Manhattan

An unlikely player has entered Midtown’s Roosevelt Hotel redevelopment: President Donald Trump and the federal government. As first reported by Reuters last week, the United States government's General Services Administration (GSA) signed an agreement with Pakistan, which owns the iconic but shuttered hotel at 45 East 45th Street, to jointly redevelop, renovate, operate, and maintain the property. The pact, negotiated by New York real estate developer and Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, marks a surprising turnaround for the project, which returned to the drawing board last week after Pakistan restarted its search for a broker and financial advisor, according to The Real Deal.
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Policy

This $800K Chelsea two-bedroom co-op is easy on fees and rules

Photo credit: Andrew Brincka/DD Reps for The Corcoran Group

February 26, 2026

This $800K Chelsea two-bedroom co-op is easy on fees and rules

This two-bedroom parlor co-op on a tree-lined Chelsea block at 231 West 21st Street, asking $799,000, has plenty of pre-war charm along with tons of sunlight and a renovated kitchen and bath. Low monthly fees and laid-back co-op regs make Manhattan living a little easier.
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Distinctive Homes

Seagram heir’s Soho penthouse rents for $120K a month, a neighborhood record

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph

February 25, 2026

Seagram heir’s Soho penthouse rents for $120K a month, a neighborhood record

Seagram liquor heir Eli Bronfman will be collecting $120,000 a month for his penthouse pad at 20 Greene Street while searching for a buyer, according to The Real Deal. The massive loft occupies the top three floors of the classic cast-iron building, topped by a dazzling rooftop terrace. Bronfman put the four-bedroom condo on the market last year for $45 million. Its current ask is $35,950,000, but its six-figure rental price may make it hard to part with–and may be Soho's highest ever.
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Distinctive Homes

American Express unveils new World Trade Center headquarters

Renderings courtesy of Foster + Partners

February 25, 2026

American Express unveils new World Trade Center headquarters

American Express on Wednesday announced plans to build a new global headquarters at the World Trade Center, marking the final commercial tower at the Lower Manhattan campus. Located at 200 Greenwich Street, also known as 2 World Trade Center, the Foster + Partners-designed skyscraper will be developed by Silverstein Properties and span nearly 2 million square feet across 55 floors. Construction will kick off this spring, with completion slated for 2031. American Express will be the tower’s sole tenant, housing up to 10,000 employees and featuring more than an acre of outdoor space.
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Architecture And Design

Battery Park City rent protections extended for long-time tenants

Gateway Plaza. Image via WikiCommons

February 25, 2026

Battery Park City rent protections extended for long-time tenants

Hundreds of tenants at Gateway Plaza, Battery Park City's oldest and largest residential development, will have their annual rent increases capped at 2.5 percent for the next 43 years. On Monday, the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) announced an agreement with Marina Tower Associates to extend those protections for roughly 430 units with continuous occupancy since July 1, 2009. Originally set to expire in July 2030, the safeguards will now remain in place through June 17, 2069.
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This $4M Strivers’ Row home is a link to Harlem history with five floors of townhouse living and a private garage

All photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

February 25, 2026

This $4M Strivers’ Row home is a link to Harlem history with five floors of townhouse living and a private garage

Built in 1892, this renovated townhouse on Harlem's Strivers' Row, asking $3,995,000, brings neighborhood history into the 21st century. Restored by noted architect Alan Berman of Archetype Architecture NY, the Colonial Revival-style yellow brick-and-limestone home at 269 West 138th Street includes a duplex apartment on the lower floors with a triplex above. An extra perk: a private garage.
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Distinctive Homes

