All articles by Dana Schulz

May 15, 2019

My 775sqft: Pinup-glam and retro-kitsch collide in this East Village apartment

 apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! One might assume that a professional organizer's home would be streamlined and sparse, but before our current obsession with ridding our homes of everything that doesn't "spark joy," home organization had many different forms. Case in point--Jeanie Engelbach's East Village apartment. Jeanie started her career creating professional scrapbooks and soon landed a role as the visual manager at ABC Carpet & Home. Her knack for mixing styles, integrating color and pattern, and not taking design too seriously started attracting the attention of clients, and before long she was helping them not only organize their homes but create spaces representative of their personalities as apartmentjeanie. And this is on display nowhere more than her one-bedroom rental at the new 14th Street development EVGB. Jeanie moved into her pad about a year ago, after living for nearly 25 years at an apartment building down the street. She loved developer Extell's attention to detail and the building's amenities. But she also loved the layout of the space, which allowed her to put up the funky wallpaper she'd been eyeing for years, set up displays for her collections (at last count, she had 650 Piz dispensers), and still keep the place feeling bright and orderly. We recently paid Jeanie and her bulldog Tater Tot a visit to check out these retro, kitschy collections in person (she also collects bobbleheads, vintage lunchboxes, and Carnival Chalkware), see how she infused a touch of pinup-glam, and learn about her organizational skills.
Take the tour!
May 14, 2019

Essex Crossing reveals new renderings of trendy office space

If you're looking to attract top talent these days, you better have an office outfit with the amenities to lure a millennial. So it comes as no surprise that Essex Crossing developer Taconic Investment Partners has begun to market its 350,000 square feet of office space just days after the new Essex Street Market opened and a few weeks after a Regal theater opened. The office space is split evenly between two mixed-use buildings at the complex, 145 and 155 Delancey Street. According to a press release, "A worker at Essex Crossing will have direct access to one of the largest marketplaces in the world, indoor gardens, a 14-screen movie theater and four subway lines – all within one complex."
Check out more renderings here
May 13, 2019

Carnegie Deli and ‘Mrs. Maisel’ team up on a pastrami food truck this week

If you watched "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," you know that Midge loves herself a good old pastrami sandwich when she dines at her favorite Jewish deli, which is why the iconic Carnegie Deli is back for its second pop-up with Amazon. Ahead of the second season's launch in December, the former Midtown deli (which closed in 2016 after 80 years) returned for an eight-day stint in a Nolita storefront. And now Prime Video has created a Carnegie Deli food truck so that New Yorkers "can enjoy the 'sandwich worth the schlep' without too much of a schlep." From today until Wednesday the retro pink truck will be serving up two signature sandwiches, black-and-white cookies, and vintage sodas.
Get your order ready
May 10, 2019

Macy’s moves July 4th fireworks to Brooklyn Bridge

For the first time since 2014, Macy's will move its Fourth of July fireworks to the Brooklyn Bridge, and this year's display will "add three times more pyrotechnic firepower," according to a press release, with more spectacular effects being set off across the entire bridge, as well as from four barges off the shore of the South Street Seaport District's Pier 17. The 43rd annual event, the largest July 4th celebration in the nation, will see the launch of "tens of thousands of shells and effects."
More details
May 9, 2019

A mini-Smorgasburg is coming to Hudson Yards

At least this means there will be more affordable bites at the far west side mega-development. As first reported by Eater, open-air food market Smorgasburg will be setting up shop at Hudson Yards every Tuesday and Wednesday this spring/summer, starting next week. In addition to offering less-expensive options (say than, $17.50 fava beans and $14 sides of fries), the market will also bring some local flavor to the corporate complex, from Queens-based Destination Dumplings to the Red Hook Lobster Pound.
Check out the list of vendors
May 8, 2019

Interview: Design star Genevieve Gorder on ‘Trading Spaces,’ her new show, and life in NYC

From getting her first design job at MTV during the station's height in the '90s to being selected as one of the original designers on TLC's "Trading Spaces," Genevieve Gorder says she feels eternally grateful for her timing. "I hit a lot of those key moments at the right time for when I was born, and I don’t know how I keep doing it, but I’m very grateful I do." When Genevieve says she's "grateful," we know it's authentic. This is why the interior designer has achieved the success she has, appearing in more than 20 TV shows over her 20-year career. She's a person everyone feels comfortable around, whether it's with a family who shares her Midwestern roots or a New York City neighbor. Her latest endeavor, the design show "Best Room Wins," aired last week, and once again, it's Genevieve's warmth, grace, and exceptional talent that are on full view. 6sqft recently caught up with Genevieve to learn more about her background and time on "Trading Spaces," why she feels the new show is "smarter, sexier, and more real," and what her favorite spots in the city are.
Read the interview
May 7, 2019

