image of i love new york amazon

I Love New York? More like I Amazon New York.

Around NYC is a roundup of noteworthy local stories the StreetEasy editorial team read this week.

In NYC’s Amazon HQ2 bid, which became public this week, officials replaced the heart in the classic “I Love NY” logo with an Amazon smile. “I Amazon New York,” it seems to say. Milton Glaser, the noted designer who created the logo, was not thrilled. [Fast Company]

Speaking of Amazon, its execs faced some serious heat from the City Council this week. But after lots of chanting and intense questioning, few seemed satisfied with the answers they got. [Curbed]

And why wasn’t Brooklyn chosen for Amazon’s HQ2? The city’s proposal had suggested Brooklyn as a possible location. Here’s why the borough may have lost to Queens. [The Bridge]

Continuing the Seattle-ification of NYC, Starbucks is opening a 23,000-square-foot, upmarket coffee bar in the Meatpacking District. Because Downtown Manhattan doesn’t already have enough places to get expensive coffee. [Seattle Times]

Buyers of some upscale condos won’t have to pay common charges for up to five years. Extell Development is waiving the common charges in several luxury buildings to drum up sales before the end of the year. [Brick Underground]

Where is the surge in 311 complaints about business signage coming from? Small business owners in Brooklyn and Queens feel they are being targeted for having foreign languages on their signs. [The New York Times]

After 41 years, the Cornelia Street Cafe is closing. The coffee shop was a local landmark and gathering place for downtown artists, including Suzanne Vega and the Roches. [Vanishing New York]

A team of working dogs is out controlling the geese population on Governor’s Island. The average cuteness level of NYC city employees has just gone up a whole lot. [Gothamist]


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