Architecture And Design

Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex could become 600+ apartments

Renderings courtesy of CIM Group

March 12, 2026

Former Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower complex could become 600+ apartments

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Brooklyn Heights’ iconic Watchtower Building, the longtime world headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, may soon be transformed into a waterfront development with hundreds of homes. Developer CIM Group is proposing a mixed-use redevelopment at 25-30 Columbia Heights that would include 661 apartments, some of them affordable, along with 113,000 square feet of commercial space. The project is expected to enter the city's uniform land use review procedure (ULURP). CIM presented the plan to Brooklyn Community Board 2 last June before filing a land-use application in December, according to city records.
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30-foot surrealist steel sculptures arrive in two Manhattan neighborhoods

Chasing Rainbows, 2026, by Charlotte Colbert. Artwork © Charlotte Colbert, 2025. Photo © Timothy Schenck. Curated by New Public

March 10, 2026

30-foot surrealist steel sculptures arrive in two Manhattan neighborhoods

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Two massive steel sculptures debuted Tuesday in Flatiron and the Meatpacking District, bringing surrealism into dialogue with the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Created by New York-born artist and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert, "Chasing Rainbows" features two 30-foot-tall surrealist sculptures in the bustling Flatiron South Plaza and 14th Street Square, inviting passersby to reconnect with their imagination in public spaces. On view through May 27, the installation marks Colbert’s first U.S. public art installation and represents the city’s first dual-neighborhood public art collaboration.
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NYC to revamp six more blocks of Broadway by 2031

Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr

March 3, 2026

NYC to revamp six more blocks of Broadway by 2031

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New York City is pressing ahead with its transformation of Broadway into a pedestrian-focused corridor, with plans to redesign six additional blocks by 2031. According to a Department of Transportation (DOT) presentation to Manhattan Community Board 5 last month, the $156 million expansion will upgrade Broadway between 21st and 27th Streets with permanent concrete plazas, widened sidewalks, and improved bike lanes. The project builds on the city’s broader "Broadway Vision" initiative, launched in March 2023 to improve safety and reduce vehicle traffic along the heavily traveled corridor.
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Historic Hunterfly Road Houses in Weeksville reopen after $4M renovation

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

March 2, 2026

Historic Hunterfly Road Houses in Weeksville reopen after $4M renovation

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Four wood-frame homes built in the 19th century as part of one of the nation's largest free Black communities before the Civil War have been restored. The Hunterfly Road Houses at the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn reopened last week after undergoing a $4 million renovation, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday. Last month, the center also received $1.2 million in state funding to maintain the historic homes, support staff and daily tours, and expand literacy and community programs.
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American Express unveils new World Trade Center headquarters

Renderings courtesy of Foster + Partners

February 25, 2026

American Express unveils new World Trade Center headquarters

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American Express on Wednesday announced plans to build a new global headquarters at the World Trade Center, marking the final commercial tower at the Lower Manhattan campus. Located at 200 Greenwich Street, also known as 2 World Trade Center, the Foster + Partners-designed skyscraper will be developed by Silverstein Properties and span nearly 2 million square feet across 55 floors. Construction will kick off this spring, with completion slated for 2031. American Express will be the tower’s sole tenant, housing up to 10,000 employees and featuring more than an acre of outdoor space.
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The Met to host first show dedicated to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

Jackson Pollock (American, 1912–1956), Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950, Enamel on canvas, 8 ft. 9 in. × 17 ft. 3 in. (266.7 × 525.8 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, George A. Hearn Fund, 1957, © 2026 Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

February 24, 2026

The Met to host first show dedicated to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

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The largest exhibition celebrating abstract expressionist artists and life partners Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in two decades will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this fall. On view from October 4 through January 31, 2027, "Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous" traces the full arc of both artists' careers, highlights their impact on modern art, and introduces their work to a new generation. The exhibition—the first at the Met to feature both artists—will display over 120 works borrowed from more than 80 U.S. and international lenders.
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Tin Building food hall closes, to be replaced by ‘Balloon Museum’

Credit: Seaport Entertainment Group

February 24, 2026

Tin Building food hall closes, to be replaced by ‘Balloon Museum’

