive.
Fewer big buildings are being planned. The Real Estate Board of New York said that from April to June 2026, plans were filed for only 9 buildings with 100 or more apartments in the whole city. In the three months before, there were 25. Nineteen projects had exactly 99 apartments, just under the line. The total number of apartments filed dropped 52%.
Most of the big building in Williamsburg today is from projects that started under 421-a. About 40 projects in Brooklyn Community District 1, which covers Williamsburg and Greenpoint, signed up to finish under the old rules. Some have until 2031. Together they plan about 5,300 apartments, and about 1,600 of them are affordable.
Renters in older 421-a buildings should check their lease. According to the city’s Rent Guidelines Board, when the tax break ends, a landlord can take an apartment out of rent stabilization only if the lease and every renewal had a clear notice saying so. If there was no notice, the tenant stays rent stabilized.
Rents keep going up. The middle rent in Brooklyn was $4,300 a month in September 2026, 5% more than a year before. The number of apartments for rent fell 25%. Williamsburg ren…
Williamsburg 36510 days agoResidents of Borinquen Plaza have been dealing with sewage backing up and spilling onto sidewalks and streets for years, and the problem is still not resolved.
The NYCHA complex along Bushwick Avenue is home to nearly 2,000 people, and the number of complaints has continued to climb. City 311 records show 19 sewer and sewage complaints at Borinquen Plaza so far this year, the highest annual total since at least 2010.
On September 28, complaints came in for all 15 buildings at the complex within just 20 minutes. In nine of those cases, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection found no sign of a problem with the city sewer system and suspected the backups were coming from the buildings’ own plumbing.
NYCHA says it is working on a plan to fix a collapsed waste line at 330 Bushwick Avenue. The pipe is in a crawl space that is difficult to access, and a repair attempt in September did not solve the problem.
The issue is set to be discussed at the Community Board 1 meeting later this evening, where NYCHA representatives are invited to explain what has been done so far and provide a timeline for repairs.
Williamsburg 36510 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Most New Yorkers probably have never heard of the Cannonsville Reservoir, but the massive body of water in Delaware County plays an important role in keeping the city’s taps running.
Cannonsville is New York City’s third-largest source of drinking water and holds about 96 billion gallons. Along with the Pepacton and Neversink reservoirs, it is part of the city’s Delaware water system, which supplies about half of the city’s drinking water.
The Delaware River Basin Commission is now conducting an 18-month feasibility study looking at whether Cannonsville could be expanded to store more water. The study will examine how much additional water could be stored, the cost of the project, permitting requirements and the area’s geology and water patterns.
The idea comes after a serious drought in 2024, when New York City issued its first drought warning in more than 20 years. The city’s reservoir system dropped to around 60% capacity, compared with the normal range of roughly the mid-70s to low 80s.
That drought also delayed a major project to repair the Delaware Aqueduct, the system that carries water from the Delaware reservoirs toward New York City. The aqueduct loses about 35 million gallons of water every day through leaks.
Cannonsville has faced severe dry conditions before. More than 20 years ago, the reservoir dropped to just 3.4% of its capacity.
The Delaware River Basin Commission has been studying ways to increase water storage since 2020. Its earlier work looked at more than 2,500 possible options, including expanding existing reservoirs, building new ones and even using former quarries for water storage.
The Cannonsville expansion is now among the options being studied more closely. Any expansion would be a major undertaking involving engineering, environmental reviews, safety considerations and permitting. Officials expect to have the findings by mid-2028.
Williamsburg 36510 days agoThe Village of Airmont is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $4.2 million to install new ADA-compliant sidewalks along Regina Road.
The funding is part of more than $97 million awarded by Governor Kathy Hochul to more than 30 communities across New York State. The awards are being provided through the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and administered by the New York State Department of Transportation. The program supports projects that improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and alternative modes of transportation.
Village of Airmont Mayor Nathan Bubel said, “I thank Governor Hochul for this important investment in Airmont and for her commitment to improving pedestrian safety throughout New York State. The installation of ADA-compliant sidewalks along Regina Road will make it easier and safer for residents to travel through our community while improving accessibility for individuals of all ages and abilities.
“Infrastructure improvements like these are essential to creating safer neighborhoods and ensuring that residents have reliable, accessible ways to get where they need to go. We appreciate the State’s support in helping Airmont make these improvements a reality.”
Deputy Mayor Moses and Trustees Zorger, Friedman, and Toole worked diligently to advance the project and advocate for the needs of Airmont residents. As a result of their efforts, the Village submitted a successful application and received the award.
During Governor Hochul’s recent visit to Rockland County, Village officials had the opportunity to meet with her and discuss Airmont’s infrastructure needs. According to Trustee Zorger, the Governor expressed her commitment to doing everything possible to support the Village.
The Governor has now followed through on that commitment.
On behalf of the Village of Airmont and its residents, the Village extends its sincere appreciation to Governor Kathy Hochul, the New York State Department of Transportation, and everyone who helped make this $4.2 million investment possible.
The funding will help make Regina Road—and the Village of Airmont—a safer and more accessible community for residents, children, seniors, and families for years to come.
Williamsburg 36510 days ago
Williamsburg 36510 days agoYisroel R.
NYC Ferry riders will soon pay more for trips across the city, with the base one-way fare set to increase from $4.50 to $5 beginning Monday, October 19.
Under the new fare structure, the price of a 10-trip pass will rise from $29 to $30, raising the cost by $1 for frequent riders.
Discounted one-way fares will also increase slightly, from $1.45 to $1.50. The reduced fare is available to eligible riders, including participants in the Ferry Discount Program and students enrolled in the NYC Ferry Student Discount Program.
The city is also making its two-day unlimited ticket permanent at $15, allowing riders unlimited trips across all NYC Ferry routes for a 48-hour period.
The fare increase comes as NYC Ferry faces higher operating costs, with city officials pointing to inflation and rising fuel expenses tied to international circumstances as key factors behind the change.
The fare changes come as NYC Ferry expands discounted student access to include middle school students citywide. The broader student eligibility took effect September 1.
The new fares will officially take effect on October 19.
Williamsburg 36510 days agoMore than 200 crashes have been recorded near the BQE exits in Williamsburg and Greenpoint over the past two years, according to state data.
The Manhattan Avenue exit led with 78 crashes, followed by McGuinness Boulevard with 67. Exit 31 at Wythe Avenue had 48, and the Meeker Avenue exit had 30. That is more than four times the state average.
Many are rear-end crashes and sideswipes. Traffic backs up at the lights, forcing drivers to slam on the brakes. Others change lanes at the last minute or cut across lane markings to make the exit.
Help is on the way, but not soon. The New York State Department of Transportation has planned a $9.5 million safety and mobility project for Exit 31 at Wythe Avenue and Williamsburg Street. The project will widen the ramp, add barriers to physically separate traffic, and improve the layout of the intersections at Wythe Avenue and Williamsburg Street West. It will also improve road markings, fix the traffic light, and rebuild nearby sidewalks and crosswalks.
Construction is expected to start in summer 2028 and finish in winter 2028–2029.
Williamsburg 36511 days agophotos: Achim Lanchevsky
Williamsburg 36511 days agoYisroel R.
