New York City (September 21, 2021) – NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, is encouraging New Yorkers, visitors and meeting delegates to safely enjoy a selection of new and upcoming experiences and places to visit.
“As New York City rebounds and visitors return to our vibrant neighborhoods across the five boroughs, an entire new slate of offerings awaits, underscoring our message to travelers: It’s Time for New York City,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of NYC & Company. “Keeping with NYC’s tradition of constant renewal and reinvention, new world-class products and infrastructure join our best known icons to keep NYC the most exhilarating and welcoming urban destination in the world.”
Below is a top-line summary of what’s new across the five boroughs in 2021 and beyond, by category:
Infrastructure:
Opened earlier this year, the Moynihan Train Hall is a spectacular 92-foot-high train hall with soaring skylights that transformed the landmark James A. Farley Post Office Building into a 21st-century transportation hub serving LIRR and Amtrak passengers. The new station features 50 percent more concourse space, state-of-the-art wayfinding, information displays and is a welcomed expansion of the Penn Station complex. Plans have been unveiled for a new pedestrian pathway that will link NYC’s High Line seamlessly to Moynihan Train Hall, scheduled to be completed by 2023.
The Javits Center completed its 1.2-million-square-foot expansion, including a 54,000-square-foot special event space, the largest of its kind in the Northeast; 90,000-square-feet of exhibit space; a 200,000-square-foot rooftop event space, including a glass-enclosed pavilion, an outdoor terrace, a green roof that serves as a habitat for area wildlife and a one-acre working farm, which is expected to generate up to 40,000 pounds of produce each year; and more.
LaGuardia Airport’s redesigned Terminal B features 35 new gates, along with retail, food and beverage, and amenities that more than doubles the previous offerings. With soaring ceilings and plenty of natural light, the new terminal has nearly 50 shops and restaurants including iconic NYC retailers Shake Shack and FAO Schwarz. By mid-2022, with the completion of Delta’s new Terminal C, visitors will be greeted by a new airport fit for the 21st century with its two new terminals connected by a magnificent Central Hall, featuring the Orpheus and Apollo sculpture formerly at Lincoln Center. The AirTrain project, scheduled for completion in 2025, would provide a convenient rail connection to the Long Island Rail Road and NYC subway that offer travelers service from Manhattan to the airport in 30 minutes.
Newark Liberty International Airport’s brand-new Terminal A, a 1 million square-foot terminal that will be 20 percent larger than the existing Terminal A, will feature 33 new gates and cutting edge design changes built into the structure. The new terminal, which will be a “common use” terminal with all gates utilized by multiple carriers for increased flexibility and efficiency to optimize operations, will also feature state-of-the-art technology and safety features, and biometric upgrades. As part of the airport redevelopment project, construction is well underway for a new joint-use, multi-level parking facility and consolidated car rental location (ConRac) directly connecting to the new Terminal A via a climate-controlled pedestrian bridge. The Port Authority continues to build momentum toward state-of-the-art mass rail transit systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion and provide a safer, more accessible ride for air travelers, including construction on a 2.5-mile elevated guideway train system, a Newark Liberty project scheduled to begin in mid-2022, with new service set to start in 2026.
Attractions:
The Phoenix Family Thrill Roller Coaster opened this summer at Coney Island. Standing 68 feet tall, the new ride will reach speeds of 34 miles per hour and guarantees a thrilling new addition at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, which celebrated its 100th season last year.
QC NY, a new spa by the visionaries behind QC Terme Spas & Resorts in Italy, is projected to open next month on Governors Island, marking the first QC property in the US. Tickets are officially available for purchase online.
Opening October 21, SUMMIT will be NYC’s newest observation deck and immersive experience at the crown of the iconic new One Vanderbilt skyscraper. SUMMIT will take visitors to the highest vantage point in Midtown with views of the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and north to Central Park, and glass floor ledges that overhang over 1,000 feet above Madison Avenue. The observation deck will also offer food and beverage options created by Danny Meyer.
RiseNY by Running Subway, a new entertainment attraction opening later this year, will connect visitors to NYC in a unique and extraordinary way, exploring the history of NYC via live actors, immersive media and museum galleries, culminating with a soaring ride.
