All articles by 6sqft

February 16, 2021

Candice Bergen buys $2M Upper East Side co-op

According to city property records, actress Candice Bergen spent $2,150,000 on an Upper East Side co-op at 825 Fifth Avenue. The apartment last sold in 2007 for $1,600,000; it had previously been owned by eccentric real estate developer and political figure Abraham Hirschfeld, who passed away in 2005. In December, Ms. Bergen put her Hamptons home on the market for $18 million.
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February 2, 2021

New York Botanical Garden announces new dates for Yayoi Kusama exhibition

The New York Botanical Garden was scheduled to hold a blockbuster exhibition dedicated to Yayoi Kusama last spring, but sadly had to postpone the event when the pandemic hit. But they've now announced new 2021 dates for KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature--the show will run from Saturday, April 10 to Sunday, October 31, 2021 with tickets going on sale to the general public on March 16. The exhibition will immerse us in the Japanese artist’s visionary world through a career-spanning survey, the debut of four new works, and a variety of complementary horticultural installations created by the Garden’s team.
More details
February 1, 2021

Track the progress of NYC snow plows with this interactive map

Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared on Monday a state of emergency for New York City and much of the state as Winter Storm Orlena continues to hit the area with heavy snowfall, over 50 mph winds, and white-out conditions. While many New Yorkers are already working from home, essential workers still have to get to work. With the city expected to get 16-22 inches of snow, the Department of Sanitation has updated its interactive PlowNYC map to see if and when your street has been plowed and salted.
See when your street was plowed last
January 26, 2021

The Blizzard of 1888: The biggest snowstorm to ever hit NYC

With snow in the forecast for much of the week, we decided to take a look back at the biggest blizzard to ever blanket New York City. On March 12th of 1888, a record-setting 21 inches of snow had been dumped on the city, resulting in snowdrifts of up to 50 feet, $25 million in property damage, and 200 deaths. Known as the "Great Blizzard," it affected the entire eastern seaboard and is still considered one of the worst snowstorms in American history.
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January 22, 2021

10 easy home decor ideas to warm up your apartment

With winter bearing down on us, it can often feel impossible to get warm. But in addition to layering on fuzzy socks and turning up the thermostat (if you're one of the lucky New Yorkers who has this control!), there are some easy tips and tricks for keeping the temperature and mood in your apartment cozy all winter long. Not only is it important to reassess some of our more functional home accessories like bedding and window dressings, but it's also smart to consider how design can help a space feel warmer as we hibernate for the rest of the chilly months.
See 6sqft's list of winter-ready hacks
January 20, 2021

The first presidential inauguration was held in New York City in 1789

One of the nation's most significant Inauguration Days has finally come, and while we're all looking forward, we also thought it was pertinent to take a look back. On Thursday, April 30, 1789, the first United States Congress met, and the first president was sworn in (the presidential term had already started on March 4 of that year, but logistical delays had kept the votes from being counted or certified). With a quorum finally in place, George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States, alongside Vice President John Adams, on the balcony of the Federal Hall in what is now the Financial District.
The whole history here
January 19, 2021

Last-ditch effort to sell Trump’s childhood home in Queens before Inauguration Day

The boyhood Queens home of President Donald Trump is making a last-ditch effort to find a buyer before Trump leaves the White House. Paramount Realty USA has once again put the home on the auction block with the auction date set for tomorrow, the date Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Though it's listed as a sealed bid auction, Paramount Realty founder Misha Haghani told NY1, "The seller is prepared to take $3 million today, tomorrow, next week."
Details here
December 17, 2020

Oops! 2020 did it again! We have TWO Buildings of the Year

Earlier this week, 6sqft reported that 15 Hudson Yards was voted 2020 Building of the Year with a whopping 50 percent of the votes. However, after we discovered a glitch in our vote-counting system (how 2020!), the results are too close to call and it’s a virtual tie with One South First. If it were another year, we would extend the voting to call a single winner, but it is 2020, and we don’t want to think about voting anymore! The fact that our readers put these two buildings on par is fitting, as they are both prominent projects that have changed the trajectories of their respective neighborhoods--15 Hudson Yards at the Hudson Yards mega-development and One South First at the Domino Sugar development on the south Williamsburg waterfront. Ahead, learn more about the two buildings and what sets them apart.
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December 4, 2020