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Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s market and food hall at the Seaport's Tin Building closed its doors on Monday, not even four years after opening. The Seaport Entertainment Group (SEG) announced the high-end culinary hub will be replaced by "Balloon Museum," an interactive art installation expected to open this summer. The move marks the end of the $200 million venture, which transformed the landmark into a 58,000-square-foot food emporium following a multi-year relocation and restoration.
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Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 18, 2026

Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

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An affordable housing project first conceived as part of the East Harlem rezoning 10 years ago has finally kicked off construction. The city on Wednesday broke ground on Timbale Terrace, a 100 percent affordable tower with 341 apartments and a new theater and performing arts center for Belongó, formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. Located at East 118th Street and Park Avenue, the site sat vacant for decades before most recently serving as a police department parking lot.
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MetroCard artwork on view at new Grand Central exhibition

Nina Boesch, courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

February 11, 2026

MetroCard artwork on view at new Grand Central exhibition

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While you can no longer swipe them to ride, New York City’s iconic MetroCard will once again be in the spotlight as part of a new exhibition at Grand Central Terminal next month. Opening March 16 at the New York Transit Museum's Grand Central Gallery and Store, "Inspired by MetroCard" shows how artists and designers have transformed the retired transit card into an artistic medium over its three-decade history. Drawing from the museum’s collections and contemporary works, the exhibition features fashion, sculpture, painting, and collage, along with limited-edition collector cards decorated with original artwork.
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City opens Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Flatbush

All photos © Alexander Severin unless otherwise noted

February 10, 2026

City opens Studio Gang-designed Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Flatbush

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Brooklyn's largest recreation center officially opened its doors in East Flatbush this week. Located within Nostrand Playground, the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center measures 74,000 square feet and includes an indoor pool, basketball court, full gym, a media lab, outdoor spaces, and more. Designed by Studio Gang, the firm behind the Gilder Center at the Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn residential tower 11 Hoyt, the building features large arched windows, a curving brick facade, and a green roof.
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New Canarsie library to be one of NYC’s first mass timber public buildings

Renderings courtesy of Studio Joseph

February 9, 2026

New Canarsie library to be one of NYC’s first mass timber public buildings

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Canarsie's new library will become one of New York City's first public buildings constructed from mass timber. City officials on Saturday celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Canarsie Library, a two-story, 11,000-square-foot branch on Rockaway Parkway and Avenue J that doubles the size of the previous building to better serve current and future patrons. The project highlights the city’s adoption of mass timber, a sustainable, low-carbon building method that combines natural beauty with climate-related benefits. The new library is scheduled to open next year.
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Michelangelo Sistine Chapel sketch sells for $27.2M, setting new auction record

Credit: Touhey Photography

February 6, 2026

Michelangelo Sistine Chapel sketch sells for $27.2M, setting new auction record

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A recently discovered Michelangelo drawing tied to the Sistine Chapel has sold at auction for more than $27 million, shattering its $1.5 million to $2 million estimate and setting a new auction record for the artist. The drawing—a study for the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl—is the first unrecorded study of the famed ceiling ever to come to auction, and one of only about 10 Michelangelo drawings known to be in private hands. On Thursday, the sketch sold for $27.2 million after a 45-minute bidding war at Christie’s New York, surpassing the artist’s previous auction record of $24.3 million.
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Manhattan Municipal Building to open rooftop for free tours

Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 2, 2026

Manhattan Municipal Building to open rooftop for free tours

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One of New York City's first skyscrapers will open its rooftop to the public for the first time this summer. Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced that the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building, the grand Beaux-Arts government building at 1 Centre Street, will offer free guided tours of its 36th-floor cupola starting in June. The mayor also announced a $6 million renovation of the building to prepare for its new public observation deck.
details here
Shuttered Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s becomes pulsing light installation

Images courtesy of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

January 30, 2026

Shuttered Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s becomes pulsing light installation