In mid-September, LGBTQ+ celebrities, elected officials and board members led a groundbreaking ceremony to welcome The American LGBTQ+ Museum, which will be located at the New-York Historical Society on Central Park West and is projected to begin construction next year.
Museums, Cultural Organizations and Performing Arts:
In May, the Whitney Museum of American Art debuted Day’s End by David Hammons as a permanent public art project located in Hudson River Park, directly across from the museum. The exhibition pays homage to Gordon Matta-Clark’s 1975 artwork of the same name in the same location. Day’s End alludes to the history of NYC’s waterfront from the heyday of the City’s shipping industry in the late 19th century to its role as a gathering place for the gay community in the 1970s.
The completely redesigned Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals opened at the American Museum of Natural History in June. The halls feature nearly 5,000 specimens from 95 countries—including two amethyst geodes that are among the world’s largest on public display—which tell the fascinating stories of how mineral diversity arose, the environments in which minerals form, how scientists classify them and how humans have used them throughout history.
On display through October 31, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx features new work by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, including two new outdoor monumental sculptures Dancing Pumpkin and I Want to Fly to the Universe, as well as Infinity Mirror Rooms and colorful flowers and floral sculptures.
Opened earlier this month at 526 Sixth Avenue, Banksy:Genius or Vandal?, is a world-renowned exhibition dedicated to the famous British artist. On display through Thanksgiving weekend, the exhibit dives into the controversial artistic universe of one of the most influential creators today and features more than 80 genuine, authenticated artworks by Banksy from private European collections.
Automania, on display at MoMA through January 2, 2022, showcases an in-depth look at automobiles—an object that has inspired innovation, social transformation and critical debate. The exhibition addresses the conflicted feelings that developed in response to cars and car culture in the 20th century through cars and car parts, architectural models, films, photographs, posters, paintings and sculptures.
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, made its New York premiere at the Brooklyn Museum earlier this month. The exhibition, on display through February 20, 2022, covers the groundbreaking history and legacy of the House of Dior and highlights Dior’s many sources of inspiration, including a variety of over 200 haute couture garments as well as photographs, sketches, archival videos, vintage perfume elements and accessories.
Broadway returned this month with classics like The Lion King, Chicago, Wicked; newer productions including Hadestown, Waitress, Hamilton, Come From Away; brand-new shows that will debut including Thoughts of a Colored Man, Diana and Mrs. Doubtfire; and many more. For a full list, visit nycgo.com/articles/fall-2021-broadway-guide.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art launched the Costume Institute’s newest exhibition, a two-part show on view through September 5, 2022. Part one, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, opened on September 18 and celebrates the Costume Institute’s 75th anniversary, exploring a modern vocabulary of American fashion. Part two, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, opening on May 5, 2022, will explore the development of American fashion.
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG), opening at the New-York Historical Society on October 1, is based on the popular Tumblr and bestselling book of the same name. The exhibition, on display through January 23, 2022, will take an expansive look at RBG, highlighting her efforts to protect civil rights and foster equal opportunity for all.
Greater New York, MoMA PS1’s signature survey of artists living and working in the NYC area, will return to Long Island City, Queens, for its fifth edition, October 7 through April 18, 2022. This iteration will offer an intimate representation of NYC through the work of 47 artists and collectives, forging connections between often under-examined histories of art making in the City.
Due to its successful summer run, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit New York will return to Pier 36 November 17 through January 2, 2022, featuring Vincent Van Gogh’s art in a captivating digital exhibit, giving guests the rare opportunity to “step inside” the artist’s work. Additionally, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, a separate 360-degree digital art exhibition at the Skylight on Vesey in Lower Manhattan, is running now through January 2022.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona, Queens, is undergoing a physical and programmatic expansion for a new cultural center with an interactive exhibit, archival collections, 68-seat jazz club and store, projected to open by the end of the year.
Victoria Theater will open as an addition to Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater in next year, marking the first expansion in its history. The theaters at the Victoria, located down the street from the Apollo, will offer two new and flexible performance spaces, one with 99 seats and the other with 199 seats. The space will be used by artists, students, audiences and cultural partners, extending the Apollo’s role and mission to support artistic creation and collaboration in Harlem. The Victoria Theater redevelopment project will also include residential units, retail space and a hotel, the Renaissance Hotel Harlem.
Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic have accelerated the revitalization of the iconic David Geffen Hall, which is slated to reopen in fall 2022. This project will create a premier home for the New York Philharmonic, providing acoustical and visual intimacy for audiences, along with a reconfigured and reenergized Grand Promenade that will create one of the largest gathering spaces at a performance facility in NYC. Additionally, the Sidewalk Studio, a new addition visible from the street, will be a home for educational, artistic and community activities.
Restaurants:
Featuring Indian dishes from the subcontinent and beyond, SONA opened earlier this year in the Flatiron District with dishes such as Malabar chicken biriyani and tandoor roasted beets. The elegant restaurant resembles Mumbai in the late 1930s with an art deco lounge that flows into a rear dining room.
Owners of the recently opened Hudson Smokehouse in the South Bronx, Steve Zera, Kenny McPartlan and Ana McPartlan, are known for their Southern-inspired menu offering baked beans, briskets, smash burgers and a variety of BBQ chicken wings.
In May, massive Midtown seafood restaurant Le Pavillon by Daniel Boulud opened at the base of One Vanderbilt with 100 seats, a 30-seat bar and a flowering garden with real black olive trees. The seafood establishment is a nod to the first haute French restaurant in NYC that opened in 1941 and closed in the early 1970s.
Nneji opened in Astoria, Queens, earlier this month, serving Nigerian food including West African soups and stews.
Located in the Seaport District, the just-opened Tagmo was founded by award-winning chef Surbhi Sahni offering regional Indian cuisine, with mostly vegetarian fare and sweets in a colorful setting.
The Great Jones Distilling Co. is Manhattan’s first whiskey distillery in Noho now offering experiences such as distillery tours and six-course whiskey and culinary pairing experiences. On October 14, a restaurant called The Grid will also open within the space.
Cha Kee opened in Manhattan’s Chinatown in mid-September, serving Japanese-influenced Cantonese dishes. The restaurant is overseen by co-owner Jimmy Fong and executive chef Akiko Thurnauer, who previously worked at Mission Chinese, Nobu Tribeca and En Japanese Brasserie.
The food complex at Manhattan West, opening on September 28, will offer plenty of diverse food options including Danny Meyer’s restaurant Ci Siamo, an ode to Italy with an outdoor terrace, and Eastern Mediterranean–inspired restaurant Zou Zou’s, which will serve cuisines from Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan.
The L’Artusi team will open a casual wine bar in the West Village this month called B’artusi. Guests can expect a vast selection of wine to choose from, and a menu of food by L’Artusi’s executive chef Joe Vigorito.
Acclaimed Japanese chef Tadashi Yoshida will open Yoshino New York in Noho this fall, featuring an intimate setting of 12 comfy chairs for diners to enjoy sushi omakase dinners.
Melba Wilson, the chef and owner of Melba’s, will open a new seafood restaurant this fall, Melba’s Mussels, located in South Harlem. The restaurant will offer mussel dishes inspired by notable icons such as Sophia Loren and Frida Kahlo.
Agi’s Counter, by chef Jeremy Salamon, is a Jewish and Eastern European–influenced restaurant that will open near Prospect Park in Brooklyn in October. Chef Salamon’s menu includes Hungarian and Austrian wines and to-go pastry options.
In November, Masalawala, led by restaurateur Roni Mazumdar and chef Chintan Pandya (the team behind the highly reviewed Adda restaurant in Long Island City), will open its doors in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and offer dishes from Kolkata, India, along with regional Indian fare from Pandya. The restaurant will also act as a market, selling special spice blends.
Opening in November, Urbanspace Zero Irving, a 22-story office building located in Union Square, will host 13 vendors, a quarter of which are first-time start-ups, offering a vast selection of food with an outdoor patio for guests to dine. The food hall will be Urbanspace’s fifth location.
This fall, Don Cheech will open near Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. Chef Massimo Felici, born in Florence Italy, will create Italian-inspired meals with an emphasized American flare.
Later this year, José Andrés will open an outpost of Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya in the new Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad.