This week’s Dee Voch is here with another packed edition featuring thousands of photos, fascinating stories, exclusive interviews, and engaging content for the entire family. And now is the perfect time to subscribe, with a special limited-time offer for new subscribers!
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This week’s Dee Voch brings readers an extraordinary collection of thousands of photos capturing the celebration of Yom Tov Sukkos in hundreds of Rebbishe courts around the world, offering a breathtaking look at the special moments and celebrations throughout the Yom Tov.
Among the additional highlights is the engagement celebration of a grandson of the Belzer Rebbe, along with worldwide commemorations of the yahrtzeit of the Chasam Sofer, organized by Heichal HaChasam Sofer.
The magazine also features the celebration of the completion of half of Shas by members of the Pupa community participating in the daily amud learning program, as well as coverage of the levaya of the Dzherka Rebbe, zt”l.
The Shrift takes readers back to the dramatic Hungarian Revolution of 1956, featuring firsthand accounts from elderly Yidden who personally experienced the frightening events that marked the final chapter of efforts to rebuild Hungarian Jewish communities after the Holocaust. R’ Yankel Miller shares warm childhood memories of Hungary, R’ Dovid Aryeh Friedman recalls a dramatic escape, and R’ Pinchas Amram Weiss describes the terrifying days in Liska.
In another fascinating feature, Shrift visits R’ Ronen Rubin in the community of Bar Yochai in the Galil, where an entire wine cellar is hidden beneath the floor of his home, offering readers a unique glimpse into his remarkable collection.
The Business Shrift features an exclusive conversation with R’ Avraham Rosenberg, the entrepreneur behind The Seating Shop, a major custom seating company serving large hotel chains and commercial buildings. Readers will also discover the story behind his retail business, The Chair Spot, which offers a wide variety of chairs and seating options.
The Fink presents three deeply personal and inspiring stories. In one feature, Mrs. Hirsch shares her experiences serving as a mother figure to six children with autism in a specialized home, describing the demanding daily responsibilities and constant care involved, while expressing gratitude to Hashem for being blessed with a healthy child of her own after years of waiting.
Another moving story features Mrs. Chaimowitz, who opens up about the painful challenges her family faced when her son strayed from the path during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shares words of chizuk for parents facing similar struggles, emphasizing the importance of emunah alongside seeking outside support.
In a third feature “Alone in the Ark”, a mother of three shares her family’s decision to live entirely without cellphones. She describes how she and her husband navigate everyday life without modern mobile technology, relying on their natural instincts and recognizing the remarkable hashgacha pratis they encounter along the way.
The Kinder Shrift is packed with exciting stories, colorful illustrations, fun activities, and entertaining features designed especially for children, providing hours of enjoyable and meaningful reading for younger members of the family.
Get your copy at grocery stores and local retailers, or subscribe via WhatsApp or the website!
Williamsburg 36511 days agoYisroel R.
A suspect was arrested last night in Williamsburg after threatening and wielding a knife to others near the intersection of Wythe Avenue and Heyward Street.
Shomrim members observed the individual, kept an eye on his movements, and alerted the NYPD, which responded to the scene and placed the suspect under arrest.
It was not immediately clear what led to the confrontation or whether anyone was harmed during the troubling incident.
Further details regarding the incident remain unclear, as the investigation is ongoing.
Williamsburg 36511 days agoThe well-known Ropo Tires shop at 528 Park Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205, was sold to the Rabsky Group. Ropo Tires has served the Williamsburg community from several different locations over the past 48 years.
The property was purchased in 2012 for just $2.3 million. Thirteen years later, it has sold for $35 million, more than 16 times its original purchase price.
The sellers are the two brothers, well-known askanim and baalei tzedakah v’chesed, R’ Shalom Rosenberg and Rabbi Mendy Rosenberg, the founder of Chesed Shel Emes.
Rabbi Mendy Rosenberg founded Chesed Shel Emes in 1985 as a small Chevra Kadisha to ensure that every Jewish person receives a dignified burial in accordance with Halacha, regardless of financial means, family situation, or affiliation. Over the years, the organization grew into one of the largest of its kind in the United States, with hundreds of volunteers.
Chesed Shel Emes helps prevent unnecessary autopsies, responds to emergencies and sudden deaths, assists grieving families with Levaya arrangements, helps families facing language or financial barriers, and covers burial and transportation costs when families cannot afford them.
The organization also has seven cemeteries
For many years, the Chesed Shel Emes headquarters was located at the Ropo Tires shop
The buyer is the Rabsky Group, led by R’ Yitzchok Rabinowitz. The group has transformed neighborhoods and skylines across New York City and the United States
Rabsky plans to build hundreds of homes on the site for the Chasidic community.
The property is part of the newly approved Park Avenue Brooklyn rezoning, which was approved by the City Council and allows for hundreds of new housing units.
Williamsburg 36511 days agoIt was a big day for Williamsburg's community.
On Thursday, October 8, the New York City Council voted 47 to 0 to approve the Park Avenue Brooklyn Rezoning, opening the door to new yeshivas, hundreds of new homes and stores on Park Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
For years, Williamsburg families have felt the squeeze. Yeshivas and girls' schools are overcrowded. Young couples struggle to find an apartment. This rezoning gives the community room to grow.
The rezoning covers parts of five blocks along Park Avenue, between Bedford Avenue and Sandford Street, from Flushing Avenue down toward Myrtle Avenue, around Spencer Street, Walworth Street and Warsoff Place. For decades the area was zoned for factories and warehouses. Now homes and schools can go up.
The plan makes room for about 2,500 new students in four yeshivas, Talmud Torahs and a girls' school:
Yeshiva Letzrim Satmar on Spencer Street, 315 seats; Beth Chana School, a new girls' high school on Spencer Street with 497 seats; Central Talmudic Academy at 84 Sandford Street, growing to more than 1,400 students; Yeshiva Bnos Ahavas Israel at 88 Walworth Street, with 298 students.
The school buildings will be five stories tall, with rooftop play areas for the children and wider sidewalks out front.
391 new housing units
Six new buildings on Park Avenue, 7 to 11 stories tall, will bring 391 housing units and space for local stores. Between 91 and 117 of the housing units will be permanently affordable.
Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents the neighborhood, pushed and spearheaded the plan. "The addition of these school seats, these yeshiva seats, will keep families in Williamsburg and Bed-Stuy for generations to come," he told his colleagues before the vote. He praised the 10 property owners who teamed up to bring the project forward, and said they will also fix up the Taaffe Place Playground so the neighborhood kids have a place to play.
The United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn said, “We are grateful to the City Council for passing the Park Avenue Rezoning, which will create hundreds of additional much-needed housing units and thousands of desperately needed school seats. And thank you to Lincoln Restler for your hard work shepherding this through and making this plan a reality.”
Rabbi Moishe Indig, Executive Vice President of Williamsburg JCC, said, “This is a great day for our community. For years our families have been pushed to the limit, with crowded classrooms and young couples forced to move away from their parents. Thanks to Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Lincoln Restler, our children will have the schools they need and our families will have homes close to where they grew up. Speaker Menin and Council Member Restler listened to our community and delivered, and we are deeply grateful.”
