New Report Identifies 700 Miles of Unused Space Under Bridges and Elevated Platforms

Potential sites for the Under the Elevated project, via Design Trust for Public Space

June 19, 2015

New Report Identifies 700 Miles of Unused Space Under Bridges and Elevated Platforms

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The High Line may have revolutionized the adaptive reuse of the space atop elevated platforms, but what about that dead, dark space underneath? A new report from the Design Trust for Public Space in partnership with the Department of Transportation finds that the city has 700 miles of unused space under bridges, highways, and elevated subway tracks, much of which can be "transformed into valuable community assets such as small public parks, retail space and places for manufacturers to set up shop," according to Crain's.
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Windows Galore at This Gramercy Loft, on the Market for $3.5 Million
June 19, 2015

Windows Galore at This Gramercy Loft, on the Market for $3.5 Million

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There's nothing but light coming into this three-bedroom loft co-op at Ruggles House, a Gramercy Park building located at 112 East 19th Street. Ruggles House was built in 1913 as an industrial loft building with high ceilings and huge windows. When it was converted into a residential building, only two apartments were put on each of the 12 floors. The result at this particular unit is a sprawling floor plan with those old industrial interior details. It is currently on the market for $3.5 million.
See the interior
Live in Singer Roberta Flack’s Dakota Apartment for $9.5M
June 19, 2015

Live in Singer Roberta Flack’s Dakota Apartment for $9.5M

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The glory days of the Dakota definitely seem to be coming to an end...legendary singer Roberta Flack has listed her apartment in the famed Upper West Side building for $9.5 million, according to the Daily News. The residence was a celebrity playground at its height–Flack counted as her neighbors John Lennon, Yoko Ono (her next-door neighbor), Leonard Bernstein, and Lauren Bacall, whose apartment also recently hit the market for $26 million. Flack, the Grammy winner who produced such songs as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly with His Song," has lived in the Dakota for almost 40 years. So as the listing states, this is "a rare chance to acquire a historic residence, in a legendary building, from an Iconic Star."
More ahead
Bjarke Ingels Picks Up $4M Dumbo Penthouse with Views of 2 World Trade Center
June 18, 2015

Bjarke Ingels Picks Up $4M Dumbo Penthouse with Views of 2 World Trade Center

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When we have something to celebrate we usually do it with a glass of wine and some cake, but starchitect Bjarke Ingels is toasting his recently revealed design for 2 World Trade Center with a $3.89 million Dumbo penthouse. The Daily News reports that Ingels will be moving into the three-bedroom duplex at 205 Water Street, which offers a whopping 2,344 square feet of outdoor space, spread across four terraces, that provides the perfect view of the architect's impending Financial District tower. The sellers of the industrial-chic pad are interior designer and lifestyle guru Athena Calderone and her music producer husband, DJ Victor Calderone, who bought the home for $2.3 million in 2012 and originally listed it for $4.3 million back in January.
Take a look around the impressive home
Lucky Family Lives in a Cabin with a Meadow…on the Roof of Their West Village Building

Photo by George Steinmetz via Gothamist

June 18, 2015

Lucky Family Lives in a Cabin with a Meadow…on the Roof of Their West Village Building

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Most New Yorkers looking for a bit of suburban living move to areas of Brooklyn like Ditmas Park that offer free-standing houses with yards, or they abandon ship altogether and pack it in for Jersey or Westchester. But this lucky family fulfilled their country dreams–complete with a cottage and attached porch, green meadow, and stone garden walkway–without leaving the island of Manhattan. Located at 719 Greenwich Street, in the heart of the West Village, this bucolic dwelling isn't visible from the street. Instead, you'll need to take a helicopter ride to scope it out, which is exactly how photographer George Steinmetz discovered this one-of-a-kind rooftop paradise.
Get the scoop on this unusual home
Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 6/18-6/24

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 Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers which start tonight!

June 18, 2015

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week, 6/18-6/24

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The summer sun means the vibrant River to River Festival is back again, bringing 60 free events to landmarks, venues and performance spaces around Lower Manhattan (see the top two images for a sampling). You're in store for eclectic art experiences this week. Finish off your new Mark John Smith obsession at his large scale exhibition, "TOTALSMIT," or explore the changing Lower East Side through the work of Clayton Patterson. Go outside the box for your art fix and enter a seedy Japanese nightclub in the basement of Castor Gallery tonight, a faux-gift shop at Redbull Studios, or an actual abandoned bank in the Bronx. Finish it off with two great museums—a dance performance by the Merce Cunningham Company at the new Whitney, or a film program at the Guggenheim!
All the best events here
Bright and Charming One-Bedroom in Alphabet City Is Surprisingly Affordable at $485k
June 18, 2015

Bright and Charming One-Bedroom in Alphabet City Is Surprisingly Affordable at $485k

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Are you sitting down? Good, because today is your lucky day. There's a one-bedroom apartment available between Avenues B and C in the East Village, just blocks from the L train, asking only $485,000. This south-facing apartment features high ceilings, well-maintained wood finishes and full city views. Plus the quiet unit is walking distance from all the action.
Take a look around