Six Coasts replaces Island Oyster, which closed in 2025. Photo © Julienne Schaer

February 24, 2026

Pan-American coastal restaurant opening on Governors Island

Just weeks after Bad Bunny highlighted the diversity of the Americas during his Super Bowl halftime show, a new restaurant in New York City aims to celebrate Pan-American flavors. Run by Smorgasburg, Six Coasts will occupy a 32,000-square-foot waterfront space on Governors Island and offer food and drinks inspired by "six coastal identities across the Americas." The restaurant, which replaces Island Oyster, will open in May, the Trust for Governors Island announced Tuesday.
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Food & Dining

The Met to host first show dedicated to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

Jackson Pollock (American, 1912–1956), Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), 1950, Enamel on canvas, 8 ft. 9 in. × 17 ft. 3 in. (266.7 × 525.8 cm), The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, George A. Hearn Fund, 1957, © 2026 Pollock-Krasner Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

February 24, 2026

The Met to host first show dedicated to Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

The largest exhibition celebrating abstract expressionist artists and life partners Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner in two decades will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this fall. On view from October 4 through January 31, 2027, "Krasner and Pollock: Past Continuous" traces the full arc of both artists' careers, highlights their impact on modern art, and introduces their work to a new generation. The exhibition—the first at the Met to feature both artists—will display over 120 works borrowed from more than 80 U.S. and international lenders.
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Tin Building food hall closes, to be replaced by ‘Balloon Museum’

Credit: Seaport Entertainment Group

February 24, 2026

Tin Building food hall closes, to be replaced by ‘Balloon Museum’

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s market and food hall at the Seaport's Tin Building closed its doors on Monday, not even four years after opening. The Seaport Entertainment Group (SEG) announced the high-end culinary hub will be replaced by "Balloon Museum," an interactive art installation expected to open this summer. The move marks the end of the $200 million venture, which transformed the landmark into a 58,000-square-foot food emporium following a multi-year relocation and restoration.
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New condo planned for vacant Chelsea lot next to the High Line

The High Line’s 10th Avenue overlook. The new condo at 118 10th Avenue will be on the east side of the street. Photograph by Mike Peel on Wikimedia

February 23, 2026

New condo planned for vacant Chelsea lot next to the High Line

A vacant Chelsea development site once tied to the late New York City developer Brandon Miller has sold for $53 million and will become a new condo building. Adirondack Capital Partners on Monday announced that Toll Brothers purchased the roughly 12,000-square-foot parcel at 118 10th Avenue from Benny Barmapov, with plans to build an 85,000-square-foot condominium. Miller had previously leased the site, with plans for a 10-story, 100,000-square-foot office building, according to The Real Deal.
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Real Estate Trends

Photos by Travis Mark

February 20, 2026

Rare historic Greenwich Village ‘Renwick Row’ brownstone with intact details asks $12.5M

As one of a row of stately brownstones designed by noted 19th-century architect James Renwick Jr., the historically significant property at 28 West 10th Street is a rare opportunity to own and restore a New York City icon. Asking $12,500,000, the six-story townhouse, built circa 1856, is one of the "Renwicks" often cited when noting the downtown neighborhood's historic beauty; like many of its Village neighbors, it has seen several notable creative residents. The home still has many of its original details, including fireplaces, woodwork, and plaster, offering a chance to bring this rare dwelling into the 21st century.
unspoiled village history, this way

Photo credit:Beyond my Ken via Wikimedia commons.

February 19, 2026

Alexander Wang’s Asian arts hub to open in Chinatown landmark

The Beaux Arts building at 58 Bowery has been an anchor of Chinatown for a century, owned for most of that time by the Citizens Savings Bank. Designer Alexander Wang and his mother, Ying Wang, purchased the landmarked building in 2025; this month, the pair will launch their dream of a hub for Asian and Asian-American creativity in the neighborhood with the opening of The Wang Contemporary (TWC). The center's inaugural exhibition, "20,000 Variations On A Paper Plane In Flight," by Asian-American art collective MSCHF, will be on view from February 20-22.
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Events & Things To Do

Carnegie Hill co-op owned by MoMA’s original director lists for $2.3M

Listing photos are virtually staged. Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker Warburg