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The shuttered Macy’s in Downtown Brooklyn now hosts an interactive light installation that pulses along to the soundtrack of Fulton Street. Unveiled on Friday, "In Every Transition, A Pattern" illuminates the windows of the former department store with rhythmic patterns and kaleidoscopic displays that respond to the energy of the streetscape. On view through March 16, the installation brings new life to the now-empty Macy's, which closed along with four other NYC locations in January 2025.
see it here
Rare Sistine Chapel drawing on display in NYC ahead of auction

All photos by Touhey Photography, unless noted otherwise

January 29, 2026

Rare Sistine Chapel drawing on display in NYC ahead of auction

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New Yorkers can view a recently discovered Michelangelo draft, later reflected in the Sistine Chapel, during a free exhibition ahead of its auction next week. On view through February 5 at Christie’s New York at 20 Rockefeller Plaza, the newly identified drawing—a study for the right foot of the Libyan Sibyl—is the first unrecorded study for the famed ceiling ever to come to auction and one of only about 10 Michelangelo drawings known to be in private hands. The work will be auctioned off as part of Christie’s Old Master Drawings sale, with an estimated price tag of $1.5 million to $2 million.
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Manhattan’s first purpose-built film and TV studio opens in Hell’s Kitchen

All photos courtesy of Sunset Studios

January 26, 2026

Manhattan’s first purpose-built film and TV studio opens in Hell’s Kitchen

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The cameras are now rolling at Pier 94 in Hell's Kitchen, where Manhattan’s first purpose-built film and TV studio complex has officially opened. Last week, Sunset Pier 94 Studios debuted its 232,000-square-foot production campus, which includes six soundstages, production support and office space, as well as public waterfront open space along Manhattan’s West Side. The studio has already secured its first tenant, with a lease signed for the second season of "Dexter: Resurrection," and additional productions are expected to be announced soon.
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Colorful mural added behind Richmond Barthé’s Kingsborough Houses frieze

All photos by Tameek Williams, unless noted otherwise

January 23, 2026

Colorful mural added behind Richmond Barthé’s Kingsborough Houses frieze

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A colorful mural now adorns the backside of the recently restored Richmond Barthé frieze at the Kingsborough Houses in Crown Heights. On Thursday, the Public Housing Community Fund (PHCF), the city's Housing Authority (NYCHA), and local artists Gerard Pefung and Greg Roberson unveiled "From Weeksville to Kingsborough: Still We Rise," a vibrant tribute to the two neighborhoods’ histories and the enduring legacies of their residents. The piece sits directly behind Harlem Renaissance sculptor Richmond Barthé’s "Exodus and Dance" frieze, which was restored in August after 80 years on display.
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‘Mr Pink’ is lurking around Flatiron and Nomad’s rooftops

Photos courtesy of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership by Bizi Media

January 15, 2026

‘Mr Pink’ is lurking around Flatiron and Nomad’s rooftops

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You’re not seeing things—there is, in fact, a rosy-colored man lurking around Flatiron and Nomad. Known as Mr. Pink, the quirky character is part of Flatiron NoMad Glows Pink, a public art trail composed of 10 illuminated inflatable and resin sculptures perched on rooftops and in public spaces. Part of the Flatiron Nomad Partnership’s annual Winter Glow public art program, “Mr. Pink” is a “cuteism” sculpture by French artist Philippe Katerine, and Thursday marks the character’s first installation in New York City—it’s also the first time the sculptures will be illuminated.
wave hello to mr. pink!
Trucks of Art returns: DSNY invites artists to decorate NYC garbage trucks

Images courtesy of DSNY

January 14, 2026

Trucks of Art returns: DSNY invites artists to decorate NYC garbage trucks

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Back for the first time since 2022, New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is inviting artists to paint vibrant murals on its garbage trucks. As part of the "Trucks of Art" zero-waste initiative, the agency adorns the sides of its 46,000-pound garbage trucks with traveling works of art using leftover household paints that would otherwise end up in landfills. Applications are being accepted until February 8 at 11:59 p.m., with the trucks expected to be painted in April.
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Hunts Point plaza gets $12M makeover with new public space and traffic improvements

Photos courtesy of NYC DDC

January 14, 2026

Hunts Point plaza gets $12M makeover with new public space and traffic improvements

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A busy Bronx intersection known for pedestrian-vehicle conflicts has received a $12 million upgrade, improving safety and creating a vibrant public space for residents. Last week, the city's Departments of Transportation (DOT), Parks, and Design and Construction (DDC) announced the completion of upgrades to Hunts Point’s Monsignor Raul Del Valle Square, finished on time and nearly 20 percent under its $14.8 million budget. The project realigned the roadway to ease traffic on East 163rd Street and added a new lane on Hunts Point Avenue, addressing issues with illegal turns, inadequate signage, and long crossing distances.
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6sqft’s top stories of 2025!
December 29, 2025

6sqft’s top stories of 2025!