The City Planning Commission, which approved the plan earlier, pointed to the community's growth as the reason for it, citing "the increase of the local school-aged population and the related need for more housing, schools, and neighborhood-serving facilities."
With the City Council vote complete, the property owners can now begin the permit process and move toward construction.
Williamsburg 36512 days agoConstruction is making significant progress on a major residential development along the Williamsburg waterfront, where two 50-story towers are rising at 280 Kent Avenue as part of the ongoing Domino Sugar redevelopment.
The project, developed by Two Trees and designed by REX, will bring 1,262 apartments to the neighborhood, with approximately 25 percent of the units designated as affordable housing.
The two towers will reach approximately 591 feet and together cover more than 1.1 million square feet. Plans also include commercial space, an enclosed parking garage, and private outdoor balconies for residents.
Recent construction updates show that the northern tower has already reached approximately two-thirds of its planned height, with workers continuing to install its glass exterior. The southern tower remains in an earlier stage of construction, standing only several floors above street level.
The development occupies an entire block between South 1st Street, South 2nd Street, Kent Avenue, and River Street, near the former Domino Sugar Refinery.
Once completed, the towers are expected to become the tallest buildings in Williamsburg, adding another major development to the neighborhood's rapidly changing waterfront skyline.
Construction is expected to continue over the next several years, with completion currently anticipated in fall 2030.
photo: AI Illustration
Williamsburg 36512 days agoYisroel R.
A suspected serial bicycle thief responsible for stealing thousands of dollars worth of bicycles across Williamsburg was arrested yesterday by the NYPD with the assistance of Shomrim, following a series of thefts that caused significant losses to local residents.
The suspect, was well known in the area and to Shomrim, and allegedly had multiple outstanding arrest warrants and is believed to be responsible for towering sums of bicycle thefts totaling between $15,000 and $20,000.
Over this past weekend alone, the perpetrator allegedly stole two expensive bicycles, including one valued at approximately $1,500 and another worth several thousand dollars. The suspect arrived to Williamsburg, using a chain cutter to break through bicycle locks and steal the children’s expensive bikes.
The suspect was finally apprehended yesterday near the intersection of Marcy Avenue and Lynch Street after members of Shomrim patrolling the neighborhood observed him attempting to steal bicycles and taking delivered packages from outside of homes. The members followed the suspect closely and alerted the NYPD, which took him into custody, bringing the long searched for suspect under arrest.
The arrest comes as great news to Williamsburg residents who have been dealing with repeated bicycle thefts in the neighborhood, giving the children safety and comfort to utilize the final few weeks of the bicycle season.
Williamsburg 36512 days agoSeveral streets in Williamsburg are facing temporary daytime closures as construction work continues across the neighborhood, affecting traffic and access for local drivers.
According to the NYC Department of Transportation, North 8th Street between Driggs Avenue and Roebling Street is scheduled for daytime closures through Thursday, October 15.
Additional construction-related closures are listed for North 13th Street between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street, with weekday restrictions scheduled to continue through December 12.
Drivers traveling through these areas should be prepared for possible detours and delays, particularly during active construction hours.
The closures are part of ongoing construction activity throughout Williamsburg, where several streets are experiencing temporary traffic restrictions as work progresses.
Williamsburg 36512 days agophotos: Avrumi Blum
Williamsburg 36513 days agoYisroel R.
The New York City Department of Transportation will be giving out free bike lights in Williamsburg on Tuesday, October 13, as part of its month-long “Biketober” program.
The giveaway will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. along the Kent Avenue bike lane, between North 11th Street and North 12th Street.
Bike lights will be distributed free of charge while supplies last, offering local residents an opportunity to make sure they are properly equipped as daylight hours become shorter during the fall and winter months.
The Williamsburg giveaway is one of several events being held by NYC DOT across the city throughout October. The agency’s “Biketober” initiative includes free bike light and helmet giveaways, delivery worker safety training, and other cycling safety events.
The events are part of NYC DOT’s broader fall traffic safety efforts, which include workshops and resources for parents, caregivers, schools, and community organizations aimed at promoting safer travel throughout the city.
AI generated illustration photo
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Williamsburg 36513 days agoYisroel R.
A 16-year-old was robbed at gunpoint on Broadway in Williamsburg on Thursday afternoon after being approached by an armed suspect who forcibly stole property from the victim.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. near 299 Broadway, close to Marcy Avenue, when a male suspect approached the teenager, displayed a firearm, and forcibly took the victim’s belongings.
The suspect was described as wearing a black shirt, blue pants, and a red bandana. He fled the scene in an unknown direction following the robbery.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the same suspect may have been responsible for similar robberies in the area the day before.
No injuries were reported in the incident. A Level 1 police mobilization was requested following the robbery.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) as the investigation remains ongoing.
Williamsburg 36514 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Monday will still feel the effects of Hurricane Isaias, with a high of 71° and a low of 61°. A couple of showers are possible in the morning, followed by mostly cloudy skies for the rest of the day.
Tuesday will reach a high of 72° and a low of 58°. A passing morning shower is possible, with plenty of clouds and only limited sunshine throughout the day.
Wednesday will turn cooler, with a high of 63° and a low of 51°. It will be breezy in the morning, but plenty of sunshine is expected for the rest of the day.
Thursday will bring a bit of a warm-up, with a high of 67° and a low of 58°. Expect a mix of sunshine and clouds.
Williamsburg 36514 days agoNew York City Council Speaker Julie Menin visited the site of UJO’s future social services offices at 498 Bedford Avenue, accompanied by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, for a closer look at the organization’s work and the services it provides to local families.
The visit highlighted UJO’s ongoing efforts to meet the needs of the community, from family support services to early childhood education.
UJO representatives—including its CEO, Rabbi Moshe Duvid Niederman— expressed their appreciation for Speaker Menin’s continued commitment to combating antisemitism and supporting programs that assist families throughout the city.
Council member Gutiérrez, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Early Childhood Education, and Speaker Menin were recognized for their advocacy on behalf of child care programs and vouchers. Their visit came amid the announcement of more than 10,000 additional child care vouchers, a development expected to offer meaningful assistance to families in our community seeking affordable care.
UJO also acknowledged the support of Council Members Lincoln Restler and Chi Ossé, whose backing of the organization’s community services was recognized during the presentation.
The visit took place in the raw space which will house the sprawling offices of the UJO in the coming months, ushering in a new era for advocacy and community services in Williamsburg’s Jewish community.
Williamsburg 36514 days agoA newly redesigned playground has opened at P.S. 380 between Lynch and Middleton streets, bringing updated play areas, a synthetic turf field and additional greenery to the neighborhood.
Council Member Lincoln Restler allocated $800,000 toward the schoolyard project, helping make the improvements possible. Restler said the new space would serve local students and neighbors while helping address chronic flooding in South Williamsburg.
The project was developed by the Trust for Public Land in partnership with the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, the School Construction Authority and local partners.
The playground features accessible equipment designed for children of all abilities, including sensory and music panels, ramps and a quiet retreat area that also serves as a climbing feature.
