https://www.otdowntown.com/news/east-harlem-giglio-feast-thrills-1000s-as-italians-hoist-giant-tower-EE6116006 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T09:00:29-04:00 East Harlem Giglio Feast Thrills 1000s as Italians Hoist Giant Tower https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-boys_4-11014441_20260816234055.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-lift_4-11014443_20260816234057.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-repose_4-11014445_20260816234649.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-capo-cane_4-11014427_20260816234034.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-boys-girls_4-11014433_20260816234043.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-directions_4-11014439_20260816234052.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-capo-our-lad_4-11014431_20260816234040.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Our Lady of Mount Carmel on East 116th Street, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-anthony-doll_4-11014435_20260816234046.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Saint Anthony on East 116th Street, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglgio-feast-saint-antho_4-11014437_20260816234049.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Saint Anthony on Pleasant Avenue, Sunday Aug. 9. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/east-harlem-giglio-feast-our-lady-rod_4-11014429_20260816234037.jpg East Harlem Giglio Feast thrills Pleasant, Avenue while around the corner is the Rodale Community Garden and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic church. https://www.otdowntown.com/city-arts/busting-asian-stereotypes-groundbreaking-film-redefines-ballet-YG6091098 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T10:13:34-04:00 Busting Asian Stereotypes: Groundbreaking Film Redefines Ballet https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/about-face-disrupting-ballet_4-10987866_20260806135257.jpg Georgina Pazcoguin is featured in “About Face: Disrupting Ballet.” The documentary shows how she joined the fight to rid the ballet world of negative Asian stereotypes. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/phil-chan-1_4-10987869_20260806135258.png Phil Chan is a director and choreographer. He is also featured in the documentary, “About Face: Disrupting Ballet.” https://www.otdowntown.com/news/appeals-judge-allows-pied-a-terre-tax-rollout-while-legal-battle-continues-YC6105067 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T12:26:13-04:00 Appeals Judge Allows “Pied-à-Terre” Tax Rollout While Legal Battle Continues https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/mamdani-video-photo-at-griffin_4-11010073_20260813163238.jpg Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the now infamous video filmed outside the penthouse apartment of Citadel chairman Ken Griffin. “When I ran for mayor, I said I was going to tax the rich,” he said in the video released in April. “I’m thrilled to announce we secured a pied a terre tax,” he said, “the first in NYC history.” https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-11-at-4-24-08-pm_4-10997010_20260811162517.png NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed up his “pied-à-terre” tax during a press conference on an unrelated topic on August 10 after a Staten Island Supreme Court judge issued a temporary block on the new surcharge. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/petition-to-bar-mamdani-from-9-11-ceremony-sparks-support-backlash-DH6108005 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T13:18:50-04:00 Petition to Bar Mamdani From 9/11 Ceremony Sparks Support, Backlash https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11-35-07-am_4-11000031_20260812113537.png Over 87,000 people have signed a controversial petition to encourage event organizers to bar Mayor Zohran Mamdani from the 25th Anniversary Ceremony for 9/11. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/sephora-the-new-face-of-st-mark-s-in-a-nine-story-tower-FH6108117 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T13:20:24-04:00 Sephora—The New Face of St. Mark’s in a Nine Story Tower? https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11-32-09-am_4-11000220_20260812113229.png A Sephora store on 1 St. Mark’s Place opened in May after a 6-year construction project, one which many fear is the first step towards future pushes for existing residents and business owners out of the area. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/theatre-80-4-6220150-20230403002623_4-11017018_20260817130822.webp Lorcan Otway was the owner of the iconic Theatre 80 on St. Mark’s Place but when business shut down in COVID, he defaulted on a loan that was snapped up by Madison Capital Partners at a bankruptcy auction. He was forced out of the building that contained residential apartments a pub and a theater started by his father. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11-35-23-am_4-11000272_20260812113639.png When walking through St. Mark’s Place, there seem to be more “For Lease” signs visible than open stores. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11-38-52-am_4-11000281_20260812114036.png https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11-37-27-am_4-11000280_20260812114032.png St. Mark’s is known for its punk aesthetic and rock & roll nightlife; redevelopments in the area may be pushing it towards “Silicon Alley,” where characteristic lower-rise NYC neighborhoods are being replaced by high-rise office and residential buildings. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/some-e-bike-safety-bills-introduced-but-menin-drops-registration-call-YD6115203 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T13:56:54-04:00 Some E-Bike Safety Bills Introduced but Menin Drops Registration Call https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/screenshot-2026-08-14-at-4-30-36-pm_4-11013428_20260814163059.png A press conference on August 4 called for the passing of 17 new laws regarding E-bike safety and registration. Since then, Menin appears to be backing away from one of the planks for corporate registration of e-bikes used by deliveristas. https://www.otdowntown.com/news/elizabeth-street-garden-saved-after-long-preservation-fight-LH6119728 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T15:58:13-04:00 Elizabeth Street Garden Saved After Long Preservation Fight https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/elizabeth-street-garden-party_4-11017905_20260817155200.jpg Fans of the Elizabeth Street Garden celebrate now that Mayor Zohran Mamdani has abandoned city plans to erect low income housing on the neighborhood greenspace. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/joesph-reviner-inside-garden_4-11017046_20260817155159.jpg A co-creator of the Elizabeth Street Garden, Joseph Reiver, celebrates the final victory on Aug. 15 https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/people-on-line-outside-elizabeth-st_4-11017908_20260817155201.jpg Long lines formed as residents awaited a chance to get into the Elizabeth Street Garden to celebrate now that the city no longer wants to use the space to build affordable housing. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/guy-inside-elizabeth-st-garden_4-11017903_20260817155203.jpg Local artist John Just, who said he lived in Hawaii for years, enjoys the chance to read a book in a peaceful garden setting. https://www.otdowntown.com/city-arts/artist-nicole-cooper-s-work-offers-new-ways-to-think-about-climate-AE6116266 hourly Our Town - Downtowner en 2026-08-17T16:39:36-04:00 Artist Nicole Cooper’s Work Offers New Ways to Think About Climate https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-nicolecooper-studio-jan2024-v_4-11017985_20260817165137.jpg Nicole Cooper has shown her work across the US While her medium is often oil on canvas, she has been experimenting with new materials. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-img-5420-jpg-11017986-11017986_4-11017986_20260817165138.jpg Climate artist Nicole Cooper stands in her workspace in the Art Center at Governors Island. This year, Cooper is one of 19 of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Art Center Residents. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-img-5193-jpg-11017990-11017990_4-11017990_20260817161501.jpg While much of Nicole Cooper’s work in the past has been oil painting on canvas, she has been experimenting with new mediums and processes during her residency, including hand weaving. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-img-5189-jpg-11017994-11017994_4-11017994_20260817165141.jpg Nicole Cooper has filled her workspace at the Art Center at Governors Island with a mixture of past works and new inspiration. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-nicolecooper-changeofheart-oil_4-11017992_20260817165142.jpg Nicole Cooper painted “Change of Heart,” an oil painting on canvas in 2020. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-weavingpossiblities-oiloncanva_4-11017993_20260817165143.jpg Nicole Cooper painted “Weaving Possibilities,” an oil painting on canvas in 2024. https://www.otdowntown.com/binrepository/artist-img-5187-jpg-11017987-11017987_4-11017987_20260817165144.jpg Nicole Cooper has been exploring the concept of regenerative relationships through her new project. This focus led her to experiment with paper making, which she did using mushrooms.