All articles by Dana Schulz

NYC’s landmarked Roosevelt Hotel will close after 96 years due to pandemic

Photo by Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons

October 13, 2020

NYC’s landmarked Roosevelt Hotel will close after 96 years due to pandemic

When the Roosevelt Hotel opened on East 45th Street in 1924, it was connected to Grand Central via an underground tunnel, signaling its prominence among New York's Jazz Age society. But nearly 100 years later, the Midtown hotel will shut it doors for good on October 31. As CNN first reported, owner Pakistan International Airlines said in a statement that the decision stems from "the current, unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19."
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For $750K, an adorable Ridgewood carriage house with major farmhouse-chic style

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

October 13, 2020

For $750K, an adorable Ridgewood carriage house with major farmhouse-chic style

Located where Ridgewood, Maspeth, and Bushwick all meet is this completely adorable carriage house that's been listed for $749,000. Built as a back house in 1901, the two-story, two-bedroom home has completely nailed the farmhouse-chic look, with reclaimed hardwood floors and beams, original tin ceilings, and carefully curated decor.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

This whimsical Brooklyn Heights townhouse is full of fun surprises for $6.25M

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDReps, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 12, 2020

This whimsical Brooklyn Heights townhouse is full of fun surprises for $6.25M

A velour reading nook built into the side of a cabinet, candy-colored accents everywhere, an abstract mural on the backyard fence--these are just some of the funky, whimsical touches you'll find throughout this Brooklyn Heights townhouse. Located at 286 Hicks Street and asking $6,250,000, the five-bedroom home "encourages you to really live and play your best life," as the listing says. Originally a two-family, it's been converted back to a single-family residence, including a rear extension on the first two floors, so there's plenty of space for everyone and all your needs.
You have to see the rest

Distinctive Homes

This dreamy $3.25M Fort Greene condo was made for live, work, and play

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDReps, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 9, 2020

This dreamy $3.25M Fort Greene condo was made for live, work, and play

From an aesthetic perspective, this Fort Greene condo has a lot to talk about--gorgeous plaster ceiling moldings, original brick arches, and creative and contemporary flourishes. But it's also got quite a lot going for it in terms of practicality. For $3,250,000, the home at 407 Clermont Avenue has three floors, three bedrooms, a multi-tiered garden and deck, and a massive basement rec room that's been transformed into a home gym, crafting area, and home office.
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Distinctive Homes

$6.5M ‘upside-down’ townhouse in Williamsburg takes mid-century glam to the next level

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDReps, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 8, 2020

$6.5M ‘upside-down’ townhouse in Williamsburg takes mid-century glam to the next level

This uber-modern townhouse at 107 South 4th Street looks nothing like any of its Williamsburg neighbors, with its honeycomb and concrete facade. And inside, the surprises keep coming. The layout was designed as an "upside-down house" so that the kitchen and main living spaces could take advantage of the East River and skyline views, and all throughout, you'll find "fine-art, high-design, and Mid-Century modern pedigree," as the listing puts it. The four-bedroom house is on the market for $6,500,000.
Don't miss the full tour

Distinctive Homes

After 22 years, Kim Cattrall is selling her beachfront Hamptons home for $3.25M

Photo: Gavin Zeigler for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 7, 2020

After 22 years, Kim Cattrall is selling her beachfront Hamptons home for $3.25M

In 1998, the same year she began her breakout role in Sex and the City, actress Kim Cattrall bought this East Hampton home for just $450,000, according to the New York Times, who first reported that it's now been listed for $3,250,000. The shingled home is a lovely mix of casual beach house and contemporary design, and the property also has a detached studio. "I thought about selling the property after my divorce in 2004," Cattrall told the Times, "but I just couldn’t — 22 years later, it’s time."
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Amazing archival photos show New York City in the 1940s and ’50s

“Bar Scene” Village Preservation (GVSHP) Image Archive

October 7, 2020

Amazing archival photos show New York City in the 1940s and ’50s

Nonprofit advocacy and educational organization Village Preservation is well known for many things, one of which is its historic image archive. Their newest addition is the Jean Polacheck Collection, which dates largely from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, and includes scenes of Washington Square Park, the interior of clubs and restaurants, and other NYC street scenes. Ahead, step back in time with a sneak peek of some of these wonderfully illustrative photos and learn about the woman behind them.
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History

