By Alexandra Alexa, Fri, September 13, 2019 Images via The Sill
The indoor gardening trend shows no signs of slowing down, and for good reason–adding more green to your space has a multitude of benefits. But for many people, bringing a new friend home from the nursery and actually knowing what to do with it are two very different things. To help you reach your full potential, The Sill has launched a convenient service to boost your green thumb: virtual plant care appointments. If you don’t know what to do about your plant’s declining health, need tips on staving off a dreaded pest infestation, or just want to learn more about its specific needs, you can now book a 15- or 30-minute consultation with one of The Sill’s plant experts from the comfort of your own home.
Get your plants to thrive, not just survive
By Alexandra Alexa, Fri, September 13, 2019 Listing images by Rise Media; courtesy of The Corcoran Group
With a working woodshop in the basement, this garden level duplex in prime Carroll Gardens would be a perfect fit for an artist or designer. The one-and-a-half bedroom also boasts a deep front yard—characteristic of the neighborhood—private access to the back garden, and sweet details on the inside, including two fireplaces. After last selling in 2013 for $1.3 million, the residence at 86 2nd Place was recently listed for $1.495 million.
Get the full tour
By Alexandra Alexa, Thu, September 12, 2019 Rendering courtesy of Extell
Earlier this Spring construction of Brooklyn’s tallest residential tower, Brooklyn Point, topped out at 720 feet. Now, the 68-story skyscraper has reached another construction milestone and is fully enclosed. A new video released by Extell compresses two years of work on the facade into mere seconds, as the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed building nears completion.
Watch the video
By Alexandra Alexa, Thu, September 12, 2019 Listing images by Allyson Lubow; courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Just one block away from Prospect Park West in the Park Slope Historic District, the Renaissance Revival brownstone at 495 13th Street was built around 1895 by prolific Brooklyn architect Robert Dixon. Last sold in 2015 for $3.25 million, the historic property has since undergone a restoration of many of the original wood details, including the parlor mantels and wood floors. Most recently lived in as a one-family with five bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, there’s also an opportunity to utilize the income-generating rental on the garden level. The brownstone is now on the market, seeking $3.45 million.
Take a look around
By Alexandra Alexa, Wed, September 11, 2019 Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman
This 1,800 square-foot loft at 55 Prince Street has all the elements of a classic Soho loft with the benefits of a fresh, gut renovation. All the original details—wood beams and columns, exposed brick walls, oak floors, and arched windows—were restored while industrial-chic elements were added, including a floating staircase and steel doors. A rooftop terrace adds 1,800 square feet of private outdoor space and the unit also comes with air rights to build up an additional 2,000 square feet. The modern pad is now listed at $4 million.
Take a look inside
By Alexandra Alexa, Wed, September 11, 2019 Renderings courtesy of Binyan Studios
Less than a month after construction at 200 Amsterdam Avenue topped out—and despite a pending Article 78 challenge filed by opponents of the contested Upper West Side tower in July—sales have officially launched and the developers debuted a new website with all the listings and a new batch of renderings. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects with interiors by CetraRuddy, the tower will rise 668 feet and consist of 112 condos over its 52 stories. Current pricing starts at 2.625 million for a one-bedroom and goes up to $7.975 for a five-bedroom. As 6sqft previously reported, there will be two duplex penthouses available for about $40 million each.
More details
By Alexandra Alexa, Tue, September 10, 2019 Listing images courtesy of Douglas Elliman
It took fashion stylist Katie Mossman five years to complete the renovation of her 19th-century townhouse in Greenpoint. Once a sea captain’s home in the 1850s, Mossman transformed the residence into an open, light-filled space with a double-height living room and indoor-outdoor concept. The two-family home at 76 Green Street is now on the market for just under $5 million, one of the neighborhood’s priciest listings. For those who aren’t looking to spend that much but love the idea of California vibes in NYC, the property is also available to rent for $13,500 per month.
Take a tour
By Alexandra Alexa, Tue, September 10, 2019 Image via Purpleturtle52 on Wiki Commons
Plans to restore the Philip Johnson-designed New York State Pavilion at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park have been inching along slowly over the past five years. Now, the project finally has a construction start date, Untapped Cities reported. Work will begin by the end of the month and is expected to be completed in March 2021. As 6sqft previously reported, the project has acquired just over $24 million in funding from the Mayor’s office, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, City Council, and a FEMA grant for Hurricane Sandy repairs.
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By Alexandra Alexa, Mon, September 9, 2019 “Pageant Book Store, 109 East 9th Street., north side between 3rd & 4th Avenues; Hannah and Her Sisters Bookstore scenes shot here,” Village Preservation (GVSHP) Image Archive, accessed September 9, 2019
The slogan of beloved NYC bookstore the Strand boasts the store’s “18 miles of books,” a number that seems incredibly vast yet was once just a small fraction of what book lovers could expect to find in the neighborhood. For almost eight decades, from the 1890s to the 1960s, the seven blocks of Fourth Avenue between Union Square and Astor Place were home to a thriving bibliophiles’ paradise known as Book Row.
Here, book lovers and secondhand vendors gathered, and the pace of the city slowed down as they browsed the miles of stacks available. Speaking to the New York Times, collector Paul A. Solano—who went on to open his own used book shop in Morningside Heights—said it took him a week to stroll through all the stores on the seven-block stretch. In its heyday, Book Row was home to 48 bookstores and millions of volumes. Now, the recently landmarked Strand bookstore is the only remaining vestige of that era.
Find out about the history and what happened
By Alexandra Alexa, Mon, September 9, 2019 Photo by Kelly on Wiki Commons
Blackstone Group has apparently shifted course and is now renovating and leasing all vacant units at Stuyvesant Town. This comes after the landlord faced criticism following revelations that the company has been keeping 20 to 50 percent of rent-regulated apartments at Stuy Town empty in reaction to the city’s new rent laws. It didn’t take long for authorities, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, to express concern over the findings. On Friday, a spokesperson for Blackstone told Gothamist, “We are renovating and leasing all vacant units, and we will continue to fulfill our commitment to voluntarily preserve 5,000 affordable apartments.”
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