Viewing NYC Articles by Matt Coneybeare

[WATCH] Why is the United Nations in New York?

2026-07-24T12:00:00-04:00

After World War II, the establishment of the United Nations sparked a high-profile competition among American cities to host its permanent headquarters. New York City, already a global hub, ultimately won this distinction, thanks to the vision of figures like US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman, and the strategic efforts of NYC Mayor William O'Dwyer and the Rockefeller family, who donated the land on Manhattan's East Side for the iconic complex. Before its permanent home was built, the United Nations temporarily convened in various locations, including the gymnasium of Hunter College in The Bronx, which was rapidly transformed for the first Security Council meeting in March 1946. A crucial aspect of establishing the UN in New York was addressing the housing needs of its diverse international staff in a highly segregated city; this led to the creation of Parkway Village in Queens, a residential community designed to accommodate delegates and their families. This film showcases rare archival footage and historical photography, tracing the early years of the UN in New York from 1945 to 1952, and highlights the profound political, cultural, and economic connections that shaped both the global organization and its host city, transforming New York into the political global capital of the world.

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[VIDEO] Can You Live on a Boat in New York?

2026-07-23T12:00:00-04:00

Living aboard a boat in New York State is a complex lifestyle choice governed by marina policies, municipal regulations, and environmental laws. Unlike some coastal states, New York primarily treats boats as recreational vehicles, meaning the feasibility of living aboard is largely determined by local marinas and municipalities. Many areas have seasonal restrictions, with services like water and electricity shut off in winter. Additionally, most of New York's coastal and inland waters are designated "no discharge zones" under state and federal law, requiring boats to have holding tanks and access to pump-out stations. The financial realities are also significant, with annual dockage fees ranging from $8,000 to $12,000 for a 35-foot sailboat in the New York region, excluding utilities, winterization, insurance, and maintenance. Popular areas like the 79th Street Boat Basin (currently under reconstruction) in Manhattan and private marinas like Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City offer options, but often with high demand, long waiting lists, and strict rules. Winter presents additional challenges, including the need for proper insulation and heating to prevent condensation and mold, and ice management to protect the hull and dock infrastructure. Furthermore, marina slips do not offer the same tenant protections as apartments, and policies can change with little notice. While living aboard can be a rewarding way to live close to the water in New York's vibrant maritime regions, it is not an easy loophole to the expensive housing market and requires careful planning and a deep understanding of boating life first.

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[WATCH] Why did NYC Build a Park in the Middle of a River?

2026-07-22T12:00:00-04:00

This video delves into the fascinating and often contentious journey behind the creation of Little Island, a unique park constructed on Pier 55 in the Hudson River on Manhattan's west side. Situated where the historic Pier 54 once stood (a site famously associated with the Titanic and Lusitania), the park was primarily funded by media mogul Barry Diller and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, through their Diller–von Furstenberg Family Foundation. The project, envisioned by Heatherwick Studio, faced numerous challenges, including environmental lawsuits and opposition from rival billionaire real estate developer Douglas Durst. Despite these hurdles, and after Diller initially pulled his funding, a renewed agreement with increased public funding from the city and state, along with dropping the lawsuits, allowed construction to resume. Opened in 2021, Little Island complements nearby public amenities like the High Line and the Hudson River Park, adding much-needed green space to a park-starved area of Lower Manhattan, showcasing a modern trend of private philanthropy shaping public spaces.

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[VIDEO] Inside a Dream Penthouse Overlooking Central Park

2026-07-21T12:00:00-04:00

The video offers a unique look inside a luxurious New York City penthouse located in the historic St. Urban building on the Upper West Side. Architect and interior designer Crina Arghirescu Rogard of Crina Architecture discusses her approach to blending the building's Beaux-Arts architecture with bold, modern interior design. The reimagined space features custom furniture, sculptural forms, and vibrant materials, including a dramatic turret library, panoramic Central Park views, and a seamless mix of classical structure and contemporary living spaces.

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[WATCH] The Terrible Engineering Behind New York City's Unfixable Skyscraper

2026-07-20T12:00:00-04:00

This video details the engineering missteps behind One Seaport at 161 Maiden Lane, a $400 million luxury skyscraper in Manhattan's Financial District that has sat empty for seven years due to a significant lean. Instead of driving deep piles to bedrock, developers opted for a cheaper "soil improvement" method, leading to the building tilting and bending like a "banana." This decision, taken to save just $6 million, resulted in numerous lawsuits and the project's abandonment. Although a repair using deep-pile jacking is technically feasible, its estimated cost of over $550 million makes it economically irrational, leaving the building as a toxic, unsellable asset and a stark warning about prioritizing cost-cutting over sound engineering principles.