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This Poster Displays All 468 Subway Station Signs
June 18, 2015

This Poster Displays All 468 Subway Station Signs

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For all intents and purposes, we do not want any visual of the subway hanging in our apartments. The grimy stations don't really complement our decor, and we'd prefer not to be reminded of the daily bloodbath that is trying to squeeze onto the 6 train. But this poster is the exception to our no-MTA-in-the-house rule. Printed using 11 Pantone® spot colors, this snappy piece of wall art displays all 468 subway station signs throughout the city, arranged in alphabetical order. It was designed by Hamish Smyth, one member of the duo who reprinted Massimo Vignelli's iconic Standards Manual last year. Once again inspired by Vignelli's graphic visual approach, Smyth created the new poster because he feels "this is an iconic design that should be remembered and celebrated, and we think a beautifully printed poster is a great way to get it into many people's hands."
Find out how to get your own copy and watch a video from the design team
Photographer Natan Dvir Captures Real Life Against NYC’s Larger-Than-Life Luxury Ads
June 18, 2015

Photographer Natan Dvir Captures Real Life Against NYC’s Larger-Than-Life Luxury Ads

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When we think of bigger-than-life ads most of are quick to point out Times Square as the mecca of all things wrong with our consumer culture. But the tourist trap is just one piece Manhattan's puzzle, which, if you really take a second to look around, is dripping with advertisements hawking everything from coconut water to acne treatments to Louis Vuitton handbags. While most would say that they don't even notice the ads—a lot like how the Empire State Building eventually is just there after you've been living in the city for so long—Israeli photographer Natan Dvir argues that the reality is that these oversized billboards profoundly shape our urban landscape and the way we experience it. His series “Coming Soon” captures the phenomenon.
More from Dvir's series here
Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Make a Sale on Their Meatpacking Apartment
June 18, 2015

Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Make a Sale on Their Meatpacking Apartment

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A mere five months after putting their Meatpacking District pad on the market, Olivia Wilde and husband Jason Sudeikis have made a sale. The unit at 66 Ninth Avenue was originally listed for $3.995 million in January, selling at a slight discount at $3.8 million according to the Post. The condo is a pretty simple construction with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, big windows, hardwood floors and new appliances—a great "starter home" the pair probably called it. Wilde and Sudeikis, who have a baby boy, high-tailed it to Clinton Hill earlier this year in search of more greenery, more space and far fewer folks stumbling drunk across their streets in stiletto heels and Italian loafers.
Have a look inside what they unloaded
Little Italy Townhouse Designed by the Novogratz Duo Is Looking for a New Bachelor
June 18, 2015

Little Italy Townhouse Designed by the Novogratz Duo Is Looking for a New Bachelor

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When millionaire private investor and socialite Bradley Zipper bought this Little Italy townhouse in 2004, he wanted a massive bachelor pad where he could host celebrity soirees and lavish business events for up to 400 people. After dropping $3,385,000 on the property, he hired Cortney and Robert Novogratz, the famous husband-and-wife design team, to deck it out. The result is certainly A-list worthy, with its 900-bottle wine cellar that's a replica of one in a Meatpacking District club, a 14-foot mahogany and pewter bar shipped over from Paris, and a vintage 1940s pool table surrounded by graphite walls. But despite this intense personalization, Zipper started trying to unload the house two years ago, first for $15 million, then $13 million, next as a $35,000/month rental, and now it's back for $15.5 million.
See what else this party pad has to offer
$3.6M Flatiron Loft Is Flooded With Light, Unique Details
June 17, 2015

$3.6M Flatiron Loft Is Flooded With Light, Unique Details

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A Flatiron loft at 141-145 West 17th Street in the Old Warren House apartment building has hit the market asking $3.625 million. Formerly a printing factory, the building now holds 12 upscale co-ops that still have features remaining from the building's factory days. This particular unit is a bright floor-through apartment with plenty of space and light. And as the Daily News reports, the current owner is Ernest Alexander Sabine, "the fashion design guru credited with reinventing the man bag."
Check it out
Help Count How Many Street Trees Are in NYC
June 17, 2015

Help Count How Many Street Trees Are in NYC

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Just a couple of months ago, we shared a fun map that lets users explore New York City's 592,130 street trees by species and trunk thickness. Brooklyn web developer Jill Hubley used data from the 2005-2006 Street Tree Census to create the map, but a lot of trees have come and gone in the past nine years. This time around, the Parks Department is crowdsourcing to count the city's street trees as part of its Trees Count! 2015 project. As Brooklyn Magazine reports, "Participants will be armed like park rangers, walking around different neighborhoods with tree identification guides and tape measures, recording data that will eventually trickle into an interactive map that encompasses all five boroughs."
Find out how you can get in on the action
Why Neighborhoods Change Names; How to Spot a City’s Next Up-and-Coming Area
June 17, 2015

Why Neighborhoods Change Names; How to Spot a City’s Next Up-and-Coming Area

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East of Village, Hudson Heights, Greenwich Village North… What’s the reasoning behind changing and creating new neighborhood names? [Medium] Can new zoning keep chain stores at bay in the East Village? [Gothamist] How to spot neighborhoods that are next to hit it big. [Washington Post] What to look for in a contractor. [Brick Underground] Chelsea, formerly “Greenwich […]

