All articles by Alexandra Alexa

An unusual layout and original details paint a pretty picture at this $4.25M Soho artist’s loft

February 26, 2019

An unusual layout and original details paint a pretty picture at this $4.25M Soho artist’s loft

By Alexandra Alexa

A rare find, this quintessential Soho artist’s loft in original condition has hit the market for the first time in 40 years, seeking $4,250,000. Located at 133 Wooster Street in the heart of Soho's Cast-Iron Historic District, the sprawling 3,300-square-foot space has no shortage of pre-war details. The sunny corner unit boasts 17 oversized windows with southern and eastern exposures, 10-foot tin ceilings, and original cast-iron columns. Currently the home and studio of a painter, the space is configured with two bedrooms and one-and-a-half baths, but the open, angular layout offers a lot of flexibility for future owners.
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Distinctive Homes

Star opera tenor Michael Fabiano lists Battery Park City condo for $1.2M

February 25, 2019

Star opera tenor Michael Fabiano lists Battery Park City condo for $1.2M

By Alexandra Alexa

Newlywed star tenor (and private pilot) Michael Fabiano and husband Bryan M. Fabiano, associate director of the Metropolitan Opera’s board of directors, just put their pristine Battery Park City condo at 70 Little West Street on the market for $1,195,000. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space in light while custom built-in storage solutions make the 930-square-foot one bedroom as efficient as possible.
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Distinctive Homes

Delays, disruptions, and despair: Nearly every subway line to see service changes this week

Image via Flickr

February 25, 2019

Delays, disruptions, and despair: Nearly every subway line to see service changes this week

By Alexandra Alexa

This week's slate of planned subway service changes rivals the weekend's—and maybe even exceeds it. Service on parts of the B and D will continue to end early, 5 service between E 180 Street and Bowling Green will end at 8:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and the L is only running every 24 minutes during the day. The A and C are the only lines without scheduled work, but unplanned signal issues are likely to shake things up there as well.
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Transit

Sotheby’s announces $55M expansion and redesign of NYC headquarters by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA

February 22, 2019

Sotheby’s announces $55M expansion and redesign of NYC headquarters by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA

By Alexandra Alexa

Renowned auction house Sotheby’s has revealed renderings of its reimagined Upper East Side headquarters, designed by OMA New York’s Shohei Shigematsu. Slated to open on May 3rd to coincide with their auctions of Impressionist & Modern and Contemporary Art, the redesign features 40 galleries across four completely transformed floors and will increase Sotheby’s exhibition space from 67,000 square feet to more than 90,000 (a whopping two acres of space!).
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Architecture And Design

Not a single subway line to be left unscathed this weekend

Image via Flickr

February 22, 2019

Not a single subway line to be left unscathed this weekend

By Alexandra Alexa

A majority of train lines will have to deal with service changes this weekend, with lots of skips, delays, and convoluted routes, especially on the E. To top it all off, the MTA just announced there will be no 7 service on Saturday between Queensboro Plaza and 34 Street-Hudson Yards from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., due to urgent track repair needs.
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Transit

The massive roof deck at this $15.5M Flatiron penthouse has a 20-foot pool and full bar

February 21, 2019

The massive roof deck at this $15.5M Flatiron penthouse has a 20-foot pool and full bar

By Alexandra Alexa

Spanning an entire block, this sprawling penthouse at 5 East 17th Street boasts four bedrooms, two private elevators, a 25-foot glass atrium, and a 4,000-square-foot “private sky yard” with a swimming pool, fire pit, and gorgeous city views. No luxury has been spared in this fully-renovated, sleek, and abundantly sunny condo, centrally located on the border of Flatiron and Union Square. A previous sale fell through at the last moment, and now the $15,500,000 unit is back on the market.
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Distinctive Homes

$600K studio goes contemporary-zen in an Art Deco Gramercy co-op

February 20, 2019

$600K studio goes contemporary-zen in an Art Deco Gramercy co-op

By Alexandra Alexa

This Gramercy Park studio at 102 East 22nd Street recently underwent a renovation inspired by the modern, airy, and space-efficient living solutions you would find in the pages of DWELL magazine. With a large sunny living area, custom storage solutions, hardwood floors throughout, and a prime location in an Art Deco building, this petite pad is now listed for $599,000.
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Distinctive Homes

