Md. Mashiur Rahman Majumder, New York — An off-duty NYPD detective was stabbed several times during what authorities described as an apparent attempted robbery in the Norwood section of the Bronx on Friday afternoon. The incident happened shortly before 2 p.m. near Rochambeau Avenue and East 206th Street, according to police and local reports. The detective was taken to Jacobi Medical Center for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said preliminary information indicated that the detective was attacked during an attempted robbery. Mamdani and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the detective and his family at Jacobi Hospital following the incident. Authorities said the investigation remained active Friday evening. Reports indicated that two suspects fled the scene on e-bikes or scooters after the attack. Police circulated images of the suspects as investigators worked to identify and locate them.

Sources familiar with the investigation told local media that the detective is assigned to the NYPD’s 44th Precinct. Additional reports said the suspects approached the officer as he was near his vehicle and attempted to rob him before the confrontation turned violent.

The detective sustained multiple injuries and was transported by emergency medical personnel to Jacobi Medical Center. Officials did not initially release his identity publicly through the NYPD, while the investigation into the circumstances of the attack continued.

The incident also led the NYPD to cancel a previously scheduled briefing at One Police Plaza where Commissioner Tisch and Mayor Mamdani were expected to discuss the city’s quarterly crime statistics.

Police continued searching for the suspects as investigators gathered evidence from the scene. No final determination had been announced regarding the identities or motives of those responsible beyond the preliminary robbery information. The investigation remains ongoing.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and development partners on Tuesday broke ground on Sol on Park, a 229-apartment, 100% affordable senior housing development at the Morris Houses campus in the Bronx. The project will provide new affordable homes for current NYCHA residents, formerly homeless New Yorkers and low-income seniors. City officials described it as the largest use of the Transfer of Assistance program to date, a financing approach that uses public land and investment to create new permanently affordable housing.

“New Yorkers are facing a housing crisis, and we have no time to waste,” Mayor Mamdani said at the groundbreaking. He said the project would provide current NYCHA residents and low-income seniors with access to new housing while strengthening the Morris Houses community.

80 homes reserved for NYCHA residents

Sol on Park will include 80 apartments reserved for current NYCHA residents living at Morris I and II Houses. Another 69 homes will be designated for formerly homeless seniors, while 79 apartments will be available through the Housing Connect lottery for low- and middle-income seniors.

The development will also include more than 8,000 square feet of community space, health-focused amenities, a pedestrian plaza and a new accessible space for the Morris Houses Resident Association.  Construction is now underway, with pre-leasing and early move-ins expected in early 2029.

Public land used for affordable housing

The project is being developed by The NRP Group, Selfhelp Realty Group and Foxy Management in partnership with NYCHA, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Housing Development Corporation.

The city’s Transfer of Assistance model allows public land and investment to support new affordable housing while creating opportunities for existing NYCHA residents to move into newly constructed apartments. NYCHA said the project will provide current Morris Houses seniors with an opportunity to move into a new accessible building while also adding social services and community facilities.

The project is an 18-story development designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning. It is planned to meet LEED Platinum and Passive House standards, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and resident health and comfort. On-site services will include partnerships with Union Community Health Center and Green Bronx Machine’s National Health & Wellness Center.

Part of Mamdani housing strategy

The Sol on Park development is part of the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to develop affordable housing on publicly owned land. The administration has said it plans to expand the Transfer of Assistance approach through its Block by Block housing plan. The city’s LIFT Tracker has identified more than 50,000 potential new homes across more than 100 active publicly owned sites.

NYCHA’s own development information confirms that Sol on Park is a 229-unit senior affordable housing project on Park Avenue, with 80 units set aside for Morris Houses seniors through the Transfer of Assistance program. The project had previously reached financial closing in July, when city housing agencies announced the $214 million development and its planned 229 affordable senior homes.

NEW YORK — New York City has launched a new pilot program to address the long-standing shortage of clean, accessible public restrooms across the city. Under the initiative, 17 high-tech modular public toilets will be installed across all five boroughs as part of a $4 million, one-year pilot program launched by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Mamdani said access to public restrooms is an important part of maintaining clean streets and ensuring dignity for New Yorkers.

“Many New Yorkers and working people—especially delivery workers who spend up to 12 hours on the streets and mothers traveling with children—struggle to find a restroom when they urgently need one,” Mamdani said. “This public health infrastructure will play an important role in keeping our streets clean and ensuring dignity for all New Yorkers.”

Self-contained toilets require no underground utility connections

The modular restroom units are being developed by technology company Throne Labs. The units are fully self-contained, meaning they do not require connections to underground water or sewer lines. That design allows the toilets to be installed relatively quickly in busy intersections, plazas and other high-traffic locations. The units can also be relocated when necessary.

Free access and modern amenities

The public toilets will be free to use and available daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Each unit is equipped with a range of modern features, including a touchless-flush toilet, running-water sink, automated heating and air conditioning, and a baby-changing station. The units are also designed to be ADA-compliant, making them accessible to people with disabilities.

Smartphone, QR code and text-message access

Users will be able to unlock the restrooms through a smartphone app, QR code or text message. For people without smartphones, including unhoused New Yorkers, special tap cards will be distributed through local community organizations.

Ten-minute limit raises eyebrows

One of the program’s most notable features is a strict 10-minute usage limit. Users will receive audio warnings after five and eight minutes inside the restroom. Once the 10-minute limit is reached, flashing lights will activate and the door will automatically unlock. Jessica Heinzelman, chief operating officer of Throne Labs, said the system is designed to prevent individuals from occupying the facilities for extended periods.

“Someone shouldn’t be able to occupy the restroom for a long time,” Heinzelman said, noting that the company estimates a typical restroom visit takes about three and a half minutes.

Initial locations across Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx

The first units are being installed in high-density locations, including Cooper Square in Manhattan, Columbus Park in Brooklyn and the area around Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. City officials say the one-year pilot will help determine how effectively the modular restroom system serves residents and visitors. If the pilot proves successful, the city could consider expanding the public restroom network to additional locations across New York City.