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[VIDEO] America’s #1 Burger is Served at NYC’s Best New Bar

2026-07-19T12:00:00-04:00

Join Executive Chef Mike Bagale of Sip & Guzzle as he takes us through a day in the kitchen of his acclaimed New York City bar, known for its innovative Japanese-American fusion menu. Chef Bagale, with a background from a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, applies fine-dining techniques to dishes like the signature #1 Wagyu Tavern Burger, Royale With Cheese, Electric Chicken, and a unique Foie Gras Mont Blanc dessert. From morning prep of fresh-ground A5 Wagyu and house-made buns to perfecting delicate Nori rolls and the world's thinnest Bikini sandwich, the video showcases the meticulous production and creative energy behind Sip & Guzzle's highly praised culinary offerings.

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[WATCH] New Yorkers' Live In Some Of The Craziest Housing Projects

2026-07-18T12:00:00-04:00

The video explores five of New York City's most unconventional apartment complexes, showcasing how housing developments are as ambitious and unusual as the city's infrastructure. These fascinating structures include the Bridge Apartments in Upper Manhattan, built directly over an interstate highway, offering thousands of residents homes just meters above constant traffic. The video also highlights the distinct Brutalist architecture of Tracey Towers and River Park Towers in The Bronx, both part of the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program. Further unique projects discussed are Waterside Plaza near Manhattan's East River, a community built on a platform extending over the water, and 1199 Plaza (also known as East River Landing) in East Harlem, a large complex developed by a healthcare workers' union. Each complex represents bold urban planning experiments, some successfully providing affordable housing, while others faced challenges, reflecting the complex architectural landscape of New York.

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[VIDEO] INSIDE: Heather Graham's New York City Penthouse

2026-07-17T12:00:00-04:00

Actress Heather Graham offers a tour of her New York City penthouse, where she has lived since September 12, 2001. She shares personal anecdotes, like moving in right after 9/11 and her apartment experiencing a fire in 2013, which led to kitchen and bathroom renovations. Her interior designer, Gillian Leftkowitz, helped achieve a "world traveler vibe" with Moroccan influences, including suzanis (dowry blankets) repurposed as pillows, and a large dining table made from a single piece of wood from upstate New York. Graham also showcases her love for cooking, her extensive wardrobe, and her spacious bathroom with a standalone tub. She highlights her passion for yoga, including performing a headstand, and discusses her approach to aging gracefully, emphasizing peaceful living, good friends, and self-help techniques like craniosacral therapy. She appreciates New York City for its vibrant and accepting atmosphere, which embraces individuality.

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[WATCH] How This Black-Owned Brooklyn Bakery Quadrupled Sales In A Year

2026-07-16T12:00:00-04:00

Meet Jatee Kearsley, the owner and pastry chef of Je T'aime Patisserie in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. A self-taught baker who learned from YouTube and years of industry experience, Jatee built her business with a mission to make high-quality French desserts accessible to everyone, including customers who use EBT. After initially losing money, her bakery experienced a massive surge in popularity after a video about her business went viral, quadrupling her sales in a year. Despite the high ingredient costs, steep New York City rent, and the intense pressure that came with sudden success, Jatee remains dedicated to prioritizing community over profits, emphasizing the importance of providing fresh, high-quality pastries to her neighborhood.

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[VIDEO] Why NYC Built Skyscraper-Sized Sewer Tanks

2026-07-15T12:00:00-04:00

Beneath New York City, a colossal 7,500-mile subterranean network processes billions of gallons of waste daily, a system that has evolved over two centuries from a patchwork of forgotten infrastructure to modern marvels. Initially, in the early 19th century, New York struggled with sanitation, leading to cholera outbreaks due to a lack of a proper sewer system and contaminated drinking water from shallow wells. While the Croton Aqueduct in 1842 addressed the fresh water crisis, it inadvertently exacerbated the sewage problem as more water closets were installed, channeling waste into street gutters and the harbor. By the turn of the 20th century, the harbor was a biologically dead cesspool, prompting the formation of the Metropolitan Sewerage Commission and, eventually, a unified city charter in 1929. The subsequent construction of advanced wastewater treatment plants, such as the Wards Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in 1937 and the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant (now underneath Riverbank State Park) in 1986, marked a significant shift towards treating wastewater. Today, the system, including the iconic digester eggs of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, captures and processes nearly all dry-weather wastewater, with the resulting biosolids being transported across states for agricultural use. The city continues to map its antiquated underground labyrinth using digital innovations, ensuring the complex system operates efficiently and sustainably.

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