Plans for Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex may be kaput

February 19, 2019

Plans for Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex may be kaput

By Alexandra Alexa

According to sources close to the project, plans for Norman Foster’s Red Hoek Point, a 7.7-acre commercial campus at the former Revere Sugar Factory on the Red Hook shoreline, appear to be getting scrapped, The Real Deal reports. The website still advertises the “revolutionary office campus on the Brooklyn waterfront,” but Thor Equities is reportedly going to abandon the 800,000-square-foot complex and replace it with warehousing, a change of course that Thor’s founder Joseph Sitt may have been considering as early as last October, as new renderings for Red Hoek Point were being developed.
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The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons is back for a reduced $13.5M

February 15, 2019

The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons is back for a reduced $13.5M

By Alexandra Alexa

In addition to his Murray Hill townhouse, President Chester A. Arthur also owned this three-story Victorian mansion built in 1796, which he considered his “Summer White House.” The luxurious fully renovated Hamptons property was last on the market in 2016 for $14.2 million, or $480,000 annually for potential renters. Just in time for Presidents Day, the six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom home is back for a reduced $13.5 million. As 6sqft previously noted, the cost to rent this presidential pad between Memorial and Labor Day was estimated to be $390,000.
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JPMorgan Chase will revise design of 270 Park Avenue tower to increase open public space

Image via Flickr

February 15, 2019

JPMorgan Chase will revise design of 270 Park Avenue tower to increase open public space

By Alexandra Alexa

In response to pushback, JPMorgan Chase will be redesigning its planned 1,400-foot office tower at 270 Park Avenue with additional open public space, as Crain’s first reported. Under the East Midtown rezoning, new developments are required to provide 10,000 square feet of public space, but because two-thirds of the site sits above the Grand Central Terminal train shed, architects for the project argued they could only come up with 7,000 square feet. This notion was challenged by members of Manhattan Community Board 5 and elected officials. JPMorgan has now agreed to submit new designs increasing the size of the public space to 10,000 square feet and making it an open-air area instead of enclosed as it was in the initial design proposal.
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Here’s how the subways will be running this Presidents’ Day weekend

Image via Flickr

February 15, 2019

Here’s how the subways will be running this Presidents’ Day weekend

By Alexandra Alexa

Many New Yorkers are looking forward to a long weekend, but it won't be without its fair share of service changes. On Monday, MTA services will operate on special schedules, with Metro-North and the LIRR offering off-peak fares throughout the day. The worse news is that subways and buses will be on a Saturday schedule, meaning that many of the planned service interruptions listed below will extend into Monday, and in some cases, even Tuesday.
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Transit

Facing poor sales, the partners behind Jean Nouvel’s 53W53 seek additional price chops

Rendering by Hayes Davidson

February 14, 2019

Facing poor sales, the partners behind Jean Nouvel’s 53W53 seek additional price chops

By Alexandra Alexa

The partners behind the Jean Nouvel-designed tower at 53 West 53rd Street (also known as the MoMA Tower) will be serving even more price chops to the ultra-luxury project in the midst of lackluster sales, though they disagree on how much that should be. As Crain’s reported, Hines, Goldman Sachs, and Singapore’s Pontiac Land Group recently underwent an arbitration process to settle the matter, with Hines seeking aggressive discounts. The 1,050-foot condo building has already received $167 million in price cuts since hitting the market almost four years ago with a projection of $2.14 billion in sales. About 15 percent of the 145 units at 53W53 are under contract currently, with closings set to begin in the spring, a spokeswoman for the project said.
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For $4M, a former Upper West Side sculptor’s studio is now an art-filled haven

February 8, 2019

For $4M, a former Upper West Side sculptor’s studio is now an art-filled haven

By Alexandra Alexa

The centerpiece of this Upper West Side co-op at 2 West 67th Street is a stunning double-height living room with a 16-foot, north-facing window that spreads light throughout the apartment. Originally a sculptor’s studio, the prewar three-bedroom recently underwent a complete renovation by architect Andrew B. Ballard, who curated the residence with custom furniture—including spectacular oak bookcases—rugs, and sculptures that honor its artistic past. Just listed for $4,150,000, the home is steps away from Lincoln Center and Central Park West.
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Distinctive Homes

