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Dear New Yorkers,

Inside the newsstand at the 66th Street-Lincoln Center stop on the No. 1 line, there is no escaping the past.

Dozens of outdated magazine covers serve as dusty throwbacks to years past. “How Betty White Stays Golden,” reads one. “Facing Fears & Finding Courage: The Coronavirus Crisis,” blares another.

The headlines are also grim indicators of how subway newsstands are struggling to survive amid major shifts in ridership and reading habits.

According to the MTA, just 52 of 195 retail locations in the subway — or close to 27% — are currently open.

“That is not a business that seems to be economic anymore for those folks,” Janno Lieber, MTA  CEO, said. “So we’ve been trying to figure out how to energize and enliven those spaces.”

One solution announced last year: convert them into spaces for rent-free use by artists or non-profit organizations.

A former newsstand on the northbound platform at the 81st Street-Museum of Natural History stop along the B and C lines was the first to be converted into a makeshift performance space.

Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz performed there last Monday. She said she enjoys fleeting subway moments with riders: “It makes me feel like I’m meeting New York City.”

Read more here about what the future might hold for the city’s subway newsstands.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Thursday’s Weather Rating: 3/10. Honestly, I wish I had better news. It’s still warm, it’s still humid, there’s still a chance of storms. Slightly less bad than yesterday.

Our Other Top Stories

Two years after pharmaceutical money from opioid settlements began pouring into municipalities, New York City can’t say exactly how the more than $60 million it has reported spending thus far has been used. At a hearing yesterday, members of the state’s opioid settlement advisory board members railed about the city’s failure to account for its share of the settlement fund — as advocates pointed out that overdose deaths have continued to rise. “Our dollars are not getting to those communities,” said one board member. “It is reprehensible.” For our summer newsletter, THE CITY caught up with two first-time Olympians hailing from New York, who will compete for the U.S. Women’s National Fencing Team in at the Olympics in Paris next month. Plus, if you’re inspired yourself, we rounded up several slightly less competitive spots around the city where you can play Olympic sports.

Summer & THE CITY brings you the best of summer, by and for New Yorkers. It’s a free, weekly newsletter to help you enjoy — and survive — the hottest months in the five boroughs.

(Plus, we’re raffling THE CITY’s limited edition summer merch over there. Don’t miss out.)

Sign up for Summer & THE CITY here — it’s free!

Reporter’s Notebook

Rents Rise Again

Median rent for new leases in Manhattan in June rose to $4,300, according to the monthly Elliman report, tied for the highest ever for the month. The vacancy rate was a miniscule 2.3%. The story is the same in Brooklyn, where median rents increased to $3,695, a record for June. The news comes as the City Planning Commission met Wednesday to hear testimony on Mayor Adams’ City of Yes plan to build housing across the five boroughs.

High interest rates which have trapped potential home and apartment buyers in rentals are one reason behind the relentless rise in rents, experts say. But the more important problem is the lack of supply.

The story is different elsewhere in the country, especially in the South, where rents are dropping because so many apartments have been constructed in recent years.

— Greg David

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, July 12: The Bronx River Alliance hosts free community paddling for beginner and intermediate paddlers. Kayaks are provided for singles, and canoes for pairs and families on a first-come, first-served basis. Free from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Concrete Plant Park in The Bronx. Friday, July 12: Sounds of Detroit: Celebrating 50 years of J Dilla feat. Pharcyde / Slum Village / Rich Medina / Breakbeat Lou, an outdoor SummerStage concert. Free from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Herbert Von King Park in Brooklyn. Saturday, July 13: Civic Speakeasy, an event series hosted by Lincoln Center and Citizen University dedicated to strengthening civic culture in communities through art. Free at 6 p.m., at The Underground at Jaffe Drive in Lincoln Center in Manhattan.

THE KICKER: Union Square’s first night market — run by the same group as the park’s annual holiday market — opens tonight with food vendors and live music, reports PIX11.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Thursday.

Love,

THE CITY

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