December 9, 2015

LEGO Unveils NYC Skyline; Keep Your Apartment From Smelling Like Latkes

Go backstage with the Rockettes. [Racked] The newly released LEGO skyline collection includes the Flatiron Building, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, One World Trade Center and the Statue of Liberty. [Gothamist] A hidden bolt in Central Park dates back to the early 19th century when John Randel Jr. was plotting the NYC street grid. [Business Insider] Don’t […]

December 9, 2015

Revealed: Crowne Plaza Hotel Rises South of Times Square, Boasts Streetwall-Friendly Atrium

Construction is getting vertical on Raber Enterprises' 251-room Crowne Plaza Times Square South. The expected four-star, 118,200-square-foot building at 320 West 36th Street will only be the second in Manhattan to carry the Crowne Plaza flag, whose larger, 795-room location at 1605 Broadway has been operational since 1989. Situated between Seventh and Eighth avenues, the 8,200 square-foot parcel formerly held a parking garage that the team purchased with two other lots in December 2012 for $33.5 million. The metal-clad 28-story tower is designed by Flatiron-based Stonehill & Taylor Architects & Planners and will feature an 85-foot tall base that will thankfully adhere to the consistent streetwall of the Garment District. The base will be clad in corrugated-aluminum and its interior will hold an 80-foot high, galvanized steel atrium containing a restaurant and the reception lobby. The architects note that the metallic aesthetic "celebrates the neighborhood’s manufacturing and transportation hub heritage and also produce a play of light and shadow on the building’s deeply modulated surfaces." Flintlock Construction are the builders, WSP Flack & Kurtz the mechanical engineers and GACE, the structural engineers.
more on the project here
December 8, 2015

Where to See the Best Lights in NYC This Holiday Season

It's Christmastime in the city! It's also time to see what New York City has to offer in this year's twinkly lights department. We've seen it time and time again—New York City painted as a romantic holiday backdrop, perfect for evoking the true Christmas spirit. Most of us are already familiar with classic destinations like Rockefeller Center and the Macy's window display, so in lieu of the standard roster 6sqft has put together the following list to help you find some of the less obvious (but no less spectacular) places to see fabulous lights for the 2015 holiday season.
Check out our list of where to see the best lights this holiday season
December 8, 2015

Mapping the Depressing Annual Salaries of Millennials Across the U.S.

This year, snake people became the largest share of the U.S.'s voting-age population, surpassing 76.4 million baby boomers for the title. But while this younger generation (generally defined as those born between 1981 and 1997) may be dominating in numbers, they're trailing when it comes to their median annual salaries. This map created by Business Insider using data from the from the Minnesota Population Center's 2014 "American Community Survey" in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series reveals just what working snake people are earning annually—and the results are somewhat depressing. While Midwest states showing medians in the low 20s aren't all that shocking given a lower cost of living, it is surprising to see that economic power players like California and New York ring in at just $21,900 and $25,000, respectively.
See the map in detail here
December 8, 2015

Which NYC Neighborhoods Charge the Most for Christmas Trees?

Just like real estate, the price of a Christmas tree will vary significantly depending on which neighborhood you center your search. DNA Info recently conducted a reader poll to find which local tree dealers are gouging evergreen buyers and which are keeping with a more charitable holiday spirit. Pollsters zoomed in on several neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens and found some major price disparities even when it came to minor details like whether a vendor was set up on a street corner or just a typical stretch. Just check out the $50 price difference at two Williamsburg locales ahead...
have a closer look at their findings
December 8, 2015

Personalized Manhole Doormat Will Welcome You Home to Your Urban Oasis

Incorporating urban inspired design accessories into your home decor can be fun for the whole family. From towering skyscrapers to bustling streets, the city is packed full of interesting visual references, and graphic designer Jim Holodak choose the often overlooked manhole cover as the muse for his doormat design. Now you can enjoy the excitement of the city's raw energy without leaving your house!
READ MORE
December 8, 2015

Lofty Duplex in Greenpoint Comes With Double Height Ceilings and a Parking Space

149 Huron Street, a 30-unit Greenpoint condo building, was constructed in 2007 and is dominated by big windows and balconies on its facade. There is one unit up for sale in the building, a duplex, and it's asking $1.2 million. Over 985 square feet and two floors you'll find a big, towering window, lots of open space, a flexible floorplan and modern finishes. This is one of the priciest apartments in the entire building, and the history of its price tag says a lot about how much Greenpoint has changed since 2007. The unit sold in 2009 for $560,037 and then was listed in 2012 for $629,000. It looks like it never sold back then, but now it's trying its luck past the $1 million mark.
See the interior
December 8, 2015

Stiletto-Friendly Subway Grates Are Finally Here

Don’t you just hate getting your heel stuck in a subway grate and then ruining those beautiful stilettos? Well fear not, fashionistas, the MTA is employing high heel-friendly subway grates in their East Side Access Project. As Gothamist noted, the agency announced that they’ve completed construction on the 150-feet-below-ground ventilation facility at East 55th Street between […]

