All articles by Dana Schulz

VIDEO: Take an Aerial Tour of Prospect Park
April 11, 2016

VIDEO: Take an Aerial Tour of Prospect Park

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If this temperamental April weather has been keeping you from enjoying NYC's great outdoors, you can now visit Prospect Park from the comfort of your couch. Plus, you'll get to experience the 585-acre park like you never could on foot -- from the aerial view of a drone. As first noted by Curbed, "the creator is drone enthusiast Airtistry," and it features "both time-lapse and real-time photography." The video was taken on April 2nd, so though it's a bit gloomy, there are some cherry blossoms in bloom to brighten things up, and the fact that the background music is a remix of a-ha's "Take on Me" doesn't hurt either.
Watch the full video here
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff
April 9, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

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Madonna Sues Upper West Side Co-Op Board Because Rules Don’t Apply to Her Screw Smiles Bring Happiness to Your Hardware and Polio Vaccines to Children in Need $8M Tribeca Penthouse Is a Downtown Dream With a Dramatic Staircase and Heavenly Sunsets Rafael Viñoly’s Meatpacking Building to Include World’s Largest Starbucks, See New Renderings UES Firehouse […]

Judge Gives the Go Ahead to Barry Diller’s Pier 55 Offshore Park
April 8, 2016

Judge Gives the Go Ahead to Barry Diller’s Pier 55 Offshore Park

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Billionaire media mogul (and husband to Diane von Furstenberg) Barry Diller just had a big victory in his road to constructing Pier 55, a $130 million futuristic park off 14th Street in Hudson River Park. As reported by the Post, the Manhattan Supreme Court dismissed a case against the development that claimed it could have a negative environmental impact, wiping out local species such as the American eel and shortnose sturgeon. Justice Joan Lobis, who noted she enjoys biking along the Hudson, said the project did go through the appropriate environmental review process, which found that it "would not cause significant adverse impacts on the aquatic habitat." Though the plaintiffs, the civic group known as the City Club of New York, have vowed to appeal the decision, construction is currently set to begin later this year.
More information ahead
POLL: Do You Prefer Starbucks Over the City’s New Cafes?
April 7, 2016

POLL: Do You Prefer Starbucks Over the City’s New Cafes?

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It was announced yesterday that Starbucks is opening its largest store in the world in the base of Rafael Viñoly’s forthcoming Meatpacking District building at 61 Ninth Avenue. The 20,000-square-foot facility will be a Roastery-branded store, “part of a push to bolster growth with larger locations that offer experiences to customers,” reports Crain’s. The decision may be due to the […]

You Can Now Investigate the Unseen Microbiology of the Gowanus Canal With the BK BioReactor
April 7, 2016

You Can Now Investigate the Unseen Microbiology of the Gowanus Canal With the BK BioReactor

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After all these years of jokes about catching syphilis or turning into a green mutant alien, it's hard to imagine the Gowanus Canal as a pollutant-free place, but beginning this year it will undergo dredging and sub-aquatic capping as part of the USEPA Superfund Cleanup plan. This also includes the Gowanus Canal Sponge Park, "an 18,000-square-foot public space that will be built with engineered soil to absorb (hence “sponge”) stormwater that would otherwise pollute the canal, as well as plants to break down toxins and floating wetlands," as 6sqft previously reported. But before the notoriously toxic canal turns into the Venice of Brooklyn, a group of microbiologists want to catalogue and draw attention to exactly what type of unseen organisms have accumulated over the past 150 years, as they feel it's important for work at other polluted urban environments. To do this, they've created the BK BioReactor, a roving watercraft that takes samples from 14 specific points along the canal. This data has been turned into a "mobile library," complete with an interactive map that shows which microorganisms are located where and how heavily distributed they are. For example, Atrazine, a herbicide affecting the hormonal system, is present in most of the sites, as is Epsilonproteobacteria, which inhabit the digestive tracks of animals.
See what else is lurking in the Gowanus Canal
Rafael Viñoly’s Meatpacking Building to Include World’s Largest Starbucks, See New Renderings
April 6, 2016