Dozens of trees were added, and paved surfaces were replaced with greenery to provide more shade. The new turf field is designed to capture up to 550,000 gallons of stormwater annually, helping reduce street flooding and sewer overflows during heavy rain.
A ribbon-cutting was held on September 28. The space serves students during school hours and is available to the community outside school hours, providing an upgraded outdoor space for more than 53,000 residents living within a 10-minute walk.
Williamsburg 36514 days agoYisroel R.
Drivers in Williamsburg should prepare for major overnight road closures near Broadway and South 8th Street beginning October 14, as work gets underway in the area.
Broadway will be fully closed between Roebling Street and Havemeyer Street, while South 8th Street will be fully closed between Roebling Street and Broadway.
The closures will take place nightly from 11:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., beginning Wednesday, October 14, and continuing through November 6.
North Shore Neon Sign LLC will carry out the work as part of an MTA contract. Crews will use a crane and other large equipment to remove and install concession signs and billboards in the area.
Drivers traveling through the area during the overnight hours should expect disruptions and use alternate routes while the closures are in effect.
photo: Google Maps
Williamsburg 36514 days agoYisroel R.
A frightening situation unfolded Friday morning when a bomb threat at the V’Yoel Moshe Cheider on Bedford Avenue triggered a massive emergency response, forcing the immediate evacuation of all children and the shutdown of surrounding streets as police rushed to secure the area.
The threat was reported at approximately 10:34 a.m. at the cheider, located at 590 Bedford Avenue. Shomrim Coordinator Yanky Itzkowitz, who works at the building, sprang into action, and quickly started the evacuation process of everyone inside the building and ensuring that all children were safely brought out before emergency crews arrived.
The children were then relocated to the Satmar Cheider at Ateres Yoel on Ross Street, in order not to disturb the learning of the Tenokes Shel Beis Rabun despite the frightening circumstances.
Meanwhile, a massive emergency response unfolded outside the building, with the NYPD, FDNY, and Shomrim arriving at the scene, along with police captains and other high-ranking officials. Bedford Avenue and surrounding streets were completely shut down as authorities secured the area, causing major traffic congestion throughout the neighborhood. The NYPD Bomb Squad and K-9 units were called in and conducted a thorough sweep of the building to ensure that no danger remained.
After an extensive investigation, the NYPD officially cleared the building and declared it safe, allowing the surrounding streets to gradually reopen and bringing the hours-long emergency operation to a peaceful conclusion. Baruch Hashem, all children and staff were safe. The incident came amid reports of another security threat at the Yeshivah of Flatbush, where the school was placed under lockdown while police investigated.
Williamsburg 36516 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Today will be mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 73° and a low of 57°. Enjoy the comfortable fall weather and sunshine.
Shabbos will bring additional pleasant conditions, with a high of 69° and a low of 57°. Expect sunshine with some high clouds passing through.
Sunday will be cooler and cloudy, with a high of 66° and a low of 60°. Rain from Hurricane Isaias, which is expected to affect Florida, could reach our area during the afternoon and continue into the night. The forecast calls for impacts in Williamsburg beginning around 4 p.m. Sunday and lasting until 8 a.m. Monday.
Williamsburg 36516 days agoA fire broke out in a transformer vault at 504 Myrtle Avenue on Thursday afternoon, prompting a response from the FDNY and Con Edison.
The incident occurred while Con Edison work was being conducted at the location. Firefighters received the call at approximately 3:01 p.m. and responded to the eight-story building, which contains 143 residential units and three commercial units.
Con Edison crews were on the scene as FDNY units continued monitoring surrounding properties for potential hazards.
No injuries have been reported, and emergency operations remained ongoing as of the latest update.
Williamsburg 36516 days agoEarly Jewish Williamsburg was concentrated in the area around Moore Street, and its surrounding streets such as Morell Street, Cook Street, and others—easterly, closer to Bedford Stuyvesant.
Today we return to Moore Street section of the 1920’s and the thriving Jewish community that lived there. The following is an account documenting some of the landmarks in the area circa 1910: “Moore Street was an important religious center in the early history of the Williamsburg community. Four synagogues were built there: Beth Hamedash Hagodol at 46, Kesser Torah at 52, Congregation Chevra Kaddisha at 93, and Chevra Sfard Anshei Libowitz at 127. The last congregation was incorporated in 1888 and the building was erected in 1905.
“The Beth Hamedrash Hagodol was organized about 1887. This synagogue set the standard in religious thought and practices for the early settlers. It was guided by an able Rabbi, Shabsi Rosenberg (author of she’eilos uteshuvos Bris Melach, a giant in Torah) who was called from Russia to assume charge of it. After a while, dissension arose in the ranks of the members. Some, including the rabbi, seceded and organized Kesser Torah. Jacob H. Werbelowsky was its president for many year.
“As many of the Jews who lived in the vicinity of Moore Street moved southward and their places were occupied by [descriptive term for African Americans] and Italians, Kesser Torah was sold to… The Kesser Torah people and some of the members of Beth Hamedrash Hagodol united and acquired the [house of worship] building at 157 Throop Avenue about twenty years ago. The new synagogue was called Kesser Torah Chono Dovid (this shul would have a long history with some very prominent Rabbonim).”
Thus concludes this narrative of the outsized Jewish presence on this legendary corner of old Williamsburg.
Mayor of Moore Street
The aforementioned Jacob Werblowsky was a legend in this community of Williamsburg of yore, and had a hand in every community endeavor. The famed Hebrew Publishing Company was founded in 1900 by his father Yosef Leib Werbelowsky who came to America in 1882 (!), following his son Yaakov who arrived here… in 1866! The family became wealthy from real estate holdings, and the sums of tzeddakah that he distributed to causes in New York as well as the institutions of Europe were vast.
The above-referenced secession from Beth Hamedrash Hagodol—built by the senior Werbelowsky— was a tragic, sad chapter in the history of this fledgling community, and the tumultuous events of those days, with the ensuing legal proceedings, made their way into the New York newspapers.
He was born in the town of Werbelow, on the German border, and—in a true rags to riches story— upon arriving in America did a number of odd jobs, until he developed one of the largest glass manufacturing companies in this city. At the time of his passing, he was known as the wealthiest Jewish immigrant in America. His children were involved in his communal work, which included shuls, Talmud Torah’s hospitals, and myriad’s of organizations for the needy.
At his untimely passing, in 1913, Reb Yaakov Werbelowsky was mourned by the entire Williamsburg community, and the beneficiaries of his largesse across the pond.
Anshei Lubowitz (mentioned above) did hold on for many years despite the metamorphosis—a lasting vestige of a shtetl within a shtetl at the turn-of-the-century Moore Street in old Williamsburg.
Williamsburg 36516 days agophotos: Achim Lanchevsky, Hillel L"ash, Shlome B.
Williamsburg 36517 days agoYisroel R.
The NYPD is asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect wanted in connection with the theft of more than $315,000 from the bank accounts of a 71-year-old woman in Williamsburg.
Police said the victim was alerted on July 22 that multiple unauthorized transactions had been made from her bank accounts, in the vicinity of Division Avenue and Keap Street. The transactions, which occurred between July 22 and August 11, totaled $315,741.
