All articles by Dana Schulz

This $30/Week Grimy Lower East Side Bar Bathroom Is a Hot Ticket

October 13, 2015

This $30/Week Grimy Lower East Side Bar Bathroom Is a Hot Ticket

There's not a lot we haven't seen in terms of less-than-ideal but overpriced real estate, from an $1,800 Manhattan rental with a shower in the kitchen to a $1.2 million trailer in the Hamptons. And just last week, a story surfaced about a cupboard-like rental underneath a London stairwell going for $750 a month. To poke fun at the absurd lengths people go to in order to live in the city's best neighborhoods, Alana Reali, a bartender at Lower East Side dive bar Local 138, posted an ad on Craigslist advertising the bar's 15-square-foot graffiti-covered bathroom as a $30/week rental, reports the Post. Calling it a "hip artist loft," the listing says "room includes a window, a door, your very own bathroom and walls dressed with authentic NYC street art. Hot water included. I provide a space heater for the winter months." Shortly after posting, Reali was inundated with requests, like this one from a gullible NYU student: "This place is perfect for me and I am interested, only I did not really understand how the situation works. Can you please elaborate a bit?"
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City Living

Historic Ship May Become Real Estate Development in Gowanus; Halloween Windows at Bergdorf

October 13, 2015

Historic Ship May Become Real Estate Development in Gowanus; Halloween Windows at Bergdorf

Department store windows aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Bergdorf Goodman has created a spooky Halloween display inspired by the horror film “Crimson Peak.” [Town & Country] Inside this massive Gowanus garage, a man is collecting and repairing 58 classic cars from the ’40s and ’50s. [Core 77] Two years after the Village Voice moved from its […]

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October 13, 2015

Mayor de Blasio Supports Plan for $11B Underground Cross-Harbor Freight Tunnel

Now that he's done battling the state for MTA funding, perhaps Mayor de Blasio can set his sights on the Port Authority and the long-proposed Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel. Representative Jerrold Nadler has been pushing for the freight rail tunnel for three decades, but the Bloomberg administration was strongly against it. Now, Nadler has a supporter in de Blasio, and the Port Authority is even studying the plan, which calls for a tunnel running from Jersey City to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and another into Queens and Long Island. Why do politicians feel a multibillion-dollar tunnel is necessary? WNYC points out that NYC is the most truck-dependent city in the nation. Ninety percent of the 400 million tons of freight that come through the city each year travel by truck. The reason is that "New York City has no direct link to the national freight rail network, so goods coming into the ports and rail yards in New Jersey mostly cross the river by truck." Nadler has claimed that the new tunnel would take 2,500 trucks off the Hudson River crossings every day, thereby reducing pollution and the price of goods.
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Transit

Landmarks Gets Started on 25-Year Backlog; A Manhattan Studio Asking Less Than $1,000/Month

October 12, 2015

Landmarks Gets Started on 25-Year Backlog; A Manhattan Studio Asking Less Than $1,000/Month

After withdrawing its plan to de-calendar 95 historic sites that had been on backlog for 25 years, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has begun public hearings for these places. [WSJ] A new report shows that NYCHA residents see little benefit from gentrification in their neighborhoods. [NYDN] The 1920s Green Point Savings Bank in Prospect Heights will be […]

Supertall Towers Getting Multimillion-Dollar Antenna Systems to Ensure Good Cell Reception

October 12, 2015

Supertall Towers Getting Multimillion-Dollar Antenna Systems to Ensure Good Cell Reception

"If I can't text, I'm moving" is the title of a New York Times article that looks at the growing issue of cell phone reception in supertall towers. Of course, the main problem arises in sky-high units that are above cell tower antennas or are in the path of other signals, but new construction methods are also getting in the way. Thick concrete walls, reinforced steel floors, and low-emission windows all can weaken, if not altogether block, wireless signals. "To correct this issue, developers are installing elaborate in-house wireless networks to boost coverage within projects ranging from new rental towers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to condominium conversions in the 1913 Woolworth Building in Manhattan," the paper explains.
More on the trend

