Are you tired of small talk about the weather or the latest celebrity gossip? Look no further than Sue's list! This curated collection offers unique and interesting talking points that are sure to liven up any conversation. Plus, there's always a fun idea for kids to keep them entertained and engaged.
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For Statistics
Office Comeback Losing Its Mojo in Manhattan as Visitation Rates Plateau
I don’t know about you but I am still working mostly from home. And it seems the excitement of returning to the office is beginning to wane also in Manhattan. According to data from the Real Estate Board of New York, office visitation rates are stalling after a slight increase in the first quarter of 2023 compared to last year. REBNY uses randomized cellphone data from Placer.ai to track visits to 250 office buildings across Midtown Manhattan, Midtown South, and Downtown. The visitation rate was at 61% of pre-pandemic levels, a ten point increase from Q1 2022, but down from a peak of 65% in Q3 2022. While other sectors of the city's economy are bouncing back, the office market is lagging behind. This could have significant implications for the city's tax collections and overall economic health since property taxes on office buildings account for about 20% of the city's property tax collections. As Keith DeCoster, director of market data and policy for REBNY, noted, while there may be plenty of tourists and residents out and about, the return to the office is still about 40% below where it was in 2019 at this time.
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For Unique
Life can be a beach in NYC after all
Who said living in the city means sacrificing beach access? In New York, a handful of new developments are making beachside living a reality with man-made or natural sandy stretches right at residents' fingertips. The Keller at 150 Barrow, a residential condominium in the West Village, is set to be completed by the end of this year, featuring homes starting at $2.59 million. The building is located along Gansevoort Peninsula, which offers a 5.5 acre riverfront park and includes a stretch of sandy beach, a lawn and seating area, a sports field, and a salt marsh habitat. Meanwhile, Astoria West in Queens offers beach access right outside the building's rear entrance, allowing residents to park themselves with umbrellas, beach chairs, and towels to bask in the sun and enjoy the sandy stretch of Cove Beach along the East River. And for a monthly rent of $3,600 to $7,000, this sandy escape is a primary reason many residents call Astoria West home. So why travel for a beach vacation when you can have it all in the heart of the concrete jungle?
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For Explore
Dive into the Future of Ocean Research
Jacques Cousteau's grandson is diving deep to build an underwater laboratory that will make his famous grandfather proud. Fabien Cousteau, the founder of the Proteus Ocean Group, is teaming up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to construct the station off the coast of Curacao in the Caribbean. The lab will provide NOAA with an underwater version of the International Space Station, equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, living quarters, and even media and food production facilities. With PROTEUS, public-private ocean research possibilities will expand. The partnership will allow Proteus Ocean Group to access NOAA's physical and human assets on land and at sea. It looks like ocean research is about to reach new depths with this exciting collaboration.
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For small peeps
Norwalk’s first Kid to Parks Day
Norwalk Goes Wild for Kids to Parks Day: Join the city's first-ever celebration of outdoor play! In partnership with the National Park Trust, Norwalk invites families to discover and explore the great outdoors through a series of park events. On May 20 at Calf Pasture Beach, the free, family-friendly event will offer activities like fitness, music, lawn games, and a scavenger hunt for all ages. Even fishing lessons by Play & Learn Beach Camp Director Mark Jackson are on offer. But don't forget to secure your parking spot and register early! Get ready to have a whale of a time.
There is no cost to participate but one has to register online before May 15. Please provide activity code 052023 in the "Activity Number Space".
Thanks for reading the entire list.
See you next Tuesday,
Sue
