Church of St. Mary’s at 440 Grand Street has been landmarked. ( Photo: Brian Berger) Prayers Answered: Church of St. Mary Is Landmarked! Parish Bicentennial Coming If the hallelujahs have resounded a little louder at Grand and Ridge Streets lately, it’s because, after years of uncertainty,... News 13 Apr 2026 | 11:22
Battery Park Brouhaha ferry fence protest including (l to r) Chris Marte, Charles Fall, Dan Goldman, Grace Lee, Paula Recart, Brad Hoylman-Sigal. ( Photo: Charles Fall Instagram) Battery Park Brouhaha Gets Hotter as Pols Protest Ferry Fence “If you build it, he will come.” This famous quote from 1989 baseball movie “Field of Dreams” might very well apply to the... News 11 Apr 2026 | 02:12
Bilingual Market Street sign on East Broadway near Chris Marte’s office. ( Photos: Brian Berger) Marte Brings Bilingual Street Signs Bill to City Council Look, up on that street sign: it’s English, it’s Chinese, it’s bilingual by golly! When did they do that?! As it turns out,... News 23 Mar 2026 | 08:39
Church of St. Mary’s, March 14, 2024. ( Photo: Brian Berger) Miracle on Grand Street: Church of St. Mary to be Landmarked? It doesn’t happen often but this time it might, as a historic Catholic edifice, the Church of St. Mary’s, erected on Grand... News 16 Mar 2026 | 11:07
The Mayor’s and solon’s cordon at the Chinaton Parade. ( Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office) Chinatown Celebrates Year of the Fire Horse with Big Parade You can’t have a big Lunar Year New Year parade without a little yelling, and at least a few jokes. That’s just one of the... News 09 Mar 2026 | 04:31
State Sen. Ron KIm speaks with Christopher Marte and State Sen. Jessica Ramos (left) on Feb. 18, 2026. ( Photo: Brian Berger) CM Marte Pushes Bill to Protect Home Health Aide Workers—Again! On the drizzly morning of Ash Wednesday Feb. 18, Council Member Christopher Marte and dozens of mostly Chinese home health... News 02 Mar 2026 | 12:17
Flowers placed on monument during Black History Month at African National Burial Ground, Feb. 21, 2026. ( Photo: Charles D. Fall Insagram) Black History Month Celebrated at African Burial Ground: Rejoice! Black History Month just can’t seem to get a break sometimes. It’s always the shortest month, of course, with Valentine’s... News 02 Mar 2026 | 11:42
320 Pearl St. homeless shelter and Peck Slip School, Feb. 15, 2026. ( Photo: Brian Berger) Mamdani Opens Homeless Shelter Next to Peck Slip School On Tuesday February 3, with no public forewarning, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced via press release that a 106-bed “Safe... News 16 Feb 2026 | 03:24
Renderings of the soon-to-be under construction Chinatown Jail. ( Photo: NYC DDC) Chinatown Jail Construction Starting Soon, Will Continue for Years To make an omelette, the hoary apothegm goes, you have to break few eggs. And so it will be with the Chinatown Jail, whose... News 01 Feb 2026 | 03:43
Christopher Marte with some of his constituents, June 5, 2025, after unveiling a new dog park. ( Photo: Brian Berger) ‘Just Paws Eviction’ Bill Seeks End to No-Pets Housing Policies Christopher Marte may not have won the race for City Council speaker, but he’s not lifting a hind leg on his constituents,... News 25 Dec 2025 | 11:51
Julie Menin said she has pledges of 37 votes, more than enough to secure her election as speaker of the City Council come January. ( Photo: Courtesy Julie Menin campaign) Julie Menin Declares Victory in City Council Speaker Race Upper East Side City Council Member Julie Menin said she has secured 37 votes, more than enough to be elected to speaker... News 01 Dec 2025 | 01:33
Locals have long enjoyed relaxing in the Elizabeth Street Garden and until recently thought they had achieved a last-minute reprieve to halt development plans. ( Photo: Marie Pohl) New Peril for Elizabeth Street Garden: Developers Sue the City The fate of the Elizabeth Street Garden, a community and sculpture garden in Little Italy, remains uncertain once again.... News 24 Nov 2025 | 05:36
Elizabeth Street Garden on the morning of Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. ( Photo: Brian Berger) Elizabeth Street Garden is Saved—Again!— By Mayor Adams, Randy Mastro In the waning days of the Mayor Adams administration, Hizzoner made further moves to protect Elizabeth Street Garden, the... News 17 Nov 2025 | 07:25
Left: Christopher Marte in City Hall Park. Right: Helen Qiu flyers on East Broadway. ( Photos: Brian Berger) Christopher Marte Re-elected, Defeats Helen Qiu in Council District 1 Down in old Chinatown and from the NYCHA projects near the East River to Battery Park City with South Street Seaport, FiDi... News 10 Nov 2025 | 03:19
The Elizabeth Street Garden in the summer of 2025. ( Photo: Marie Pohl) Elizabeth Street Garden Faces Death, Again: This Time by Mamdani In another break with his rivals, Zohran Mamdani said he intends to evict the beloved Elizabeth Street Garden from a city-owned... News 01 Nov 2025 | 10:57