My 1,100sqft: Pizza pundit Scott Wiener’s Midwood home holds the world’s largest pizza box collection

 apartment. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! How does one person amass 1,471 pizza boxes you may ask? After spending a few minutes with Scott Wiener, this will seem like a silly question. Scott founded Scott's Pizza Tours 11 years ago, and since his first tour, he has become NYC's resident pizza expert. In addition to his company's signature bus tours, it now hosts daily walking tours, and Scott is often cited in both gastronomy and historical publications. But the real reason people from all over the world are keen to send Scott one of their pizza boxes is his genuine personality. Whether he's talking about the different types of flour used to make dough or discussing how he used 19th-century tax maps to unearth the various coal-fired ovens that once existed in the city, you can't help give Scott your full attention; his passion is contagious. And he's just a really nice guy. When a couple recently got engaged on his tour, Scott told us that he had been texting for months with the groom to make sure everything was perfect. 6sqft recently paid Scott a visit at his Midwood apartment and got to learn even more about him, from how he developed his pizza passion to what an average day looks like. Of course, we also got a behind-the-scenes look at that record-setting pizza box collection.
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May 6, 2019

Robert Indiana’s famous ‘LOVE’ sculptures arrive along the High Line

This past fall, the Kasmin Gallery opened a 5,000-square-foot space + rooftop sculpture garden next to Zaha Hadid's futuristic condo 520 West 28th Street. And to kick off the summer season, the High Line-adjacent space has just announced a new sculpture garden show--a trio of works from Robert Indiana's famous "Love" series. The pieces showcase the word in English (Love), Spanish (Amor), and Hebrew (Ahava), which, according to a press release "represent three of New York’s most historic and influential dialects, celebrating immigration and lingual diversity in one of the most visited public art spaces in the city."
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May 3, 2019

Interview: How tequila entrepreneur Joe Cruz Jr. remains true to his Harlem roots

With Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, New Yorkers most certainly have margaritas on the brain. And while we may typically associate tequila with Mexico, a new label here in NYC is bridging the divide between our southern neighbor and local entrepreneurship. Joe Cruz Jr. grew up in Harlem, spending much of his younger years hanging out in the Bronx. After working in the beverage industry for many years, he decided to take a mere $25,000 and create his own "ultra-smooth" tequila right from Harlem. And so in late 2017, YaVe Tequila was born. Not only has the company garnered culinary headlines (it produces the first-ever mango-flavored tequila), but it's caught the attention of local stakeholders thanks to Joe's commitment to working with his neighborhood.
Read on for our interview with Joe
May 2, 2019

Halal Guys, Empanada Mama, and more are coming to the TWA Hotel

In just two weeks, the famous Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal at JFK Airport will be reopened for the first time in 18 years, rechristened as the Jet Age-throwback TWA Hotel. There have been several announcements in recent months, from the opening of reservations to the unveiling of the rooftop infinity pool and observation deck, and now we have even more details on everyone's favorite topic--food. The terminal's famous Departures Hall, where TWA travelers originally checked in for flights, will be transformed into a small dining hall with offerings from four local mini-chains--The Halal Guys, Empanada Mama, Earl of Sandwich, Playa Bowls, and Fresh & Co.
Find out more
April 23, 2019

TWA Hotel reveals first look at rooftop infinity pool and observation deck

When the TWA Hotel opens, guests will be able to "pull up a chaise lounge, sip a Mile High Spritz and take a dip in the infinity pool with panoramic views of the busiest runways at JFK." According to a press release sent out today by MCR and Morse Development, the rooftop infinity pool and observation deck is set to open on May 15th along with the rest of the project and remain open 365 days a year thanks to its ability to reach 100 degrees and turn into a "pool-cuzzi." And if you haven't booked a stay at the hotel, you can still reserve a table on the rooftop to take a dip and order a cocktail.
Find out more
April 16, 2019

My 1,000sqft: Preservationist Cristiana favors family heirlooms and antiques for her Brooklyn home

