May, 2014 | 6sqft

New Yorkers Don’t Punish Their Babies By Naming Them ‘Kale’: It’s been the “Year of the Kale” since 2012 and America is taking it to another level, naming their babies after the superfood. Well, New Yorkers won’t cave into the pressure and the Observer has the report. The Workaholic’s Guide to Taking a Break: We […]

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May 21, 2014

$13 Million Central Park West Pad Will Make Your Head Swim

Well, if you were getting your finances together to buy the $13 million apartment at 15 Central Park West, you can get off the phone with your accountant because it's sold. Unfortunately for you, Noel Berk of Mercedes/Berk has sold the Upper West Side stunner to someone else for $13.075 million. But that’s not going to stop us from writing about it, so sit back and take in the splendor that is the apartment you just barely missed out on. Unit 15K is an absolutely astounding 3BR/3.5BA beauty, with giant windows that bathe the entire apartment with light. Upon entry to this 2,500 square-foot haven, you’re greeted with a gorgeous foyer with Venetian plaster walls. This leads to a spacious living room with huge windows so as not to obstruct your view of the Lincoln Center. There’s a dining room situated right off the living room, a perfect place to seat your guests as they spend too much time oohing and ahhing over your apartment to remember to eat. And speaking of food, let’s take a trip into this kitchen.
You won't believe your eyes when you see the view from this gorgeous kitchen, here

May 21, 2014

Ingenious Cricket Table by Folditure Flattens to an Inch Thick in Seconds

City dwellers are no strangers to folding furniture — they're true lifesavers when living in tiny, cramped apartments. But while most are functional, few are as beautiful as the fold-up tables and chairs designed by architect Alexander Gendell. His Folditure line (get it?) is not only ingeniously-designed, but each piece — like the Cricket Folding Table — resembles a work of origami art.
See Folditure's Cricket Folding Table in action

May 21, 2014

Call Me Halal: Palatable Advice Straight from the Streets of Downtown Brooklyn

By Andrew Cotto

One of the saddest things I heard in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 was told to me by the wife of an acquaintance. She said, with a smug sense of pride, that her family — in an act of patriotic protest to the recent attacks on America — would be ending their long-standing Thanksgiving tradition of serving assorted meat and vegetable pies from Damascus Bakery on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. It was a heartbreaking statement of staggering stupidity, offensive on so many levels, not the least of which was personal. I lived next door to Damascus Bakery in my first Brooklyn apartment. This was before Barney’s, Urban Outfitters and Trader Joe’s arrived. It was when that section of Atlantic Avenue was overwhelmingly Arabic, and I frequented the eateries as often as I could, feasting on delicacies from the Middle East, learning some geography and culture and a little Arabic along the way. And, of course, I met many wonderful people, including the family who owned and operated Damascus Bakery.
Read the rest of Andrew's story here

May 21, 2014

Beautiful Eco-Friendly Loft on Watts Street Sells

It looks like Town Residential’s Danny Davis has done it again. He has made someone fall in love with another apartment, this time at 125 Watts Street. Unit #4 is the quintessential loft experience with high ceilings, white brick walls and tons of light. This historic, pre-war building is perfectly situated in Northwest Tribeca, right on the edge of Soho. This area has those desirable cobblestone streets, not to mention having plenty of dining and shopping to appeal to your chic side, while still being situated right near Hudson River Park and Pier 25 to appeal to your athletic side. You know what they call that? Nirvana.
See what Nirvana looks like here

May 21, 2014

Plans Filed for the SOM-designed Apartment Tower at 401 West 31st Street

By Diane Pham

Brookfield Office Properties filed its first plans yesterday for their SOM-designed residential tower located at 401 West 31st Street, adjacent to all the Hudson Yards hoopla. The 756,674-square-foot, 702-foot-tall tower will host 790 apartments with 3,438 square feet of retail on its ground level. The design sits within a grouping of glass towers and a low slung, tapering structure. The […]

May 21, 2014

Five Opulent and Ornate Spaces Looking for an Occupant

By Dana Schulz

Anyone who's gone apartment hunting in Manhattan knows it can get a little monotonous — the bone-white walls, standard hardwood floors, and typical layouts. Sometimes the blank canvas just isn't enough; sometimes you need a little oomph. For those of you who enjoy ogling beautiful homes that have been carefully designed and expertly decorated, we've rounded up five opulent and ornate spaces currently looking for an occupant.
See all the stunning spaces this way!