$8.9M Chelsea penthouse has a movable glass wall, four terraces, and a roof deck

Listing photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 7, 2020

$8.9M Chelsea penthouse has a movable glass wall, four terraces, and a roof deck

The Metal Shutter Houses is a contemporary condo designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban in 2008, at the beginning of West Chelsea's starchitect boom. Today, despite its many notable neighbors, the boutique building at 524 West 19th Street still offers some of the most covetable homes. The penthouse unit is now listed for a reduced $8.9 million. Not only does the home span two floors, but it has a 20-foot, upward-pivoting, glass wall that opens to a large terrace to create a massive indoor/outdoor living space. There's also another private terrace off the master bedroom, two balconies, and a huge roof deck complete with a hot tub. Oh, and let's not forget the direct views of Hudson Yards and the Empire State Building.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Read before you vote! NYPL releases 200 book titles to get us election-ready

Photo credit: Jonathan Blanc/NYPL

October 6, 2020

Read before you vote! NYPL releases 200 book titles to get us election-ready

There's exactly one month until the presidential election, but that's still plenty of time to educate yourself about the issues at stake. To make things easier, the New York Public Library has released its 2020 Election Reading List, which features 200 titles for adults, teens, and children that "offer illuminating and engaging explorations of key voter issues, from climate change, foreign policy, and education to healthcare, political polarization, and movements toward greater justice and socioeconomic equality."
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City Living

$2.75M Prospect Lefferts Gardens mansion is dripping with pre-war opulence

Photo Credit: Gamut Photos for Sotheby’s International Realty

October 6, 2020

$2.75M Prospect Lefferts Gardens mansion is dripping with pre-war opulence

It's not every day a mansion like this comes to the market in Brooklyn, especially at a $1.25 million discount. The incredible Renaissance Revival-style, limestone home in Prospect Lefferts Gardens first listed for $4 million in 2018, but the price has now come down to $2.75 million. Located at 125 Maple Street, it's full of opulent, pre-war details like stained glass windows, elaborate moldings and ceiling medallions, and regal columns galore. Plus, there's the sheer size of it--the home spans just about 6,000 square feet and has five bedrooms.
See the whole place

Popular Articles

$1.4M Boerum Hill two-bedroom has a great layout and a cheerful disposition

Photo credit: Zhen Qin/Vistabee for Compass

October 5, 2020

$1.4M Boerum Hill two-bedroom has a great layout and a cheerful disposition

This sunny condo at 143 Bergen Street seems fairly priced at $1.4 million, considering it has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a prime Boerum Hill location, and lots of charming and convenient details. Plus, the layout is perfect for a family, with a nice separation of public and private spaces.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

A guide to voting in the 2020 election in NYC

Photo by Tiffany Tertipes on Unsplash

October 5, 2020

A guide to voting in the 2020 election in NYC

If you're reading this post, you probably don't need a reminder to get out there and vote for the presidential election on November 3. But you might have some questions about how things are working this year, with the pandemic coming into play. Luckily for New York City residents, voting is easy and safe, and we've compiled a guide with everything you need to know about deadlines, voting by mail, and voting in person.
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Policy

16 middle-income apartments up for grabs at luxury rental near Grand Central, from $1,949/month

Photos: Left by Noble Construction Group; Right by Lester Ali

October 5, 2020

16 middle-income apartments up for grabs at luxury rental near Grand Central, from $1,949/month

Twenty percent of the 429 apartments at 222 East 44th Street is reserved as affordable housing. Two-and-a-half years ago, a lottery opened for 109 units for those earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income, and it looks like some of those on the higher end of the spectrum are newly available, as another lottery is open for 16 middle-income units. The glass tower in Midtown East was designed by Handel Architects and is a quick walk to Grand Central, the UN, and Midtown. Plus, it's got a ton of great amenities.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Union Square’s cherished dinnerware store Fishs Eddy speaks out about COVID struggles

