Developer Matthew Blesso Settles into a Spectacular Park Slope Townhouse for $4.05M
February 18, 2015

Developer Matthew Blesso Settles into a Spectacular Park Slope Townhouse for $4.05M

By
Developer Matthew Blesso is doing a total architectural 180. Blesso, who used to call  this uber-sleek Noho penthouse home, has just closed on a far more cozy historic construction in the heart of Park Slope according to city records filed today. No official listing could be found for the three-story pre-war home, but previous reports show that it was last being rented out by its former owner William Lawrence for about $11,000 a month. The neighborhood and the townhouse are certainly quite a change for Blesso, whose last home was about as modern and metropolitan as they get.
Have a gander inside this architectural gem ahead
February 18, 2015

POLL: Do You Support an $8 Bridge Toll to Raise Funds for the MTA?

By

Yesterday we looked at a new proposal from MoveNY to toll four East River bridges (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and Queensboro) and 60th Street in Manhattan in order to “raise funds for the MTA’s five-year capital plan (which is about $15.2 billion short of its target), and to make the cost of the city’s transit more equitable.” Drivers with […]

Historic Home Labeled the ‘Height of the Heights’ Can Be Yours for $7.9M
February 18, 2015

Historic Home Labeled the ‘Height of the Heights’ Can Be Yours for $7.9M

By
Calling all historic preservationists, townhouse connoisseurs, and brownstone lovers. If you’re looking to nerd out on original detail and old polite-society New York, we may have found just the home for you. The broker of this bauble cleverly describes it as the “height of the Heights” because of its location in a quiet cul-de-sac at the highest elevation in Brooklyn Heights. The five-story home has only had a few owners, so it’s well-preserved, and it boasts a restored brownstone façade on a 125-foot lot.
READ MORE
Sony Building Penthouse Will Ask a Record-Breaking $150M
February 18, 2015

Sony Building Penthouse Will Ask a Record-Breaking $150M

By
There's a new priciest listing record in town, and it goes to the $150 million triplex penthouse at the Chetrit Group's Sony Building condo conversion, according to The Real Deal. The 21,504-square-foot unit will occupy floors 33 through 35 of the 37-story tower at 550 Madison Avenue and have a private elevator, eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and ten powder rooms. If it gets what it's asking for, it will break the record for the current highest condo sale, the $100 million penthouse that sold at One57 last month.
Check out the impressive Sony Tower floorplans here
Orlando Bloom Looks to Flip His Tribeca Loft for $5.5M
February 17, 2015

Orlando Bloom Looks to Flip His Tribeca Loft for $5.5M

By
Maybe Orlando Bloom didn't like having New York's very own welcome ambassador Taylor Swift as a neighbor... because after only eight short months*, he's put his Tribeca loft back on the market. Back in June, Bloom purchased the three-bedroom apartment at the Sugarloaf Warehouse building for $4.88 million, and he's now looking to rake in just under $1 million in profit, re-listing the home for $5.5 million. It was reported over the summer that the actor was drawn to the loft's “cast-iron columns, exposed brick walls, open chef’s kitchen and wood-beamed ceilings,” but clearly that wasn't enough to keep his attention.
See what else Orlando Bloom is giving up
Live in Your Very Own Lighthouse and Tugboat for $425,000

Image via NY Post

February 17, 2015

Live in Your Very Own Lighthouse and Tugboat for $425,000

By
Factories, stables, churches—even former department stores—have all found new life as residential properties within the five boroughs, and we’ve had the pleasure of bringing many of those to you as part of our Cool Listings. But every now and again a uniquely special property outside the borders of New York City catches our eye and we feel compelled to let you in on the secret.
More on the lighthouse here
A Pierre One-Bedroom Going for $120,000/Month; Rem Koolhaas Design Coming to the High Line
February 17, 2015

A Pierre One-Bedroom Going for $120,000/Month; Rem Koolhaas Design Coming to the High Line

By

Although someone’s rented out the Pierre’s $500,000/month presidential suite, there’s still a one-bedroom available for $120,000/month. [NYDN] Rem Koolhaas will design Related’s new building along the High Line. [Architizer] The Branson at Fifth is the city’s worst ‘illegal’ hotel. [Crain’s] Rafael Vinoly is designing a townhouse on East 64th Street. [Curbed] Teamsters have put a […]

