What's Opening in September?
Really want to go to the gym, you've got a wait a little longer.
New York City gyms will open up for indoor workouts on Sept. 2, Mayor Bill de Blasio's office announced -- but indoor group classes and pools will stay closed.
The announcement comes a few days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo cleared the way for gyms to open across New York state this week.
- New York City gyms will be allowed to reopen on Sept. 2 following state-mandated inspections, though no indoor group classes will be permitted
- Gov. Andrew Cuomo OK'd the return of gyms statewide as early as Monday, but the city is focused first on conducting school inspections; then it'll tackle gyms, where a host of other COVID precautions must be in place
- Fitness centers have yet to reopen in New Jersey, though Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday he was trying to figure out a way to safely reopen those along with indoor dining, which he postponed indefinitely in late June
Strict COVID safety standards apply for gym reopenings statewide. Capacity will be capped at 33 percent to start, though if that proves problematic, the state says it will dial that number back. Health requirements include mandatory masks at all times, proper air ventilation, sign-in forms, screening at the door (like temperature checks) and social distancing. Cuomo left indoor classes' return to local officials, and will be held outdoors or online in NYC still.
Other requirements for New York gyms include:
- Customers must sign in with contact information and health screening
- Six feet of social distancing and face coverings maintained at all times
- Cleaning and sanitizing supplies provided to customers, and shared equipment cleaned between each use.
- Classes held by appointment only, and areas where classes are held must be cleaned between sessions
- No shared water fountains allowed, but water bottle refill stations will be permitted
- Communal showers are to remain closed, but individual showers/stalls can stay in use if they are cleaned in between use
City Hall also said, there also is still no timeline for the return of indoor dining.
RESTAURANTS + FOOD
As of phase two, restaurants were allowed to open for outdoor dining, which Mayor de Blasio has extended through the end of October. Phase three allows for indoor dining at 50-percent capacity, but this has been postponed in New York City due to compliance issues and COVID surges around the country. More than 9,500 restaurants are currently participating in outdoor dining, and the city expanded this to 76 open streets.
Many local restaurants and bars thought they’d be able to reopen back in July but that has not been the case, even though, the alliance says, they have met the guidelines that have allowed other restaurants in other areas of the state to reopen.
The governor said restaurants in New York City are not dealing with the same environment as restaurants in other parts of the state due to a number of factors -- including a lack of compliance in the five boroughs with COVID protocol.
Restaurant owners earlier this week said they may go to court if the mayor and governor don't soften their stance.
But what else? Here is what's what with NYC museums, events, performances: What’s reopening and what’s cancelled this year
EVENTS
All major events that require a city permit have been canceled through September 30. This includes the Feast of San Gennaro and the West Indian-American Day Carnival.
U.S. Open
This year’s 52nd annual U.S. Open will be held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens from August 31st to September 13th without fans.
9/11 Memorial Ceremony
This year’s memorial will not include a live reading of names by victims’ family members. Instead, a recording of names will be played from the museum’s “In Memoriam” exhibition. Tribute in Light will go on with enhanced health and safety measures.
Comic Con
The massive comic book convention was scheduled to take place at the Javits Center from October 8-11, but it will instead go virtual this year on those same dates.
The Tony Awards
The 74th annual Tony Awards were scheduled to take place on June 7, but the ceremony was delayed indefinitely in March after Broadway went dark. The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing have now announced that it will take place digitally this fall, with an exact date to come.
NYC Marathon
New York Road Runners and the Mayor’s Office have canceled the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon, set to take place on November 1.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
This year’s event will go on in a “reimagined” way. Macy’s will release details in the fall, but Mayor de Blasio said it will likely include virtual components as well as “small in-person pieces, spread out.”
THEATERS + VENUES
Broadway
Broadway went dark as of 5:00pm on Thursday, March 12th and will stay this way for the remainder of the year. As of now, they will issue ticket refunds and exchanges for performances through January 3, 2021.
Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center has cancelled all of its fall programming. As of now, the Great Performers series is scheduled to resume on February 6, 2021, and the David Rubenstein Atrium Season on a yet-to-be-determined date in February. The White Light Festival will not take place this year.
The Metropolitan Opera
After last performing on March 11, The Met Opera has announced that it’s cancelling its fall season with hopes to resume with a New Year’s Eve gala.
NYC Ballet
The NYC Ballet has cancelled its fall 2020 season, which includes its popular holiday production of The Nutcracker, which was scheduled to take place from Friday, November 27 through Sunday, January 3.
New York Philharmonic
In coordination with Lincoln Center, the New York Philharmonic has cancelled its fall season, including all performances through January 5, 2021.
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall has cancelled its fall season, including all performances through January 6, 2021.
Joyce Theater
All performances at the Joyce have been canceled through August 23.
MUSEUMS + OTHER CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Phase four allows low-risk indoor arts and entertainment, including museums and aquariums, operating at 25-percent capacity. The indoor piece was postponed in NYC but rescheduled to Monday, August 24 with guidelines that include timed ticketing, pre-set staggered entry, face-covering enforcement, and controlled traffic flow.
New York Public Library
As part of a phased reopening, 30 branches of the New York Public Library are currently open for grab-and-go pickups and book returns.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pending state and city approval, The Met plans to reopen five days a week, Thursday through Monday, starting on August 29 with new social distancing measures that will be announced ahead of time. On Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m and on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 7 p.m. The Cloisters, their branch in Washington Heights, will reopen in September. The Met Breuer branch will not reopen; it will be taken over by the Frick.
