13 Things In NYC To Look Forward To

New York City city constantly evolving, whether referring to vertical growth or its enormous entertainment offer. While we cannot explore the city’s current offer, I thought it’d be great to take a look ahead and see what New York has in store for us in the coming months. So here they are, New York’s most anticipated openings. Mark your calendars!

1. The World’s First Makeup Museum (2020)

New York will be home to the world’s first Makeup Museum. The museum was set to launch in May 2020 and has already announced the delay of the opening. It is, however, still coming and we cannot wait to check it out once the doors are finally open.

2. Harry Potter Flagship Store (2020)

New York City is a city of firsts. Besides the Makeup Museum, New York is looking forward to the world’s first official Harry Potter Flagship Store. The massive store is spread across three stories and will be located at 935 Broadway, in the Flatiron District. In fact, its location is directly across the iconic Flatiron building. A must-visit for every fan of the popular saga. If you plan to experience the store and you want to stay on theme, you should consider watching Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. Currently, there have been no official statements as to whether the opening will be delayed or not.

3. Low Line Underground Park (2021)

Have you ever heard of a subterranean park? At this point, it will probably come to no surprise that the first one of its kind is currently being constructed in New York City’s Lower East Side. The world’s first underground park, the Lowline, is scheduled to open to the public in 2021, marking 10 years after the idea was proposed. It uses groundbreaking technology to channel sunlight light underground and enable cultivation.

4. Little Island at Pier 55 (2021)

If you walk along Hudson River Park, you will notice this construction site. What will emerge here is a park dubbed Little Island. It’s located at Pier 55 and will extend into the river, creating its own peninsula. Thanks to its shape and the lush greenery, the island will resemble a floating leaf. The cultural park will also feature an amphitheater for live performances. As you see, Little Island will be a retreat and entertainment venue at the same time. It is scheduled to open in 2021 and it’s one of the most anticipated openings for me.

5. Legoland New York (2021)

Legoland New York Resort was originally scheduled to open on July 4, 2020. Due to the coronavirus crisis, however, the opening is being postponed to summer 2021. Legoland is a one-hour drive away from NYC, making it a perfect day trip.

6. Broadway Shows (2020)

While some Broadway shows are closed until at least June 7th. SIX and Diana will celebrate their postponed opening nights and two new shows are on their way to New York’s famed theaters: MJ the Musical and The Music Man. The Music Man will be starring Hugh Jackman. Speaking of Hugh Jackman, did you know he owns a coffee shop in TriBeCa called Laughing Man? Not only does the coffee taste great, but also do all profits support good causes. Anyway, make sure to stay up to date on upcoming Broadway Shows!

7. American Dream (2020)

The long-awaited opening of the American Dream has been in the making for years. It finally began opening in phases in October 2019. The last opening phase of the massive entertainment complex was scheduled for March 2020. Due to the current situation, the water park, aquarium, and shops could not open. Once the opening is complete, I will be one of the first ones to visit! I already secured tickets for Nickelodeon Universe that are impatiently waiting to be redeemed!

Though the entertainment complex is technically located in New Jersey, it’s an attraction in the Greater New York area many are excited about.

8. NYC Ferry Routes (2020/2021)

Ferries are a great way to get around NYC. There are two new NYC Ferry routes coming soon.

• St. George in 2020: The new ferry route will depart in Midtown West, stop at Battery Park City and then head its final destination St. George in Staten Island. In total, the ride will take approximately 35 minutes. It’s the first alternative to Staten Island Ferry, though the NYC ferry is not free of charge.
• Coney Island in 2021: In 37 minutes, this ferry route will take you from Wall St./Pier 11 to Coney Island in Brooklyn. Between those two ports, the ferry will also make a stop in Bay Ridge.

9. One Vanderbilt and The Summit (2020/2021)

Since Edge‘s opening in March 2020, New York is now home to four observation decks. That, however, will change again soon. A fifth viewing platform is being built. The platform is called The Summit and sits atop One Vanderbilt, a new office tower in East Midtown. Tenants will move in as soon as August 2020 but the observation deck, offering both indoor and outdoor views, won’t open until the end of 2021.

10. Vanderbilt Plaza (2020)

In conjunction with One Vanderbilt a new pedestrian plaza is being built as part of a crowd-flow improvement program, aiming at optimizing pedestrian flow through congested Vanderbilt Avenue between E 42nd and 43rd Streets. One Vanderbilt is located right next to Grand Central Terminal and will also be accessible through the transit hub.

11. New Subway Cars (2021)

The New York Subway began operating in October of 1904 and the current subway cars have been in service since 1975. Compared to other major cities in the world, New York is falling behind. That is about to change soon. In 2021, you can expect a modernized fleet of subway cars.

The old R46 subway cars will be phased out and next-generation subway cars will finally replace them. The new R211 subway cars will be modernized, fitting more passengers, reducing boarding time while operating more energy-efficiently thanks to features like:

• wider doors
• open gangways
• digital displays
• security cameras
• lit-up alerts for announcements
• LED headlights

12. 42nd Street Connection Project (2021)

The MTA is working to modernize a major transit corridor underneath 42nd Street. It is one of the busiest corridors in NYC and suffers from overcrowding and lack of accessibility. That is about to change.

The corridor connects  Times Square, Bryant Park, and Grand Central and will soon see modernized passageways and platforms as well as an increased number of elevators. You can see MTA renderings of the 42nd Street Project.

13. Gansevoort Beach in Manhattan (2022)

If you are in New York City and want to enjoy a day at the beach, you soon won’t have to travel far. Manhattanites can look forward to their very own beach on the Gansevoort Peninsula, between Gansevoort Street and Little West 12th Street.

Before you can enjoy Gansevoort Beach in Manhattan, however, you will need to wait a little bit longer. Construction on the Hudson River Beach is planned to kick off in late 2020 and expected to finish in 2022. Once completed, you can enjoy not only the sandy beach, but also kayak access, and recreational areas for picnics. While you can certainly sunbathe here, swimming in murky water is not recommended.

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What’s new in New York?

Here’s a list of attractions and shows that recently opened in New York:

• Edge Observation Deck
• West Side Story on Broadway
• SIX on Broadway
• Diana on Broadway