All articles by Dana Schulz

Jean Nouvel Says He Has ‘No Favorite Color’ at Event Honoring 53W53
May 13, 2015

Jean Nouvel Says He Has ‘No Favorite Color’ at Event Honoring 53W53

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Last night, MoMA held an event to honor Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel and his much talked-about project 53W53, which is also known as the MoMA Tower for its location next to the museum and the fact that the institution will occupy three of its lower floors. Furthermore, its developers bought more than 240,000 square feet of development rights from MoMA, as well as the St. Thomas Episcopal Church, for $85.3 million back in September, at which time they also secured a $860 million construction loan for the 1,050-foot asymmetrical tower. And now that construction has moved forward and interior renderings of the condos were revealed, what better time to pat this long-stalled project on the back. The celebration drew a diverse crowd, including Richard Meier, Martha Stewart, and broker to the stars Dolly Lenz. In a Q&A with filmmaker Matthew Tyrnauer, Nouvel discussed his inspiration for the forthcoming project. Dressed in head-to-toe black (down to his socks and tie), he also revealed that he has "no favorite color," according to the Observer.
Find out about Nouvel's inspiration for 53W53 here
Go Inside 190 Bowery This Saturday for an Art Opening
May 12, 2015

Go Inside 190 Bowery This Saturday for an Art Opening

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More good news from 190 Bowery! After finding out last week that the Landmarks Preservation Commission-approved plans for the building include keeping its iconic graffiti, we've now gotten word that the storied structure will open its doors to the public this Saturday evening, May 16, for an art opening. The Lo-Down reports that Aby Rosen, the developer who bought the building for $55 million last fall and who is also an avid art collector, is hosting an art opening on the ground-floor in collaboration with curator and art dealer Vito Schnabel. The event runs from 5 to 8pm, plenty of time to take a look around the historic former Germania Bank Building.
More details ahead
If Robert Moses Visited NYC Today, Here’s Where We’d Take Him
May 12, 2015

If Robert Moses Visited NYC Today, Here’s Where We’d Take Him

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If you have even the slightest interest in architecture, urban planning, and NYC history, you know Robert Moses. Unforgettably profiled as the "Power Broker" by Robert Caro, Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York and its environs. He was a larger-than-life character who had very set ways of approaching urban design. He advocated for highways over public transportation (he built 13 expressways through NYC), dense housing towers over low-scale neighborhoods, and communities segregated by race and class over organic, mixed-demographic areas. Of course, there are plenty of much-loved aspects of the city that also came from Moses–Jones Beach, the United Nations, and ten public swimming pools like the one in McCarren Park. Regardless of your feelings on Robert Moses, though, we can all agree that the city would not be the same without him. But a lot has changed since he lost his post as director of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in the mid 1960s and even more so since he passed away in 1981. So we can't help but wonder what he would think of our fair city in 2015. To have a little fun, we planned a present-day tour for the ghost of Robert Moses.
See where we'd take the Power Broker here
NYC’s 1940s ‘Dream Airport’ Would Have Been on a Giant Midtown Rooftop

Manhattan Airport image via Archidose

May 12, 2015

NYC’s 1940s ‘Dream Airport’ Would Have Been on a Giant Midtown Rooftop

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Imagine never having to sit in hours of traffic heading to JFK or enduring all the local stops on the 7 line trying to get to LaGuardia? Your dreams almost came true in 1946 with the proposed 990-acre Manhattan Airport, which would have "stretched 144 blocks from 24th to 71st Streets and 9th Ave to the Hudson River at 200 feet above street level," according to Untapped. The idea of real-estate mogul William Zeckendorf, who owned the Chrysler Building and Astor Hotel, the airport would have cost a whopping $3 billion, a staggering sum in the 1940s, which was planned to be paid off in 55 years from rental income.
More on NYC's Manhattan Airport
Travelbox Is a Compact Hotel That Weighs Only 132 Pounds
May 12, 2015

Travelbox Is a Compact Hotel That Weighs Only 132 Pounds

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Want to get away this summer, but don't have the bucks to throw down for a hotel? Consider Travelbox. The compact, lightweight (at 132 pounds it weighs less than the average person) structure has everything you need to comfortably travel on a budget. Designed by the architects of Austrian firm Juust, Travelbox contains a bike, bed, table, chair, and storage, all of which fit into its contemporary wood and aluminum-clad frame that measures just 6.8 feet long, 4 feet high, and 1.3 feet wide.
More on Travelbox here
New App Gives Real-Time Subway Locations; Don’t Trip on the Met’s New Rooftop Installation
May 12, 2015