New York City will receive 480,000 COVID vaccine doses by early January

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state of New York expects to receive its first allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the federal government by December 15. If all safety and efficiency approvals are granted, enough doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be available for 170,000 New Yorkers. Additional vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna are expected to arrive in the state later this month. And of this allotment, New York City expects that it will receive 480,000 doses by early January, mayoral spokesperson Bill Neidhardt told the New York Times.
Find out more
November 6, 2020

5 U.S. presidents who lived in New York City

New York City's presidential history runs deep. Our nation's very first president lived in the inaugural presidential mansion on Cherry Street during the city's two-year reign as the country's capital. As the 2020 presidential election finally wraps up, we're taking a look at this original New York presidential residence, as well as those that followed, including Chester Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Barack Obama, and most recently, Donald Trump.
Where are the presidential homes in NYC?
November 3, 2020

102 years ago, New York women voted for the first time

With New Yorkers and the nation showing up to the polls in record numbers this year, it's hard to imagine a time when being female made this illegal. Nearly 102 years ago to the day, Catherine Ann Smith was among the first women to vote in the state of New York, as the New York Times reminded us. Ms. Smith joined Mary Waver at the front of the line, both cast their ballots in the early hours of November 5th, 1918.
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November 2, 2020

Election Day 2020: Deals and discounts for New York voters and poll workers

While over three million New Yorkers, including over one million residents in New York City, have already cast their ballots during the nine-day early voting period, millions more are expected to show up to vote on Tuesday. To help both voters and poll workers deal with possible long wait times and overall stress this Election Day, a number of companies are offering deals and freebies on November 3, from discounted rides to the polls to free food delivery.
Details here
October 14, 2020

The best ways to celebrate Halloween 2020 in NYC

Although it's already been a scary year, there are still ways to have some old-school spooky fun in New York City this Halloween. Sadly, popular events like the Village Halloween Parade and the Tompkins Square Dog Halloween Parade have been canceled and traditional trick-or-treating has been deemed a high-risk activity because of the coronavirus pandemic. But there are a number of fall-friendly, socially distanced events still taking place across the city, like a Día de Los Muertos celebration at Green-Wood Cemetery, virtual ghost story readings from the Merchant's House Museum (considered Manhattan's most haunted house), and eerie hayrides and pumpkin picking at the Queens County Farm Museum.
Get the spooky scoop
September 18, 2020

Fall back in love with NYC through this new book of ‘hidden’ art treasures

While New York City is home to some of the best and biggest cultural institutions in the world, it's the more obscure masterpieces found on streets, subway stations, and tucked away in bars and buildings that inspired author Lori Zimmer's latest book. In Art Hiding in New York: An Illustrated Guide to the City's Secret Masterpieces, Zimmer highlights 100 hidden-in-plain-sight and surprising spots across the city and explores the unique history of the art and the artists behind them. From a massive Roy Lichtenstein mural in the Times Square subway station to fragments of the Berlin Wall painted by artist Thierry Noir, incredible pieces of art can be found everywhere in New York, even beyond galleries and museums. Ahead, we chat with Zimmer about her guide to New York City's underground art world, the beautiful illustrations paired with each work, and the city's perpetual reinvention.
Learn more and meet the author
September 16, 2020

7 ways to soundproof a noisy apartment

No matter how long we live in New York City, it's hard to get used to the sounds of jackhammers, children screaming, or our neighbors getting a little too, um, frisky on the other side of our apartment wall. And with noise complaints up a whopping 300 percent during the pandemic, many of us are actively seeking solutions to help muffle (or hopefully mute) these urban intrusions. From sound-proofing wall panels and curtains to white noise machines, we've rounded up some simple soundproofing home upgrades, as well as a couple more robust improvements, that will help you achieve a quieter household.
Get started soundproofing here
August 11, 2020

