April 24, 2015

Lofty Greenwich Village Condo Offers Plenty of Space to Show Off Your Art

This is not your artsy Greenwich Village apartment of the beatnik era. The condo at 29 East 10th Street, which takes up the entire second floor, is more along the lines of "luxury loft living." It has been renovated with custom lighting and exposed brickwork to accommodate the seller's impressive, sometimes kooky, art collection. And it seems like unique design is a trend of the building, which is a former 19th century feather factory. Last year an impressive condo hit the market here asking $14.995 million. This new apartment is asking significantly less, priced at $3.95 million.
See more of the interior photos here
April 23, 2015

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Take a Tour Inside the Brand New Whitney Museum!

May 1st will mark a new era for the Whitney when its brand new home along the High Line swings its doors open to the public for the first time. A project that has been decades in the making, the $422 million structure designed by Renzo Piano is a game changer for a museum that had long outgrown its Upper East Side space. Boasting a whopping 220,000 square feet of column-free spaces, this glass and steel behemoth is a dynamic assemblage of shapes and angles, and perfectly outfitted to host the Whitney Museum's 22,000 works and then some. Though the museum won't officially open for another few days, this morning 6sqft joined a trove of celebrants at the pre-opening preview of the new High Line-hugging masterpiece. Take an exclusive photo tour with us inside ahead.
All the photos here
April 23, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 4/23-4/28

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for ArtNerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers, beginning tonight! Spring means another week of great events, kicking off with one of my own at the fabulous historic Roger Smith Hotel. This week, spend 12 hours celebrating philosophy, shop the best in home design for a cause, enjoy the authentic Lower East Side, or let art save your soul at the Rubin Museum. You can also celebrate spring Japanese style at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, take a selfie at Rockefeller Center, or school yourself at the Guggenheim.
All the best events here
April 23, 2015

Reality Star Bethenny Frankel Revealed as Buyer of $4.2M Soho Loft

If you've been following the roller coaster that is reality television star Bethenny Frankel's life, you know that she started out as a single, struggling entrepreneur on "Real Housewives of New York City." She then launched the Skinny Girl margarita, sold the brand to Jim Beam for a reported $120 million, got married and had a daughter, filed for divorced, and rejoined the Housewives. On the recent season of the show, she considers herself "the richest homeless person in Manhattan," as her ex-husband stayed in their $5 million Tribeca apartment at 195 Hudson Street. We think Frankel's use of the word "homeless" is a little ridiculous considering she was splitting her time between lavish Hamptons rentals and high-end Manhattan hotels, but the Daily News has revealed that the Skinny Girl is actually the owner of apartment 2D at 22 Mercer Street in Soho. A nomad no more, Frankel is waiting to move into the gorgeous loft, which she bought about seven months ago for $4.2 million, until renovations are complete. But judging by the photos of the home, we can't imagine there'd be that much to change.
Take a look around here
April 23, 2015

Billionaire Wins Deposit Back After Ditched Penthouse Purchase; LGA’s $4B Revamp Could Be Delayed Again

A billionaire who canceled his purchase of a $27.5M penthouse at 1107 Fifth Avenue—which also happens to be NYC’s first-ever penthouse—will get his $2.75M deposit refunded to him. Carlos Rodriguez Pastor didn’t want to share his terrace with neighbors in the building. [NYDN] If the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey doesn’t pick a winning […]

April 23, 2015

United Nations Tower Has Floating Wrap-Around Gardens, Will Be New World’s Skinniest Tower

Just last month, Perkins + Will announced a new 65-story, 700-foot, pencil-thin tower coming to 37th Street. But it wasn't the height or slender design that got our attention; it was the sky-high gardens, five clusters of shared amenity and park spaces located at specific intervals on the building. Now, this project will be joined by another urban garden wonder near the United Nations. The Daily News reveals today renderings from ODA Architects of a super-skinny, 41-story, 600-foot skyscraper at 303 East 44th Street that will feature "six 16-foot-high gaps in the façade — each filled with a full-floor, canopied green space that will wrap around the core of the tower." These floating gardens will occupy the 2,600-square-foot floor plates, which are far smaller than the 4,800-square-foot floor plates at 111 West 57th Street, which has therefore lost its title of will-be world's skinniest tower.
More details ahead
April 23, 2015