New App Gives Real-Time Subway Locations; Don’t Trip on the Met’s New Rooftop Installation

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LiveTrain NYC maps eight subway lines using actual train location data from the MTA. [CityLab] Researching the history of your Brooklyn brownstone? Here’s how to find the original blueprints. [Brownstoner] Tribeca’s AT&T Long Lines Building was constructed to withstand a nuclear blast and be self-sufficient for two weeks. [Ephemeral NY] In honor of Bike to […]

Charting the Property Taxes of the City’s 10 Most Expensive Apartments
May 11, 2015

Charting the Property Taxes of the City’s 10 Most Expensive Apartments

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Back in March, we learned that the owner of the $100 million apartment at One57 (the most expensive sale ever in the city) pays only $17,268 in annual property taxes– "or 0.017 percent of its sale price, as if it were worth only $6.5 million," as we noted. "In contrast, the owner of a $1.02 million condo nearby at 224 East 52nd Street is paying $24,279, or 2.38 percent of its sale price." Why does this happen? It's in part due to the 421-a program, which offers tax breaks for the inclusion of affordable housing and "lowers the billable-assessed value of a property to incentivize real-estate development," according to CityLab. It's also thanks to the city's haphazard system for assessing market values of condos and co-ops. In response to this growing issue of inequality, Mayor de Blasio announced just last week that he hopes to end 421-a for condos, as well as implement an even stricter mansion tax. To make the issue a bit more black-and-white, CityLab has put together two charts that show just how disproportionate the actual value of the city's ten most-expensive apartments is compared with their property taxes. As they note, "In NYC, billionaires pay 1/100th the average property-tax rate."
Find out more here
The Whitney Bag: Renzo Piano Designs a Purse to Go with His New Museum

The Whitney Bag via Max Mara (L); The new Whitney Museum via 6sqft (R)

May 11, 2015

The Whitney Bag: Renzo Piano Designs a Purse to Go with His New Museum

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The architecture world has been pretty "meh" on Renzo Piano's new $422 million Whitney Museum, neither loving nor hating the patchwork of shapes and angles. But if the starchitect is hoping for a more glowing design review, he still has a chance with the fashion world. Piano has designed the Whitney bag, "directly inspired by the pure design and sophisticated materials of the new Whitney Museum of American Art," for Italian fashion house Max Mara.
Find out more about this architecturally inspired collaboration
The World Mapped as Pop Art; How the Park Avenue Tulips Get Planted
May 11, 2015

The World Mapped as Pop Art; How the Park Avenue Tulips Get Planted

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Take a photo tour of the Croton Water Plant, which is expected to treat about 290 million gallons of water a day. [Gothamist] Roy Lichtenstein meets cartography… check out these graphic world maps that were inspired by the iconic pop artist. [CityLab] “You agree to go to Smorgasburg, then spend the entire afternoon complaining about the crowds.” […]

$13M Tudor Revival Mansion on Lake George Has Historic Connection to Brooklyn
May 10, 2015

$13M Tudor Revival Mansion on Lake George Has Historic Connection to Brooklyn

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Lake George, New York is about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Brooklyn, but this stunning upstate mansion has an interesting connection to the borough. Known as Wikiosco, which means "home on beautiful waters" in Algonquin, the Tudor Revival-style residence was built in 1895 for Royal C. Peabody, founder of Brooklyn Con Edison. It was designed by Brooklyn-based architecture firm Ludlow and Peabody; architect Charles S. Peabody was Royal's son. Our friends at Find Everything Historic noticed that Wikiosco is on the market, asking $12.9 million. And considering that a 25-foot-wide Brooklyn brownstone often goes for far more than that, we think this seven-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot mansion is the perfect getaway home for one lucky New Yorker. Not only is it one of the last intact 20th century mansions along Lake George's western shore (which is known as Millionaire's Row), but it boasts a 4,000 bottle wine cellar, 12-car garage, two covered boathouses, and a heated outdoor pool.
Find out more about this storied home
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff
May 9, 2015

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks from the 6sqft Staff

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New York Times Columnist Frank Bruni Nabs a Broadway Corridor Pad for $1.65M New Renzo Piano-Designed Residential Tower to Rise in Soho Amy Poehler and Will Arnett’s Former West Village Home Asks $10 Million Gowanus Brownstone Has an Inhabitable Blob in Its Living Room VIDEO: Bjarke Ingels Takes Us Through His 57th Street Pyramid ‘Courtscraper’ […]