During the investigation, detectives determined that an unidentified individual entered multiple Chase Bank locations throughout Queens and made withdrawals from several accounts belonging to the woman.
The NYPD has released an image of the individual being sought and is asking anyone with information to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Williamsburg 36517 days agoPolice are looking for an armed robbery suspect who is believed to be behind three similar robberies in Brooklyn, including one in Williamsburg.
The latest incident happened Friday afternoon inside a business at 284 Broadway in the 90th Precinct. A 23-year-old cashier was approached by an unidentified man who made a threatening statement and then pulled out a gun. The suspect took cash from the register before running out on foot and heading north on Marcy Avenue.
On September 11, a similar robbery took place at 755 Flatbush Avenue in the 70th Precinct. The suspect threatened the 26-year-old cashier with a gun and took cash from the register and the victim’s cellphone before fleeing toward Lenox Road.
The first robbery happened July 12 at 1037 Nostrand Avenue in the 71st Precinct. The suspect threatened the 23-year-old worker, pulled out a gun and took cash from the register and several cellphones before fleeing southbound on Nostrand Avenue on a two-wheeled device.
No injuries were reported in any of the three incidents.
The NYPD has released images of the suspect and is asking anyone who recognizes him or has information about the robberies to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
Williamsburg 36517 days agoYisroel R.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has launched a new citywide effort to make it easier for thousands of New Yorkers who lost their SNAP benefits under new federal restrictions to reapply and get back into the program.
Around 26,500 New Yorkers lost their SNAP benefits after new federal work requirements went into effect. With those residents now able to reapply, the City is reaching out directly to those affected and offering help with the process.
As part of the effort, the City will help residents reapply for SNAP and determine whether they qualify for an exemption from the federal work requirements. Those who are required to meet the new rules can also receive help finding jobs, job-training programs, education, volunteer work, or community service that can count toward the requirements.
The City is working with more than 100 community organizations to provide qualifying opportunities and help residents navigate the new rules. New Yorkers looking for assistance can also call 718-SNAP-NOW (718-762-7669).
The new effort follows months of outreach by the Mamdani administration ahead of the federal changes. The City says it knocked on 10,000 doors, made 40,000 direct phone calls, and held dozens of trainings and events to help residents understand the new requirements and determine whether they qualified for exemptions.
According to the Mayor’s Office, those efforts helped more than 220,000 New Yorkers maintain their SNAP benefits despite the new federal requirements.
The latest push is now focused on the approximately 26,500 residents who did lose their benefits, helping them navigate the reapplication process and, when possible, regain access to the food assistance program.
photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.
Williamsburg 36517 days agoNEW YORK — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations on September 24, following a lengthy war of words with Mayor Mamdani, whom the Prime Minister has repeatedly accused of fueling antisemitism because of his views on the Israeli government.
Ahead of the address, Torah Jews anticipated that Mr. Netanyahu would use his moment at the podium to further inflame rhetoric against the mayor and sow resentment in New York City by claiming that Jews are unsafe because the Israeli government is being criticized.
As anticipated, Mr. Netanyahu launched an all-out attack against Mayor Mamdani during his international address, accusing him of making Jews unsafe and fueling antisemitism. Torah Jews strongly rejected Netanyahu’s characterization of Jewish life in New York and his attempt to turn Jewish safety into a political weapon against a mayor critical of Israel.
In response, Torah Jews placed a major advertisement in Times Square, spending thousands of dollars raised from Jewish New Yorkers frustrated by Netanyahu’s portrayal of their communities and his repeated use of Jewish identity in Israel’s political battles.
The initiative was led by Rabbi Moshe Dovid Katz, founder of Torah Jews, who personally spearheaded an intensive fundraising campaign funded dollar by dollar by Jewish New Yorkers who feel silenced and misrepresented and want their voices heard.
Explaining the motivation behind the advertisement, Rabbi Moshe Dovid Katz stated:
“I personally raised thousands of dollars, dollar by dollar, from Jewish New Yorkers who are deeply frustrated by Netanyahu’s weaponization of antisemitism to bash Mayor Mamdani and exploit Jews to further Israel’s political goals. There are countless Jews in our city who feel silenced and misrepresented. We wanted our cry to be heard.”
Rabbi Moshe Dovid Katz emphasized that Torah Jews rejects the association of Jewish identity with Israeli nationality and firmly maintains that Zionism and Judaism are fundamentally distinct.
“We are deeply pained by the repeated exploitation of our sacred religion to advance the agenda of a foreign government. Jews are not extensions of Israel, Zionism is not Judaism, and Netanyahu does not represent us. We want to live in peace and harmony with our neighbors, without being dragged into political battles that are not ours.”
Rabbi Moshe Dovid Katz also expressed concern about the consequences of treating Jewish communities as representatives of the Israeli government.
“Netanyahu and his allies claim to care deeply about antisemitism, yet they ceaselessly conflate Jewish identity with Israel. We believe this conflation fuels resentment against Jews and undermines the peace and harmony we cherish. Our communities deserve to be recognized for who we are, not as representatives of a foreign government.”
The advertisement was displayed at 1557 Broadway in Times Square and ran until the onset of the Sabbath.
Williamsburg 36518 days agoYisroel R.
A familiar piece of Williamsburg’s streetscape is getting an upgrade, as older U.S. Mail relay boxes are being replaced with brand-new models across the neighborhood.
The relay boxes, used by postal workers during their daily routes, have long been stationed at various locations throughout Williamsburg. The older green boxes are now being removed and replaced with newer units as part of the ongoing rollout.
The newly installed boxes will also feature a different type of locking system, adding an updated security feature to the equipment used by postal workers while making their rounds.
Residents may begin noticing the newer boxes appearing at more locations as the replacements continue throughout Williamsburg, gradually swapping out the older models that have been in place for years.
The change is a relatively small one, but it gives another everyday piece of neighborhood infrastructure a fresh look while updating the equipment used behind the scenes to keep local mail moving.
Williamsburg 36518 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
A new traffic light has been approved for the intersection of Wythe Avenue and North 3rd Street, following a study by the NYC Department of Transportation.
The approval is the first step in the process, with the actual installation expected to take time. DOT will first conduct a field survey of the intersection before designing the new signal system.
Once the design is completed, the project will move through permitting and coordination with utility companies before construction can begin.
The installation will include underground work for power and communications, a new pole foundation, the traffic signal poles and signal heads, as well as an accessible pedestrian signal.
The timeline can vary depending on the complexity of the intersection, but installing a new traffic signal typically takes at least six months.
Williamsburg 36519 days agoYisroel R.
Williamsburg residents who rely on the L train to travel between Brooklyn and Manhattan should prepare for major service disruptions over two weekends in October, as the MTA suspends service between Lorimer Street in Brooklyn and 8th Avenue in Manhattan for communications improvements.
The shutdowns are scheduled for October 2–5 and October 9–12, beginning each Friday at 11:15 p.m. and continuing through Monday at 5:00 a.m. During both weekends, there will be no L train service at Bedford Avenue, leaving Williamsburg commuters without their usual direct subway connection to Manhattan.