A Clawfoot Tub Resides in the Middle of This $2.7M Soho Loft’s Bedroom

Oh how we love Soho’s Cast Iron District. Its cobblestone streets and classic facades set the stage so beautifully for the lofts within. Wide open floor plans showered with an abundance of natural light courtesy of big, bold windows. Soaring 12-foot ceilings and original cast iron columns scattered about serving as a lovely reminder of the area’s industrial roots. And the 1,800-square-foot residence at 19 Greene Street is no exception—plus it comes with a little something extra for its $2.7M price tag: an unusually placed clawfoot tub in the home’s sleeping quarters. Though we’ve written about showers and bathtubs in kitchens (and scratched our heads at the thought), the current owner of this loft just might be on to something. How nice would it be to take a long, luxurious soak and then slip into bed for the evening?  Of course, if the virtually wall-less layout leaves you feeling a bit too exposed, you can always avail yourself of the rain shower in the more traditional bathroom.
See more of this classic Soho loft
April 23, 2015

Architectural Saviors: NYC Landmarks Saved from Destruction

Yesterday we rounded up some of the most heinous crimes committed against architecture in New York City, but today we're taking a look at the sunnier side of things. Our list of architectural saviors includes sites saved from the wrecking ball, as well as those that have remained intact and been adaptively reused. And with city-wide preservationists celebrating this year's 50th anniversary of the landmarks law, what better time to take a look back?
View our list of architectural saviors
April 23, 2015

One New York Passerby a Month Is Injured from Construction Work

After last month's construction accident at the Greenwich Lane site in the Village, in which a piece of flying plywood killed a young woman named Tina Nguyen who was just walking by, the Wall Street Journal investigated construction injuries to passersby (not construction workers). Their analysis of Department of Buildings data shows that on average one passerby per month is injured at a New York City construction site. According to the paper, "From 2008 through 2014, there were 96 construction accidents involving pedestrians and other passersby in New York City, resulting in 155 injuries. More than three-quarters of the accidents took place in Manhattan."
More details ahead
April 23, 2015

$5.2M Retro-Glam Tribeca Duplex Is a True Labor of Love

It's already a brag-worthy feat to own an apartment that was designed by an award-winning architect, but it's even more brag-worthy to own one that was lovingly designed by that architect for her very own sister and her family. That's why when we tell you that this 2,783-square-foot Tribeca pad in the landmarked Sugar Warehouse condominium is a gem, we mean it. The retro glam duplex loft was a collaboration between designer Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, her mother Louise Ruhle, and her sister, the homeowner, Stephanie Ruhle Hubbard. That's right, even Mom was involved. So you know that every nook and cranny of this $5.2 million duplex loft was lovingly tended to.
More pics inside
April 22, 2015

Subway Rent Map Shows Manhattan Rental Prices Along Each Train Line

The folks over at Thrillist have put together the fun new Manhattan Subway Rent Map, which shows "where you can't afford to live, by stop." The figures come from the median rent per bedroom near every Manhattan subway stop. For the most part, the trends are what you'd expect -- prices along the 4, 5, 6 line get incredibly lower above 96th Street; living near a 14th Street train station will cost you; and the A, C, E train carries pretty steep prices throughout Manhattan until you reach 125th Street. But what's interesting is that the 59th Street corridor reigns supreme, with prices across the board coming in around $2,800.
See the full map here
April 22, 2015

Crimes Against Architecture: Treasured NYC Landmarks Purposely Destroyed or Damaged