Distinctive Homes

VIEW ALL
Chinatown Loft by Buro Koray Duman Architects Mixes Tenement Details with Bright, Modern Geometry
February 17, 2015

Chinatown Loft by Buro Koray Duman Architects Mixes Tenement Details with Bright, Modern Geometry

By
If you take a look at the exterior of this Chinatown tenement building located across the street from Sarah Roosevelt Park, you might imagine that the apartments inside are typical cramped railroad-style units with the token exposed brick wall as a selling point. But this unit, renovated by Buro Koray Duman Architects, looks like it could be in a swanky Miami hotel or sunny LA condo. When Turkish-born architect Koray Duman bought the residence in 2011, the 750-square-foot corner apartment was a dark, three-bedroom renovation from the 1980s. He and his firm transformed it into a bright, open one-bedroom loft with bold, sculptural architecture and décor.
Tour the home here
Two Non-Glass Homes on Philip Johnson’s Iconic Glass House Campus Will Open to the Public

Calluna Farms © Craig White via Flickr

February 17, 2015

Two Non-Glass Homes on Philip Johnson’s Iconic Glass House Campus Will Open to the Public

By
If you've never visited Philip Johnson's world-famous Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, you probably imagine it as a single, transparent structure sitting on a vast swath of land. But, in fact, it's one of 14 buildings on the 49-acre campus, which together made up what Johnson and his partner David Whitney considered "the perfect deconstructed home." So, the couple didn't live in the Glass House quite like most of us thought, but rather used it as the focal point of a glamorous weekend retreat. When the Glass House compound reopens for tours this spring, two of these lesser-known structures will be open to the public–the 1905 shingled farmhouse Calluna Farms, which was used as an art gallery and sometimes as a sleeping spot, and an 18th-century timber house called Grainger that served as a movie room for Johnson and Whitney.
More on the Glass House compound
Group Proposes $8 Toll on Popular East River Bridges to Raise Funds for the MTA

Image via Wikimedia Commons

February 17, 2015

Group Proposes $8 Toll on Popular East River Bridges to Raise Funds for the MTA

By
Image via Wikimedia Commons Car-happy city folk are sure to grumble over this latest proposal from MoveNY to toll four East River bridges (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Queensboro) and 60th Street in Manhattan. The group's plan, backed by former traffic commissioner Sam Schwartz, is looking to raise funds for the MTA's five-year capital plan (which is about $15.2 billion short of its target), and to make the cost of the city's transit more equitable. The new program would apply a $5.54 toll each way for bridge-crossers traveling with an E-ZPass, while drivers without an E-Zpass will have to shell out $8 to cross each time. The same tolls would also be applied to all avenue crossings at 60th Street.
Find out more here
Proposed Condo Tower Could Stall Entire South Street Seaport Redevelopment Plan

Rendering of the proposed tower

February 17, 2015

Proposed Condo Tower Could Stall Entire South Street Seaport Redevelopment Plan

By
Less than a week after it was revealed that the Howard Hughes Corporation paid $31 million for more than 300,000 square feet of air rights at the South Street Seaport, it looks like the entire $1.5 billion redevelopment project could be stalled. The overall plan would breathe new life into the downtown historic district by rehabilitating crumbling piers, preserving and finding new use for landmark buildings and constructing a 42-story waterfront condo tower at the foot of Beekman Street. And it's this last point that has local officials, civic groups, preservationists and some community residents worried or downright angry. The 494-foot-tall, SHoP Architects-designed tower has already been scaled back from its original 650 feet, but concerned parties still feel that the building would "obscure views of the Brooklyn Bridge and clash with the low-scaled, early-19th-century brick buildings that make up the 11-block seaport district, once the center of the city’s maritime industry," according to the New York Times.
More on the debate
$2.7M Countrified Brooklyn Heights Pad Offers the Best of Both Worlds
February 17, 2015

$2.7M Countrified Brooklyn Heights Pad Offers the Best of Both Worlds

By
If you like your city with a side of country, you’ll love this Brooklyn Heights duplex penthouse on Remsen Street, asking $2.675 million. This place is the definition of the best of both worlds: a city pad with a bucolic vibe, original details with modern technology, plus it’s spacious and has a private planted deck while still being close to transportation and neighborhood hot spots. Yes, this penthouse definitely earns the title of most well-rounded.
More pics inside
Historic Ship-Inspired Townhouse in Prospect Lefferts Gardens Hits the Market for $1.5M
February 16, 2015