May 20, 2014

Camp Rockaway: Queens Designer Kent Johnson Wants to Bring Luxury Camping to Far Rockaway

By Diane Pham

And the glamping trend continues... Designer Kent Johnson has just launched a Kickstarter campaign that aims to bring a "luxurious" tent campsite to the Rockaways. From fully furnished tents with crisp white linens, to private fire pits and hot tubs overlooking Jamaica Bay, this is not your everyday man's campsite. And if you think the idea sounds crazy, think again. It's actually an initiative inspired by the area's past, which once found incredible success!
More on Camp Rockaway this way

Distinctive Homes

$5.9M Civil War-era Clinton Hill mansion is a three-family home and an architectural gem

This $795K Hudson Valley farmhouse has clean, classic curb appeal–and a guest house in the back

This $12.5M Chelsea carriage house has a garage, three outdoor spaces, and a two-bedroom flat

For $4.6M, this classic Park Slope limestone updates history without erasing the details

For $665K, this little upstate home is the answer to your log cabin fantasies

Asking $20M, a university president's Greenwich Village residence enters a new chapter

Live like royalty on the Upper East Side for $5.8M

Theater director David Saint lists his East Village penthouse with huge terrace for $5M

This new $14.75M Cobble Hill townhouse looks like it's been standing for a century

Tiffany-blue walls and de Gournay designs surround a $1M UES co-op with Deco-era glamour

VIEW ALL

May 20, 2014

Your Daily Link Fix: New Units Unveiled for Central Park West Conversion; A First Look at Governors Island’s 30-Acre Park

The Whitney Offers a Year of Free Admission to Construction Workers: Hyperallergic confirms the museum’s way of giving back to the people who worked so hard on the project. Governors Island is Getting a 30-acre Park: A portion of Governors Island’s new park is open to the public and NYMag’s Justin Davidson gives us a […]

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May 20, 2014

Kirkman Lofts at 37 Bridge Street in DUMBO: Worth Getting on a Soapbox About

In 1915, when this classic factory building was commissioned by the Kirkman & Son Soap Company in a gritty industrial section of Brooklyn, it’s doubtful anyone could have envisioned its reincarnation as a high-end luxury condominium with its locale now fashionably referred to as DUMBO. Quite frankly, with its simple brick façade, one still might be hard-pressed to equate the 7-story brick building at 37 Bridge Street with any kind of residential grandeur — but you know what they say about judging a book by its cover.
See the results of its stunning conversion

Distinctive Homes

May 20, 2014

Catsimatidis’s 30 Year Development Plan on Myrtle Avenue is Finally Underway

Patience is a virtue; one that billionaire tycoon and former mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis clearly has in droves. Cats demonstrated this when he had the foresight to purchase a block of land on Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene, over 30 years ago, back when the street was appropriately nicknamed Murder Avenue. Not many people would have seen the value in property in an area where Cats jokes that he had to carry two guns “just in case one of the guns runs out of bullets”. However, Cats saw it as a worthy investment. And boy was he right. A few decades and a change of zoning laws have allowed Cats to turn this once terrifying spot into the building site of 4 residential skyscrapers with retail stores on the ground floor. Not a bad deal for a piece of property purchased for under a million dollars says the understatement of the century.
Learn more about Catsimatidis' development project here

10 New York Neighborhoods for Artists Now

Update: Check out our 2017 edition for the latest!

May 20, 2014

10 New York Neighborhoods for Artists Now

By Dana Schulz

It’s become all too common in New York City — artists move into a neighborhood, make it trendy and culturally vibrant, and then are forced out by rising rents. It happened in Greenwich Village, Soho, the East Village, DUMBO, and Williamsburg. Do not be disheartened, though, there are still plenty of artist enclaves with thriving creative communities. Ahead are our ten current frontrunners — some may surprise you!
Where the artists are flocking

Events & Things To Do

May 20, 2014

Park Yourself at this $32M Brooklyn Bridge Penthouse and You May Never Leave

In a city where parking is always at a premium, one might consider this $32 million penthouse at One Brooklyn Bridge Park for the two deeded spaces alone — although fortunately, that record-breaking price tag comes with a tad more to pique your interest. There's a long list of reasons to never leave this beautiful one-of-a-kind residence at 360 Furman Street in Brooklyn Heights, so let's just start with the view — or should we say "views". The Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, New York City's glorious skyline... take your pick. Because in addition to the terrace's breathtaking panorama, you'll enjoy incredible views from just about every room in this sun-drenched 11,000-square-foot, 6BR/6BA home located on the waterfront.
See why a picture is worth a thousand words

Distinctive Homes

May 20, 2014

The Historic Worth Building Gets a Few New Residents

New York socialites Avi and Savar Leigh just became the proud owners of apartment #5D at 73 Worth Street. As of May 19th, the Strategies of Wealth financial planner and her businessman husband put down $2.8 million to become the new residents of the Worth Building in Tribeca's Historic District. Their gorgeous new 1,925 square-foot loft, listed by Danny Davis of Town Residential, features solid oak floors and large windows throughout. There’s a large great room situated perfectly for entertaining, and an eat-in kitchen with custom cherry wood cabinets, black granite countertops and the stainless top-of-the-line Subzero refrigerator that has become an essential to any chef’s kitchen.
Take a look inside the Savar's new home here