February 19, 2026

Carnegie Hill co-op owned by MoMA’s original director lists for $2.3M

The Carnegie Hill apartment that once belonged to one of the most influential figures of the modern art movement has hit the market. Alfred Barr Jr. was the original director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) when it opened in 1929, where he championed all forms of art and became known for bringing Pablo Picasso's work to the United States. During his tenure as director, Barr lived in a high-floor three-bedroom co-op at 49 East 96th Street, which recently became available for $2,295,000.
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Distinctive Homes

Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 18, 2026

Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

An affordable housing project first conceived as part of the East Harlem rezoning 10 years ago has finally kicked off construction. The city on Wednesday broke ground on Timbale Terrace, a 100 percent affordable tower with 341 apartments and a new theater and performing arts center for Belongó, formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. Located at East 118th Street and Park Avenue, the site sat vacant for decades before most recently serving as a police department parking lot.
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For $2.45M, an artist’s downtown Manhattan loft is a blank slate with a modern frame

All photos courtesy of Bettina Werner and Douglas Elliman

February 18, 2026

For $2.45M, an artist’s downtown Manhattan loft is a blank slate with a modern frame

This one-bedroom-plus-office condo in the amenity-packed Downtown by Starck residence at 15 Broad Street is a high-floor haven, currently home to Italian artist Bettina Werner, who is known for her unique salt crystal artworks. The Fidi condo, asking $2,450,000, offers 1,809 square feet of living space, with the kind of white-box vibe that you'd expect from an art gallery, framed by 11-foot beamed ceilings. The building is also known for its peerless menu of luxury perks, including a pool and spa, a ball court, and a gorgeous rooftop park with a reflecting pool.
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Distinctive Homes

New Underground Railroad stop discovered at Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan

All photos courtesy of the Merchant’s House Museum

February 13, 2026

New Underground Railroad stop discovered at Merchant’s House Museum in Manhattan

A previously unknown site connected to the Underground Railroad was discovered in Manhattan this week. The Merchant's House Museum, a well-preserved 19th-century home-turned-museum on East 4th Street in Noho, unveiled a narrow passageway hidden beneath a built-in chest of drawers on the second floor that descends 15 feet to the ground floor. As NY1 first reported, the link to the Underground Railroad is the first uncovered in the city in over a century.
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This $15M penthouse is a 9,000-square-foot mansion in the Midtown sky

Photo credit: Tim Waltman – Evan Joseph Photography

February 12, 2026

This $15M penthouse is a 9,000-square-foot mansion in the Midtown sky

If you're thinking a townhouse is too small, this dazzling duplex high above Manhattan's east side at 500 Park Avenue, asking $15 million, might do. With over 9,000 square feet of living space, it's easy to get lost among the rooms that span two floors of this Midtown condo with four exposures, panoramic views, and a massive terrace. Currently owned by architect Wendy Evans Joseph, who has designed projects for noted museums and cultural institutions, including the new Canarsie Library, NYC's first public mass timber building, the home's interiors reflect a level of design sophistication not found in the average Manhattan penthouse.
limitless space, dazzling views, this way

Distinctive Homes

MetroCard artwork on view at new Grand Central exhibition

Nina Boesch, courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

February 11, 2026

MetroCard artwork on view at new Grand Central exhibition

While you can no longer swipe them to ride, New York City’s iconic MetroCard will once again be in the spotlight as part of a new exhibition at Grand Central Terminal next month. Opening March 16 at the New York Transit Museum's Grand Central Gallery and Store, "Inspired by MetroCard" shows how artists and designers have transformed the retired transit card into an artistic medium over its three-decade history. Drawing from the museum’s collections and contemporary works, the exhibition features fashion, sculpture, painting, and collage, along with limited-edition collector cards decorated with original artwork.
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NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall

NYC Council Members and Speaker Julie Menin hold a protest over the removal of the LGBTQIA+ flag from the Stonewall National Monument. Photo Credit: Will Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit on Flickr

February 11, 2026

NYC officials re-raise Pride flag at Stonewall

New York City officials followed through on their promise to restore the Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, re-raising it Thursday after the National Park Service removed it earlier in the week. The flag was first taken down on Monday by the agency, which has overseen the site since it was designated a national monument by former President Barack Obama in 2016. The agency told Gay City News that the removal was required under policy permitting only the U.S. flag and other "congressionally or departmentally authorized flags" to fly on NPS flagpoles, despite the site’s recognition as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, which the Pride flag symbolizes.
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Policy

February 10, 2026

30-story condo will be the tallest building in Greenwich Village

The tallest building in Greenwich Village is moving forward. Construction financing was secured last week for a new luxury condominium at 11 West 13th Street, a planned 30-story tower with 34 residences that will rise well above the neighborhood's next tallest buildings. Despite backlash from preservationist groups, which filed a zoning challenge with the Department of Buildings, the project is moving ahead, after developers Legion Investment Group and EJS Group secured $190 million in construction financing last week.
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Judge allows Trump’s Gateway funding freeze to continue until Thursday

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

February 9, 2026

Judge allows Trump’s Gateway funding freeze to continue until Thursday

After ordering the Trump administration to resume funding for the Gateway project, a federal judge has agreed to temporarily allow the funding freeze to continue while an appeal moves forward. The order, issued Friday by Manhattan Judge Jeannette Vargas, follows a lawsuit filed by NY and NJ seeking emergency relief to stop the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) from withholding funds for the project. However, after the administration filed an appeal Sunday, Vargas agreed to pause the order until February 12 to allow the appeal to proceed, according to New Jersey Monitor.
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Trump said he’d restore Gateway funding if New York renames Penn Station after him

Photo of Penn Station by Don Ramey Logan via WikiCommons

February 6, 2026

Trump said he’d restore Gateway funding if New York renames Penn Station after him

President Donald Trump told Sen. Chuck Schumer last month that he'd resume funding for the Gateway project, but only if New York's Penn Station and Washington’s Dulles International Airport are renamed after him. Trump said he would release $16 billion in previously allocated federal funds for the critical infrastructure project on that condition, as CNN reported. Funding, which had been secured under the Biden administration, was frozen during October’s government shutdown. Construction on the project will stop at 5 p.m. on Friday if the funding does not resume.
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For $3M, this charming Nomad loft has a rooftop deck with an outdoor shower

Photo credit: Francisco Rosario, DD-Reps

February 6, 2026

For $3M, this charming Nomad loft has a rooftop deck with an outdoor shower

In the heart of bustling Nomad, this three-bedroom condo at 138 Lexington Avenue comprises the top three floors of a 1920 townhouse. Asking $2,995,000, the triplex has the cozy appeal of a downtown loft. The home's highest floor is its most covetable: a sunny studio is flanked by a landscaped roof deck with an outdoor shower.
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Distinctive Homes

February 4, 2026

NYC opens low-barrier shelter with 100+ units in Lower Manhattan

New York City has opened a new safe haven shelter in the South Street Seaport, offering secure temporary housing to more than 100 unhoused New Yorkers, as deaths linked to the city’s ongoing stretch of extreme cold continue to rise. On Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the opening of a long-stalled shelter at 320 Pearl Street, offering 106 beds, on-site services, and no curfews or similar restrictions in an effort to encourage more homeless New Yorkers to come in from the cold, according to Gothamist. The new shelter is part of a series of measures Mamdani has enacted since the city entered this historic cold snap, including the opening of 50 additional shelter units in Upper Manhattan on Monday.
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Policy

NY and NJ sue Trump administration for withholding Gateway funding

Credit: Gateway Development Commission

February 4, 2026

NY and NJ sue Trump administration for withholding Gateway funding