Historic Ship-Inspired Townhouse in Prospect Lefferts Gardens Hits the Market for $1.5M

By
It's not rare to find an amazing historic townhouse in Brooklyn, but this is a first for us–an Arts and Crafts-style home inspired by the original owner's career as a shipbuilder. Built in 1914, 26 Winthrop Street is a 20.5-foot-wide, three-story red brick house that sits on an extra-deep lot of 132.5 feet in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. What makes the residence one-of-a-kind is the living room, modeled after a ship's stateroom and complete with a vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling mahogany wainscoting.
See the rest of the house here
VIDEO: Katz’s Deli Owner Shares Stories of the Shady LES of 20 Years Ago
February 16, 2015

VIDEO: Katz’s Deli Owner Shares Stories of the Shady LES of 20 Years Ago

By
By now many of you have probably seen this amazing video showing a changing Lower East Side circa 1995. While plenty of colorful characters and weirdness abound, let's not forget that the area at the time was also one of the city's most unsafe. As part of the new video series called "True Yorkers," Katz's Deli owner Alan Dell reflects on the Lower East Side that once was—well before it transformed into the bar crawl we know today. Sharing his own memories of the neighborhood as a kid, and more poignantly his opinion of what it has become, Dell's recount really makes you think about just how severely pacified and homogenous today's version of New York is. "A lot of people from the neighborhood moved away...I just can't get used to it," Dell says in the episode. "I have customers talking about their million dollar penthouse on Rivington Street—it blows my mind. The Bowery was unsavory, there used to be bums, I don't even know if kids know what a bum is...You know, they call it progress, I'm not really sure about that. It's a mixed bag...15-20 years ago we were closing early. Unless you were coming to buy crack late at night over here, it was not safe...it's just changed. It's just different."
watch the video here
Darling Tin-Ceilinged One-Bedroom in the Heart of Gowanus Asks $2,550/Month
February 16, 2015

Darling Tin-Ceilinged One-Bedroom in the Heart of Gowanus Asks $2,550/Month

By
There’s a new rental available in up-and-coming Gowanus, and it’s asking $2,550 per month. This one-bedroom has a shared garden and laundry facilities along with a dizzying black-and-white checkered bathroom that will either make you fall in love or just get really disoriented. But even if that's not your thing, charming original details like tin ceilings and wide-plank hardwood floors more than make up for it.
Check out the rest of the rental
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
Check Out Studio Benjamin Dillenburger’s Wild ‘Phenomena’ Submission for MoMA’s 2015 YAP
February 15, 2015

Check Out Studio Benjamin Dillenburger’s Wild ‘Phenomena’ Submission for MoMA’s 2015 YAP

By
Last week, MoMA PS1 announced the winning design for this year’s Young Architects Program (YAP), which will be featured this summer in the Long Island City museum’s outdoor courtyard. The top spot went to Andrés Jaque of the Office for Political Innovation for COSMO, a moveable environmental artifact made out of customized irrigation components. And while this interactive water purification sculpture is highly deserving, the runners-up shouldn't be ignored. Among the short list of finalists was Phenomena by Benjamin Dillenburger and Michael Hansmeyer of Studio Benjamin Dillenburger, which "addressed the idea of phenomenology in design, creating an experiential space that stimulates all the senses and hosts multiple programs." It combines a performance space, a highly articulated projection screen, and an ornate fountain, challenging how people experience live events by making the viewer part of the production.
READ MORE
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff
February 14, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

By

Adrian Grenier Buys Five-Story Clinton Hill Townhouse for $2.1 Million Mapping Where in NYC Millennials Live PlaceInvaders Invites You to Have Dinner in NYC’s Most Extraordinary Private Homes What Would NYC Look Like If Sea Levels Rose 100 Feet? Joan Rivers’ Legendary Upper East Side Penthouse Is on the Market for $28M Would You Live […]

New Yorker Spotlight: Curator Sarah Forbes on the Museum of Sex (It’s Not Exactly What You Think It Is)
February 13, 2015

New Yorker Spotlight: Curator Sarah Forbes on the Museum of Sex (It’s Not Exactly What You Think It Is)