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VIDEO: What to Expect if You Were a Tourist Visiting NYC in the 1940s
June 17, 2015

VIDEO: What to Expect if You Were a Tourist Visiting NYC in the 1940s

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Welcome to the "city of romance and excitement" in a time "where all roads lead to Gotham." This fascinating film produced by the city's PR arm back in the '40s is a total time warp that will transport you to the better days when everyone enjoyed travel by train, dapper suits were daily uniforms, and the New York skyline was downright demure with just the Empire State Building and Chrysler piercing the sky. Though all the landmarks featured are ones you'd expect to see (Grand Central, the Top of the Rock, The Statue of Liberty) and don't appear all that much different than they do now (kids were bathing in Washington Square Park's fountain back then too), a number of the shots and commentary provided by the film's narrator really highlight how much our city has changed (imagine a harbor full of Titanic-like ocean liners and no 432 Park). Watch the 22-minute video ahead.
Watch the video here
Let’s Introduce Text Walking Lanes for Smartphone Addicts
June 17, 2015

Let’s Introduce Text Walking Lanes for Smartphone Addicts

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You've seen them. You've tried to get around them. You're probably one of them. In a world where there are more mobile phones than people, it's become commonplace to find folks paying more attention to what's on their phones than what's in front of them on the street. These so-called "text-walkers" are often a nuisance to other pedestrians as well as a danger to themselves (and their precious phones). A smart solution to this problem has appeared on the sidewalks of Antwerp, Belgium in the form of  "text walking lanes." These lanes, marked by simple white lines painted onto the sidewalk, designate a separate walking space for people who use their phones while walking.
More on text-walking lanes
‘Contemporary Panache’ Goes on Display at This Riverside Drive Renovation by Raad Studio
June 17, 2015

‘Contemporary Panache’ Goes on Display at This Riverside Drive Renovation by Raad Studio

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The design firm raad studio is no stranger to bold interiors that push the envelope—the firm designed an inhabitable blob for this Gowanus townhouse, and a stunning wooden ceiling dome for an apartment in the former police headquarters at 240 Centre Street. For this project at 440 Riverside Drive, they took an approach that "boldly marries prewar details and contemporary design," according to raad studio founder James Ramsey. The result, he said, is infused "with contemporary panache."
See more of the interior
June 17, 2015

What Lena Dunham Would Do in the Lowline; Can Zoning Stop Chain Stores?

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https://d2pq0u4uni88oo.cloudfront.net/assets/003/998/006/1e2746d1af55164eb07a0c4058a93465_h264_high.mp4   As part of their Kickstarter campaign, the Lowline has released a fun video starring none other than Lena Dunham. Watch her eat sandwiches and play with kids in the future subterranean park. [The Lowline] This man rebuilt Harlem during the 1920s in virtual reality. [The Atlantic] You can win an overnight stay on […]

June 17, 2015

POLL: Is Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg Development ‘Offensive?’

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Yesterday, former New York governor Eliot Spitzer revealed the first official rendering for Spitzer Enterprises’ mega development on the South Williamsburg waterfront. The $700 million trio of 24-story rental towers was designed by ODA Architects, who referred to the project as a “molded iceberg.” Today, Lincoln Restler, a senior policy advisor to Mayor de Blasio, took to Facebook to […]

Opulent Trump Park Avenue Penthouse Hangs onto $35M Price Tag
June 17, 2015

Opulent Trump Park Avenue Penthouse Hangs onto $35M Price Tag

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It looks like Trump Park Avenue's Penthouse 31/32 is still looking for a buyer, a year and a half after a chopping $10 million off of its $45 million asking price. This 6,278-square-foot duplex has such a storied past on the market, you practically need an ESPN commentator to narrate it Kentucky Derby style. It made its first showing in 2007, asking $45 million. It raised the price to $51 million in 2008, after renovations. It returned in 2009, after another hiatus, asking a much lower $31 million. Then it disappeared for a few years before reappearing in 2013 with its original price tag of $45 million. Three months later it slashed $10 million off the price, landing at $35 million. Will this lavish home ever find the perfect owner with the perfect wallet?
More pics inside
Own Andy Warhol’s Former Montauk Compound and Equestrian Farm for $85 Million
June 16, 2015

Own Andy Warhol’s Former Montauk Compound and Equestrian Farm for $85 Million

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How many Campbell's tomato soup cans would it take to cover Andy Warhol's former 30-acre estate? We're not sure, but we know it'd cost $85 million to find out. Though the artist's infamous Manhattan Factory was host to countless over-the-top and avant-garde activities, his Long Island home at 16 Cliff Drive and 8 Old Montauk Highway channeled a far more subdued vibe that was anything but city. Surrounded by miles of riding trails and hundreds of acres of oceanfront reserve, we can see exactly why Warhol was so inspired to let his silvery wig catch the Montauk wind.
Take a tour of this spectacular estate

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