September 19, 2014

NYC Gets a New Neighborhood Map from the City Planning Department

Every few years the New York City Department of City Planning releases a new map to document changes in demographics, geographic profiles and neighborhood boundaries. The maps have been produced since 1994, and following its 2010 update, the City has just released a 2014 version. In addition to offering some insight into the current socio-economic makeup of our […]

September 19, 2014

Real Estate Wire: State Seizes Seven Properties for the Atlantic Yards; BAM Cultural District Gets $131M

The state has gotten approval to seize seven sites for Forest City Ratner’s Pacific Park Brooklyn project (previously named Atlantic Yards). Tenants now have 90 days to vacate their units. [DNA Info] The $1B three-tower expansion for Silvercup West is back on track. [Curbed] Most of the world’s billionaires call NYC home. [TRD] Winston Von […]

September 19, 2014

Brooklyn Loft in a Former Die Casting Factory Gets an Eye-Popping Upgrade by SABO Project

We've looked at a number of industrial renovations in the past, but this gut renovation recently completed by SABO Project definitely tops our list as one of the most inventive. The 'Doehler' loft is located within a 1913 building and was first renovated during the 80s. At the time, industrial chic wasn't quite as admired as it is today, and the developer opted to hide all of the structure's original details, encasing the columns and ceilings in lackluster drywall. When SABO took on the project last year, they knew that the home's historic roots as a former die casting factory was the magic of the space, and with that, they stripped the entire loft and constructed modern features that could complement the old.
Explore the incredible home here
September 19, 2014

Floris Wubben’s Eyrie Bench is a Human Nest Inspired by Eagles

The noun Eyrie is "a large nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built high in a tree or on a cliff." Take it poetically or quite literarily, like this Dutch design studio recently did. The Eyrie Bench by Floris Wubben is a cumulus of interconnected wooden ash slats resting on tree branches that form its legs. Sculptural and natural, this seat works as a human nest inviting you to sit back and take a rest.
Learn more about this wooden human nest
September 19, 2014

Norman Foster-Designed Yacht is a Sleek Way to Cruise the Open Seas

Norman Foster has designed some of the most futuristic structures in the world. From the Gherkin in London to the Heart Tower in New York, his creations are unexpected and tech-focused. But did you know that Foster + Partners dabbles in boat design? They've just launched (no pun intended) the new Alen Yacht 68. The sleek schooner is not quite as ground-breaking as the firm's architectural works, but it "combines the elegant social spaces of a cruising yacht with the fun of a day boat."
See what this expertly-designed yacht has to offer
September 19, 2014

Daily Link Fix: Hamster Wheel Desk Enters the Office; Owners of St. Mark’s Bookshop on Their Historic East Village Location

The beauty of…basements? That’s right, a new photo series explores the city’s underground digs, where superintendents often live with their families. More on Co.Design. Want to live next to Sandra Bullock in Soho? Soho Strut has the details. The SS Columbia, the oldest US passenger steamer, is returning home to New York from Detroit, reports […]

September 19, 2014

William Noble’s Private Central Park West Residence Is on the Market…Again

William Noble would roll over in his grave if he knew the fate of his beloved private residence. The prominent developer built a cluster of spec homes toward the end of the 19th century and chose 247 Central Park West for himself. This 10,745-square-foot home’s impressive history continues as it was once the home of Walt Disney’s grandniece and it remains one of the few single-family homes on Central Park. However, history turns a bit sour beginning in 2006 when Keith Monda, president of Coach, purchased the home and spent a year renovating it as a gallery for his art. He sold the remodeled home to Ukrainian businessman Igor Iankovsky in 2012. Iankovsky apparently never moved in, preferring his French residence instead, and he has been trying to sell the home ever since. We’re not sure if it’s the renovation’s mixed reviews or the sky-high prices, but for some reason this home toggles back and forth on the sales and rental markets. Well, now it’s back with another price drop, asking $27.75 million or $65,000 a month.
Let's take a look inside
September 19, 2014

REVEALED: Skyline Views of KPF’s One Vanderbilt Near Grand Central

We've been keeping a close eye on One Vanderbilt, SL Green's new 65-story office tower planned for the entire block west of Grand Central and north of East 42nd Street. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, it will be the second-tallest building in the city when completed. Now, Yimby has hot-off-the-press skyline views of One Vanderbilt from KPF, and the newest NYC supertall certainly stands out amongst the nearby Empire State Building and Chrysler Building.
READ MORE
September 19, 2014