Rafael Viñoly’s Meatpacking Building to Include World’s Largest Starbucks, See New Renderings

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News broke back in May that a low-rise Rafael Viñoly-designed building was coming to the former site of Prince Lumber at 61 Ninth Avenue in the Meatpacking District. Until now, no design details have emerged for the nine-story office and retail building, but 6sqft has uncovered Viñoly's renderings, which show a stacked cube design with many terraces along its asymmetrical glass facade. The address also made headlines today because its base will hold the largest Starbucks store in the world. The 20,000-square-foot facility known as the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room will be "part of a push to bolster growth with larger locations that offer experiences to customers," reports Crain's.
See more
The Last Day to Dine at the Iconic Four Seasons Is July 16th
April 6, 2016

The Last Day to Dine at the Iconic Four Seasons Is July 16th

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Despite its interior landmark status and role as the quintessential Midtown "power lunch" spot, the Four Seasons has been facing an uncertain future for the past year. In May, a small victory was had when the Landmarks Preservation Commission rejected Aby Rosen's plans to re-conceptualize the Philip Johnson-designed space, but it was short-lived, as Crain's now reports that the Four Seasons will close its doors on July 16th after serving New Yorkers since 1959. Rosen did not renew the lease and plans to replace the restaurant with what will be considered a more "hip" eatery. As the Post shares, of-the-moment restauranteurs Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick (of the Major Food Group and trendy restaurants like Parm and Dirty French) signed to take over and partner with Rosen, who will increase the rent to $3 million a year.
The full story here
Lyft Is Struggling in NYC; Shake Shack Coming to Penn Station
April 6, 2016

Lyft Is Struggling in NYC; Shake Shack Coming to Penn Station

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This year’s Pritzker Prize winner, Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, posted four of the firm’s low-cost “incremental” housing projects on the firm’s website for free download in order to help with the affordable housing crisis. [Dezeen] Vornado has given a 10-year lease to Shake Shack to open in its Penn Station retail corridor. [TRD] Frank Gehry reflects […]

UES Firehouse Studio That Andy Warhol Rented for $150/Month Is Now Listed for $10M
April 5, 2016

UES Firehouse Studio That Andy Warhol Rented for $150/Month Is Now Listed for $10M

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In 1959, just before his career was about to take off, Andy Warhol bought a townhouse at 1342 Lexington Avenue near 89th Street and moved in with his mother. "But after three years there, canvases had begun to fill the ground floor apartment, while Brillo boxes and Campbell’s soup cans were stacked to the ceilings," reports Blouin Art Info. So when a friend tipped him off to a vacant firehouse nearby at 159 East 87th Street, the pop artist saw an opportunity for his first official studio. He wrote a letter to the city and began paying $150/month for the two-story building with no heat or running water (h/t DNAinfo). It's here that Warhol is said to have created his famous "Death and Disaster" series from 1962-63, and now, more than five decades later, the property is on the market for $9,975,000.
Find out more this way
Track the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Cherry Blossoms; The Beards of Brooklyn
April 5, 2016

Track the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Cherry Blossoms; The Beards of Brooklyn

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See what it’s like to live in the world’s narrowest house. [Contemporist] The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s “Cherrywatch” map gets updated daily showing the bloom state of the cherry trees and what species they are. [Untapped] Explaining the Federal architectural style. [Off the Grid] This week’s New Yorker cover titled “Take the L Train” shows two bearded […]