A view of Fish’s Eddy’s storefront at 889 Broadway in June 2019. Map data © 2020 Google

October 2, 2020

Union Square’s cherished dinnerware store Fishs Eddy speaks out about COVID struggles

"We’re like a fish gasping for air — literally," said Julie Gaines, the owner of Fishs Eddy, to the New York Post. The much-loved Union Square store has been in business since 1986, selling mix-and-match, reasonably priced dinnerware that includes NYC-themed items and quirky finds like Obama shot glasses and parking ticket plates. Since the pandemic hit, however, they've only been doing 30 percent of their usual business, much of which is based on tourists, which is making it harder and harder to afford their high rent.
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City Living

Rustic and retro mix at this $1.75M West Village duplex

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

October 2, 2020

Rustic and retro mix at this $1.75M West Village duplex

We just can't help smiling when looking at this lovely three-bedroom co-op at 92 Horatio Street in the West Village. The duplex unit is full of rustic details--exposed brick, beamed ceilings, tin ceilings--from when the building was built in 1920, but it also is full of colorful, retro decor that keeps the place feeling fresh. It's currently asking $1,750,000.
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Distinctive Homes

New York’s new COVID Alert app will tell you if you’ve come in contact with a positive person

Screenshots from the app on iPhone

October 1, 2020

New York’s new COVID Alert app will tell you if you’ve come in contact with a positive person

Amid an uptick in cases in several clusters in Brooklyn and Rockland County, the New York Department of Health has launched a new, free app that will tell you if you've come in contact with a COVID-positive person. COVID Alert NY is available as of today for iPhone and Android. Using your phone's Bluetooth technology, it will alert you if you've been within six feet of an infected person for more than 10 minutes.
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There’s a rooftop pool club, a pocket park, and more fun amenities at this new Hell’s Kitchen condo

Renderings by VUW studios

October 1, 2020

There’s a rooftop pool club, a pocket park, and more fun amenities at this new Hell’s Kitchen condo

The West is a new condo in Hell's Kitchen, and though it was designed pre-pandemic, the number of open-air terraces and the super-fun indoor/outdoor amenities make it prime for social distancing. Located at 547 West 47th Street, the 12-story, 219-unit building was designed by Amsterdam-based firm Concrete and is currently under construction with move-ins expected to begin in the spring of next year. Among the 25,000 square feet of amenities are a rooftop pool club with BBQ grills, a pocket park, a dog run, a freestanding library, and two guest suites for when visitors come to town.
Check it all out

Williamsburg’s iconic Kellogg’s Diner is struggling to stay alive

Map data © 2020 Google

October 1, 2020

Williamsburg’s iconic Kellogg’s Diner is struggling to stay alive

One of the thousands of small businesses struggling to make ends meet in New York City's pandemic world is Williamsburg's Kellogg's Diner, which has been in business since the 1940s. The 24-hour restaurant at the corner of Metropolitan and Union Avenues says it's in danger of closing if the city doesn't increase its indoor dining capacity from 25 to 50 percent. Referring to the fact that restaurants in the rest of the state are able to operate at half capacity, owner Irene Siderakis told Pix 11, "Why is it fair for them and not for us? I don’t understand. I don’t get it."
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Food & Dining

An eclectic vintage vibe runs through this $1.5M Bushwick townhouse

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

October 1, 2020

An eclectic vintage vibe runs through this $1.5M Bushwick townhouse

There's a little something to see at every point throughout this beautiful Bushwick townhouse. The eclectic vibe is a mix of mid-century opulence and vintage steampunk, but it all comes together to create a lovely living space. The $1,489,000 price tag is even sweeter considering the home is made up of a 1,600-square-foot owner's duplex with a rear garden, as well as an 800-square-foot garden apartment that provides rental income.
Look around

Distinctive Homes

Here are the New York zip codes with COVID clusters

COVID outreach in August in Sunset Park, Brooklyn after a spike there. Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