May 20, 2014

Picture-Perfect Apartment in the Trump International Finds a Buyer

By Dana Schulz

The Donald has no shortage of high-rise real estate accolades, but the Trump International Hotel & Tower, located at 1 Central Park West, is considered by many one of his most successful developments. Adapted from a former office tower in 1997, it soars 44 stories above Columbus Circle with stunning views of Central Park and the Hudson River. The lower 22 floors are occupied by a hotel, while the upper 22 contain 158 modern, sunny private residences that are nothing short of trump-tacular. Unit 23D, which recently sold for $8.55 million through Ido Berniker at Mercer Partners, is no exception to the billionaire-worthy design. The 3BR/3.5BA apartment has 10-foot ceilings, as well as sleek modern finishes that really make the interior shine.
More about the spectacular home this way

May 20, 2014

The THIN LED: A Desk Lamp That Doesn’t Take Up the Entire Table

Most desks are messy enough without a giant, imposing lamp, which makes this sleek beacon perfect for cramped home or work offices. A collaboration between Seattle's Peter Bristol and Brooklyn's Juniper Design, the THIN LED Task Lamp could not be more aptly named.
Get details on the design

May 19, 2014

Magical Garden at 645 Carlton Avenue Is Hard to Keep Silent About

A few years before this limestone duplex was built, Prospect Heights was enjoying the success of one of its very own, the original “it” girl, famed silent film actress Clara Bow. And just as Clara became synonymous with the “Roaring Twenties”, the residence at 645 Carlton Avenue is typical of the classic row houses one finds throughout the tree-lined streets of its Brooklyn environs. From the moment you first enter through the gorgeous Palladian arch, there is no mistaking the timeless details that make this carefully restored 2BR/2BA parlor/garden apartment something truly special.
See why this duplex will make you

Distinctive Homes

Clever Kangaroo Light Bends and Flexes to Brighten Up Any Type of Space

The inventors of the viral Ostrich Pillow are at it again, promoting another cool new product on Kickstarter. Only this time, instead of an item that's meant to block out light, the team at kawamura-ganjavian are making it easier to see. Dubbed the Kangaroo Light, this flexible, glowing pad is meant to be a playful and practical solution to flashlights, which all too often get lost in the deep abyss of purses, bookbags and cabinets.
See the light in action

May 19, 2014

Observations: Sherpas Not Needed

By Carter B. Horsley

Some people have great hair that never goes astray. That made me think about buildings with their new-fangled window-washer rigs. They’re not new but the recent “gold rush” of high-end residential condominiums have led some developers to design curious new building forms that would appear to be major obstacle courses for those marvelous skywalkers who brave the elements and have never experienced a tinge of acrophobia. The faint-hearted, of course, prefer sheer city cliffs, but only the bravest descend from the heights over the new often bumpy terrain.
Sherpas not needed

Architecture And Design

May 19, 2014

Gorgeous Lenox Hill Apartment Redefines Luxury

Whoever coined the term “the lap of luxury” was clearly thinking of The Mayfair’s apartment #2BC at 610 Park Avenue. This opulent residence, with a $20 million price tag, is so lavish you feel elegant just looking at it. The gorgeous marble entrance gallery is a perfect first impression, setting the tone for the rest of the apartment. The Mayfair was originally the Mayfair Regent Hotel, built back in 1925 by Rosario Candela’s famous partner J.E.R. Carpenter. The building was converted to 15 floors of beautiful condos in 1997.
Take a look inside this palatial pad here

Distinctive Homes

May 19, 2014

Downtown Brooklyn Continues to Boom: Tallest Residential Tower in the Borough Now 50 Percent Leased

By Diane Pham

Downtown Brooklyn is booming across the board, and buyers are keen to get in on the changes afoot. Five months after hitting the market, Brooklyn’s tallest tower is filling out fast, with half of the units now leased. The SLCE Architects-designed residential skyscraper at 388 Bridge Street rises 590 feet, with 234 rentals and 144 […]

May 19, 2014

Pickett Furniture’s Brann Hanging Lamp Casts a Cool Shadow

If you're looking to turn your apartment into a peaceful retreat from New York City's noisy, overflowing streets, start by installing these zen, bamboo-covered light fixtures. Designed by Jeremy Pickett of Brooklyn's Pickett Furniture, the Brann hanging lamps seamlessly blend modern minimalist with fine, old-world craftsmanship.
Details on the design here

May 19, 2014

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, No… It’s Sebastian Errazuriz’s Giant Golden Cow Piñata!