December 8, 2015

Get a Look at the 900-Foot Views From Norman Foster’s Sutton Place Tower

Bauhouse Group received permits just a week ago to raze a string of buildings at 428-432 East 58th Street in Sutton Place, and as 6sqft previously reported, the developer had tapped starchitect Norman Foster to design the 900-foot luxury residential tower. New York Yimby now has a first look at the building's stunning views from 100 feet and up. From the top, "just some of the things you’ll be able to see are Central Park, the George Washington Bridge, 432 Park Avenue, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Sony Tower, the Citigroup Center, One World Trade Center, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Roosevelt Island, the RFK Bridge, the Hell Gate Bridge, the United Nations, and the Williamsburg Bridge."
More views and details
December 8, 2015

For $3.5M This Sweet Nolita Loft Doesn’t Give Up Condo Comforts

Named for its envy-inspiring spot in downtown Manhattan's chic Nolita neighborhood–where Soho and Little Italy meet the colorful edges of Chinatown, the Solita building at 161 Grand Street is a classic 1911 loft building that was converted to condos in 2001. Among its 18 rarely-available half- and full-floor units–one of which belonged to Sofia Coppola and hubby Thomas Mars until they sold it in 2012–is this updated and colorful 1,831 square-foot two-bedroom loft, which just arrived on the market for $3.5 million. With a private elevator, central air, package-fetching super, video intercom and rooftop terrace, there's no need to trade condo comfort for loft bones. But the price–about a million more than its (most recent) 2012 sale price–more likely reflects the tiny collection of impossibly cool boutique shopping, dining and residential blocks that have long been among the city's most coveted while retaining at least some of their charming, ever-so-slightly gritty old New York feel.
Look around the loft
December 7, 2015

Could This Otherworldly 102-Story Tower Covered in Ornaments Be Coming to 57th Street?

Jaded by glass boxes and architectural imitations of styles gone by? Well this fascinating design by Mark Foster Gage Architects is sure to turn your architectural world upside down. Here's our first look at their 102-story residential supertower seemingly flown in from some advanced airborne civilization in a galaxy far, far away. While details are scarce, this eagle lands in the heart of Midtown's Billionaires' Row along West 57th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The whimsical design is a habitable sculpture of sorts, adorned from top to bottom in ornaments ranging from gears and propellers to an abstracted pair of birds diving in for a landing on two wing-supported balconies. The tower is topped by a temple-like observational platform which is then crowned by a golden wreath-like structure fit for any victorious Roman general.
more eye-popping visuals this way
December 7, 2015

Chart Compares Suburb and City Commute Times–and How Much Extra We Pay for Convenience

When most of us rationalize our outrageous rents (and for buyers, real estate prices), our first go-to argument usually involves something along the lines of how great it is to live so close to work and the bustling city. But as it turns out, there are actually more than a handful of neighborhoods outside of the borders of Manhattan that boast way better commute times than even Brooklyn. Real estate data start-up NeighborhoodX is back again with yet another eye-opening visualization, this time pitting the commute times and real estate prices of various New Jersey, New York and Connecticut suburbs, and a few popular Queens and Brooklyn nabes, against one another.
See all the comparisons here
December 7, 2015

VOTE for 6sqft’s 2015 Building of the Year!

If you thought 2014 was an outstanding year that gave way to great new developments, 2015 could easily be considered epic. In the last 12 months, we've seen the rise of the supertalls along Billionaires' Row, a few groundbreaking structures that challenge traditional architectural geometry, and starchitect-designed towers with absurd asking prices. Here we've vetted 12 of the hottest buildings in NYC, noteworthy for their envelope-pushing design, record-breaking prices, or unprecedented height. So, in our second annual poll, we want to know what you think: Out of the dozen, which deserves the title of “2015 Building of the Year?” To help you make an informed decision, we've provided an overview of each contender, along with news highlights from the year. We're taking votes up until 11:59 p.m., Monday, December 7th, and we will announce the winner on Wednesday, December 9th. Happy voting, 6sqft readers!
Learn more about all the buildings in the running ahead
December 7, 2015

This $8.5M Turtle Bay Townhouse Is a Timeless Classic With Pops of Modern

Without hype or hyperbole—though certainly compliment-worthy—this 1890s townhouse on a classic and lovely East Side block has all the modern upgrades you'd need, thanks to complete renovation in 2006. And for traditional brownstone buffs, 327 East 51st Street’s refined facade, gated courtyard, interior details and traditional stoop all add up to a quintessential New York City townhouse. Mechanicals, plumbing, lighting and electrical systems have all been updated and now include a new Crestron home audio system, a four-zone HVAC system, four automatic gas fireplaces, a state-of-the-art security system and lots of well-planned storage space.
READ MORE
December 7, 2015

Four Neighborhoods to Find Affordable One-Bedrooms; Trump Makes Money off Central Park Name

Who says Snake People are bad with money? This generation is increasingly buying homes in NYC. [Metro.US] Four NYC neighborhoods where you can still find an affordable apartment. [Thrillist] Few support Mayor de Blasio’s rezoning plan. [Crain’s] 20 years ago Donald Trump applied for a non-exclusive trademark to use the words “Central Park” to sell wares. Since then he’s become […]

December 7, 2015

Soho Loft by SMH Architects Features a Modern Wrap-Around Library

Loft living is a dream come true for many lucky New Yorkers, but more often than not these sought after open spaces require some custom design work. The residents of this Soho loft wanted to add custom work to showcase their spectacular book collection, and they now share their home with this exquisite library. Designed by the New York firm Smith-Miller and Hawkinson Architects (SMH), the space features shelving with clean, modern lines and dramatic lights that transform the standard bookshelf into a work of art.
READ MORE
Pitch a story icon Know of something cool happening in New York? Let us know:
December 7, 2015

Skyline Wars: One Vanderbilt and East Midtown Upzoning Are Raising the Roof…Height!

