Monday, December 8, 2025

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Dec 11 – Dec 18) | Bring Your A-Game!: Game Night & Winter Explorations


Frigid air nips at our noses with temperatures dropping, coats zipped up higher and gloves stuffed in our pockets.  Step into the tropics in our palm house or make your way to Wave Hill House to find a seat in the cafe and comfort in a cup of cocoa. At Wave Hill, you’ll find warmth during the wintertime in the cozy houses scattered across the grounds. 

  

Winter Haven at Wave Hill 

Winter Haven returns to Wave Hill with a season of quiet wonder!  

 

Nature & Wellness 
 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Free with admission to the grounds     
Registration not required.    

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. 

 

Winter Birding 

Free with admission to the grounds     
Registration encouraged.    

xplore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands with naturalist, Gabriel Willow to observe birds in their winter habitat. Birders of all levels encouraged. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Tickets required for all participants.  

 

Family 

 

Winter Discovery Night 

Free with admission to the grounds  
Registration encouraged 

Explore all your winter wonderings with a fun, hands-on evening full of science, art, and creativity. Perfect for curious kids (ages 5+) and their families! Enjoy hot cocoa and self-guided activities outdoors along our lighted pathways. 

 

Family Art Project: Bridge Building Bonanza 

Free with admission to the grounds  
Registration not required. 

Wave Hill has a majestic view of the George Washington Bridge, an important and historic part of our city. Discover their engineering secrets and put your newfound knowledge to the test as we build bridges together.       
 

Game Night Social 

Free with admission to the grounds  
Registration encouraged 

What’s a little competition between friends? Join us for our first-ever Game Night Social for an evening of strategy, teamwork, trivia, and more. Bring your own games or borrow from our collection. While you play, enjoy tasty food and drinks. Gaming tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis.   

 

Special Events  

 

Winter Haven at Wave Hill 

Winter Haven returns to Wave Hill! This winter, slow down and savor the season in the quiet wonder of the Garden. From our beloved Artisan Market to twilight strolls and Holiday Teas, each moment is crafted to help you reconnect with those you love, and to find peace in the beauty of nature.  

 

Early Closing 

Free with admission to the grounds 

The gardens will be open from 10AM—2PM and close early for a private event. 
  

Help make a difference this holiday season by bringing non-perishable food items for donation when you come to the garden! Items will be collected Nov 11 – Dec 19 and distributed by our friends at the Riverdale Neighborhood House. 

 

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–4:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  
Shuttle Service Free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.    

MOST PRO-HOUSING ADMINISTRATION IN CITY HISTORY: MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCES NEXT STEPS FOR THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES, OLDER ADULT CENTER AT 100 GOLD STREET

 

GFP Real Estate Selected to Build Approximately 3,700 Units of Mixed-Income Housing Units, At Least 25 Percent of Units Designated as Permanently Affordable 

Project Will Include New Public Open Space and Revitalized Older Adult Center for Local Residents 

Project Will Relocate City Agencies to Improved Office Space and Increase Quality of Service to New Yorkers Without Disruptions 

Part of Mayor Adams Historic Executive Order to Build New Homes on City-Owned Sites 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the next steps in the transformation of a city-owned site at 100 Gold Street in Lower Manhattan into a new, mixed-income residential building. The city has selected GFP Real Estate to build approximately 3,700 units of high-quality, mixed-income housing, with a minimum of 25 percent of the homes required to be permanently affordable as more than 900 units of affordable housing are created without any subsidy from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Additionally, proceeds from the disposition of the city-owned site will be used to acquire new office space for HPD and other agencies that currently occupy 100 Gold. GFP Real Estate will also build and maintain approximately 40,000 square feet of new public open space as well as a new state-of-the-art, publicly-accessible fitness center inside the building. Finally, the development will include an upgraded older adult center for the community. After Mayor Adams issued a historic executive order last year requiring city agencies to review their portfolios and identify potential sites for new housing, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) led a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process to identify a developer for 100 Gold. Along with proposals to build thousands of new homes on city-owned sites like Flushing AirfieldGansevoort Square390 Kent Avenue, and more, today’s announcement will help the Adams administration create, preserve, or plan over 433,000 homes for New Yorkers.