Jackson Pollock’s Former Greenwich Village Apartment Hits the Market for $1.25M

You won't find any paint-splattered masterpieces here, but you will get the exclusive bragging rights of saying you live in the former home of Jackson Pollock at 46 Carmine Street. And if that wasn't enough of a conversation starter, the Greenwich Village building was once owned by Aaron Burr. Million Dollar Listing New York star Luis D. Ortiz announced the $1.25 million listing via Instagram, which is not surprising considering how photogenic this one-bedroom, top-floor unit is. The 800-square-foot home boats 14-foot, Tudor-style beamed ceilings with skylights; exposed whitewashed brick walls; and a cozy fireplace.
Tour the former Pollock pad
September 18, 2014

Glass vs. Stone: An Epic Architecture Battle

Decisions, decisions...sometimes there's just far too many in New York City. Thai or Chinese takeout? Subway or bus? Central Park or the High Line? The list goes on. And one of the most grueling decisions we make as New Yorkers is where to live. From choosing a borough and neighborhood to deciding on a price point, it's quite the undertaking. But what about the most elementary component of the building in which we decide to live--it's material. To be more exact, glass or stone. Glass tower dwellers are often drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic views, and clean lines, whereas buyers of apartments in stone buildings prefer a more traditional feel, with pre-war-style layouts that provide great separation of spaces. And some of the city's most prominent architects have become synonymous with one style or the other. Think Richard Meier for glass and Robert A.M. Stern for stone. CityRealty decided to take a closer look at this epic battle and see how pairs of glass and stone developments fared across the city.
See how these buildings battle it out
September 18, 2014

From Four-Family to One: MAS Architectures’ Unique Carlton Avenue Conversion in Fort Greene

When tasked with converting this historic brownstone on Carlton Avenue in Fort Greene from an existing four-family residence to a single home for a growing brood, MANIFOLD Architecture Studio (MAS) appears to have focused on the one item that unified the building from the start – the stairway.
See more of MAS' Carlton Street conversion
September 18, 2014

Classic Loft in Soho’s Cast Iron Historic District Wants $3.25 Million

A sprawling one-bedroom loft in the heart of Soho’s Cast Iron Historic District just popped up on the market, asking $3.25 million. This co-op at 85 Mercer Street is quite the looker with original pressed tin ceilings, cast iron columns, and plenty of light. But the most interesting feature of this modernized prewar loft is probably where you’ll be laying your head at night.
Take a look inside, here
September 18, 2014

POP: Scandi-Thai Bamboo Lights by Ljung & Ljung Are a Sophisticated Take on Paper Lanterns

Greta Ljung & Martin Hedenstöm Ljung from Swedish Studio Ljung & Ljung travelled the world and created these wonderful luminaires. POP combines a Scadinavian minimalistic shape with a fresh edge given by waved bamboo stripes. Produced in Thailand, they offer a sophisticated take on paper Chinese lanterns.
Learn more about this Scandi-Thai design
September 18, 2014

Beautiful Dutchess Country Home Comes with 17-Acre Farm and Neighbor Kevin Bacon

With fall inching closer, thoughts of sitting fireside with a cup of tea have started to fill our heads. And while the city is a splendid place in the autumn, nothing beats taking in the country air and the crunch of leaves beneath ones feet. Now up for auction is this perfect fall escape (or full time home)—an incredible property located in the town of Amenia in Dutchess County. The sprawling 17-acre property, a.k.a. Meri-Mac Farm, comes with four bedrooms, 8,500-square-foot farmhouse, a three-stall stable, a horse pasture, pool, poolhouse and a separate guest house with two-bedrooms. Another fun bonus? You can claim one degree of Kevin Bacon—and Meryl Streep—who live nearby.
Explore the beautiful country home and farm
September 18, 2014

Construction on Jean Nouvel’s MoMA Tower will Finally Move Forward!

Hot off the purchase of $85 million in air rights, and with a new construction loan of $860 million in tow, Hines is back on track to bring the Jean Nouvel-designed MoMA residential tower to fruition. According to TRD, Hines just closed on two deals to buy more than 240,000 square feet of development rights from MoMA and the St. Thomas Episcopal Church for $85.3 million.
more here
September 18, 2014

Daily Link Fix: The World’s Tallest Buildings in One Handy Infographic; A Jacket to Ward Off Transit Germs

Never worry about working late again. At 6:00pm the desks retract up to the ceiling in this Amsterdam office. Get ready to be jealous when you watch the video on Co. Exist. Architizer shares the super informative infographic, “The World’s Tallest Buildings.” Subway-riding germaphobes can rest easy this flu season. Gravitytank and Betabrand have released the […]