150 NYC restaurants with outdoor dining

With outdoor dining in New York City extended through October, there are countless spots to dine al fresco, with restaurants able to set up seating on sidewalks, adjacent parking spots, rooftops, and gardens. To help you decide where to eat first, we've begun compiling a list of some of the best restaurants offering outdoor dining, neighborhood by neighborhood. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so we hope that you, our readers, will share more restaurants with us that we can add to this list.
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July 23, 2020

Jeffrey Epstein’s Upper East Side mansion lists for $88M

The "cursed" Upper East Side mansion of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has hit the market for $88 million. Located at 9 East 71st Street on one of the city's wealthiest blocks, the townhouse is considered the largest single-family home in New York City, rising seven stories and measuring more than 28,000 square feet. Epstein was charged federally last year for abusing dozens of underage girls and women at many of his properties, including his Manhattan mansion.
See inside
June 18, 2020

16 books about New York City by Black authors

The Black Lives Matter movement has strong roots in New York City, and with this in mind, 6sqft has put together a list of books about or related to New York City, all by Black authors. Including fiction and nonfiction, our list includes classics like Paule Marshall's Brown Girl, Brownstones and James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time to contemporary works like Kiley Reid's Such a Fun Age and Elaine Welteroth's More Than Enough.
Check out the full list
June 2, 2020

10 organizations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in NYC

Demonstrations over the May 25 death of George Floyd continue across the country and New York City. For those seeking additional ways to advocate for antiracist policies, police accountability, and racial justice, we've compiled a guide to local NYC organizations that are advocating against institutional racism and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. While this list is not complete, these resources hopefully can serve as a starting point to help New Yorkers navigate as allied communities during this time.
How to help
May 11, 2020

40+ ways New Yorkers are helping healthcare workers

While most New Yorkers are working from home or finding ways to entertain themselves while indoors, our health care community is on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis, with many pulling double shifts and working seven days a week. To show gratitude for this heroic community, many local companies are stepping up to the plate, offering free meals, lodging, transportation, and even footwear. Ahead, 6sqft has begun compiling a list of the resources available to NYC's front-line responders. This list was last updated at 4:30 pm on Monday, May 11, 2020.
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April 28, 2020

These maps and apps tell you which businesses are open in your NYC neighborhood

We all want to support the small businesses in our New York neighborhoods during this difficult time. But sometimes it's hard to keep track of which stores and restaurants are currently open. A number of local websites and organizations have created easy-to-use search engines and interactive maps that provide information on open businesses.
Explore the maps
April 9, 2020

New Yorkers share their ‘silver linings’ during these tough times

Times are tough in New York, but New Yorkers are even tougher. Though we're facing a lot of challenges right now, one way to get through it is to try to find a "silver lining." Here at 6sqft, we thought all of us in NYC could use some positivity, so we asked our fellow New Yorkers to share their personal silver linings. From 3D printing face masks to spending more time with family to stepping it up in the kitchen to witnessing communities coming together, here are some of the things that are providing some light in these dark times.
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April 3, 2020

6sqft Trivia: How much do you know about New York City heroes over the years?

In the face of adversity or when tragedy strikes, New Yorkers band together in a remarkable way. Over the years, from World War I to the AIDS epidemic to 9/11, residents of NYC have emerged as true heroes, aiding in war efforts, saving lives, and at times, making the ultimate sacrifices. In today's current crisis, we are seeing thousands of heroes every day working in our hospitals and grocery stores and who are fighting day in and day out to save lives and flatten the curve of coronavirus. Ahead, we've put together 11 questions that will test your knowledge of New York City heroes over the years and hopefully remind you that we will get through this.
Take the quiz!
April 3, 2020

All the performances, events, and classes in NYC you can stream online

Although the coronavirus has shuttered most of the city, many museums, performance venues, theaters, and famous New Yorkers are offering free (or low-cost) online resources to entertain New Yorkers throughout this difficult period. From virtual storytime with Brooklyn Public Library librarians to live-streamed performances by the Metropolitan Opera to baking classes with Milk Bar's Christina Tosi to dance lessons from the Radio City Rockettes, support local organizations safely from your home. This list was lasted updated at 10:00 a.m. on April 3, 2020.
The full list, ahead