State and City Finally Agree on Funding Plan for the Debt-Ridden MTA

October 12, 2015

State and City Finally Agree on Funding Plan for the Debt-Ridden MTA

After months of squabbling over who's responsible for funding repairs and expansions of NYC's transit system, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio reached an agreement on Saturday to keep the MTA's $26.1 billion, five-year capital plan on track. The state will put in $8.3 billion and the city $2.5 billion (much more than de Blasio's original $657 million planned contribution). However, Cuomo was clear that their commitment won't come from increasing taxes and that he's confident the money can be found in the existing state budget. The city, too, said it would not raise taxes, but rather take $1.9 billion from city funds and the rest from sources that could include development rights or rezoning. The agreement still leaves the MTA $700 million short of its total, but the agency hopes to close the gap by finding "further efficiencies."
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Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

October 10, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

New Video Takes Us Inside Anderson Cooper’s Converted Village Firehouse October 18th Is Your LAST CHANCE to See the TWA Flight Terminal In All Its Glory You Can Live in Daniel Radcliffe’s Soho Apartment for $19,000 a Month Watch New York City Get Blown Up With the ‘Every Demolition in Manhattan’ Map The Liberty Bridge […]

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1970s Documentary Shows Tribeca Skybridge and Vintage Subway Cars

October 9, 2015

1970s Documentary Shows Tribeca Skybridge and Vintage Subway Cars

"News from Home" is a 1976 documentary by filmmaker Chantal Akerman that uses New York City as a backdrop while she reads aloud letters her mother had written her while she was living in the city. The film wasn't groundbreaking by any stretch, but 40 years later, it provides a glimpse into a bygone era in New York. Tribeca Citizen unearthed a digital version of the documentary on Hulu and took some great stills, including those of vintage subway cars and Tribeca's Staple Street skybridge. The latter (which is actually where the film begins) has made headlines recently as it's one of Manhattan's last skybridges and the two residences on either side of it (one a townhouse, one an apartment) are currently for sale for $30 million, meaning one lucky buyer can claim the historic structure as part of their home.
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History

NY Historical Society Opening a Women’s History Center; Buy Fall Leaves From New England for $20

October 9, 2015

NY Historical Society Opening a Women’s History Center; Buy Fall Leaves From New England for $20

The New-York Historical Society plans to open the Center for the Study of Women’s History in early 2017 on the building’s fourth floor. It will cost $31 million. [NYT] Portraits of nine NYC carriage drivers and their horses. [DI] Fashion designer Rachel Roy picks two local foodie entrepreneurs, one being Jessica Siskin of Misterkrisp, to model her new […]

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Starchitect Rafael Viñoly Will Donate Services to Design Science Center at Tribeca’s Pier 26

Pier 26 image via Curbed

October 9, 2015

Starchitect Rafael Viñoly Will Donate Services to Design Science Center at Tribeca’s Pier 26

When he's not designing the city's tallest towers, starchitect Rafael Viñoly has a philanthropic side. The New York Times reported that he'll be donating his services to the Hudson River Park Trust to design the long-planned science education and research center on Pier 26 in Tribeca (famous for serving as the location of the Village People's 1978 "Y.M.C.A" video). Known as an estuarium, the project is part of a larger redevelopment of the pier, which will include a new park by landscape architects OLIN, the current free kayaking program and dog runs, and a City Vineyard restaurant, according to Curbed.
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Architecture And Design

Popular Articles

Long Island City ‘Micro’ Units Will Have Three Bedrooms

October 8, 2015

Long Island City ‘Micro’ Units Will Have Three Bedrooms

To date, the city's biggest and most news-worthy micro housing complex, My Micro NY, has offered only studios, which makes sense considering a micro apartment is typically defined as encompassing less than 350 square feet. But the term "micro" is getting an expansion (figuratively and literally) in Long Island City, where a new rental complex will offer 57 two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 490 to 735 square feet, according to the Wall Street Journal. The project at 37-10 Crescent Street is being developed by Ranger Properties, whose managing principal Sheldon Stein said, "Our concept is we can offer really high-quality public amenity space, and better value with smaller private spaces, and bring the rental cost down."
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Hudson River Cottage That Was Home to Orson Welles and John Steinbeck Goes Into Contract

