Above, rendering of the proposed park; below, photograph of the site in its current state A $114 million plan to put a waterfront park on the East River, just south of the United Nations, came into focus yesterday; the four-acre site is where a parking lot for a Con Edison power plant used to reside. City Councilman Daniel Gardonick said, "The opportunity to create this riverfront park is an opportunity we cannot afford to......

The Lost Beach, by vanshnookenraggen at fark Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: Falling debris at East 11th St. and Ave. C in Manhattan, a propane truck explosion in the area of 172nd St. and Townsend Ave. in the Bronx, and a water rescue at 96th St. and the FDR Drive off Manhattan (brrr!). The Javits Center is only 21 years old, but it leaks like a sieve. So in addition to the expansion of......

Weighing in on the modified congestion pricing plan the Traffic Congestion Mitigation Commission recommended, Mayor Bloomberg said:"The Commission has done a thorough and thoughtful job. They've taken testimony from hundreds of residents, community leaders and civic organizations. They've held dozens of public meetings and have analyzed mountains of data. Although the final recommendation varies from our original proposal, I accept it. "We will work with our partners in the Council and the State Legislature, and......

An off-duty police officer turned himself in for Sunday's fatal road rage-related shooting in Harlem. Sean Sawyer, who joined the NYPD and worked as an undercover officer, approached a police cruiser yesterday morning, "I think you guys are looking for me for the shooting last night on the FDR [Drive]...This is the gun I used...I thought the guy was armed - make a sign like a gun. I think I'm having a heart attack; please......

The 2007 FISA Rowing Tour USA makes a stop in New York City today by rowing around the isle of Manhattan. The last leg of the week-long rowing tour is a "Row Around New York" where participants will row 30 miles around the island. The boats began at 6 am today at Pier 40 (Houston St. and the Hudson River) and should finish there at around 5 pm. Participating rowers, there are 70 of them,......

The 31st Annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks extravaganza is just around the corner. This is the largest display in America and takes a year to plan. This year's show will stretch wider than usual in a "high definition" format, choreographed to the New York Pops (simulcast on 1010 WINS, TV broadcast on NBC). The Daily News has an interview with Gary Souza, fireworks designer for the event; he says, "We have a new......

Tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m., the Municipal Arts Society is holding a meeting at Hunter College to present a brainstormed plan for making the East River waterfront in Manhattan's midtown an accessible public waterfront. The idea is that if the rebuilding of the FDR Drive, the decommissioning of the Con Ed power plant, and the expansion of the U.N. are coordinated, there is the opportunity for a waterfront park to be built, and completing the......

Video for "Waiting for the Centipede" With so many bands in this city, there are plenty who drop out each and every day. Call it quits, re-form as another band, move on to something else...you know the drill. This week, Brooklyn band The Fever are bowing out and will play their last show on the high seas. The booze cruise boards at 7pm, shoves off at 8pm and will have you returned safely to......

Residential groups on the Upper East Side had filed a lawsuit to stop the building of a garbage transfer station at East 91st Street and the FDR Drive, but a judge dismissed the suit, noting that the plan would "further the city's announced, rational goals of promoting equity among the boroughs for responsibility over waste disposal, and reducing truck traffic." Indeed, Mayor Bloomberg proposed the controversial plan almost two years ago and tried to get......

THEATER: The end of the Fringe Festival draws near, and the dilemma sharpens: what should you not miss? Of the shows that are still on, a good bet is Chris Harcum's http://www.chrisharcum.com/ Some Kind of Pink Breakfast, a solo comedy (but multi-character) with music by Debby Schwartz that melds '80's songs and movies with events from his own experiences, making for a hilarious yet poignant retro performance that should be a perfect way to end......

"Where can I get a good view of the fireworks on 4th of July? Should I bring a folding chair? Can I bring alcohol? " If you haven't made friends with someone who has East River and/or Statue of Liberty waterfront views yet, we have some answers. The Macy's Fireworks Spectacular has 3 different fireworks launching sites this year (here's the map) - on the East River between 23rd and 42nd streets, between Liberty......

Guess the rain we kept hearing about this weekend didn't show showed up the minute we typed that. Keep your fingers crossed for a whole weekend Sunday of sun? And don't forget to wish your mother happy mother's day tomorrow! - There was a nasty, and fatal, DWI early this morning on the FDR Drive at 76th Street that involved an SUV jumping 15 feet up in the air. - Speaking of drunk driving,......

When I'm in a taxi going over the Brooklyn Bridge from the FDR Drive, I always notice a sign proclaiming the onramp to be the "Ari Halberstam Memorial Ramp". Who is this guy, and why did he get an onramp to a bridge named after him, of all things? Ari Halberstam was killed on the Brooklyn Bridge on March 1, 1994 and former mayor Rudolph Giuliani named the Ari Halberstam Memorial Ramp in his honor.......

I need some sort of physical activity, but I abhor gyms and their culture - so I have been thinking about doing Tai Chi or Kung Fu. I'm still up in the air about which one I want to do. I’m leaning towards Tai Chi, although Kung Fu seems to be more physical and has a wee bit of awesomeness that doesn't come with Tai Chi. My question is not really which one I should......

I don't want to waste a whole day waiting around the FDR for prime viewing of the July 4th fireworks. Where else can I see them from? -Karen, Williamsburg Basically, if you have a view of the East River, you're all set. NY.com says: Manhattan: Southbound lanes of the FDR drive from 14th to 42nd Street will be open for the public from 7:30pm to 10:00pm. On-ramp entrances for pedestrians (including the disabled) are located......

[Ed.: Coolfer dropped off an amazing plan on what you should do this Memorial Day weekend, music-wise. And it's so true - staying in the city over holiday weekends can work in your favor. Thanks, Coolfer!] Why leave NYC over Memorial Day weekend? The clubs and bars thin out a bit, it's easier to get a taxi and you don't have to put up with holiday traffic. Stay in the city, sleep in and see......

It's good to know that even though Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez has a Metrocard, he's not letting New York real estate brokers down by getting a downmarket walk-up: A-Rod and wife Cynthia have rented a Midtown East apartment in "a full service building with a doorman and concierge. The apartment has views of both the East River and the park, and will have easy access to Yankee Stadium via the FDR Drive." The......