Museum of Modern Art
MoMA will reopen on August 27; admission will be free through September 27. Hours are 10:30am–9:00pm every day, with Mondays reserved for members and their guests. MoMA PS1 will follow the same opening and free-admission dates, but hours will be 12-6pm Thursday through Monday.
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney will reopen to members from August 27-31 and to the general public on September 3; admission will be pay-what-you-wish through September 28. Hours are Monday and Thursday from 11:30 am–6 pm, Friday from 1:30 pm–9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm–6 pm. Extended member hours are Monday and Thursday from 6 pm–7 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am–1 pm. All visitors will have their temperatures taken upon arrival.
Guggenheim
The Guggenheim will reopen on October 3 with special access for members and patrons from September 30 to October 2. For those who reserve a ticket in advance of the reopening, the museum will donate a family pass to an essential worker.
American Museum of Natural History
The museum announced plans to open to members on September 2 and to the public on September 9. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. AMNH will use a timed-entry reservation system to restrict attendance and will require physical distancing of six feet and facial coverings for all visitors. Some halls and exhibits will be unavailable during this phase of reopening.
Museum of the City of New York
MCNY opened an outdoor component of their fall exhibit about the coronavirus in NYC, New York Responds: Beyond Covid. They will reopen the indoor museum on August 27 and will be open Thursday–Monday from 10am-6pm. 10–11am on Thursdays will be a designated hour for seniors and other high-risk individuals.
El Museo del Barrio
The museum dedicated to Caribbean and Latin American arts and cultural history will reopen on September 12, open Saturdays and Sundays from 12-5pm. Admission is pay-what-you-wish with a suggested donation of $9.
New-York Historical Society
On August 14, NYHS reopened with a free, outdoor exhibition, Hope Wanted: New York City Under Quarantine, in its rear courtyard. On September 11, the Museum will reopen indoors, with new safety protocols in place. Timed-entry tickets are required for both indoor and outdoor exhibits.
Statue of Liberty Museum + Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration
The National Park Service reopened both museums on August 24. Liberty Island’s grounds were previously opened on July 20, but the Statue of Liberty interior remains closed.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
The 9/11 Memorial reopened on Saturday, July 4. Visitors are required to wear masks, with social distancing in place. The 9/11 Memorial Museum remains temporarily closed.
New Museum
This contemporary art museum will reopen on September 15, with free admission through September 27. Tickets will be available on August 31.
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
The museum at the southernmost tip of Manhattan plans to reopen on a reduced schedule in September with timed tickets, which will be available once the Museum is authorized to reopen. They will also extend their award-winning exhibit Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. through May 2, 2021.
The Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan reopens on September 5 with hours Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30am to 5pm; 10:30am to 11:30am on Wednesday and Saturday are reserved for members.
Tenement Museum
This amazing Lower East Side museum that educates about the city’s immigrant history recently laid off 76 part-time employees, mostly tour guides. Since most of their programming consists of indoor tours of former cramped tenements, it’s difficult to reopen.
Empire State Building Observatory
The Empire State Building’s 86th- and 102nd-floor observatory spaces opened on July 20 with a new air purification system in place. Capacity is reduced by more than 80 percent, temperatures will be checked, and face coverings are required.
Top of the Rock
The observation deck at 30 Rockefeller Center reopened to the public on August 6. Top of the Rock has a substantial amount of open-air space, which measures about 9,500 square feet. The 70th-floor observation deck will be open seven days a week, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $38 for adults and $36 for seniors aged 62 and older. Children are free from August 6 through Labor Day.
Edge
Edge, the 1,100-foot-tall outdoor observation deck at Hudson Yards, reopened on July 20, with new timed-entry tickets and public health measures.
Circle Line Cruises
New York’s popular cruise company reopened on July 20. Cruises will operate at 50 percent capacity, and a number of sanitizations and social distancing measures have been put in place.
OUTDOOR SPACES
Phase four allowed low-risk outdoor arts and entertainment, including zoos and botanical gardens, operating at 33-percent capacity.
NYC Public Parks
All city parks (Central Park, Prospect Park, etc.) are open, as are park restrooms. Playgrounds within city parks are open, but face masks and social distancing are required.
As of July 6, when the city entered phase three, outdoor recreation like basketball, handball, tennis, bocce, and volleyball were allowed to resume. Dog runs also reopened.
NYC Beaches
City beaches reopened for swimming on July 1.
Open Streets
NYC now has 67 miles of open streets, the most in the nation. Mayor de Blasio has committed to opening 100 miles of streets to pedestrians and bicyclists during the pandemic.
Community Gardens
GreenThumb community gardens are now open to the general public, but this is garden-dependent, so check to see the policy of your garden.
Greenmarkets
GrowNYC’s greenmarkets and farmstands are open with social distancing. A few are closed, and they are listed in the link above.
The High Line
On July 16, the High Line reopened to the public with a timed entry system.
Governors Island
Governors Island reopened to the public on July 15 for passive activities only. There is a new advanced reservation system for ferries, which will be free for all residents of the New York City Housing Authority and other community organizations.
SPORTS + RECREATION
Phase four allows professional sports without fans.
MLB
Major League Baseball resumed “spring” training on July 1. Opening day games took place on July 23 and 24, with no fans, in the Bronx for the Yankees and Flushing for the Mets.