L trains will continue operating in Brooklyn between Canarsie–Rockaway Parkway and Lorimer Street, with trains running approximately every eight minutes during the day and evening. Lorimer Street will serve as the last stop, with passengers traveling farther into Williamsburg or Manhattan required to use alternative transportation.
To accommodate affected passengers, the MTA will provide free shuttle buses in Brooklyn, making stops at Bedford Avenue, Lorimer Street/Metropolitan Avenue, Hewes Street, and Marcy Avenue. Riders can connect to the G train at Metropolitan Avenue and the J and M trains at other designated stops.
Passengers traveling between Williamsburg and Manhattan can use the J or A trains, with transfers available at Broadway Junction. In Manhattan, free L92 shuttle buses and M14A buses will serve stops along 14th Street, connecting passengers with the F, M, and J trains at Delancey Street–Essex Street.
Residents planning to travel during either weekend are encouraged to allow additional travel time and plan alternative routes in advance. For updated service information, passengers can visit the MTA’s Planned Service Changes website or call 511.
Illustration photo: MTA/ Megan Armas
Williamsburg 36519 days agoYisroel R.
Thousands of New York City families who have spent months waiting for help covering the soaring cost of child care are finally set to receive relief, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration announced Monday that more than 10,000 children will be moved off the city’s child care assistance waitlist.
The move comes after the waitlist swelled to nearly 29,000 low-income children over the past year, leaving families who otherwise qualified for assistance without access to the heavily subsidized care. The Child Care Assistance Program provides vouchers for eligible children from six weeks through 13 years old, as well as children with special needs through age 19.
Over the coming weeks, the Administration for Children’s Services will begin inviting families on the waitlist to apply for vouchers, with invitations continuing on a rolling basis over the next several months. Eligible families will then be able to use the vouchers to cover child care at a provider of their choice, with priority given to families with lower incomes, those experiencing homelessness, and those with children who have special needs.
“For families struggling to make ends meet, and the providers who deliver them high-quality and consistent child care, access to vouchers is nothing short of transformational,” Mayor Mamdani said. “Today’s voucher expansion is a critical step in ensuring no family is left behind in our movement towards universal childcare.”
The expansion is being supported by funding from Governor Kathy Hochul, who committed $1.2 billion toward New York City child care initiatives, including $475 million specifically for child care vouchers. “Today’s historic free child care expansion will bring relief to thousands more families across New York City,” Governor Hochul said, adding that the state and city are working together toward universal child care.
The city has also updated its online child care map, allowing parents for the first time to search for licensed programs and filter the results to show providers that accept child care vouchers. The latest expansion follows a separate $5.2 million city investment eliminating out-of-pocket fees for families receiving the vouchers.
Williamsburg 36519 days agoYisroel R.
After more than two decades of waiting, a long-promised 2.5-acre waterfront park is finally becoming a reality, with construction now underway on the $40 million Box Street Park in Greenpoint, right near Williamsburg.
The new park will turn the former site of an MTA facility into a beautiful public space along the water, with gardens, waterfront seating, a basketball court, picnic area, ADA-accessible paths, and a public restroom. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2028.
“Today, we are finally making good on a promise that Greenpoint families have been waiting decades to see fulfilled: turning a parking lot into a park,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “Box Street Park will give New Yorkers a place to walk, play, rest and gather along the water, with lush gardens, open green space and pathways connecting neighbors to the waterfront.”
The new park will also fill an important missing piece along the Greenpoint waterfront by connecting the waterfront paths on both sides of the property. The park is also expected to eventually grow by another half-acre once the MTA moves an emergency response unit that is currently located on part of the site.
The $40 million project is fully funded, with $34.5 million coming from the Mayor’s Office, including an additional $2 million recently added by the Mamdani administration. Another $500,000 is coming from the City Council, with approximately $5 million coming from local developers.
Council Member Lincoln Restler celebrated the start of the project after years of pushing for the park to finally be built.
“More than 20 years ago, Greenpointers were promised a new park on Commercial Street as part of the Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront upzoning,” Restler said. “While we’ve built tens of thousands of new homes in our community in the intervening years, Box Street Park remained a broken promise.”
“After years of relentless advocacy, I’m thrilled that we’re finally breaking ground on this beautiful new public park complete with beautiful grounds, waterfront seating, a basketball court and a public bathroom,” Restler added.
The park will also include many new trees, grasses, shrubs, and other plants, bringing more greenery and shade to the waterfront while also helping protect the area during extreme weather.
Once completed, Box Street Park will give Williamsburg and Greenpoint residents another beautiful place to walk, relax, spend time with their families, and enjoy the city’s waterfront.
Williamsburg 36520 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
The MTA is planning a major upgrade to the subway’s announcement and information systems, including replacing outdated speakers and adding new technology to provide riders with clearer and more timely information.
The MTA has set aside $800 million for the technology upgrades and is now asking companies for proposals on how to modernize the systems used for announcements, digital displays and help-point kiosks.
The new announcement system would be able to automatically adjust the volume based on noise levels in the station. The MTA also wants the system to provide announcements in multiple languages and use AI technology to help deliver information to riders.
Some subway stations are still using audio systems that are more than 40 years old. According to MTA planning documents, 76 of the system’s 472 stations have these outdated systems and are not connected directly to the subway’s rail control center.
That means announcements at those stations are often relayed manually by station workers rather than being sent directly from the control center, which can lead to delayed or unclear information.
The MTA also wants to install new digital screens that can provide service updates, directions around stations and other real-time information. The agency is also looking at technology that could provide riders with information about how crowded individual subway cars are.
The MTA is seeking responses from companies by October 15 as it moves forward with planning the upgrades.
Williamsburg 36520 days agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Nearly half of the civil summonses issued by NYPD officers over the past year were thrown out.
The NYPD issued about 98,000 civil summonses for violations including open containers, unlicensed vending, pedicab violations and construction materials left in the street. About 47% of the summonses handled by the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings were thrown out.
Many of the cases involved problems with the paperwork. One issue drawing attention is the NYPD’s continued use of handwritten civil summonses. Errors such as incorrect information, illegible writing, wrong legal codes or missing details can make it difficult for the city to properly process a ticket.
The city Department of Investigation has previously recommended that agencies move away from handwritten summonses and switch to electronic systems. Several other city agencies have already done so.
The NYPD is working to reduce these errors through additional training for officers. The department also maintains that a ticket being thrown out over a technical issue does not mean the underlying violation did not occur.
Williamsburg 36520 days agoWilliamsburg residents who rely on the G train should prepare for a series of weeknight and weekend service changes throughout October as the MTA carries out signal modernization, track replacement and structural maintenance work.
The disruptions will begin next week, with Church Avenue-bound G trains skipping several Brooklyn stations during overnight hours from Monday, October 5, through Friday, October 9. Trains will skip 4 Av-9 St, 15 St-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Pkwy from 10:45 p.m. until 5:00 a.m.
A more significant disruption is planned for October 12 through October 16, when there will be no G train service between Bedford-Nostrand Avenues and Court Square from 9:45 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. due to structural maintenance.
During those hours, G trains will operate only between Church Avenue and Bedford-Nostrand Avenues. Free shuttle buses will make stops between Bedford-Nostrand Avenues and Court Square, with riders able to transfer between the train and shuttle buses at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues.