At Monday's MCNY symposium “Redefining Preservation for the 21st Century,” starchitect Robert A.M. Stern lamented about 2 Columbus Circle and its renovation that rendered it completely unrecognizable. What Stern saw as a modernist architectural wonder, notable for its esthetics, cultural importance (it was built to challenge MoMA and the prevailing architectural style at the time), and history (the building originally served as a museum for the art collection of Huntington Hartford), others saw as a hulking grey slab. Despite the efforts of Stern and others to have the building landmarked, it was ultimately altered completely. This story is not unique; there are plenty of worthy historic buildings in New York City that have been heavily changed, let to fall into disrepair, or altogether demolished. And in many of these cases, the general public realized their significance only after they were destroyed. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the NYC landmarks law, we've rounded up some of the most cringe-worthy crimes committed against architecture.
Check out our list right here
April 22, 2015

Forbes Tallies the World’s Richest Real Estate Tycoons

Forbes recently released their annual list ranking the world’s billionaires for 2015. The universe’s wealthiest human is still Bill (Gates, that is), with a fortune worth $79.2 billion at last count. In the overall under-40 crowd, Marc Zuckerberg topped the list with $35.1 billion, his fortune far outstripping the rest of the youngsters on the list. A look at the world’s top real estate billionaires—the list can be sorted by industry among other factors—gives us a peek at some interesting facts and figures about the world’s top property tycoons.
Find out which real estate big-wigs are swimming in billions here
April 22, 2015

Living Green: Mapping NYC’s Newest LEED Rated Residential Constructions

Happy Earth Day, friends! As climate change weighs heavy on many of our minds, it’s relief to know that there are developers and architects working hard to create a healthier, more sustainable built environment. Eco-friendly residential design has been on the rise in NYC over the last decade, with buildings today boasting everything from solar panels to greywater […]

April 22, 2015

Hexagonal Hamptons Beach Bungalow Has Quirky Checkered Floors and Beamed Ceilings

It's not all Real Housewives of NYC and mega-mansions out on the Hamptons. In fact, one of the cutest houses on the island (in our humble opinion) is on the market for just $595,000. Located in East Hampton at 73 Waterhole Road, this beach bungalow stands out on the exterior for its charming hexagonal shape and on the interior for its funky hand-painted checkered floors and rustic cedar beamed ceilings. And if that wasn't enough, the house sits on a large lot adjacent to a preserve and near a private residents-only beach and marina.
See more here
April 22, 2015

Stuyvesant Heights Townhouse Offers Three Kinds of ‘Green’ for $1.45M

This multi-family townhouse at 633 Macdonough Street in Stuyvesant Heights is an exquisite combination of high-end renovations and beautifully restored details—and green in more ways than one. Fully renovated in 2011 and impeccably maintained, this three-story home features a new EPDM roof with an environmentally-friendly solar array (green #1), an income-producing rental on the top floor (green #2), and your very own garden (green #3).
See more of this very green home
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April 22, 2015

Giant Hello Kitty Sculpture Coming to Midtown; NYC Is a Good Place for the 65+ Crowd

Data shows that taxi drivers are costing commuters money when making trips to LaGuardia. [Value Penguin] A nine-foot Hello Kitty Time Capsule is coming to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. The translucent sculpture will get filled with people’s memories. [Untapped] Take a ride on one of NYC’s tugboats, which are making a comeback in marine freight towing. [Animal] How Earth Day […]

April 22, 2015

Park Slope’s Iconic Pavilion Theater to Be Demolished for a Morris Adjmi-Designed Residential Project

Back in December we revealed that Park Slope's iconic Pavilion Theater may be going residential after scoping out renderings on the website of architecture firm Architecture Outfit, which showed two possible schemes. The first was a six-story residential building rising behind the theater’s sublime Moorish façade and from a neighboring lot just south of the theater, and the second was a plan that preserved the theater in its entirety, limiting construction to the neighboring lot. Now, The Real Deal reports that Hidrock Realty, who bought the theater in 2006 for $16 million, has officially filed plans to build a six-story, 24-unit building on the site at 188 Prospect Park West, replacing the theater. And the architect of record is none other than Morris Adjmi, well known for his ability to create structures that seamlessly blend with their historic surroundings while still displaying subtle, modern touches. But since the theater is part of the Park Slope Historic District, this plan will likely not be so cut-and-dried.
More details on the project ahead
April 22, 2015

