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[VIDEO] A New Kind of Seawall Rises In Manhattan

2026-05-08T12:00:00-04:00

The video details the ambitious Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Plan in Lower Manhattan, aiming to protect the area from rising sea levels, storm surges, and extreme rainfall through 2100. Led by project manager Julia Rinaldi and water engineer Harrison Jaehn from the global engineering firm Arcadis, the plan involves extending and elevating the shoreline to create a new waterfront park, integrating hidden floodwalls, innovative drainage systems, and retractable floodgates. The project draws inspiration from the Netherlands' extensive flood defense systems. It also includes the reconstruction of the Battery Maritime Building and the creation of a new ferry hub for Staten Island and Governors Island ferries, emphasizing universal accessibility and public open spaces. This complex and costly undertaking is seen as a crucial investment in the future economic stability and livability of one of New York City's most vital areas. The tour was organized by Open House New York.

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[WATCH] The Life of a 15 Year Old Sponsored Skateboarder

2026-05-07T12:00:00-04:00

Follow the daily life of Luca Mayer, a 15-year-old sponsored skateboarder in New York City, as he navigates the city streets and his burgeoning career. The video captures Luca's routine, from chilling at his Brooklyn apartment to practicing at his family's Bikes + Boards + Books indoor skatepark. He shares insights into how he secured sponsorships through Instagram and his unique homeschooling curriculum that incorporates skateboarding activities. The day includes attempts at street clips in Manhattan at spots like One Chase Manhattan Plaza, the Oculus, and Tompkins Square Park, a stop for pizza at Joe's Pizza, and even a humorous encounter with a security guard. Luca offers a glimpse into the life of a young skater balancing passion, family business, and the digital demands of a modern athletic career.

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[VIDEO] Inside Rikers Island’s Jail Kitchen

2026-05-02T12:00:00-04:00

This video offers a rare glimpse inside the Gary A. Spitzer Central Kitchen at Rikers Island, New York City's notorious jail complex. Chefs like Mr. Ageda and Mr. Kirby work 24/7 to prepare thousands of meals daily for staff and people in custody. Strict security measures are in place, with knives chained to heavy machinery and all utensils meticulously accounted for by correction officers, including Officer Lync and Officer Stoute. Detainees, referred to as people in custody (PICs), assist with tasks like washing dishes and moving food wagons, but are not permitted to handle the food itself. Detainees, such as Nadine Leach, who was a chef before her incarceration, are paid $1.45 an hour, significantly below New York City's minimum wage. The video highlights several challenges, including a ban on salt in Rikers food (a policy introduced by former mayor Michael Bloomberg) and the high prices of items at the commissary, as criminal justice reporter Reuven Blau explains. Historically, Rikers operated as a penal farm, but transitioned to bulk food production in the 1930s. Food quality has been a long-standing issue, prompting various reforms over the decades. With New York City's plan to close Rikers by 2027 and open smaller borough-based jails in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, a new, healthier plant-based menu is being developed with the help of nonprofit Hot Bread Kitchen. The city's plan, endorsed by officials like State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, aims to improve conditions for those incarcerated.

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[WATCH] How the Mafia Turned New York’s Trash Into a Billion-Dollar Goldmine

2026-05-01T12:00:00-04:00

This video delves into the shadowy history of how the Mafia quietly seized control of New York City's trash industry, transforming mundane waste into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. Starting in the 1930s, post-Prohibition, mobsters like Vincent Squilante, through the Greater New York Cartmen's Association, systematically intimidated independent haulers and forced businesses to pay inflated prices for garbage collection in territories carved out across the city. This lucrative racket, overseen by figures like Carlo Gambino, expanded from commercial waste to municipal contracts and eventually into waste disposal, including landfills in Staten Island, New Jersey, and Upstate New York. The mob's involvement led to environmental disasters like toxic dumping and elevated cancer rates in communities. Despite federal investigations and a high-profile raid in Apalachin, New York, the mob's control remained largely intact for decades due to a pervasive culture of silence, political corruption, and law enforcement focusing on other crimes. Key figures like Squilante and his successor, James Failla, remained largely untouchable, living lavish lives funded by illicit trash money. It wasn't until the 1990s, with new RICO statutes and the establishment of the New York City Trade Waste Commission, that the Mafia's stranglehold on the industry was finally broken, allowing legitimate companies to bring transparency and competitive pricing to the collection and disposal of the city's 15,000 tons of daily waste.

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[VIDEO] Day in the Life at NYC's BBQ Joint

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

This video follows the inspiring journey of chef Ruben Santana, owner of Bark Barbecue, as he brings his unique Dominican-Texas style barbecue to New York City. The day begins early in a Queens warehouse, where Ruben and his team meticulously prep and smoke various meats like brisket, ribs, and pulled pork. Before heading to his main location, Ruben enjoys a traditional Dominican breakfast at Bridge Coffee Shop in Dumbo, showcasing the flavors that influence his barbecue. The video then transitions to his stall at Time Out Market in Dumbo, where he serves a diverse crowd of barbecue enthusiasts, sharing the story of how his backyard pop-up during the pandemic evolved into a celebrated culinary destination, marking him as the first vendor invited to the market without a pre-existing brick-and-mortar location.