October 8, 2015

Hudson River Cottage That Was Home to Orson Welles and John Steinbeck Goes Into Contract

This Medieval Tudor-style cottage in Palisades, NY had a pretty impressive roster of residents in the 1940s, including Orson Welles (he lived here while working on "Citizen Kane"), John Steinbeck, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Vivian Leigh. Perhaps this celebrity cache is what helped the $2.25 million Hudson River-front home attract a buyer, as the Post reports today that it's gone into contract. Known as "House in the Woods," the three-bedroom stone cottage sits on a bluff overlooking the river, encompassing 2.4 acres of land. It's located in the upscale hamlet of Sneden Landing, where Angelina Jolie’s mid-century modern childhood home is currently for sale and other past and presents residents include Mikhail Baryshnikov, Al Pacino, Lorraine Bracco, Bill Murray, and Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. But name dropping aside, the 2,245-square-foot home is truly charming with open hearths, pitched beamed ceilings, original wood floors, and a stone back house.
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Check Out Frank Gehry’s First-Ever Yacht; A Pumpkin Pie Shortage Is Looming

October 8, 2015

Check Out Frank Gehry’s First-Ever Yacht; A Pumpkin Pie Shortage Is Looming

Frank Gehry has designed his first yacht, but in true starchitect fashion, it’s not your average sailboat. [Town & Country] After getting $444,000 from the state back in December of last year, the Queensway now received another $100,000 from the New York Community Trust. So far, the park has raised $1.5 million of the $120 million […]

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The Liberty Bridge Would Connect Jersey City to Battery Park City in High Line-esque Fashion

October 7, 2015

The Liberty Bridge Would Connect Jersey City to Battery Park City in High Line-esque Fashion

Jersey City resident Kevin Shane was sick and tired of the traffic and faulty mass transit that impeded his trip into the city. Like many Jerseyites, he longed for a way to get across the river by foot or bicycle. But unlike everyone else, he stopped complaining and enlisted Jeff Jordan Architects to get the ball rolling. The firm has envisioned a 5,000-foot pedestrian bridge between Jersey City and Battery Park City. The proposal is certainly ambitious, but as Curbed notes, not entirely far-fetched considering the Hudson River is only about a mile wide. Dubbed the Liberty Bridge, it touts High Line-like features such as views from 200+ feet, plantings, ADA-compliant access points, integrated seating, public art, solar panels, free wifi, and cafes and shops.
More details and renderings right this way

Architecture And Design

NY and NJ Drivers Pay One-Third of All U.S. Tolls; Giant Human Peace Sign Honors John Lennon

October 7, 2015

NY and NJ Drivers Pay One-Third of All U.S. Tolls; Giant Human Peace Sign Honors John Lennon

Tonight, a historic plaque will be unveiled on a the West Village building where author James Baldwin lived from 1958 to 1961. [GVSHP] A new report shows that New York and New Jersey drivers pay $4 billion of the $13 billion in tolls accrued across the country. [NYDN] Mapping the five pieces of the Berlin Wall in NYC. […]

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October 7, 2015

POLL: Is NYC the New Florida for Grandparents?