LES Sunshine Cinema Gets Shopped Around as $35M Development Site

Image via Cinema Treasures

May 8, 2015

LES Sunshine Cinema Gets Shopped Around as $35M Development Site

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The Sunshine Cinema at 139-143 East Houston Street has been a neighborhood staple since it was built in 1898, but that soon may change, according to The Real Deal. First serving as an anchor for the Lower East Side's Yiddish theater community, and now as a favorite spot for "art-house movie buffs and devotees of late-night cult flicks," the theater is now being shopped around to developers for upwards of $35 million. This comes on the heels of a 2012 request by Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner of L.A.-based Landmark Theatres, the cinema's operator, for a liquor license to turn the location into a dinner-and-drinks theater like Williamsburg's Nitehawk Cinema. Community Board 3, however, denied the application, despite Landmark's claims that they couldn't maintain the Sunshine due to rising rents.
More details ahead
To Increase Affordability, Mayor de Blasio Wants to End 421-a for Condos and Up the Mansion Tax

Mayor de Blasio via @KevinCase via photopin cc; One57 © Wade Zimmerman courtesy of Agence Christian de Portzamparc (ACDP)

May 7, 2015

To Increase Affordability, Mayor de Blasio Wants to End 421-a for Condos and Up the Mansion Tax

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From the onset, Mayor de Blasio has been extremely vocal about his plan to add 200,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years, 80,000 of which will be new construction. Though many feel this is an arbitrary number, backed up by no data as to where the units will be, the Mayor seems committed to reforming current policies to reach his goal. And after months of speculation, he has revealed his planned changes to the city's 421-a tax incentive program, which is set to expire in June. According to the Times, under his proposal, the controversial tax would no longer apply to condo projects (to understand the logic behind this decision just look at the $100 million sale at One57 that received the tax abatement). But it would apply to new rental projects, which would have to have apartments for poor and working-class residents make up 20 to 30 percent of the building in order to qualify for city tax breaks. It would also extend the abatement from 25 years to 35 years. Another part of the overhaul is to eliminate so-called poor doors. De Blasio also wants to up the city's mansion tax. Currently, home sales over $1 million are subject to a 1 percent tax, but de Blasio proposes adding an additional 1 percent tax for sales over $1.75 million, as well as a third 1.5 percent tax for sales over $5 million. He estimates this will bring in an extra $200 million a year in tax revenue, money that would be allocated to affordable housing programs.
More details ahead
$13M Madison Avenue Condo Will Have One of the City’s Largest Private Pools
May 7, 2015

$13M Madison Avenue Condo Will Have One of the City’s Largest Private Pools

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Now that $1 million parking spots are the new norm and luxury apartment buildings are all but expected to offer outrageous amenities like vitamin C-infused showers, pet spas, and bowling alleys, developers have to get creative with their over-the-top offerings. So, how about a private swimming pool one-third the length of an Olympic pool? According to the Daily News, that's exactly what's up for grabs at newcomer 172 Madison Avenue. "It’s the Pacific Ocean compared to the wading pools in even the fanciest new condo buildings," says the paper, and that's certainly true considering it will be 50 feet long.
More here
Organize Your Music by City with Spotimap
May 7, 2015

Organize Your Music by City with Spotimap

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Next time you really feel like getting in that "New York State of Mind," just organize your playlist to include only NYC-centric songs. This would normally be an arduous task, but thanks to a new Spotify-based mapping program called Spotimap, you can sort and stream music relevant to a specific city simply by clicking on it, marked by a green musical note, on a map. As CityLab reports, once a user clicks a city, a list of songs about that place will pop up based on this highly detailed Wikipedia list. For New York, the map offers 2,707 songs about the city, sorted in alphabetical order.
Find out more here
Billionaire Carlos Slim Looks to Break Record for Priciest Townhouse Ever Sold with $80M Ask
May 6, 2015

Billionaire Carlos Slim Looks to Break Record for Priciest Townhouse Ever Sold with $80M Ask

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Carlos Slim, Mexican business magnate and former world's richest person, is looking to break the record for most expensive townhouse ever sold in NYC. As the Daily News first reported, he's listed his Upper East Side Beaux Arts mansion at 1009 Fifth Avenue for $80 million, after buying it for only $44 million five years ago from Russian oil mogul Tamir Sapir. Built in 1901, the limestone-and-red-brick home is known as the Duke-Semans Mansion and is one of the last remaining private homes on Fifth Avenue. It's located directly across from the Met, rises eight stories, and encompasses a whopping 20,000 square feet. According to the listing, the French Renaissance interiors "feature soaring ceilings, hand-carved wood paneling, lovely trompe l'oeil accents, gold-leaf trimmed fixtures and intricate plaster friezes."
READ MORE
15 Most Instagrammed Things at the New Whitney; Mapping the Highest Heels in America
May 6, 2015