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s breaking development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. This week Carter brings us the second installment of nine-part series, "Skyline Wars," which examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city's silhouette. In this post Carter zooms in on Midtown East and the design of One Vanderbilt, the controversial tower that is being pinned as the catalyst for change in an area that has fallen behind in recent decades. Despite some objections from community boards and local politicians, New York City is moving ahead with the rezoning of East Midtown between Fifth and Third avenues, and 39th and 59th Streets; and earlier this year, the de Blasio administration enacted an important part of the plan, a rezoning of the Vanderbilt Avenue corridor just to the west of Grand Central Terminal. The Vanderbilt Avenue rezoning included approval of a 1,501-foot-high tower at 1 Vanderbilt Avenue on the block bounded by Madison Avenue, 42nd and 43rd Streets. The tapered, glass-clad tower, topped by a spire, is being designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox for SL Green. Mayors Bloomberg and de Blasio have championed the 1 Vanderbilt proposal despite serious concerns voiced by numerous civic organizations over the rezoning scheme that some see as “spot zoning” and the fact that the city has still not finalized nor published its complete rezoning package. Using air-rights transfers from the Grand Central Terminal area and zoning bonuses for providing $210 million for infrastructure improvements in the area, the tower will significantly alter the midtown skyline, rising several hundred feet above the nearby Chrysler Building and the huge and bulky but lower MetLife Tower straddling Park Avenue just north of Grand Central Terminal. Its 63 stories are several less than the Chrysler Building and just a few more than the MetLife Tower, which might be interpreted by some observers as indicated that it was in “context” with such prominent neighbors, but they are wrong.
READ MORE
December 7, 2015

Transit Museum Brings Back Its Vintage Subways and Buses for the Holidays

Regardless of your faith, the holidays in New York City are a one-of-a-kind experience that many of us look forward to all year. For die-hard New Yorkers, it's not so much about the big attractions, but the smaller festivities that show the spirit of the city. Here at 6sqft, one of our favorites is the MTA's and New York Transit Museum's Nostalgia Trains. According to Gothamist, this year, they're rolling out eight subway cars from the 1930s to '70s and vintage buses from the 1940s to '80s, so holiday shoppers and history enthusiasts alike can revel in a little old-school charm.
Get the details
December 7, 2015

Lofty Lower East Side Condo Boasts 14 Windows and Four Exposures

This lofty condo apartment at 241 Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side is all about the light. With 14 big windows through the apartment and four different exposures, there's plenty of it coming in. That's paired with three bedrooms, high ceilings, and a flexible layout. Not a bad combination when it comes to a living space. The apartment, located on the top floor of a ten-unit, 1904 pre-war building, is now on the market asking $1.477 million.
Take a look
December 7, 2015

Brooklyn Bath Bombs Will Leave Your Skin Smelling Like Brownstones

We can't say we're surprised that now you can bathe in the scent of Brooklyn neighborhoods. But we are surprised that these Brooklyn Flavors bath bombs don't offer gimmicky scents like "Hipster's Beard" for Williamsburg or "Bacon Cupcake" for Crown Heights. As Brooklyn Mag explains, the creator of the products "conducted demographic research of the residents that live in the neighborhood—past and present—to create each scent." For example, the Church Avenue bath bomb has a Caribbean scent representative of the neighborhood's West Indian demographic.
More neighborhood scent profiles
December 6, 2015

Modern Menorahs: Celebrate Hanukkah With Design in Mind

Tonight marks the beginning of Hanukkah, and for eight nights, Jews will be celebrating by lighting menorahs of all shapes and sizes in their homes, as well as in public spaces throughout New York. While Hanukkah might not traditionally be thought of as a design-oriented holiday, in recent years menorahs have become more and more creative and diverse. From contemporary interpretations to dinosaur versions to express your inner paleontologist, there is a menorah out there for everyone. We put together a list of some of our favorites that you can buy, in addition to three must-view menorahs in New York City.
Check out this festive holiday list here
December 5, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

New Renderings and Video of One Vanderbilt, Midtown’s Future Tallest Office Tower Supermodel Irina Shayk Lists Mod West Village Condo With Massive Shoe Closet for $4M Affordable Housing Lottery Launched for Related’s Yorkville Rental Tower at 205 East 92nd Street ‘Open Gangway’ Subway Trains Getting a Trial Run in NYC Tribeca ‘Inverted Warehouse Townhouse’ of […]

Our Mission

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