Emily Myers

The long-delayed Riverside Park South playground and plaza is expected to open this month, but without a bathroom.

Some bold decor decisions went into the renovation of this two-bedroom, two-bathroom co-op, 56 East 87th St., #4D, in Carnegie Hill. The bathrooms are clad in imported Italian tile with zebra stripes in the en suite master bathroom and a shimmering zig-zag pattern in the other. The floors in the living area and bathrooms are finished with high-gloss tile and are heated.

Submissions are open for ways to improve NYC’s schools, parks, libraries, facilities, and public housing through the Participatory Budgeting process.

This week, Nick Davies and Jason Arthur, share their experience buying a two-bedroom co-op in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Jason is a baker who's appeared on The Great American Baking Show so he thought a homemade coffee cake would be a nice icebreaker for the interview and although that didn't pan out as the couple envisioned, they were able to connect with the board over Bay Ridge's varied food scene.

It is generally less expensive to renovate rather than purchase a new apartment, but the costs are not insignificant. In addition, change orders or unexpected defects behind the walls can spike the costs, so before you make the ultimate decision, it is important to have a full understanding of the budget for the work.

Changes to New York’s rent laws have complicated the landscape for smaller landlords. The hard-fought reforms, aimed at maintaining rent-regulated housing inventory, also expanded tenant protections to those living in market-rate apartments, impacting how smaller landlords or individual owners operate when renting out their units.