15 Most Instagrammed Things at the New Whitney; Mapping the Highest Heels in America

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The #1 Instagram from the new Whitney is Glenn Ligon’s Rückenfigur. Here’s the list of the other 14. [Bedford + Bowery] Seven Santiago Calatrava sculptures are coming to Park Avenue. [Curbed] Click through some of the most stunning abandoned places in NYC. [NYP] Puerto Ricans, Nevadans, and Floridians wear the highest heels in the country. Surprisingly, New Yorkers […]

May 6, 2015

POLL: Should NYC Dim Its Skyline?

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Last week, the New York Times took a look at a proposed City Council bill that would require thousands of buildings to dim their lights overnight. Of course, from an environmental standpoint this is great — save energy, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and make flying through our skies safer for migratory birds. But not everyone […]

Landmarks Greenlights 190 Bowery Restoration Plan with Iconic Graffiti Intact
May 6, 2015

Landmarks Greenlights 190 Bowery Restoration Plan with Iconic Graffiti Intact

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After several weeks of back and forth on whether or not the new owner of 190 Bowery, Aby Rosen’s RFR Realty, would keep its iconic graffiti, it's now official that the historic Germania Bank Building will remain in all its tagged glory. As Yimby reports, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the proposed restoration and conversion to an office building with ground-floor retail. The plan, conceptualized by preservation architecture firm Higgins Quasebarth & Partners with the help of MdeAS Architects, "calls for restoration of metal gates, wooden doors, stained glass, and other elements, but not removing the graffiti or cleaning the façade."
More on the approved plans here
House Tours Galore: Where to Get a Look Inside the Area’s Most Fabulous Homes and Gardens
May 5, 2015

House Tours Galore: Where to Get a Look Inside the Area’s Most Fabulous Homes and Gardens

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Temperatures have finally hit the high 70s mean, and that can only mean one thing–it's house tour season. Architecture buffs, history lovers, and die-hard New Yorkers look forward to these events all year. It's a time to see how the other half lives; get some design inspiration; and just enjoy a nice day out looking at beautiful homes and gardens. From Harlem brownstones to Hamptons estates to the gardens of Jackson Heights, we've rounded up this season's hottest tours.
See our full list of tours here
3D-Printed Hawks and Owls Are Scaring Away NYC Pigeons
May 5, 2015

3D-Printed Hawks and Owls Are Scaring Away NYC Pigeons

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Are you in the "rats with wings" camp of not being too fond of New York City pigeons? Well then you'll welcome this modern take on the "pigeon scarecrow." The Observer recently took a look at the 3D-printed hawks and owls from Robox, noting that "they’ve found that pigeons are so frightened by the watchful and intimidating gazes of the 3D printed birds that even the incentive of food isn’t enough to convince stray pigeons to stick around in their presence." But if you happen to be a pigeon lover, have no fear, these little objects are seen as a much better way to curb the spread of diseases from pigeons than traps and repellents.
Find out how you can get your own 3D-printed pigeon scarecrow
Will the Bronx Be the Next Branded Borough? This Hot Sauce Says Yes
May 4, 2015

Will the Bronx Be the Next Branded Borough? This Hot Sauce Says Yes

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Just about everything from artisanal mayonnaise to scented candles has branded itself as “Brooklyn,” so much so that we recently wrote an entire feature on the made-in-Brooklyn trend. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that another borough is now looking to get in on the action. The Bronx Hot Sauce is a locally made product that gives back and […]

Should We Rebuild the Original Penn Station?; Bart Simpson Sculpture Unveiled in Midtown
May 4, 2015

Should We Rebuild the Original Penn Station?; Bart Simpson Sculpture Unveiled in Midtown

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A Brooklyn-based architecture firm looks at rebuilding the original Penn Station to accommodate modern transportation. [Curbed] Nancy Cartwright, the voice behind Bart Simpson, sculpted a bust of her famous character, which was unveiled this weekend in Midtown. [Gothamist] Looking back at the Dorilton, an apartment house that evokes “memories of Paris.” [Ephemeral NY] New essay collection from […]

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