Cristiana Peña is one of those people who will make you feel like you've known her for years when you've only just met her--especially when you visit her at her equally warm Prospect-Lefferts Gardens home. After growing up in Rapid City, South Dakota (her father was in the Air Force) Cristiana moved to NYC for grad school in 2006 to study preservation. She quickly became a force in the field, working at Woodlawn Conservancy and Cemetery and lending her expertise and advocacy skills to countless groups across the city. Today, Cristiana also works as a social media strategist, a perfect fit for her creative and snappy personality and natural knack for striking up a conversation. So it comes as no surprise that her pre-war apartment is also full of personal stories. From a mobile that her dad got while deployed in Saudi Arabia to a lobster-shaped wine decanter she found while on a trip to Maine, nearly every eclectic find in Cristiana's home comes with a childhood memory or a great tidbit about an antiquing outing.
Get to know Cristiana and take a tour of her home
April 5, 2019

Jendretzki Design wants to transform Rat Island into an off-grid eco hotel

Eight years ago, then 71-year-old Alex Schibli bought an entire NYC island for $160,000. If you've never heard of Rat Island, it's a 2.5-acre land mass off the coast of City Island in the Bronx, where Schibli and his wife live. Originally, he said he had no plans to alter it, but a few months ago, he received a phone call from architect Pablo Jendretzki. "I read an article on him and the island a few months ago and called him to offer to design a project. We met the next morning," Jendretzki told 6sqft. Schibli had expressed a desire to build a self-sustaining hotel that takes advantage of the island's natural surroundings. In response, Jendretzki designed this series of off-grid eco pods that would function as a sort of glamping experience.
Learn more about the proposal
April 4, 2019

My 3,000sqft: Power broker Louise Phillips Forbes shows her family-friendly Upper West Side home

Louise Phillips Forbes moved to NYC from Nashville to further her dance career on Broadway when she was in her 20s. When an injury forced her to change her plans, she fell into real estate, quickly realizing that not only had she found her home in New York, but also her true passion. For close to three decades now, Forbes has been a powerhouse in the real estate field; in fact, her sales team is the number one at Halstead with more than $3.5 billion in career sales. But Louise has the highly coveted ability to truly balance her work and personal lives. At home, everything is about her husband and two sons and their time together. And when she renovated her Upper West Side apartment, this comfortable, welcoming feel was her number one priority. When she's not closing sales or watching her sons' hockey games, Louise can be found at her local Soul Cycle or serving on the board of Change for Kids, as well as the advisory committees for several non-profit arts organizations. To get a glimpse into how she does it all, 6sqft recently visited Louise, took a tour of her home, and got to know her a little better.
Take the tour and meet Louise
April 3, 2019

Aby Rosen says he’ll add an observation deck to the Chrysler Building

“I see the building as a Sleeping Beauty: It needs to be woken up and revitalized,” developer Aby Rosen told the Post about his plans for the Chrysler Building. His firm RFR Realty, in partnership with Signa Holding, bought the landmark for $150 million last month . His plans include restoring the 1930s Art Deco interiors by way of a series of restaurants that will take inspiration from Chrysler's original Cloud Club, as well as adding a '"fashionable food hall" (of course) and retail spaces. The biggest news, though, is that he also wants to incorporate a new observation deck, joining the ranks of 30 Hudson Yards, One Vanderbilt, and Chrysler's one-time rival the Empire State Building.
Find out more
April 1, 2019

Where I Work: Architecture and interiors firm CetraRuddy shows off their self-designed offices

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Battery Park office of architecture-interior design firm CetraRuddy. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Husband-and-wife team Nancy Ruddy and John Cetra started architecture/design firm CetraRuddy in 1987, and after working from an office in Soho for 25 years, the firm moved to One Battery Park Plaza a year-and-a-half ago. Now with 100 employees, they had outgrown the space and wanted to use the move as an opportunity to revamp and improve the things that didn't work. They were first attracted to the space's light and views, but the firm was also able to occupy the entire floor, meaning they could design the entire office space, as well as the corridors. After recently interviewing Nancy about CetraRuddy's many successes, 6sqft paid a visit to their new offices, where we received a tour from Eugene Flotteron, Director of Architecture. Eugene has been with the firm for 17 years and has been a partner for five, so he's had the opportunity to see them grow and transform over the years.
Take the tour
March 28, 2019

