Week & Weekend Update of Events in NYC

Planned Openings & Fireworks, Phase II & III Economic Reopening,  Life in the City & Primary Election Results Remain Open Due to Large Mail in Vote

June 26, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC CoVid 19 Special Section / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

On Monday NYC entered Phase II of the economic reopening, which among other things included curbside restaurant service, limited office openings and limited capacity retail. That put a lot of people back to work and seemed to give the city more of a normal feel. The Mayor quipped that it was the first time in a while that he got caught in a traffic jam.

NYC Plans Move to Phase III on 7/6/20

Assuming New Yorkers maintain their CoVid protocol vigilance, we’ll be moving to Phase III on Monday, July 6th. This includes the reopening of Personal Care services such as nail salons, gyms, as well as limited capacity in restaurant dining.

A Word of Caution - CoVid Resurgences in Reopened States

But it's worth making a note of caution, as other states - such as Texas, Florida, California and Arizona which beat us to the punch in reopening their economies - have sparked a huge resurgence of new CoVid infections. Texas, Florida and Arizona have put their economic re-openings on hold. Florida beat its previous high rate of CoVid infections on Thursday, nearly reaching 9,000 new infections in a single day. And an increasing share [about half] of these infections have been found in people between the ages of 25 - 45.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the NYC Phase II & III, planned reopenings, Macy's July 4th fireworks 2020, cancellations & NYS Primary Election.

Week & Weekend Update of Events in NYC

Planned Openings & Fireworks, Phase II & III Economic Reopening,  Life in the City & Primary Election Results Remain Open Due to Large Mail in Vote

June 26, 2020 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC CoVid 19 Special Section NYS / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.. Continued.

CoVid Deaths Affect All Age Groups - But Especially those with Underlying Health Conditions

People older than 65, males and African Americans are the demographics of the people most likely to be hospitalized according to a CDC report published today. But people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or chronic respiratory disease - are also at greater risk of being hospitalized.

While the CoVid related deaths in this country have levelled off, they have not stopped. It's important to remember that CoVid related deaths are a lagging indicator of new CoVid infections - so as infections go up, the number of deaths is likely to follow.  It's also worth noting that the flu generally abates in the summer, while the spread of CoVid has continued, even as we have entered into the longest and hottest days of the year.

Wearing Masks - Try to be Patient with the Slow Learners

Unfortunately Desperate Donald, whose re-election prospects continue to dim as the CoVid pandemic rages on and the economic comeback falters, has set a bad example for the rest of the nation by not wearing a mask. In one study, the wearing of masks reduced the spread of the virus by as much as 66% from carriers and by another 30% when worn by non-carriers [defensively]. The combination adds up to nearly 100%, which is how New York managed to crush the curve.

As of this post, only the Donald and Vladimir Putin of Russia - of all of the leaders of the world's largest nations - have resisted wearing a mask.  I begin to wonder how much more time it will take these two slow learners to understand that it's not only in their own best interest [health] to wear a mask, but also - as role models - it's also in the best health interest of the nation as well. I think I now understand why the Donald has threatened to sue anyone who discloses his academic transcripts.

So to New Yorkers I say congratulations, please keep on doing what you've been doing, and perhaps we collectively can help fill in the leadership void at the national level by staying disciplined and avoiding a fall into the mask politicization trap and an accompanying CoVid resurgence. That would truly be sad.

Phase III includes Park Recreational Space, Personal Care & Indoors at Bars & Restaurants

So Phase III is the reopening of park recreational space like basketball, tennis and other courts. It also includes enabling restaurants to open to about 25% - 50% of capacity [I imagine depending on how the restaurant space was previously configured] indoors. And it includes the reopening of personal care establishments like nail salons and gyms. Hair salons were included in Phase II.

Planned Openings - Beaches, Libraries, Swimming Pools Update

NYC Parks beaches will open for swimming effective Wednesday, July 1st. Social distancing rules will remain in effect. And there may be limits on capacity for the beaches - as is true for any given public access space these days.

Some 22 libraries in the city are planning to reopen effective Monday, July 13 for 'grab and go' book lending and returns. Libraries in each borough will be open, although days and times will vary from each other and from the old normal schedule. Use the following links for the Brooklyn Library https://www.bklynlibrary.org/ the Queens Library https://www.queenslibrary.org/ and the New York Public Library which includes Staten Island and the Bronx https://www.nypl.org/ .

NYC July 4th Fireworks Early Next Week

Mayor de Blasio announced that there will be fireworks in NYC for July 4th - but it won’t be the same as in prior years. On Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday of next week [6/29 - 7/1] there will be five minute fireworks displays at - as of yet undisclosed locations [to avoid attracting crowds]. The locations are being selected based on a combination of fireworks safety and to make them as visible as possible within each of the five boroughs. Then on July 4th there will be a display from the Empire State Building and an online video of the prior events. The use of illegal fireworks has been significantly up this year, and the Mayor and NYPD have initiated efforts to identify the suppliers and users and bring them in compliance with the law.

Metropolitan Museum of Art to Open, NYC Marathon & Lincoln Center Fall Season Cancelled, While Comic Con, Halloween & Thanksgiving Parades Holding on

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is planning to reopen on Saturday, August 29th. That’s the first good news we’ve heard on the cultural front.

The NYC Marathon has been cancelled for the 2020 year. And, as mentioned in a prior post, the fall season for Lincoln Center was also cancelled.

At present there aren’t any plans to cancel Comic Con 2020 at the Javits Center from October 8 - 11. Ditto for the NYC Halloween Parade in the Village on October 31st and for the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Midtown on November 26th . But - as you know - things could change. The Marathon and Lincoln Center were the first to announce cancellations for the Fall, but more may follow.

The Economy - Transit Usage Up, Macys Layoffs, Amazon Buys NYC Commercial Real Estate & $1.3 Billion of Stimulus Payments go to Deceased

Transit usage was up again this week to about one million subway rides. That’s about 20% of normal - but bear in mind that the 60 plus million visitors to New York annually [five million per month] make up some of that and they’re not likely to return for a while. The MTA buses did better, rising to nearly 50% of pre-pandemic levels.

U.S. companies have taken on a fair amount of debt due to the low interest rates. This could bode ill for them as interest rates rise.

Macy’s announced staff reductions of 3,900 people to save an estimated $630 million.

The General Accounting Office estimated that the Trump Administration sent about $1.4 billion to an estimated one million dead people. Mnuchin’s Treasury Department said they would try to recoup the funds.

Commercial real estate has slowed significantly and remains slow, as everyone awaits the dust settling on the pandemic impact on retail, restaurants, and telecommuting .  But that didn't stop Amazon from purchasing a one million square foot space it intends to use as a warehouse at 55-15 Grand Avenue in Maspeth, Queens. Also, according to a June 23, 2020 Daily News report, Amazon is signing a lease for a combination 620,000 square foot office / warehouse space in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn as well as a 200,000 square foot facility in the South Bronx. Amazon already has a significant office / warehouse presence in Staten Island in two adjacent facilities of 450,000 and 855,000 square feet.

It's going to be warm this weekend, with highs in the high 80's and lows in the high 70's.  Scattered rain showers are  predicted on both Saturday and Sunday afternoon with 80% humidity on both days and a fair breeze [12 mph Saturday dropping to 5 mph Sunday].  Is it beach weather or  quarantine weather?  Enjoy : )