November, 2014 | 6sqft

November 20, 2014

Light and Airy Penthouse Fuses Modern Luxury with Classic Upper West Side Charm

Easy breezy is the perfect description for this duplex penthouse that recently popped up on the market for $3,850,000. Located at 329 West 108th street on the Upper West Side, this beautiful three-bedroom home includes a dramatic corner living room and ample outdoor space–both perfect for entertaining. The living room also features an elegant angular skylight, so whether you're inside or out, you and your guests will be able to enjoy beautiful views of the New York City skyline.
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Distinctive Homes

November 20, 2014

Photographer Jay Maisel’s Mysterious 72-Room Bowery Home Up for Sale Again

By Diane Pham

After all the hoopla around RFR Realty’s purchase of Jay Maisel’s graffiti-covered home along the Bowery, word has now surfaced that its new owners are already looking to turn a profit on the six-story building—even before they’ve officially closed on it. The Commercial Observer reports that the building at 190 Bowery, which went into contract in September, is being listed by Massey […]

Distinctive Homes

November 20, 2014

Daily Link Fix: New Whitney Museum to Open in May; Billboards Getting a Street Art Makeover

By Dana Schulz

The Whitney Museum of American Art’s new Renzo Piano-designed building along the High Line will open in May. [NY Times] Historic photos of the New York garbage strike of 1911. [The Bowery Boys] SantaCon’s not going to Bushwick after all. The organizers said the neighborhood “does not have the capacity to be an appropriate destination […]

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November 20, 2014

Finalists Announced for 2015 Governors Island City of Dreams Pavilion

By Dana Schulz

Governors Island is one of those magical NYC places that comes to life in the spring after a long winter hibernation. And part of its reawakening will be the revealing of the City of Dreams Pavilion, a futuristic-looking art installation where visitors can gather. For the fifth consecutive year, FIGMENT has teamed with the Emerging New York Architects Committee (ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects NY Chapter (AIANY) and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to host a competition for the pavilion. Entrants were asked to design a temporary architectural structure to hold 50+ people, provide shade and rain cover, using sustainable materials. And just this week the five finalists were announced.
Take a look at the final five designs here

November 20, 2014

You’ll Be Drawn to This Duplex Rental’s Four Fireplaces Like Moths to a Flame

By Aisha Carter

Renters looking to enjoy a peaceful haven in the middle of the vitality of the East Village are certain to be drawn to this two-bedroom duplex at 102 East 10th Street, asking $7,500 per month. The parlor duplex with an English basement is located in a historic townhome designed by Peter Gerard Stuyvesant (the great, great grandchild of Peter Stuyvesant) and is situated less than a block from the Renwick Triangle. Original details and a private terrace make the charming home much more of a pleasant retreat than you'd imagine would be found in such a convenient location.
More photos inside

Distinctive Homes

<b>Towers in the Park: Le Corbusier’s Influence in NYC</b>

Stuyvesant Town Oval via Marianne O’Leary via photopin cc

November 19, 2014

Towers in the Park: Le Corbusier’s Influence in NYC

By Dana Schulz

Any architecture history student or design nerd knows about Le Corbusier (1887-1965), one of the founders of modern architecture and a truly one-of-a-kind urban planner. For those of you who aren't as familiar with Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris (his given name; he was French-Swiss), one of his most noteworthy urban ideas was concept of "towers in the park." Part of his Contemporary City plan (and later Radiant City plan) to house three million inhabitants as a way to deal with overcrowding and slums, towers in the park were skyscrapers set in large, rectangular tracts of lands with open space between the buildings. Whether they were consciously influenced by Le Corbusier or not, many projects in New York City mimic his vision of towers in the park, and we've decided to take a look at the most well known of this architectural crop, as well as some other ways the famous architect left his mark on NYC.
Take a look at NYC's towers in the park

Hudson Yards Cost Taxpayers $650 Million So Far, and It’s Not Over

Hudson Yards rendering

November 19, 2014

Hudson Yards Cost Taxpayers $650 Million So Far, and It’s Not Over

By Dana Schulz

Just yesterday, the city hailed the completion of the platform built over the west side rail yards that will support the Brookfield West development, a major component of Hudson Yards, the 26-acre development rising on the far west side. And while Brookfield will boast a two-acre park plaza, two 60-plus-story high rises and other public commercial space, it's important to note that $7 million was spent just on designing and producing a special machine called "The Launcher" to lift the 56,000-ton concrete slabs to build the platform. This is just one of many substantial costs in the mammoth Hudson Yards project, for which the city will have paid nearly $650 million in subsides by the end of this fiscal year, money that, over the past ten years, has come straight from the pockets of taxpayers. And that's not all; according to a review by the city's Independent Budget Office, even more will be needed through 2019 to complete the "next great commercial district."
More on the subsidies and Hudson Yards