Expect delays on the 4, 5, D, N, and Q lines this weekend

Image via Flickr

February 8, 2019

Expect delays on the 4, 5, D, N, and Q lines this weekend

By Alexandra Alexa

It's going to be the second weekend without L service between Brooklyn and Manhattan, there will be a slew of skipped stops across many of the lines, and longer than usual wait times on the 4, 5, D, N, and Q trains. Riders of the 2, 3, 6, and G are in luck this weekend with no planned interruptions on the slate for you (though there's always a risk for unplanned hiccups). Read on for the full details and keep frustration at bay this weekend.
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Transit

Eleanor Roosevelt’s historic Upper East Side townhouse is back for a reduced $13.5M

February 7, 2019

Eleanor Roosevelt’s historic Upper East Side townhouse is back for a reduced $13.5M

By Alexandra Alexa

Here’s a chance to own the former home of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the nation’s favorite First Ladies. She lived at 211 East 62nd Street in Lenox Hill from 1953 to 1958 following her husband’s death. In the opulent spaces, she entertained the likes of Indira Gandhi, Adlai Stevenson, and John Kennedy, pursued her social justice and political causes, and penned her popular column for “My Day.” Investor Charles Ueng purchased the townhouse for $9 million in 2011 and spent $2 million on renovations before putting it on the market for $18 million in 2015. The property has been on and off the market since then and was just relisted with a lower asking price of $13,500,000.
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After two years on the market, historic Brooklyn Heights home that inspired Truman Capote relists for $7.6M

Photo of Truman Capote via Wiki Commons

February 7, 2019

After two years on the market, historic Brooklyn Heights home that inspired Truman Capote relists for $7.6M

By Alexandra Alexa

In 1959, Truman lived in Brooklyn Heights around the corner from 13 Pineapple Street, a Federal-era home that inspired him to write the following lines: “Cheerfully austere, as elegant and other-era as formal calling cards, these houses bespeak an age of able servants and solid fireside ease; of horses in musical harness,” as 6sqft previously noted. The house, one of the oldest in Brooklyn, hit the market for the first time in 26 years in January of 2017 for $10.5 million and received a price chop the following year to $8.4 million. Now, after being on the market for two years, the owners have reduced the price again to a more conservative $7.6 million.
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NYC has fewer accessible subway stations than MTA claims, report says

Photo via Flickr

February 6, 2019

NYC has fewer accessible subway stations than MTA claims, report says

By Alexandra Alexa

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority currently claims that 114 of its 427 stations—or 24 percent—are accessible. But a new study led by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s office shows otherwise. A team of staffers surveyed 42 of the stations that the MTA deems accessible, visiting each station on four separate days at different times of the day. Based on complaints and conversations with advocates, they assessed elevator accessibility, station signage, and features for vision-impaired riders. As Curbed first reported, their findings show that an already sub-par statistic is actually inflated.
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Pre-war charm and a modern renovation come together at this one-bedroom Chelsea co-op, asking $575K

February 6, 2019

Pre-war charm and a modern renovation come together at this one-bedroom Chelsea co-op, asking $575K

By Alexandra Alexa

The listing describes this co-op on a tree-lined townhouse block as the "quintessential Chelsea apartment," and that's not far off. While it doesn't offer much extra space, the one-bedroom apartment was recently renovated to maintain its pre-war charm while adding clever storage opportunities and modern amenities. For the asking price of $575,000 the 214 West 16th Street property is a smart investment, having last sold in 2014 for $499,000.
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Distinctive Homes

MoMA will be closed all summer as it wraps up the final phase of its $400M expansion

Exterior view of The Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street. Rendering by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, courtesy of MoMA.

February 5, 2019

MoMA will be closed all summer as it wraps up the final phase of its $400M expansion

By Alexandra Alexa

The Museum of Modern Art will be closed throughout the summer as it prepares to open its expanded campus on October 21st. The $400 million expansion, developed by MoMA with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, will add more than 40,000 square feet of gallery spaces and allow the Museum to exhibit more art in new, interdisciplinary ways. The final phase of construction will expand into Jean Nouvel’s new residential tower 53W53 and into the site of the demolished American Folk Art Museum. It will add innovative performance and education spaces, expand the MoMA Design and Bookstore, and add free street-level galleries on the ground floor that will make art more accessible for all.
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For $335K, a compact but efficient studio in charming Tudor City