“From an abandoned airfield in Queens to an old office building in Manhattan, our administration is using every piece of land we have to build the housing we need,” said Mayor Adams. “With today’s announcement, we’ll give thousands of families an affordable place to live, thousands of city employees new high-quality office space, and all New Yorkers new public space and amenities to enjoy. Whether it’s passing the most pro-housing legislation in city history, creating record amounts of affordable housing, or issuing a historic executive order to turn city land into new homes, we are proud to be the most pro-housing administration in city history, and our record reflects exactly that.” 

“100 Gold is exactly the kind of bold step New York needs to meet the moment on housing,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “With GFP Real Estate on board, we are creating thousands of homes, expanding affordability, and delivering new community amenities. And as this work advances, the city will secure a modern home for HPD, the dedicated-team driving our affordable housing mission”

“For decades, 100 Gold Street has been the physical nerve center of our work to expand affordable housing across the city. Transforming our headquarters into new homes at the scale made possible under this proposal is a bold expression of that mission. A building that has supported the people fighting for affordability will soon provide real homes for the New Yorkers we serve,” said HPD Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “With a dynamic and highly skilled team leading this commercial-to-residential conversion, we are leveraging our newly established land use tools and proven expertise to reimagine office space as a vibrant, mixed-use community. This project unlocks the full potential of the site, maximizes its transit-oriented development advantages, and welcomes new individuals and families into a neighborhood rich with amenities. By rethinking how we plan for city offices and applying every tool for thoughtful development, HPD is strengthening its ability to serve New Yorkers, deliver the housing this city urgently needs, and pursue our mission with renewed focus.” 

“Transforming outdated city-owned sites into mixed-income housing is at the core of NYCEDC's mission, and bold projects like 100 Gold are critical to tackling New York City’s ongoing affordability crisis,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “The historic redevelopment will deliver thousands of high-quality, mixed-income housing units and public amenities for New Yorkers, and NYCEDC is proud to partner with GFP Real Estate to bring this extraordinary vision to life in Lower Manhattan.”

GFP Real Estate is a proven family-owned real estate firm with over 70 years of experience in New York City. Their development experience positions them as a key driver of the Financial District’s shift from a traditional office hub to a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, including 25 Water Street, the largest office-to-residential conversion in the country. GFP is also a leading developer of housing in the Financial District, with nearly 2,500 units completed or under development, including more than 620 designated as permanently affordable.

The current building — which was constructed in the 1960s and requires significant investments — currently houses the Hamilton-Madison House older adult center. The proposed development will include a new, purpose-built facility for the older adult center on site, reflecting feedback from months-long community outreach and engagement, that will deliver a substantial improvement in space, accessibility, and overall experience. During construction, a temporary facility will be provided nearby to ensure no disruption in service.   

Originally announced in Mayor Adams’ 2025 State of the City address, the 100 Gold project will also take advantage of new high-density zoning districts created through the Adams administration’s historic “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal.

The release of this RFP follows public engagement with elected officials, Manhattan Community Board 1, and other key stakeholders. To date, NYCEDC has hosted two public engagement meetings and released a public survey. Following today’s announcement, the development team will conduct site due diligence and environmental review. The project anticipates certifying into the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) in 2027, where robust community engagement will continue. 

Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments to create more affordable housing and ensure more New Yorkers have a place to call home. Earlier this year, Mayor Adams announced that his administration has created, preserved, or planned approximately 426,800 homes for New Yorkers through its work through the end of the last fiscal year — a number which has already grown to over 433,250 homes to date. Mayor Adams also announced that, in Fiscal Year 2025, the Adams administration created the most affordable rental units in city history and celebrated back-to-back-to-back record-breaking years for producing permanently-affordable homes for formerly-homeless New Yorkers, placing homeless New Yorkers into housing, and connecting New Yorkers to housing through the city’s housing lottery.

In addition to creating and preserving record amounts of affordable and market-rate housing for New Yorkers, the Adams administration has also passed ambitious plans that will create tens of thousands of new homes as well. Last December, Mayor Adams celebrated the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the most pro-housing proposal in city history that will build 80,000 new homes over 15 years and invest $5 billion in critical infrastructure updates and housing. 