The New York Times recently explored the trend of grandparents relocating to New York City. For many, it starts as a temporary move to help out with the grandkids, but more and more retired folks are finding themselves enamored with city life. “Not for them the early-bird special when dinner awaits at the latest hot […]

Real Estate Trends

LAST DAY: Instagram Your Architectural Photos to Win an OHNY Weekend Passport

October 7, 2015

LAST DAY: Instagram Your Architectural Photos to Win an OHNY Weekend Passport

For architecture buffs and design lovers, Open House New York Weekend is a veritable holiday. For two days every October, the doors to some of the five boroughs’ most important buildings are unlocked, allowing guests to experience the city in a new way and meet the people who design, build, and preserve New York. This […]

Events & Things To Do

Mapping Uber’s 2015 Pick Ups; Remembering the Great Fire of 1776

October 6, 2015

Mapping Uber’s 2015 Pick Ups; Remembering the Great Fire of 1776

A six-year-old on the Upper West Side developed Pops for Pups, a lemonade stand-like dog treat business that donates its proceeds to a no-kill shelter. [DNAinfo] Map shows all Uber pick ups between January and June 2015. Not surprisingly, 73% were in Manhattan. [Politico] Don’t miss the annual Harlem Harvest Festival this Sunday. There will be […]

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The Evolution of Adam Purple’s Concentric Garden on the LES; NYC Teens Can’t Get Enough of ‘Friends’

October 5, 2015

The Evolution of Adam Purple’s Concentric Garden on the LES; NYC Teens Can’t Get Enough of ‘Friends’

Seven secrets of NYC tunnels you probably haven’t heard of. [Untapped] From 1975-1980, activist Adam Purple built a concentric garden on the Lower East Side that would eventually grow to 15,000 square feet. Called the Garden of Eden, it was a safe community space and also produced food. [Colossal] This cactus chair will have you sitting […]

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Why Do We Name Hurricanes?; Test Your Knowledge of City Street Plans

October 2, 2015

Why Do We Name Hurricanes?; Test Your Knowledge of City Street Plans

Planning has commenced for the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River, which would service NJ Transit and Amtrak. The project could cost up to $20 billion. [NYT] Ever wonder why hurricanes and tropical storms are named? Here’s the answer. [NOAA] Check out this lovely Riverdale home, a very traditional Tudor that got an avant-garde renovation. […]

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Should NYC Implement This Umbrella-Share Program for Surprise Downpours?

October 2, 2015

Should NYC Implement This Umbrella-Share Program for Surprise Downpours?

When you forget your umbrella on a day like today, your best option (other than trying to find a Duane Reade and getting soaked in the process) is to buy one of those $5 models on the corner, which will likely break at the first gust of wind. To make life easier for forgetful types, and for those sneak-attack downpours, a Canadian startup has set up an umbrella-share program in Vancouver called UmbraCity that allows users to borrow and return umbrellas at fully automated kiosks.
Could this umbrella sharing program take off in New York?

City Living

If Hurricane Joaquin Were to Hit NYC, Do You Know What Your Evacuation Zone Is?

October 1, 2015

If Hurricane Joaquin Were to Hit NYC, Do You Know What Your Evacuation Zone Is?

With Hurricane Joaquin getting upgraded to Category 4 and New Jersey already declaring a state of emergency, panic is starting to set in. But to quell your fears, take a look at the city's official hurricane evacuation map. It color codes zones 1 (red-the most threat) through 6 (teal), as well as providing locations for evacuation centers (the blue dots). The non-colored areas are considered safe zones, so be sure to check to see if you have friends or family who live here.
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City Living

Here’s What the G Train Could Look Like if It Went Into Manhattan

October 1, 2015

Here’s What the G Train Could Look Like if It Went Into Manhattan

Considering it's taken the city nearly 100 years to get the Second Avenue Subway moving and that the MTA is over its head in debt, we're not holding our breath that any other major expansion work will take place in the system, but we can all dream, right? Take for instance these new maps created by cartographer Andrew Lynch as part of his Future NYC Subway series. He envisions the G train, which currently only connects Brooklyn and Queens, making two loops into Manhattan -- one Downtown and one in Midtown. As Curbed notes, "It's a slightly convoluted proposal," but Lynch clearly put a lot of thought into his scheme, even figuring out the tunnels and connection points the train would take.
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Transit

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