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[WATCH] This Historic 110-Year-Old NYC Business Is Shutting Down

2026-10-07T12:00:00-04:00

Step inside the final days of American Wood Column Co., a historic family business in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that is closing its doors after 110 years. Owner Thomas Lupo, whose grandfather started the company, reflects on its long legacy, the unique architectural woodworking they've performed using molds over two centuries old, and why it's time to retire. The factory has provided bespoke columns, decorative moldings, and other ornate wooden pieces for countless projects, from Best & Co. department store to sets for Saturday Night Live and even the Corleone grave in The Godfather. Lupo fondly remembers the close-knit neighborhood of his youth and his family's deep connection to the business, which served as a constant throughout his life, and expresses his hope for a graceful closure.

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[VIDEO] What It Was Like Living in a House in New York in 1900

2026-10-06T12:00:00-04:00

This video, using AI reconstruction, offers a glimpse into daily life in New York City in 1900, just two years after its five boroughs were consolidated. It contrasts the opulent, electrified mansions of Fifth Avenue with the crowded, windowless tenement bedrooms of the Lower East Side. The documentary explores the intricate details of tenement life, including "railroad flats," cold-water taps, cast-iron coal ranges, wooden iceboxes, and shared water closets, where a quarter of a million Jewish, Italian, Irish, and German immigrants resided. It highlights the work of journalist Jacob Riis, whose photographs in How the Other Half Lives exposed these conditions. The video also covers the middle-class brownstone rowhouses of Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, and the Upper West Side, detailing their domestic staff and the emerging "national cuisine." It visits bustling locations like the pushcart markets of Hester Street, German bakeries in Kleindeutschland near Tompkins Square, and oyster cellars on Canal Street, showcasing the city's diverse foodscape. The film concludes on the cusp of the New Tenement House Act of 1901, foreseeing the electrification and modernization that would transform New York's domestic interiors and urban landscape.

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[VIDEO] Why the Bronx Zoo is unlike any other zoo in America

2026-10-03T12:00:00-04:00

Discover the unique story of the Bronx Zoo in this revealing documentary. Hidden in plain sight within New York City, this institution is not just a place to see animals; it's a global leader in wildlife conservation. The video explores its origins more than a century ago, highlighting the vision of pioneers like William Temple Hornaday, and its pivotal role in protecting endangered species, such as the American bison, from extinction. Home to approximately 11,000 animals across 600 species, this urban oasis offers a rare opportunity to experience wildlife in naturalistic habitats. The film also delves into the Wildlife Conservation Society's broader impact, overseeing five parks across New York City's boroughs and operating conservation programs in over 50 countries worldwide. From its historic Rainey Memorial Gates to its groundbreaking educational initiatives and ongoing rescue efforts, the Bronx Zoo stands as a testament to how a zoo can be a world within a city, leaving a lasting legacy in wildlife protection and research.

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[WATCH] New York's $2 Billion Project Fixing Its Most Toxic Canal

2026-10-02T12:00:00-04:00

New York City is undertaking a massive, multi-billion dollar project to clean up the Gowanus Canal, one of America's most polluted waterways and a federal Superfund site in Brooklyn. For over a century, the canal served as an industrial sewer, accumulating various toxic pollutants, including coal tar and "black mayonnaise" sludge. The cleanup plan, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2013, involves extensive dredging, sediment capping, and the construction of two massive underground combined sewer overflow (CSO) tanks by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prevent future pollution. Concurrently, the surrounding industrial area is being redeveloped into a major residential district, with projects like Gowanus Wharf (including the 27-story 175 3rd Street, and Society Brooklyn), and the proposed 100% affordable Gowanus Green. This transformation brings concerns about gentrification and building on potentially contaminated land, highlighting the complex balance between urban development and environmental remediation in a highly desirable area.

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[VIDEO] How This Historic Army Terminal Became NYC's $100 Million Climate Hub

2026-10-01T12:00:00-04:00

The video highlights the transformation of the historic Brooklyn Army Terminal into a $100 million climate innovation hub, managed by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). Originally constructed in 1918 as the largest military supply depot in the US, the 95-acre complex now hosts hundreds of companies working on green technologies. Nicole Spina, VP of Climate Innovation at NYCEDC, explains the city's commitment to addressing climate change through this initiative. Startups like PopWheels, co-founded by David Hammer, are developing fire-safe e-bike battery swapping stations to prevent dangerous fires among delivery workers. Cast Carbon is growing building materials from organic waste to reduce construction emissions. Additionally, Clip, led by CEO Som Ray, creates super-affordable e-bike upgrade platforms. Mira Intel, founded by Danielle Nicholson, utilizes AI-powered drones for proactive infrastructure inspection, drawing inspiration from events like the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse to manage aging infrastructure. Alex Mitchell, SVP at BATWorks/LACI, emphasizes the campus's potential as a climate hub, leveraging its scale and existing industrial activity for decarbonization efforts. The facility includes wet labs, prototyping floors, coworking spaces, and event halls, with a temporary home already open for programming as the larger facility is constructed.