City Council May Bring Back Mansion Tax to Fund Social Programs
April 5, 2016

City Council May Bring Back Mansion Tax to Fund Social Programs

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The idea of a mansion tax -- an increased tax on those who buy seven-figure residential properties -- has been floated around for the past couple years. Last year, Mayor de Blasio put forth a proposal that would add a one percent tax for sales over $1.75 million and a 1.5 percent tax for sales over $5 million. As 6sqft reported, he estimated the plan could have brought in "an extra $200 million a year in tax revenue, money that would be allocated to affordable housing programs," but it was ultimately rejected by lawmakers in Albany. In response to the Mayor's preliminary 2017 budget, the City Council is now looking to revive this proposal, but use the increased revenue to fund programs for youth, immigrants, and women, reports the Wall Street Journal. Coupled with a tax on carried interest for some investment managers, they predict the taxes could create an additional $410 million for the city.
More details here
MTA Takes Steps to Open 7 Train Station at 10th Avenue
April 4, 2016

MTA Takes Steps to Open 7 Train Station at 10th Avenue

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Last month, the Port Authority of of New York and New Jersey officially launched a design competition for a new bus terminal, which could cost up to $10 billion and require the use of eminent domain. A new Port Authority Bus Terminal aims to accommodate tens of thousands of additional riders, many of whom will then need to connect to a subway line. To accommodate all these potential new riders, the MTA is looking to revive its past plan of building a 7 train station at 10th Avenue and 41st Street, reports Crain's, which could cost up to $1 billion.
Find out more
Live in a Boutique Harlem Building for $839/Month, Lottery Launches for 71 East 110th Street
April 4, 2016

Live in a Boutique Harlem Building for $839/Month, Lottery Launches for 71 East 110th Street

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The Lovina House, located at 71 East 110th Street in East Harlem, recently opened as a boutique rental building with 14 contemporary, loft-like apartments. Three of these units are now available through the city's affordable housing lottery. This includes a $839/month studio for a single person earning between $28,766 and $36,300 annually, and two $1,089/month one-bedrooms for households with incomes between $37,338 and $52,020, depending on family size.
More info on the building and lottery
March’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features
April 2, 2016

March’s 10 Most-Read Stories and This Week’s Features

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March’s 10 Most-Read Stories Skyscraper Proposal Digs Out Central Park and Surrounds It With 1,000-Foot Glass Structure Apply for One of Stuyvesant Town’s Affordable Apartments, Starting at $1,200/Month Katie Couric Buys $12M Upper East Side Condo Apply for 83 Affordable Apartments in Astoria, Starting at $895/Month Queens’ New Skyline: A Rundown of the 30 Developments […]

In 1927, NYC Almost Got a 16-Mile Highway Along Building Rooftops
April 1, 2016

In 1927, NYC Almost Got a 16-Mile Highway Along Building Rooftops

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In the early 20th century, engineers and architects were certainly thinking outside the box when it came to city planning here in New York. There was the proposal to fill in the Hudson River for traffic and housing, the idea to create a giant conveyor belt to carry people between Grand Central and Times Square, and the plan to stack the city like a layered cake. Though these ideas sound whacky, they were born from the rise of the automobile and suburbinization. With many Americans moving out of urban centers, planners sought new ways to reimagine the modern city and entice car-loving prospects. Another such idea is this 1927 one for a 16-mile elevated highway that would have traveled across building rooftops from the Battery all the way to Yonkers. Conceived by engineer John K. Hencken, it required all buildings to be uniform at 12 stories. Within them would have been standard uses -- residences, offices, schools, theaters, restaurants -- and elevators to take cars from the street to the skyway.
READ MORE
Slopebottom and Wegmansville Are Brooklyn’s New ‘Hoods; Free ‘Hamilton’ Show in the Park
April 1, 2016

Slopebottom and Wegmansville Are Brooklyn’s New ‘Hoods; Free ‘Hamilton’ Show in the Park

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With the busy spring real estate season upon us, brokers have coined five new Brooklyn neighborhoods — GarGo Triangle, Greenwood Village, Slopebottom, Wegmansville, and Bushwick Heights. [Brownstoner] Catch a free performance of “Hamilton” in Prospect Park this summer! [Brokelyn] Now, in real news, Central Park’s lawns and fields are set to open this weekend. [West Side Rag] […]