November 19, 2014

Spectacular Park Slope Pad with Bookshelf-Lined Walls Asks $1.5 Million

By Aisha Carter

There are few things New York buyers love more than prewar detail, modern updates, and a great location. Well, this parlor-floor apartment of the brownstone at 917 President Street has all that wrapped up with nice wooden bow. The two-bedroom 1,350-square-foot co-op was lovingly renovated to preserve its origins while catering to the needs of the modern day homeowner, all while offering a relaxing haven on a tree-lined street in Park Slope. If wood isn’t your thing, consider yourself warned, but if you have an appreciation for exquisite millwork you’ll love the charm of this $1.495 million unit.
See more, here

Distinctive Homes

November 19, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Mega Residential Development Could Come to Bronx Waterfront; Fifth Avenue Is World’s Most Expensive Retail Address

By Dana Schulz

William Randolph Hearst’s penthouse apartment at 91 Central Park West is back on the market for $27.5 million after Giorgio Armani’s deal fell through. [Curbed] An abandoned industrial lot on the Bronx waterfront could become the next mega residential development for $30 million. [NYDN] Fifth Avenue is the world’s most expensive retail address, overtaking Hong […]

Real Estate Trends

Distinctive Homes

$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

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

For $2.95M, this parlor floor Chelsea co-op has brownstone charm and a private terrace

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

Take the elevator from the gym and English garden to the roof terrace in this $13.5M UES townhouse

Chelsea's most expensive listing is this $40M penthouse at The Cortland

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

$450K Hell's Kitchen studio is a cozy refuge in the middle of Manhattan

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

This $19M sky palace high above Park Avenue has a manor house-worthy terrace garden

VIEW ALL

November 19, 2014

BWArchitects’s Artist Loft Juxtaposes a Gritty Brooklyn Warehouse with Warm Interiors

By Dana Schulz

There's plenty to be said about Brooklyn becoming a brand and the second most expensive place in the country to live. But every once in a while, we stumble across something that still has a bit of the borough's old school glory. Take this Brooklyn Artist Loft designed by BWArchitects. The firm's dramatic conversion of a light manufacturing warehouse to a work/live artist studio juxtaposes the building's gritty, industrial exterior with warm, light-filled interior spaces.
Take a look at the space

November 19, 2014

$2.7M Duplex Invokes the Historic Hipness of the East Village

By Rebecca Paul

From beats like Allen Ginsberg to '80s artists like Keith Haring, the East Village was once home to the city's hippest New York icons (and, some may argue, still is). But since its heyday, the neighborhood has become an extremely sought after part of the city, and this East Village pad that was recently put on the market is fully stacked in the hipness department. The four-bedroom unit is located at 211 East 2nd Street and is currently listed for $2,695,000. From the Carriage House condominium's unique exterior to the edgy, rustic interior, this home is sure to make you the coolest kid on the block.
Tour this East Village beauty here

Distinctive Homes

November 19, 2014

Frederik Roijé’s Smokestack Fireplace Is Inspired by Dutch Factories

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

The design of outdoor fireplaces isn't a field much explored by designers, but if you have one in your garden, patio or deck you've probably enjoyed having friends and family gather together to take in the warming glow. One designer that's made fireplaces look especially cool is Frederik Roijé who recently unveiled a tall and lean fire pit with a gorgeous rusty skin. Inspired by the archetypal factory chimney, his 'Smokestack' has a stunning modern design for cozying up in style.
Learn more about this sculptural rusty fireplace

November 19, 2014

Daily Link Fix: What It’s Like to Tweet as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree; A Writer’s Farewell to Brooklyn Heights

By Dana Schulz

Did you know the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has its own Twitter? Comedian Matt Haze talks about being the voice behind the account. [WSJ] Pop Candy author Whitney Matheson is moving out of her Brooklyn Heights apartment. But before she goes, she’s saying goodbye with a list of 33 things she’ll miss about the ‘hood. […]

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November 19, 2014

POLL: Will the Pier 55 Floating Park Get Built?

By Dana Schulz

The city was abuzz on Monday when news broke of media mogul Barry Diller’s $130 million pledge to build a $170 million, 2.7-acre floating park off the shore of 14th Street in the Hudson River. The planning and design process had been kept under wraps for over two years, and though the undulating, amoeba-shaped public […]

Architecture And Design

City Wants to Up Mansion Tax to Raise Funds for Affordable Housing

When completed, 520 Park Avenue will have a $130 million penthouse, the most expensive apartment ever in NYC

November 19, 2014

City Wants to Up Mansion Tax to Raise Funds for Affordable Housing

By Diane Pham

As the city continues to explore new avenues for the creation of affordable housing, the WSJ reports the latest idea being floated is a new "mansion tax" that would increase the amount collected on the most expensive apartment sales. Currently, homes that change hands for more than a million dollars are subject to a 1% tax, but the city wants to up this to take advantage of the red hot luxury housing market. The proposal, unsurprisingly, has met with much criticism.
More on the mansion tax here

November 18, 2014

Accidental Placemakers: Grand Architecture That’s Given Way to Micro-Enclaves of Culture

By Diane Pham

Lots of clout is given to the grand scheme design of buildings and parks, and for good reason; but every so often a singular design element or function can unexpectedly emerge from a work to create something even more extraordinary. Destinations in their own right, these "accidental placemakers" turn run-of-the-mill architectural features into dynamic public spaces that create memorable connections to their immediate sites and improve the quality of everyday life. Here we take a look at five examples found in New York City showing how great architecture, in the details, can give way to something more impactful than just a pretty building.
See some of the city's unexpected placemakers