Additional overnight track work from October 12 through October 16 and again October 19 through October 23 will cause Church Avenue-bound G trains to skip 4 Av-9 St, 15 St-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Pkwy between 10:45 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
Weekend riders will also face disruptions.
From Friday night, October 9, through Monday morning, October 12, Church Avenue-bound G trains will skip 4 Av-9 St, 15 St-Prospect Park and Fort Hamilton Pkwy.
More extensive changes are scheduled for the weekends of October 16-19 and October 23-26, when there will be no G train service between Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets and Church Avenue from Friday at 9:30 p.m. through Monday at 5:00 a.m.
During those weekends, G trains will operate in two sections: between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Avenues, and between Bedford-Nostrand Avenues and Hoyt-Schermerhorn Streets. Riders continuing through Bedford-Nostrand Avenues will need to transfer, and trains between Bedford-Nostrand and Hoyt-Schermerhorn will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
The MTA says the planned disruptions are necessary for ongoing track work, structural maintenance and modernization of the Crosstown Line's signal system.
Williamsburg residents traveling during the affected nights and weekends are advised to allow additional travel time and check service information before heading out.
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
With rain and strong winds expected over the first days of Sukkos, now is the time to make sure your sukkah is properly secured and ready for the weather. Check that everything is firmly in place and that your sukkah is as rainproof as possible, because the forecast looks set to put it to the test.
Erev Yom Tov will be cloudy and breezy, with a high of 71° and a low of 56°. Winds will pick up, with gusts reaching 18 mph.
The first day of Sukkos, Shabbos, will be much cooler, with a high of 63° and a low of 57°. Expect rain for much of the day, along with strong winds and gusts reaching 23 mph.
The second day of Sukkos, Sunday, will remain brisk and cool, with a high of 62° and a low of 58°. Periods of rain and gusty winds are expected, with wind gusts reaching 15 mph.
The weather looks considerably better for the second days. Friday will bring a high of 75° with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Shabbos will be pleasant with a high of 71° and thin high clouds. Sunday will be a bit more humid, with a high of 72°, mostly cloudy skies, and a chance of some showers.
Williamsburg 3651 month agoA festive Siyum Hazman was held at Yeshivas Esek HaTorah, together with siyumim on Masechtos Pesachim and Gittin.
The celebration featured an inspiring address by Hagoen Hatzadik Rav of Shemen LaMaor shlit"a, a beautiful musical presentation by the “Chassidish Choir” expressing the deep emotions of Simchas HaTorah, and enthusiastic dancing in honor of the Torah.
Sisu V’Simchu B’Simchas HaTorah!
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
A new MTA photography exhibit is giving New Yorkers a behind-the-scenes look at the workers and facilities that keep the transit system running.
The exhibit, titled In Service: MTA Photographs by Christopher Payne, features 50 photographs taken inside MTA maintenance shops and manufacturing facilities, including locations where subway cars, buses and other equipment are built and repaired.
The photos show the specialized work done by welders, machinists, electricians and other workers who maintain the system. Some of the photographs were taken at MTA facilities in New York, while others show the manufacturing of new subway cars and buses at facilities across the country.
The photographs will be displayed for the next six months in all 52 of the MTA’s decommissioned advertising lightboxes at 42nd Street-Bryant Park, Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, Bowling Green, Grand Central Terminal and Grand Central Madison.
photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA
Williamsburg 3651 month agoAn 82-year-old man was slashed in the hand and robbed of his sandals during an incident last Shabbos.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. near 590 DeKalb Avenue, where police say the victim got into a verbal dispute with an unidentified man. The man then pulled out a knife, slashed the victim in the hand and took his sandals before running away southbound on Nostrand Avenue.
The victim suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
The NYPD has released images of the suspect and is asking anyone who recognizes him or has information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
As public school began for the upcoming year, the city is adding more safety measures around schools to slow down traffic and make it safer for children walking to and from school.
The Department of Transportation has installed 15 mph school zones at more than 200 schools so far. The city says the zones will be in place at nearly 800 schools by the end of 2026.
The city is also installing Open Street gates near schools across New York City. The gates help create temporary vehicle-free spaces outside schools, giving students more room and helping make drop-off and pick-up safer.
The Open Streets program also allows schools to use the space for outdoor activities such as recess, outdoor learning, lunch and school events. The program is especially useful for schools that do not have a gym or designated outdoor space.
PHOTO: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
J and M train riders in Williamsburg will face a series of weekday and weekend service changes in October and November as the MTA replaces aging subway switches at Marcy Avenue.
The switches, which are 29 years old and have reached the end of their useful life, are being replaced to help maintain reliable subway service along the corridor.
On weekdays, October 13–16, October 20–23, November 3–6, November 10–13 and November 17–20, J trains will run locally in both directions between Myrtle Avenue and Marcy Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Weekend service will also be affected on October 17–18, October 24–25, November 7–8, November 13–16 and November 20–23. The changes will not affect NYC Marathon weekend, October 31–November 1.
During those weekends, M trains will operate in two separate sections: between Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues, and between Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues and Myrtle Avenue/Broadway.
J trains will be partially suspended and will run only between Myrtle Avenue and Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer, with Myrtle Avenue serving as the last stop in the Brooklyn direction. Free shuttle buses will replace J train service between Myrtle Avenue and Delancey Street/Essex Street.
Williamsburg 365Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
A subway power station in Downtown Brooklyn exploded last year, sending flames shooting out of a subway grate and leaving more than 4,000 riders stuck on trains. Now, a new MTA audit has found that the agency had missed nearly one in five required maintenance checks at its subway substations during that same year.
The explosion happened in December 2024 at the State Street substation. Nobody was injured, but the blast knocked out power and caused major subway disruptions in the area.
Substations are the power stations that keep the subway running. They take electricity from the city’s power grid and convert it into the type of electricity needed to run trains through the third rail.
The MTA Inspector General’s office launched its audit after the explosion. Investigators visited 16 of the MTA’s more than 200 substations and reviewed maintenance records and spoke with employees.
They found that NYC Transit did not complete 19% of the required maintenance checks in 2024.
The situation was even more serious at the State Street substation. Of 23 scheduled maintenance assignments, 12 had not been completed before the explosion.
The MTA’s own investigation found that the explosion was caused by damaged copper tubing inside a transformer. Because the tubing was located inside the transformer, it could not be seen during a normal visual inspection, so the damage went undetected.
The Inspector General also found other safety problems. Workers at some substations were not wearing required protective equipment while working around high-voltage electricity. Auditors also found that workers ignored fire alarm “trouble” signals at all six substations they visited that had those systems. Those alerts indicate that the fire alarm system is not working properly.
The audit also questioned who was assigned to investigate the Brooklyn explosion, noting that an assistant chief trained as a carpenter was used for the review instead of an electrician.
The MTA says it has since made changes. NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said 30 substations have been rehabilitated since the 2024 explosion, and the agency has restructured its Power Division to give separate oversight to the power and signal systems.
Maintenance also improved in 2025, with NYC Transit completing 90% of its required substation checks, compared with about 81% the year before.