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As we say goodbye to 2025, 6sqft is reflecting on the stories that resonated the most with our readers. From JPMorgan's new Midtown headquarters and the Flatiron Building's conversion into condos, you stayed updated on new projects shaping our city. You ate up articles about celebrity penthouse purchases, record-setting real estate, and new trash policies. Readers debated New York's best pastrami spots and learned about new legislation to address the housing crisis, from rezonings and ADUs to bringing back single-room occupancy apartments. Below, find our most-read stories of the year. Thanks, as always, for reading!
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Former Midtown hotel to become 579 affordable apartments

Photos courtesy of Slate Property Group unless otherwise noted.

December 22, 2025

Former Midtown hotel to become 579 affordable apartments

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A former Midtown hotel is slated to become a permanently affordable housing building with nearly 600 units. On Monday, Slate Property Group and Breaking Ground announced the acquisition of the Stewart Hotel at 371 Seventh Avenue, which will be converted into 579 affordable apartments for low-income households and formerly homeless individuals. The purchase underscores an emerging strategy to address the city’s housing crisis by converting underused hotels into affordable housing, following the opening last week of the city’s first such development at the former JFK Hilton in South Jamaica, Queens.
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Vote for 6sqft’s 2025 Building of the Year!
December 19, 2025

Vote for 6sqft’s 2025 Building of the Year!

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No matter what the rest of the world looks like, interest in real estate in New York City remains one of the few constants in life. In 2025, the market remained resilient, with long-anticipated projects hitting major milestones, from the sales launch at the Flatiron Building to the reopening of the Waldorf Astoria. Downtown Manhattan dominated this year, with several buildings in the running for record-breaking sales, including the potential first nine-figure deal below 14th Street at 80 Clarkson Street. While the skyline is always evolving, the mark of Robert A.M. Stern, who died this year at 86, is ever-present, with two limestone-clad towers on this year's list that serve as tributes to classic New York. 6sqft has narrowed our picks down to 14 of the most notable residential projects of the year. Which do you think deserves to be crowned the 2025 Building of the Year? Polls for our 11th annual competition will remain open through 5 p.m. on Monday, December 29. A winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 30. Happy voting!
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Coney Island boardwalk to get $1 billion revamp

Credit: Danny Policarpo on Unsplash

December 11, 2025

Coney Island boardwalk to get $1 billion revamp

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Coney Island’s landmarked Riegelmann Boardwalk will undergo a $1 billion reconstruction. During a Brooklyn Community Board 13 meeting on Monday, NYC Parks Program Director Grace Tang announced that the department received funding to fully reconstruct the 2.7-mile boardwalk, replace utilities and structural piles, and elevate it in certain areas. Mayor Eric Adams announced plans for the reconstruction as part of his "Coney Island West" plan, which aims to bring thousands of new homes, retail spaces, and infrastructure improvements to the neighborhood.
details here
City unveils plan for 600 affordable homes, soccer field, and STEM center on vacant Inwood lot

Renderings courtesy of La Ostra Development Team

December 10, 2025

City unveils plan for 600 affordable homes, soccer field, and STEM center on vacant Inwood lot

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A plan to build hundreds of affordable homes on a vacant lot in Inwood is moving forward. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Wednesday announced Slate Property Group, Xenolith Partners, and Comunilife Inc. will develop "La Ostra" at 4095 9th Avenue. Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, PC (MAP), the Harlem River waterfront development will feature more than 600 affordable homes for low-income New Yorkers and seniors and a marine science and STEM education center operated by the Billion Oyster Project and BioBus.
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