By
If you've walked along lower Fifth Avenue, then the Museum of Sex most certainly has caught your eye; maybe you've even visited it and seen a few of the exhibits curated by Sarah Forbes. Sarah is the museum's sole curator, which means it's her job to conceive and oversee exhibitions on a myriad of topics related to sex. Her goal is the same as the museum's goal: to expand visitors' horizons and to dispel myths and misconceptions that are out there. Beyond educating the public through its oftentimes provocative exhibits, the Museum of Sex is dedicated to sharing information and artwork through its permanent collection of over 15,000 artifacts as well as its research library and media archive. With Valentine's Day approaching, we couldn't think of a better time to chat with Sarah to find out more about New York's relationship with sex, how the museum helps the city understand it differently, and why it's the perfect spot to celebrate the holiday.
Read on for our interview with Sarah
Would You Live on the 13th Floor of a Building? A Look at Our Irrational Fear of Numbers
February 13, 2015

Would You Live on the 13th Floor of a Building? A Look at Our Irrational Fear of Numbers

By
In honor of Friday the 13th, The Atlantic took a look at the number 13—and namely how obsessively superstitious some individuals can be when it comes to certain digits and our inclination to apply a deeper meaning to them. 18, for instance, is chai in Hebrew, which means life; while number 2 represents balance and cooperation in Chinese; and of course we're all familiar with the divine and oh-so-lucky number 7. But then there's 13, a number generally looked upon as especially sinister, particularly in Western culture. In fact, 13 is so suspect that there's even a scientific name for the fear of the number: triskaidekaphobia (a fear of Friday the 13th the date is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, by the way). But here's the funnest bit in the piece that really grabbed our attention: Taking a closer look at New York's residential buildings with the help of CityRealty, they found that of the 629 buildings with 13 or more floors, only 55 had labeled the 13th floor as the 13th floor—that's only 9 percent of the total. Common placeholders they found were 14, 12B, 14A, M (the 13th letter in the alphabet) or simply "Penthouse" if the top unit sat on the 13th floor.
More from the 13th Floor here
Park Slope Brownstone with Seven Fireplaces Checks All the Boxes for $3.2M
February 13, 2015

Park Slope Brownstone with Seven Fireplaces Checks All the Boxes for $3.2M

By
From its meticulously maintained façade to the oh-so-gorgeous interior details to the amazing private garden, this well-loved four-story residence at 113 6th Avenue is what Park Slope brownstone living is all about. Twelve-foot-high tray ceilings welcome you into the well-apportioned living room, where extra-tall windows drench the sizable space with sunlight and a stunning marble fireplace makes a grand impression as one of the home's seven warm hearths.
See how many fireplaces you can find
Harlem’s Affordable Live/Work Space for Artists Complete; Why Long Island is Dying
February 13, 2015

Harlem’s Affordable Live/Work Space for Artists Complete; Why Long Island is Dying

By

Leasing has begun at the newly renovated luxury homes at Shorecrest Towers at Trump Village. The homes, located in Coney Island, start at $1,500 for studios, $1,650 for one-bedrooms and $2,332 for two-bedrooms. [6sqft inbox] Three reasons Long Island isn’t seeing any growth when compared to other suburbs. [CityLab] HHL Architects has complete work on Artspace […]

Single for Valentine’s Day? The Towers of Hudson Yards Are Looking for a Date
February 13, 2015

Single for Valentine’s Day? The Towers of Hudson Yards Are Looking for a Date

By
Single building lovers, have no fear. Hudson Yards is happy to be your Valentine. As a marketing tactic, the entire project, along with all five of its towers, got profiles on the fake dating site Building Mingle. 15 Hudson Yards, the residential tower designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, has a celeb crush on the Guggenheim and its great curves and describes his type as "Anyone who works with concrete and steel. I'm looking for stability."; 10 Hudson Yards enjoys "When Harry Met Sally" (It's a classic romantic comedy!); and 30 Hudson Yards is a little shallow and is looking for someone tall and slender who isn't afraid of heights.
See all the profiles here

Our Mission

More than just current events, here you'll learn about the places, people, and ideas that are shaping your city.
Pitch a story icon

Pitch a Story

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

Distinctive Post Form

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544
Contact us image

Get in Touch

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Send us a tip image
Delivering New York stories focused on design, lifestyle & real estate.

Send us a Tip

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll help you find the home of your dreams. It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo
or Call (212) 755-5544

Thinking about selling your home?

We’ll provide current market comps and connect you with a trusted expert.

CityRealty Logo

Sell a Home (Footer)

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Subscribe for NYC's Lastest Design, Lifestyle,
and Real Estate Trends!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your Daily Dose
of NYC Life!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.