The MTA is also planning to spend $3 billion on new power systems as part of its effort to upgrade the aging subway infrastructure.
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
The magnificent Sukkos Dee Voch package is filled with inspiring stories, fascinating features, and beautiful photography that every member of the family will enjoy immensely. It includes 8 sections and 1,400 pages of content!
In the Dee Voch magazine, readers will discover a special 12-page tribute honoring the 30th yahrtzeit of the gaon hakadosh Harav Moshe Aryeh Freund, zt”l, Gaavad Yerushalayim, featuring rare photographs from his life, many published for the first time, together with the stories and background behind each image. “V’yitnu Lecha Keser Malchus” explores when the Gedolei HaAdmorim ascended to the Kisei Malchus, including the exact dates, years, and positions they held beforehand, while “Harchivi Mekom Ohalech” brings detailed reports on the many new and expanded batei medrashim for the Yamim Noraim this year. As always, Dee Voch provides extensive coverage from the Rebbe’she courts, including Erev and Motzaei Rosh Hashanah 5787 and Admorim and Rabbanim at Tashlich, along with captivating scenes of Rosh Hashanah 5787 in Uman, Yidden around the world at Tashlich and Minhag Kaparos, and communities everywhere preparing for Yom Tov Sukkos.
This Sukkos, the Shrift comes with two special booklets, packed with fascinating stories, history, travel, interviews and thought-provoking features.
An in-depth look at the Belzer dynasty, beginning with the holy Sar Shalom and continuing through the generations to the present Belzer Rebbe, shlit”a.
The elderly gaon and talmid chacham, Harav Leibel Stempel, shlit”a, opens his rich memoirs, sharing his experiences during the war years and what he witnessed while in the presence of Gedolei Yisroel.
During a 10-day journey, Pinchos Leifer takes readers inside life in China, with its vast population of 1.4 billion and endless industries.
A fascinating documentation project exploring historic coups that left a lasting mark on world history.
An inside look at West Point, the oldest active military installation in the United States, and its prestigious academy that prepares the future leaders of the U.S. Army.
Talented photographer R’ Yisroel Goldstein shares his incredible story and his courageous battle to overcome alcohol and smoking addiction.
A creative and thought-provoking illustrated feature showing how the same person can embody completely opposite traits, and how what someone loves today can become what they dislike tomorrow.
The stories behind some of the iconic photographs from the September 11 attacks, revealing the thousands of words and human stories behind a single image.
and much much more!
Business Shrift Sukkos edition brings fascinating stories from the world of business, including a look at the story of philanthropist and administrator R’ Yisroel Arzel, who combines tzedakah, askanus and business; creative moments with pioneering graphic designer R’ Yehoshua Schwartz and his son R’ Shmuel Dovid Schwartz of the renowned Semcap marketing firm; and an inside look at businesses that need to be ready to operate 24 hours a day.
In honor of Sukkos, the Fink magazine brings a collection of powerful and inspiring stories, including the tale of a Holocaust survivor who faces opposition while building his sukkah, only to see his neighbor have a change of heart on the first night of Sukkos; the story of a non-religious Jew whose unexpected encounter with Shabbos leads him to begin putting on tefillin every day and eventually changes his life; the remarkable life story of Harav Moshe Yitzchok Babad, zt”l, who lost his left leg at a young age but overcame tremendous challenges with emunah, bitachon and simchah; and the heartbreaking story of a young girl who is taken from her mother after doctors suspect child neglect, with the now-grown girl looking back years later on the moment that changed her life forever.
This Sukkos, Kinder Shrift is packed with exciting stories, interviews and adventures for kids, including a special visit with the Skverer dayan in Boro Park, who answers questions submitted by Kinder Shrift readers; a fascinating journey to a Jewish community deep in the Amazon jungle; a musical conversation with four popular composers; and an inspiring interview with a writer who has already written an incredible 800 books in seven languages. Kids can also enjoy a dramatic comic story, a visit to a museum filled with unusual musical instruments, a fun conversation with sukkahs from different generations about how Sukkos looked in the olden days, and a special look at Hershy, a boy who builds beautiful miniature sukkahs to decorate his own sukkah.
A special Yom Tov comic supplement featuring A Sukkah'le a Kleine , a beautiful and dramatic comic story spanning more than 30 pages, written and illustrated by H. Feldman.
Williamsburg 3651 month agoYisroel R.
A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to up to four and a half years in prison for his role in an elaborate government impersonation scam targeting a 22-year-old Williamsburg woman, who was falsely told she faced arrest and pressured into handing over thousands of dollars before Shomrim and the NYPD intervened.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Wednesday that Weiwei Xu, 39, of Sunset Park, was sentenced to one and a half to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree grand larceny on August 11.
The incident began in July 2025, when the victim received a phone call from a woman posing as a U.S. Marshal, who claimed there was an outstanding warrant for her arrest on money laundering charges. The caller kept her on the phone for more than four hours, convincing her that she needed to pay money to clear the supposed warrant. After her bank blocked a suspicious $13,000 transaction, the scammers instructed her to return home, where two unidentified men arrived and collected the cash using a prearranged passcode.
Over the following days, the scammers continued contacting the victim, demanding an additional $5,200. The woman contacted Shomrim and called 911, alerting authorities to the scheme. Despite an NYPD officer warning the caller to stop contacting her, the scammers arranged another pickup, claiming an undercover detective would collect the remaining money.
On July 22, NYPD 79th precinct and Shomrim conducted a sting operation and arranged for the suspect to appear at the victim’s home. The suspect arrived in a black Cadillac, identified himself as “Jack,” provided the agreed-upon passcode, and collected the remaining $5,200. Shortly afterward, Shomrim and police surrounded the car, apprehended the driver, recovered the money from the vehicle, and placed him under arrest.
A subsequent investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office identified 12 telephone numbers connected to the operation, with the scammers using internet-based phone services linked to several countries in Asia.
District Attorney Gonzalez warned residents to remain alert to similar schemes, emphasizing that scammers frequently use threats of arrest to frighten victims into handing over money and urging anyone targeted to report such incidents immediately to authorities.
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
The NYC Department of Environmental Protection has appointed Taya Mueller as its new Brooklyn Borough Commissioner.
Mueller will work with local elected officials and Brooklyn residents on DEP-related matters and serve as the borough’s point person for the agency.
Brooklyn residents with DEP-related inquiries can contact [email protected].
Williamsburg 3651 month agoBy Y.M. Lowy
Sukkos is all about enjoying Yom Tov with family and guests, and a beautiful spread of desserts makes the meal even more special. Falkowitz Cakes & Desserts is getting ready for the Yom Tov rush with an assortment of tempting cakes and desserts that are perfect for serving in the sukkah.
From something sweet to enjoy with a cup of coffee to desserts that will have everyone reaching for another piece, Falkowitz has plenty to choose from for your Sukkos table. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or simply want to have something delicious on hand throughout Yom Tov, this is the place to indulge.
Falkowitz will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 22–24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, Erev Yom Tov, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stop by Falkowitz Cakes & Desserts at 597 Marcy Ave. in Brooklyn, or call 718-388-0039.