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[VIDEO] The Abandoned Remains of Brooklyn’s Forgotten Elevated Subway Route

2026-09-28T12:00:00-04:00

This video delves into the forgotten history of Brooklyn's Fulton Street Elevated, focusing on the Atlantic Avenue Elevated station in East New York. Once a crucial transfer hub, it connected the Canarsie and Fulton Elevated lines with the underground Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Atlantic Branch. Over decades, starting in the 1940s, this once-robust infrastructure was progressively decommissioned, with the Fulton Elevated replaced by the IND subway and many tracks removed or left unused, leaving the station in a state of decay. The video provides historical aerial views and current footage, showcasing the desolate platforms and the remnants of its former grandeur, as well as an abandoned LIRR substation in the vicinity. Despite its blighted appearance, there's discussion of potential future reopening with the proposed IBX route.

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[VIDEO] Making 300,000 Cannolis A Year By Hand

2026-09-23T12:00:00-04:00

Discover the enduring legacy of Fortunato Brothers Bakery in Brooklyn, where traditional Italian pastries like cannolis, sfogliatelle, and cookies have been meticulously handmade since 1976. Co-owner Biagio Fortunato, a second-generation owner, shares insights into operating a 50-year-old business, highlighting the team's ability to produce up to 7,500 cannolis or 9,000 cookies daily using recipes brought over from Naples. Despite significant challenges, such as steep annual insurance policies, costly oven repairs, and fluctuating ingredient prices, the family remains committed to quality and tradition, aiming to continue their craft for future generations.

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[VIDEO] Transportation as Atrocity: A Brief Investigation

2026-09-15T12:00:00-04:00

This video delves into the contentious presence of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) in New York City, exploring its detrimental impact on adjacent neighborhoods and contemplating its future. It highlights how mid-20th century urban planning decisions, heavily influenced by figures like Robert Moses, sliced through thriving communities in Brooklyn. The video showcases various segments of the BQE, including the Cobble Hill Trench, the Triple Cantilever in Brooklyn Heights, the Downtown Brooklyn section (including Dumbo), and the Navy Yard Viaduct through Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, illustrating the noise, pollution, and disruption residents face. It also points out the severe opportunity cost of the extensive land dedicated to the expressway in a densely populated and highly valuable real estate market. The host emphasizes that despite being an engineering marvel, sections of the BQE are well past their intended lifespan, posing an urgent question for New Yorkers about whether to rebuild the outdated infrastructure as is or pursue transformative alternatives such as those advocated by Off-Ramp NYC, which envisions replacing highways with green spaces, housing, and efficient transit. The video concludes by urging New Yorkers to consider the kind of city they want to build for the future, moving away from car-centric designs towards more livable and connected communities.

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[REPOST] [VIDEO] The Subway's Leftovers | NYC Subway Remnants and Provisions Part 1: Manhattan

2026-09-13T12:00:00-04:00

This fascinating video tour uncovers the hidden history of the New York City subway system by exploring a variety of remnants and provisions scattered throughout Manhattan. From the famous abandoned City Hall loop to lesser-known tunnel bellmouths, storage tracks, and closed station platforms, the footage provides a rare glimpse into infrastructure that was either part of the original subway design, built for expansion plans that never materialized, or decommissioned as the system modernized. By examining these architectural leftovers, viewers gain a deeper understanding of how the city transit network has evolved and the many secret spaces that still exist right beneath the feet of daily commuters. For those interested in learning more about the preservation of these historic sites, you can explore the New York Transit Museum to see how they keep the history of the subway alive.

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[VIDEO] How the NYC Ferry Is Staging a Comeback

2026-09-12T12:00:00-04:00

Discover the unexpected resurgence of the NYC Ferry, a once-dominant mode of transport in New York City's 19th and early 20th centuries that waned with the advent of bridges and tunnels, eventually leaving only the Staten Island Ferry as a vestige. The modern system, launched in 2017 by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, aimed to connect residents across the boroughs. Operated by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the ferry relies on a unique funding structure combining rent revenues and fares, rather than solely federal and state subsidies. Despite a 2022 audit by the City Comptroller that uncovered significant misreported expenditures and overpayments to its private operator, Hornblower Group, the NYCEDC maintains its financial decisions were sound and used the audit as a "wakeup call." In an effort to boost ridership and reduce per-trip subsidies, the ferry has embraced social media marketing, attracted leisure riders and commuters, and introduced new routes, driving ridership to a record 7.4 million passengers last year. The NYC Ferry is now charting a course for continued growth, aiming to expand to new neighborhoods and further integrate into the city's public transit landscape.

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