November 18, 2014

Sprawling $10M Loft at The Dandy Gives You Something to Wine About

By Aisha Carter

Apartment hunters looking to stretch their legs will love the massive third floor loft at The Dandy which has just popped up on the market asking $9.9 million. The 4,800-square-foot triple mint condition unit has all The Dandy’s signature characteristics—namely exposed barrel-vaulted ceilings, dark hardwood plank floors, and exposed brick walls—but there’s a little extra for the wine lovers. Let’s just say this loft’s cup runneth over.
See more, inside

Distinctive Homes

November 18, 2014

NYC Getting Pay Phones of the Future with Free WiFi, Charging Stations and More

By Dana Schulz

Remember the good old days of frantically running around looking for a pay phone and then realizing you were out of change and had to make a collect call? Well, that's soon to be nothing more than a distant memory, as New York City is turning its remaining pay phone booths into forward-looking tech hubs that include free 24-hour WiFi, free domestic calls, charging stations, and touch screens with access to city services and directions. Officially dubbed LinkNYC, they'll also be able to connect people with emergency responders and broadcast city alerts during emergencies like Hurricane Sandy.
More on the pay phones of the future here

Real Estate Wire: Inside a Spooky $2.1M Staten Island Mansion; Construction on the B2 Modular Tower to Resume

By Diane Pham

This eerie $2.1M home on Staten Island has been the backdrop for murder, madmen and fashion models. [NYT] Forest City Ratner may soon restart construction on the B2 Tower at the Atlantic Yards. The developer has agreed to buy out builder Skanska’s interest for an undisclosed amount. [NYDN] A 66th Street mansion that sold in July […]

Real Estate Trends

November 18, 2014

New Residential Building To Rise Near the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria

By Ondel Hylton

An aptly located residential building called the Marx is getting underway in Astoria. The seven-story building at 34-32 35th Street is a "stone’s throw away" from the Museum of the Moving Image and directly across from Kaufman Astoria Studios (think Sesame Street and Saturday Night Live). The building will replace two small houses and a parking lot and sits adjacent to a stalled construction site slated to give way to its own seven-story residential building. The Marx is designed by Fogarty Finger Architects, who also designed One Murray Park, and will contain 33 units, likely rentals. It will feature a dark grey brick façade of large, evenly gridded square windows (the latest rage in NYC architecture) whose angled metal panels and glazing variations will create an interesting play of light and shadow.
More on the project here

November 18, 2014

New York Times Will Finally Stop Comparing Everything to Brooklyn

By Dana Schulz

“What’s next? Describing Manaus as the Williamsburg of the Amazon? Katmandu as the Cobble Hill of Nepal?” These are the questions posed by New York Times Standards editor Philip B. Corbett to his writers, who can’t seem to stop comparing everything in the world to Brooklyn. He references The Atlantic‘s article “All the Places The […]

City Living

November 18, 2014

Picturesque Upper West Side Brownstone with Skylit Art Studio Asks $8.75 Million

By Rebecca Paul

Nothing says the Upper West Side quite like images of quaint townhouses above sidewalks of tree-lined streets, and this beautiful brownstone up for sale fits right in. Located at 139 West 87th Street, the grand, recently restored property is in perfect move-in condition. The home includes approximately 4,000 square feet, 4-6 bedrooms and an abundance of luxurious and historic details. The current asking price for this classic piece of New York architecture is $8.75 million.
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Distinctive Homes

November 18, 2014

Viking-Inspired Barca Bench Fuses Furniture with Boat Building Techniques

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Here is a design we'd like to get cozy with. Perfect for a lazy autumn afternoon, the sculptural Barca Bench fuses furniture with boat building techniques. The piece is the work of Danish designer Jacob Joergensen, who constructed the bench from bent pieces of wood that are meticulously joined together into a sculptural, organic shape. Designed for easy assembly and disassembly, this unique seat is a modern Viking-style seat for utter relaxation.
Learn more about this Danish bench

November 18, 2014

Dear Developers: City Proposes Swapping Air Rights for Permanent Affordable Housing

By Diane Pham

In the ongoing battle to provide more affordable housing to New Yorkers, the city has drawn up a new proposal that might just get developers clamoring to build more below-market units. The Economic Development Corporation has issued a request for proposals from developers who would, in exchange for no-cost air rights, provide a permanently affordable housing program that maximizes the number of units available and their affordability.
Find out more here

November 18, 2014

Daily Link Fix: SantaCon Heading to Bushwick; New MTA Campaign Will Teach Subway Etiquette

By Dana Schulz

SantaCon’s drunken debauchery is abandoning its traditional East Village route and heading to Bushwick. [Bushwick Daily] All those backpack wearers and “man spreaders” are going to get a public shaming when the MTA rolls out its subway etiquette awareness campaign in January. [am NY] Explore the “poison cauldron” of Newtown Creek in photos. [Gothamist] After 15 […]

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