September 18, 2014

A La Sagrada Familia in Manhattan? See the Unbuilt NYC Gaudí

Atoni Gaudí was a brilliant and polarizing architect. Whereas most architects will see their works compared and contrasted against others in their field, even the most knowledgeable architectural critics will look at Gaudí's work and throw up their hands and say it must be something alien. The organic curves and mounds of Gaudí's designs look hundreds of years ahead of their time. But Gaudí worked mostly around his home region of Catalonia, and the businesslike skyscrapers of Manhattan have never looked anything like the the architect's designs. However, there was a time when a Gaudí NYC skyscraper almost came to be.
See the proposed Gaudí building here
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September 18, 2014

Will a New Waldorf School at Ben Shaoul’s Bloom 62 Attract Spendy Families?

Back in 2012, when Magnum Real Estate's Ben Shaoul announced plans to turn the Cabrini nursing home in the East Village into condos, more than a handful of "Sledgehammer Shaoul" flags went up in protest. Plans moved ahead despite public outcry, and now more than two years later, the former nursing home has transformed into a luxury residential building called Bloom 62. Although not much has been done to dress up the exterior, the 26-unit condo is no slouch and boasts a number of enviable luxuries, including a landscaped roof deck and gym. But Bloom 62's most valuable amenity may be what sits on its ground floor: a school.
More on the benefits to be reaped here
September 18, 2014

Is Jennifer Lopez Moving Into Chelsea’s Walker Tower?

Jenny from the Block could be looking to move to Chelsea’s Walker Tower. According to the NYP, Jennifer Lopez was spotted scoping out apartments alongside celebrity broker Fredrik Eklund. The pair reportedly checked out an unlisted apartment and eyed the floor plans of several other units over lunch. The Post notes that J Lo’s budget is […]

September 17, 2014

Sunset Park: How Creativity and Commerce are Transforming This Waterfront Neighborhood

With plans in place that call for a public waterfront bustling with creative industry and commerce rather than luxury residential developments, Sunset Park is not on its way to becoming the next hip NYC residential neighborhood–and that’s a good thing. Located on Brooklyn's western waterfront flank, there are really two sides to Sunset Park. The neighborhood, generally defined as the area between 65th Street, the Prospect Expressway, Eighth Avenue and the East River, has long been a thriving residential community. Sunset Park is also home to about 15 million square feet of warehouse and light industrial space. The key to the neighborhood’s future may be the point at which the two meet.
Find Out How Fashion May Give Sunset Park a Chance to Shine As the New Garment District
September 17, 2014

Truly Exquisite West Village Rental with Historic Details Will Leave You Lusting for More

han never to have loved at all.” We’re pretty sure poet Lord Tennyson wasn’t talking about West Village apartments when he wrote those immortal words, but we can’t help but feel they are more than appropriate in the case of this three-bedroom charmer at 23 Bank Street. While the home is only available as a rental, one look will tell you that loving it and then losing it upon lease end is definitely better than never having experienced its classic beauty at all.
Read on to see if you'd be able to love it and leave it
September 17, 2014

Beautiful Brownstone Mansion on Prospect Park Asks $7 Million

What if you had the opportunity to live in a 7,000-square-foot brownstone mansion on a picturesque block just a stone’s throw away from Prospect Park? That’s just a taste of what 312 Garfield Place has to offer, for $6.995 million. It is believed that the brilliant home was built by developer William Flannigan for New York businessman J. J Galligan sometime during the turn of the 20th century. The resulting five-story building has a distinct Victorian charm with a light Renaissance touch.
Take a look inside, here
September 17, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Trump Soho Off to the Auction Block; Moynihan Station Project Gets $40M in Federal Funding

Unsellable condos at the Trump Soho have sent the building into foreclosure and off to the auction block. [WSJ] The Federal Transit Administration handed out $1.9B for Sandy-related upgrades, yesterday. $40M of the available funds will go towards the Moynihan Station and about $13 million will go to the planned $700 million second phase of the project that will turn the […]

September 17, 2014

Carlo Sampietro Brings the Iconic NYC Street Barrier Indoors with the Police Table

Have a teenager who you're looking to keep out of trouble? This piece of furniture may be just the daily reminder he or she needs to stay on the straight and narrow. The custom-made Police Table Masterpiece by Carlo Sampietro is an elegant reinterpretation of the iconic and unique New York City police barrier. It also doubles as an ambient lamp.
More on the table here

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