Average Sales Price in Manhattan Exceeds $2M For the First Time
April 1, 2016

Average Sales Price in Manhattan Exceeds $2M For the First Time

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Last July, the average Manhattan sales price hit a record of $1.8 million, which signaled it was only a matter of time before it crossed the $2 million mark for the first time ever. Eight months later, that's exactly what's happened, notes DNAinfo. According to Douglas Elliman's 2016 first quarter Manhattan sales report, the average sales price climbed $2,051,321, a five percent increase from 2015's fourth quarter average of $1.9 million and an 18 percent increase from the same time last year when the average was $1.7 million. Additionally, the average price per square foot is now $1,713, a 35.6 percent from last year. The rise is attributed to limited resale inventory and increased closings in new developments, further evidenced by the fact the average sales price in this high-end market is $3.9 million, and the number of closings nearly doubled over the past year. And when we look at the luxury market, average sale prices hit a whopping $8.3 million.
More facts and figures this way
FDNY Fireboat Getting Turned Into a Restaurant; Nostalgia Trains for Baseball Season
March 31, 2016

FDNY Fireboat Getting Turned Into a Restaurant; Nostalgia Trains for Baseball Season

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A new interactive map lets you find buildings in your neighborhood with lead paint violations. [Huff Post] The 62-year-old fireboat that the city was auctioning off for $510 was ultimately purchased for $57,400 by two Westchester restaurant owners who plan to use it for another eating establishment. [Gothamist] This smart luggage can weigh itself, charge phones, and let […]

Take a Virtual Tour of Don Draper’s Mod Park Avenue Apartment from ‘Mad Men’
March 31, 2016

Take a Virtual Tour of Don Draper’s Mod Park Avenue Apartment from ‘Mad Men’

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It's been almost a year since "Mad Men" ended its seven-season run, but if you're jonesing for a fix of mid-century nostalgia, it's your lucky day. ArchDaily, in collaboration with Archilogic, has created a virtual tour of Don Draper's swanky Upper East Side apartment that he moved into in season five with his new wife Megan. From the sunken living room and orange kitchen cabinets to the white carpet and retro window treatments, set designer Claudette Didul didn't miss a beat when designing an authentic 1966 residence. But as ArchDaily points out, she also managed to create "a psychogram of a man who is about to fall apart at the seams."
See and learn more about Don Draper's pad
The Country’s First Botanic Garden Was on 20 Wooded Acres at Today’s Rockefeller Center

View of Elgin Botanic Garden in 1801

March 30, 2016

The Country’s First Botanic Garden Was on 20 Wooded Acres at Today’s Rockefeller Center

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Today, New Yorkers get to enjoy lush landscapes and beautiful plantings at the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden and the 52-acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden, but these outdoor oases weren't founded until 1891 and 1910, respectively. About 100 years prior, a public botanic garden sprouted up on 20 acres of land at what is today Rockefeller Center, and it was the first such garden in the nation. Elgin Botanic Garden was founded in 1801 by Dr. David Hosack, a physician, botanist, and educator, perhaps best known for serving as the doctor to Alexander Hamilton after his duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. He used his own money to purchase and landscape the grounds, and by 1805 it was home to more than 1,500 plant species, which he studied for medicinal purposes.
The full history of Hosack and the Elgin Botanic Garden
Apply Today for Two $939/Month One Bedrooms Near the Best Bronx Attractions

Google Street View of the site while still under construction

March 30, 2016

Apply Today for Two $939/Month One Bedrooms Near the Best Bronx Attractions

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The Bronx is having a moment, thanks in part to popular institutions like the Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, and Italian food mecca along Arthur Avenue. If you want to get in on the action, you can now enter the lottery for newly constructed, $938/month affordable apartments nearby at 863 Fairmount Place in Tremont. There's just one little catch -- only two units are available.
Find out if you qualify
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