Live in This Modern Medieval Marvel for $6,200/Month

If you prefer medieval architecture, consider this three-bedroom Morningside Heights unit at the Brittania, available for $6,200 a month. The layout of this apartment is referred to as a "classic seven," referring to a popular style in pre-1940s New York that included three bedrooms, a formal dining room, and a separate maid's room. The condo also has original details like wood floors, crown molding, and cathedral ceilings.
More pics inside
April 21, 2015

City’s First Micro-Apartment Project ‘MY Micro NY’ Ready for Stacking

Just in time for Earth Day, New York's first micro-unit apartment building, dubbed My Micro NY, is entering its final construction phase. When finished later this year, urbanites will have a chance to live within the center of the city in a brand new building flush with amenities, all for under $3,000. Developed by Monadnock Development and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the soon-to-be-nine-story structure wrapped up foundation work this past winter, and a one-story steel platform is ready to receive 55 modular units. The units are currently being built off-site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard by a team of 50 workers. In late May, the units will be shipped to the Gramercy Park lot at 335 East 27th Street where they will be stacked and bolted together along with stairs, an elevator, and other shared spaces.
More details ahead
April 21, 2015

St. Patrick’s Cathedral Reveals $177M Restoration, Now What?

"Is that St. Patrick's Cathedral?" asked the passerby. "Yes. It's just been cleaned." "So that's why I didn't recognize it. I was looking for something gray." To the pleasure of all, St. Pat's has emerged from its cocoon and it is brilliant to behold. Scaffolding is still up inside the cathedral, sharing the space with worshippers; and work may go on through the rest of this year. It is an enormous building, after all, occuping a full city block between 50th and 51st Street, and Fifth and Madison Avenues. On the outside the building was always impressive; now it is magnificent. It makes one think of the panoply and power of the Church, stately processions, gorgeous robes, bejeweled crosses and cardinals' rings, incantations of the priests and congregation extolling the glory of God. It also makes one think of the cost—$177 million—and wonder how far that money would go to aid the poor and feed the hungry of the earth, traditional missions of Christianity. Not very far, maybe, since world hunger is not assuaged by one meal. But to be a glittering promise of sublime afterlife for millions—that is conceivably worth it.
What's next for St. Patrick's?
April 21, 2015

Asking Double Its 2012 Price, Brooding West Village Townhouse Features a Two-Story Wall of Glass

Every now and then a Cool Listing comes along that is so spectacular we find ourselves at a loss for words. Well, not today. That’s because there’s so much to share about this incredibly sumptuous home at 75 Bedford Street in the West Village we’re afraid we’ll run out of room! Let’s start with those responsible for our enthusiasm–namely,  M.N. Ahari, architect for the recent renovation, and interior designer Fernando Santangelo, the genius behind one of Hollywood’s havens for the rich-and-famous, the Chateau Marmont, who transformed this historic townhouse from an all-white Zen oasis into a brooding bachelor pad for his friend James Oakley, a filmmaker who originally hails from Tennessee. Oakley, whose stepfather owns the Cleveland Browns, bought the home in 2012 for $5.8 million, but after the extensive renovation he's now looking to unload the residence for $12.5 million.
See why there's so much to talk about
April 21, 2015

Charming ‘Back House’ Apartment Is a Tiny Treasure in the West Village

The cool thing about tiny living spaces is how it makes you so aware of all the wasted space you have in your own home. This micro apartment at 340A West 11th Street makes the most of every inch of its usable space, and if storage is key, then this pad has the combination. We think you’ll quickly see that inside this red brick “back house” less really is more.
More pics inside

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