Building on the success of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Adams unveiled his “City of Yes for Families” strategy in his State of the City address earlier this year to build more homes and create more family-friendly neighborhoods across New York City. Under City of Yes for Families, the Adams administration is advancing more housing on city-owned sites, creating new tools to support homeownership, and building more housing alongside schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, accessible transit stations, and libraries. 

Further, the Adams administration is actively working to strengthen tenant protections and support homeowners. The “Partners in Preservation” program was expanded citywide in 2024 through a $24 million investment in local organizations to support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing. The Homeowner Help Desk, a trusted one-stop shop for low-income homeowners to receive financial and legal counseling from local organizations, was also expanded citywide in 2024 with a $13 million funding commitment.

Finally, Mayor Adams and members of his administration successfully advocated for new tools in the 2024 New York state budget that are already helping spur the creation of urgently needed housing. These tools include a new tax incentive for multifamily rental construction, a tax incentive program to encourage office conversions to create more affordable units, lifting the arbitrary “floor-to-area ratio” cap that held back affordable housing production in certain high-demand areas of the city, and the ability to create a pilot program to legalize and make safe basement apartments.

DEC Climate Justice Working Group to Meet


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What: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) will hold a meeting on Friday, December 12, 2025. The CJWG establishes criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities (DACs) for the purposes of co-pollutant reductions, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regulatory impact statements, and the allocation of investments pursuant to the Climate Act.

This meeting will include deliberations on the disadvantaged communities criteria. Members of the public are welcome to listen to the meeting via webcast. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and can be done by clicking the WebEx link below.

When: Friday, December 12, 2 p.m.  

Where: Virtual - WebEx meeting and registration link [https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r4998d5311cf0859d74fca6a1c61c6477]  

Webinar password: welcome12.12.25 (93526631 from phones)  

Audio: Dial 1-929-251-9612 (New York City); Dial 1-415-527-5035  

Access code: 2826 531 8414  

In-Person: Event locations include: 

  • NY Green Bank, Alistair W.C. Clark Boardroom,1333 Broadway, Suite 300, New York, NY 10018 
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Headquarters, Boardroom, 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203 
  • DEC Region 5 Office, 1115 New York State Route 86, Ray Brook, NY 12977-0296 
  • Broome County Public Library Ahearn Room, 185 Court Street, Binghamton, NY 13901 
  • DEC Region 9 Office, 700 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY 14209  

Additional Information: This meeting will be recorded and posted on the Climate Act website within three days, or as soon as practicable.  

Allerton Avenue Homeowners & Tenants Association FOOD GIVEAWAY - TOY GIVEAWAY


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Suspected Tren de Aragua Gang Member Released Into the Country by the Biden Administration Rams Law Enforcement Officer Vehicle into a Tree in Elgin, IL

 

Elgin Police Department refused to help protect ICE law enforcement as rioters threw rocks and bottles at them 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Luis Jesus Acosta Gutierrez, an illegal alien from Venezuela and suspected member of Tren de Aragua (TdA). 

ICE officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, at which point Acosta resisted arrest by intentionally ramming an officer’s vehicle into a tree. Thankfully, the officer sustained no injuries.

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Acosta then fled on foot and barricaded himself into an apartment of a person he did not know. The suspected gang member came out on the apartment’s balcony and officers tried to negotiate with him to leave the apartment. During this time, a large crowd of agitators formed and began throwing rocks and bottles at law enforcement officers. The local police department refused to protect ICE law enforcement officers. 

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After several hours of negotiating, ICE officers safely took Acosta into custody.

“This suspected TdA gang member was not only released into our country by the Biden administration but also granted Temporary Protected Status. This yet again underscores the serious lack of vetting by Biden administration on the millions of aliens they allowed to come into the country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin“Thankfully, under President Trump and Secretary Noem, this administration terminated his TPS, arrested him and removed him from our streets. We are grateful all of our officers are safe after, yet another vehicle was used as a weapon against them and more rioters threw rocks and bottles at them. Our officers are experiencing a more than 1150% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. This violence against law enforcement must end.”  

This suspected TdA gang member entered the country illegally in April 2023 and was released by the Biden administration. Then, the Biden administration granted him Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This once again shows the lack of vetting the Biden administration did on illegal aliens they allowed into American communities.  

Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, this illegal alien’s TPS was terminated in November 2025.  He will be placed in removal proceedings.

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MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STABBING AN OFF-DUTY MTA EMPLOYEE

 

Victim Stabbed Multiple Times, Sustained Life-Threatening Injuries

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Attempted Murder in the second-degree for stabbing an off-duty MTA employee. 

District Attorney Clark said, “Unprovoked, the defendant pulled out a large knife and stabbed the victim several times as he was waiting for a train in the Pelham Parkway station. The victim suffered grave injuries as well as severe trauma from the incident. Today’s sentence ensures this offender will be kept away from the public for many years.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jamar Banks, 53, no known address, was today sentenced to 10 years in prison and five years post release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Jay Kim. Banks pled guilty to Attempted Murder in the second-degree on September 22, 2025.

According to the investigation, on January 2, 2025, the defendant started an argument with the victim, a 47-year-old MTA employee in uniform on his way to work on the northbound platform at Pelham Parkway station. Banks then pulled out a large kitchen knife and stabbed the victim in the back and left side of his body causing numerous lacerations that kept him out of work for several months.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Lashvejai Singh of the Bronx Transit Squad for his work in the investigation. 

Governor Hochul Celebrates Topping Out of NY Creates’ $1 Billion NanoFab Reflection

Photo of Governor Hochul at construction site.

Future Home of North America’s Most Advanced Publicly Owned High NA EUV Lithography Equipment Which Will Develop and Reshore the Next Generation of Semiconductor Technology

Governor’s Investment Secures $9 Billion in Private Investment and New York’s Role as a Global Leader in Next-Generation Semiconductor Chip R&D

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the “topping out” of NanoFab Reflection, the cornerstone of the Governor’s $1 billion investment in NY Creates’ Albany NanoTech Complex, marking a major milestone for the $10 billion initiative and for New York State’s strategy to strengthen America’s semiconductor leadership. The new facility will be the home of the nation’s first publicly owned, High NA EUV Lithography Center, with the most advanced chip research and development capabilities anywhere in the world.

The 310,000 square foot NanoFab Reflection is a key component of the Governor’s semiconductor strategy and investment in growing NY Creates’ Albany NanoTech Complex, which is already the nation’s premier public–private semiconductor R&D hub. The project will support hundreds of new permanent high-tech jobs, generate $9 billion in private investment, and harness the power of expanded partnerships with universities, workforce programs, and global semiconductor companies. The topping out ceremony marks the installation of the final steel beam of the NanoFab Reflection structure, highlighting its on-schedule construction progress. Completion of the building is anticipated by the end of next year.


“With this milestone, we are taking a major step toward securing the future of advanced chip research right here in New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “This $1 billion investment I secured for NY Creates, paves the way for good jobs, stronger communities, and an innovation economy that keeps our state competitive on the global stage."


NanoFab Reflection will include 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art cleanroom space, built to support the most demanding and leading-edge semiconductor R&D work in the world. The facility will house ASML’s High NA EUV lithography equipment, the world’s most advanced tool for printing the tiny features that power next-generation chips. The new High NA EUV lithography equipment, scheduled to arrive at the Albany NanoTech Complex in mid-2026, will be able to make chips more powerful and faster to meet ever increasing computing needs while making them more energy efficient.

Governor Hochul’s Commitment to the Semiconductor Industry
Today’s milestone complements Governor Hochul’s pledge to reshoring semiconductor manufacturing and research and development in New York State. Under the Governor’s leadership, Upstate New York has seen a major revival in semiconductor related investment. The establishment of the EUV Lithography Center in Albany builds on the continued commitment to establish New York State as a global chipmaking hub. Since the Governor took office, New York State now has the fastest growing semiconductor industry ecosystem in the nation. Governor Hochul has secured over $124 billion in new industry investments which includes major investments from Micron, and GlobalFoundries and semiconductor supply chain leaders such as Edwards Vacuum, TTM, Menlo Micro and AMD. New York State’s semiconductor investments are playing a direct role in bringing more chip research and manufacturing back to the United States — helping secure supply chains, boosting national security, and protecting American competitiveness. By the end of the decade more chips will be manufactured in and around upstate New York than anywhere else in the U.S. The growth of this ecosystem promises to create tens of thousands of good paying jobs for New Yorkers and fundamentally reshape the economic trajectory of the entire state.