Waterfront and Outdoor Activities:
Citi Bike is now one of the largest bike share systems in the world, second only to China’s, with this year’s expansion in Inwood and Washington Heights.
A statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg was unveiled this spring at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn and is available for public viewing daily. Created by contemporary artists Gillie and Marc, the bronze statue underscores the importance of gender equality in public art.
This spring, Little Island opened at Pier 55 as a free public park
featuring green space, a 687-seat amphitheater, a plaza, lawn space,
food and beverage offers and more.
In June, Hudson River Park opened a redesigned Pier 76, including outdoor flexible space, numerous interpretive plaques relaying the history of the area and a propeller from the SS United States passenger liner, famous as the record holder for the fastest passenger ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
In August, NYC Ferry launched the St. George route from Staten Island to Battery Park City and Midtown West. Next up, the Coney Island route (to Bay Ridge and Wall Street) and an extension of the Soundview route (to Ferry Point Park/Throgs Neck) will launch later this year.
Retail:
The RealReal opened in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, this year, making the location its third NYC store. The luxury-consignment store offers gently used adult and children’s clothes, jewelry, fine art and home decor at a fraction of the original cost.
This spring, Loeffler Randall opened its first storefront in Soho, and the inaugural shop showcases the brand’s unique shoes, handbags and accessories in the trendy neighborhood.
The world’s first official Harry Potter flagship store, Harry Potter New York, opened in June in the Flatiron District. The store features the largest selection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts merchandise under one roof, as well as 15 themed areas, interactive displays and photo-ops.
This fall, Madison Avenue shoppers will have the opportunity to visit new the flagship boutiques of Fendi, LTD x Lizzie Tisch, Manolo Blahnik and Sleepy Jones; the newly imagined and expanded flagships of Akris and Brunello Cucinelli; and the City’s newest venue for major art shows, Art House New York (a five-story exhibition hall in the former location of Barneys New York, opening on November 3 with “Nurse Heroes & Women Who Dared”).
Century 21 is expected to make its return to the five boroughs later this year, though the specifics of where and when are still being finalized.
Big Events:
Climate Week NYC is taking place September 20–26, with in-person, virtual and hybrid programming. As part of the weeklong event, the Nest Summit will take place at the Javits Center September 21–22, bringing together thought leaders in a hybrid format to discuss and advance sustainability.
The TCS New York City Marathon is back this year as a spectator event. On November 7, 33,000 runners (60 percent capacity of previous years’ races) are expected to run the five-borough course.
The 95th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return in-person with spectators this year. Kicking off at 9am on November 25, the iconic holiday event will include marching bands, cheer and specialty group performances, signature floats and balloons, with more details to be announced.
Neighborhoods:
Earlier this, year, NYC & Company launched The Black Experience in NYC, dedicated to celebrating the diversity and nuances within New York City’s Black community and all that makes it unique, and The Latino Experience in NYC, showcasing the most diverse Latino representation of any city in the world and how Latin American culture forms an integral part of the City’s fabric. NYC & Company has also a compiled a resource on Support for NYC’s Asian Community, with further content spotlighting the City’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities launching soon. In addition, the organization continues to release robust content and updated online resources for travelers on LGBTQ+ NYC and Accessible NYC.
For guides to NYC’s many neighborhoods across the five boroughs, visit nycgo.com/neighborhoods.
For a list of recent openings and reopenings, visit nycgo.com/whatsopen.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Key to NYC program is now in full effect. New Yorkers and visitors age 12 and older are required to show proof of vaccination to participate in indoor activities at NYC restaurants and bars, fitness gyms, and entertainment and recreational settings including music or concert venues, museums and galleries, professional sports arenas and indoor stadiums, performing arts theaters, and other indoor recreational activities. Eligible proof of vaccination includes the NYC COVID Safe App, the New York State Excelsior App, a photo or hard copy of a CDC vaccination card, official vaccine record, or a photo or hard copy of an official vaccination record of a vaccine administered outside the United States for one of the following vaccines: AstraZeneca/SK Bioscience, Serum Institute of India/COVISHIELD and Vaxzevria, Sinopharm or Sinovac.