February 5, 2019

For $335K, a compact but efficient studio in charming Tudor City

By Alexandra Alexa

25 Tudor City Place, also known as Tudor Tower, was one of the original buildings built at Tudor City, one of Manhattan's largest residential developments conceived by visionary real estate developer Frederick F. French in 1927 as a “suburb in the city.” The building retains its old-world charm with a well-maintained Gothic lobby and historic details in all 443 units, including beamed ceilings, hardwood floors, and casement windows. Like many of the pint-sized units that Tudor City is well-known for, this one, on the market for $335,000, offers a price tag to match.
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Distinctive Homes

Taxis and Ubers in Manhattan will get more expensive as judge gives congestion fees the green light

Image via Flickr

February 1, 2019

Taxis and Ubers in Manhattan will get more expensive as judge gives congestion fees the green light

By Alexandra Alexa

Congestion surcharges on taxis and other for-hire vehicles in Manhattan will begin soon after a judge lifted a temporary restriction of the fees on Thursday, the New York Times reports. The new fees were supposed to start on January 1st but a coalition of taxi drivers filed a last-minute lawsuit against the “suicide surcharge,” fearing that the new policy will drive away customers and deal another significant blow to the ailing industry. The proposed fee of $2.50 for yellow taxis and $2.75 for other for-hire vehicles will bring the minimum taxi fare up to $5.80 while the minimum cost for an Uber, which already has an $8 base fare in Manhattan, will see an increase to $10.75.
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Manhattan will get its first public beach at Hudson River Park

Image by Max Guliani, courtesy of the Hudson River Park Trust

February 1, 2019

Manhattan will get its first public beach at Hudson River Park

By Alexandra Alexa

The Hudson River Park Trust has unanimously approved a proposal by James Corner Field Operations—the same firm that brought us the High Line and Brooklyn’s Domino Park—to design a 5.5-acre public park on the Gansevoort Peninsula, located at the western end of Little West 12th Street and the only remnant of 13th Avenue. It will be the largest single green space in the four-mile-long Hudson River Park. The design will incorporate recreational areas and provide direct waterfront access for the public with a beachfront on the southern edge that will double as a protective barrier to combat flooding and storm surge. The beach might be best for sunbathers, though, as swimming in Manhattan’s murky west side waters is unlikely to be viable.
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Architecture And Design

The 7 is back this weekend, but the L train is not

Image via Flickr

February 1, 2019

The 7 is back this weekend, but the L train is not

By Alexandra Alexa

First, the good news: 7 service has been restored after several weeks, the J and M will be running between Brooklyn and Manhattan (but the J is out of service from Crescent Street to Jamaica Center), and there are no planned disruptions on the 2, 3, 6, and Q lines. The bad news impacts L train riders, who will have to get used to service changes through March. The L won't be running from 8th Avenue in Manhattan to Brooklyn Junction. Read on for more details about the skipped stops and delays that may impact your travel this weekend.
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Transit

Creative decor and touches of greenery enliven this $2.1M Downtown Brooklyn penthouse

January 31, 2019

Creative decor and touches of greenery enliven this $2.1M Downtown Brooklyn penthouse

By Alexandra Alexa

Located in the award-winning, SOM-designed Toren in Downtown Brooklyn, this duplex penthouse at 150 Myrtle Avenue boasts three exposures and sweeping views of Williamsburg and Manhattan. On the 30th of 37 floors, the corner residence offers three bedrooms and three baths in a dramatic double-height space for the asking price of $2,100,000. And though these glassy, open spaces can often feel void, this one has been warmed up with creative decor and a curated collection of plants.
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Distinctive Homes

Amazon will fund computer science classes at 130 schools throughout NYC

Students learning how to code at Monsignor Scanlan High in the Bronx. Image courtesy of Amazon.

January 30, 2019

Amazon will fund computer science classes at 130 schools throughout NYC

By Alexandra Alexa

As part of ongoing campaigns and efforts to ease fears about the tech giant’s controversial arrival to New York City, Amazon announced yesterday that it will start offering computer science courses at 130 high schools throughout the boroughs. With funding from Amazon’s Future Engineer program, the company will start providing introductory and Advanced Placement Computer Science courses through the New York-based curriculum provider, Edhesive, as early as this fall. The plan covers 37 schools in Queens (the most of any borough), 27 high schools in Manhattan and the Bronx, 35 in Brooklyn, and 6 in Staten Island.
About the program

City Living

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