NYS Department of State Announces Opening of $8 Million Local Government Efficiency Program

 

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Competitive Grant Opportunity Incentivizes Municipalities Aiming to Reduce Costs and Lower Tax Burden

Efficiency Grant Will Help Enhance Productivity for Local Governments Facing Capacity Constraints 

Municipalities Across the State Can Now Apply for Funding Through this Program

Secretary Mosley said: “The Local Government Efficiency program has shown the capacity to offer great economic returns for localities and expanding it will bring even more savings to New Yorkers.”

The Department of State today announced that its popular Local Government Efficiency Grant (LGEG) program is again available to municipalities with innovative ideas for supporting a more affordable New York. Applicants may apply for funding to streamline government operations and services which reduce current or future costs, resulting in savings for local property taxpayers. The $8 million initiative incentivizes two or more local governments to team up to apply to plan for or implement shared services, consolidations, and dissolutions.

“Incentivizing municipalities to find new efficiencies is a great way to create more affordable communities,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “The Local Government Efficiency program has shown the capacity to offer great economic returns for localities and expanding it will bring even more savings to New Yorkers.”

Through the LGEG, DOS is also aiming to assist local governments to address significant current and emerging challenges. In this current funding round, Priority Points will be given to: Regional Projects; Regional or Local Projects being implemented as part of a previous LGE planning grant or that was included in a Countywide Shared Services Initiative (CWSSI) plan; or Regional or Local Projects that aim to address:

  • Information Technology Services (ITS), including Cybersecurity;
  • Emergency Services;
  • Countywide or Multi-County Code Enforcement or Municipal Planning;
  • Water and/or Wastewater Management Systems; or
  • Clean Energy Initiatives.

 

Some Recent Winning Communities Include:

  • Town of Hunter partnering with Greene County, the Villages of Hunter and Tannersville, and the Hunter-Tannersville Central School District: Mountaintop Community and Municipal Services Center - $1,250,000
  • Town of Carmel partnering with the Bedford, Bronxville, Eastchester, Mamaroneck, and Ossining Police Departments: Shared Police Communications Software - $1,200,000
  • Orleans County: Orleans County EMS Study $52,859
  • Tompkins County: Rapid Medical Response Team pilot program - $629,779
  • Brockport Fire District partnering with the Bergen and Churchville Fire Departments, and the Murray Joint and Hamlin-Morton-Walker Fire Districts: Mutual Aid College Student Bunk-In Program: $490,500

The LGEG Request for Applications (RFA) and additional information may be found on the DOS website here. RFAs must be submitted by Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 4 pm. 

The LGEG program is comprised of approximately $7.2 million available for implementation grants and $800,000 for planning grants. Implementation grants are capped at $250,000 for each participating municipality (not to exceed $1,250,000 in total) and require a 10% local match, while planning grants are capped at $20,000 per municipality (not to exceed $100,000 in total) and require a 50% match.

Two years ago, the LGEG program was doubled from $4 million to the current $8 million. Through the increase, DOS aims to enhance the impact for local governments facing capacity constraints. This year’s program again allows for Regional Projects led by Regional Planning Boards or eligible counties to serve as the leads on projects that involve four or more co-applicants. Additionally, DOS is offering a one-year Qualification Grant of up to $25,000 for Regional Planning Boards and eligible Counties to evaluate and select a project for future LGEG funding. 

Through its consolidation and efficiency programming, DOS has made 655 project awards, totaling over $121 million. The estimated long-term savings for local government recipients is over $680 million. 

Eligible Local Government entities are counties, cities, towns, villages, special improvement districts, fire districts, public libraries, association libraries, public library systems (if they advance a joint application on behalf of member libraries), water authorities, sewer authorities, regional planning and development boards, school districts, and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).

Applications are evaluated based on the potential return on investment (ROI), project need, service delivery benefits, operational changes, local and regional capacity, project readiness (ability to complete the project in 5 years) and the comprehensiveness and specificity of the work plan and budget. 

Local Government Efficiency Grants may be used to cover costs integral to project implementation including but not limited to: legal and consultant services; capital improvements and equipment; and transitional personnel costs not to exceed three years.