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[WATCH] New York City in the 1970s

2026-04-27T12:00:00-04:00

The video documents New York City's struggles in the 1970s, a decade marked by economic collapse, rising crime, and widespread urban decay. Factories closed, jobs vanished, and a phenomenon known as "white flight" saw the middle class depart for the suburbs, leaving behind struggling communities. Public services deteriorated, leading to piled garbage, crumbling infrastructure, and graffiti-covered subways that commuters feared. The city faced near-bankruptcy, famously rejected by President Gerald Ford, and the 1977 blackout plunged NYC into darkness, sparking widespread looting and fires, especially in areas like The Bronx. Despite these immense challenges, New Yorkers displayed incredible resilience, fostering new cultures like hip hop and punk rock, and slowly rebuilding their communities from the ashes.

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[VIDEO] Making Popcorn for 15,000+ Basketball Fans

2026-04-26T12:00:00-04:00

Priya Krishna goes behind the scenes at Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn to meet the "popcorn engineers," Miss Deb and Mahogany, two long-tenured concession employees and friends. They are responsible for making enough popcorn for over 15,000 basketball fans during a WNBA game, including for 20 stands, 4 portable stations, 30 suites, and 4 clubs. The video showcases their diligent process, from preparing 50-pound bags of kernels with special seasoning to distributing the freshly popped bags across the arena, all before tip-off. Their dedication ensures every fan, no matter where they're seated, enjoys the same quality popcorn. The women also reflect on the growing popularity of women's sports and the strong bond they've built over years of working together.

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[WATCH] Can $68BN Save New York’s Subway?

2026-04-25T12:00:00-04:00

The video highlights the challenges facing the NYC Subway system, from aging infrastructure and chronic delays to fare evasion. It introduces the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) ambitious $68BN 2025-2029 Capital Plan, the largest spending plan in New York's history, aimed at modernizing the network. Key upgrades include new R211 trains with wider doors and enhanced security, accessibility improvements at stations like Smith-9 Streets Station, and the crucial transition from fixed block signalling to Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) on nine lines, expected to significantly boost efficiency and reliability as demonstrated on the L and 7 lines. The plan's funding partly relies on the controversial Congestion Pricing scheme, which has faced legal challenges from various New Yorkers and New Jersey. Historically, the subway experienced a period of decline in the 1970s due to underfunding and crime, followed by a major revitalization in the 1980s and 90s, only to see maintenance neglected again due to debt and vanity projects. The video also touches on the extraordinarily high construction costs in New York, citing the Second Avenue Subway as a prime example of projects running vastly over budget and schedule. Despite its issues, the subway remains a vital, unique, and beloved part of New York City life.

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[WATCH] Can You Swim In NYC's Rivers?

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

The video explores the long-held belief among New Yorkers that swimming in the East River is dangerous and unhealthy. The host, Jack Coyne, investigates the historical context of New York Harbor's pollution, detailing how, after colonization, overharvesting of oysters and the dumping of human waste and industrial refuse rendered the waters lifeless by the mid-1900s. While the Clean Water Act of the 1970s led to improvements, a significant sewage problem persists due to the city's combined sewer system, which overflows untreated sewage and stormwater into the harbor during heavy rain. Coyne joins the Billion Oyster Project, an organization working to restore a billion oysters to New York Harbor to naturally filter its waters, to conduct water quality tests, showing that the water can be clean on clear days but becomes unsafe after rainfall. He also meets with Urban Swim, which organizes safe open-water swimming events, demonstrating that with proper precautions and support, swimming in these waters is possible and is becoming a powerful form of environmental advocacy.

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[VIDEO] A Day at Brooklyn's Busiest New Restaurant

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

I Cavallini executive chef and co-partner Nick Curtola, also behind Michelin-starred The Four Horsemen, walks through a busy day at his Brooklyn restaurant. He emphasizes a cooking philosophy reliant on exceptional fresh produce, sourced from the Union Square Farmers Market in Manhattan. The video showcases intricate preparations for dishes like fried eel toast, inspired by Venetian chicchetti; hand-rolled trofie pasta with pesto and Belper Knolle cheese; and nervetti, a multi-day braised beef tendon terrine served with onion salad and savory jelly. Another highlight is a bluefin tuna toro dish with Risina beans, roasted tomatoes, and chervil gremolata. Curtola explains the dedication to traditional Italian techniques, the experimental process behind creating unique offerings, and his commitment to developing his culinary team.

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