October 1, 2020

Here are the New York zip codes with COVID clusters

This week, New York has been closely monitoring a group of 20 COVID hotspots, where as of today, the infection rate has increased from 5.5 to 6.5 percent. Of the top 10 zip codes statewide, six are in Brooklyn with seven-day-average infection rates of 6 and 4 percent, and one is in Queens with a 4 percent infection rate. In Orange County, one zip code has a staggering seven-day infection rate of 18 percent, while two Rockland County zip codes are at 16 and 14 percent. To deal with the issue, the state has employed 200 rapid testing machines to these zip codes.
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Policy

64-year-old favorite Pastrami Queen opening second location on the Upper West Side

Photo of the Upper East Side storefront by Tjeerd Wiersma via Flickr cc

September 30, 2020

64-year-old favorite Pastrami Queen opening second location on the Upper West Side

"If I’m away from New York long enough, I need a correct pastrami sandwich from either Pastrami Queen or Katz’s. And you’re not getting that anywhere else, as far as I’m concerned," said Anthony Bourdain in 2016. And New Yorkers will now have two locations from which to enjoy a Pastrami Queen sandwich, as West Side Rag reports that the 64-year-old business will open a second location (the first is on Lexington Avenue and 78th Street) tomorrow on the Upper West Side at the former Fine & Schapiro space at 138 West 72nd Street.
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Food & Dining

Hotelier Andre Balazs lists his flashy Soho condo for $12M

Photo Credit: Douglas Elliman

September 30, 2020

Hotelier Andre Balazs lists his flashy Soho condo for $12M

Hotelier Andre Balazs, best known for LA's Chateau Marmont, the Mercer Hotel in NYC, and the string of trendy Standard Hotels, unsurprisingly lives a life as lavish as the destination he creates. His personal condo in Soho, taking up the entire top floor at 158 Mercer Street, is no exception. Balazs added plenty of his own panache to the 4,200-square-foot loft, including massive stretches of built-in bookshelves, a custom "wall of light," and a 13th-century Florentine fresco. He also added hotel-quality rooms like a nearly 275-square-foot closet, a personal gym, and a steam room. As the Wall Street Journal first reported, Balazs has decided to list the home for $12 million as he spends much of his time now in Europe.
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After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

Photo (cropped) by Jazzy Guy via Wikimedia Commons

September 30, 2020

After almost closing, famous Theater District tourist spot Ellen’s Stardust Diner will reopen tomorrow

Ellen's Stardust Diner has been a Theater District fixture since 1987, famous for its retro '50s design, subway car entrance, and singing waitstaff. But like so many other restaurants in New York City, Ellen's struggled to reopen due to the pandemic. As Broadway World reported in July, a photo on Facebook showed a notice posted at the diner from the landlord that said Ellen's owed $618,459.22 in back rent. But good news--Time Out NY now reports that the restaurant and landlord seem to have resolved their conflict, and Ellen's will reopen (singing waiters and all!) as of tomorrow.
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Food & Dining

Williamsburg’s beloved City Reliquary museum is in danger of closing for good

Photo via The City Reliquary

September 30, 2020

Williamsburg’s beloved City Reliquary museum is in danger of closing for good

The City Reliquary is a strange place. It's completely cluttered and full of oddities like the bones of a subway rat and schist cores, as well as local memorabilia like the original 2nd Avenue Deli sign and vintage seltzer bottles. But that what makes it so special and so New York. The small-but-mighty Williamsburg museum has been closed during the entire pandemic, as they're completely staffed by volunteers. And in order to reopen, they need to be able to pay their rent and show their financial stability. The Reliquary is asking New Yorkers to help them meet this goal so they can avoid closing their doors for good in November.
Find out how you can help

Events & Things To Do

$2.6M Park Slope townhouse is family-friendly and full of mid-century inspo

Photo Credit: Travis Mark

September 30, 2020

$2.6M Park Slope townhouse is family-friendly and full of mid-century inspo

As soon as you enter this Park Slope townhouse, it feels like you might've just stepped into the page of a West Elm catalog. The three-bedroom home, which has been thoughtfully renovated, is full of clean lines, open spaces, and mid-century-modern design inspiration, including a Noguchi lamp and a David Weeks chandelier. The $2,595,000 price tag also gets you a second-floor terrace and gorgeous rear patio and garden.
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