Photos capture the historic glamour of the Waldorf Astoria before its renovation

To the dismay of many New Yorkers, the Waldorf Astoria closed its doors in 2017 for a huge renovation project that will ultimately create larger hotel rooms and add a new set of luxury condos. After the plans were announced, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the hotel's first three floors as an interior landmark, meaning the new owners will need to preserve the 1931 Art Deco spaces. But after a four-year hiatus (the hotel will reopen in 2021) and a completely new vibe, it's not clear if those interiors will have the same glamorous, old-school New York vibe that they were once famous for. Luckily, photographers James and Karla Murray captured the Waldorf in all its glory before it closed its doors. Ahead, take a tour of the old Waldorf, from its iconic, two-ton lobby clock to the three-tiered grand ballroom.
Take the tour
March 28, 2019

Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg-waterfront development opens lottery for 121 low-income units

Back in June, an affordable housing lottery launched for 65 apartments at one of Spitzer Enterprises’ trio of rental buildings along the South Williamsburg waterfront known as 420 Kent. These apartments were located in the northernmost of the ODA-designed glassy towers. Now, a second lottery has come online (20 percent of the development's 857 units are affordable) for 121 low-income apartments at the southern piece of the complex. These residences are reserved for households earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
March 26, 2019

Ahead of summer opening, Waterline Square reveals first look at Italian food hall

Earlier this year, we got the first taste of what's to come at Waterline Square's Cipriani-branded Italian food hall, including a pizza bar, pastry shop, and full-service restaurant. And now, we've got the first look. The vision of hospitality designer Martin Brudnizki, the 28,000-square-foot “experiential food market” appears to have a retro-glam vibe, complete with old-school banquettes, wood paneling, architectural light fixtures, and, as any true Italian food market would have, a display of hanging cured meats.
More details and another look
March 18, 2019

Westbeth reopens highly coveted waitlist for artist’s housing, starting at $900/month

Nearly 50 years ago, the old Bell Telephone Laboratories building at 55 Bethune Street in the Far West Village was converted to affordable live/work housing for artists, courtesy of a young, then-unknown architect named Richard Meier. Because of the building's prime Hudson River-front location, storied creative past, and collection of 384 units--most of which feature open, loft layouts and high ceilings perfect for a working artist--Westbeth Artists Housing has become one of the most coveted addresses in NYC. For the first time since 2007, the community has reopened its waitlist for working artists and their families. The annual income range starts at $69,445 for one person to $114,950 for a six-person household, and the units go from $900/month studios to $2,400/month three-bedrooms.
All the details
March 15, 2019

After seven years of construction, Hudson Yards is now OPEN

It's been nearly two decades since city officials began plans and rezonings for Manhattan's West Side Yards and seven years since construction began on the selected $20 billion project, Hudson Yards. And as of today, the largest private development in the nation is officially open to the public. New Yorkers can visit the public squares and gardens, the one-million-square-foot shops and restaurants, and probably most anticipated, the Vessel, the 150-foot-tall, climbable public art piece. Ahead, watch a time-lapse video of the 28-acre development under construction and learn more about what's open and what's yet to come.
READ MORE
March 14, 2019

Sebastian Errazuriz’s Lower East Side sculpture live streams NASA satellite footage of the Earth

When 6sqft visited designer, artist, and activist Sebastian Errazuriz in his Bronx studio last year, we noted that "nothing he does is cookie-cutter." This outside-the-box thinking is now on view for all of NYC to see in his latest public artwork titled blu Marble, a 20-foot, LED structure in a vacant Lower East Side lot that depicts live NASA satellite footage of the Earth. Located at 159 Ludlow Street, blue Marble will be on view until 14th to "inspire awareness and mindfulness in our everyday lives."
Find out more
March 12, 2019

My 450sqft: An Australian expat creates a calming ‘slice of heaven’ in the East Village

There are almost too many charming elements to note about advertising professional Kate Callander's East Village one-bedroom. First, there are all the original features--the floorboards, claw-foot tub, penny tiles, exposed brick, and copper light fixtures. Then there's the serene vibe you get as soon as you walk in. Hoping to create her own "slice of heaven" within the bustling neighborhood, Kate opted for neutral fabrics, whimsical touches like her beloved fairy lights, and soft, feminine finds. But most importantly, she's filled her home with mementos from her upbringing and travels. Kate was born in Australia and raised in Malaysia and Hong Kong, but after a vacation in NYC, she decided she never wanted to leave. She moved to her railroad-style home four years ago and has only grown more in love with the city and her apartment. We recently paid her a visit to learn more about how she decorated the space, how New York living is different than in her past cities, and where to get the best Aussie coffee in the East Village.
Meet Kate and explore her home
March 7, 2019

Reserve a spot to stand 1,100 feet on the ‘Edge’ at Hudson Yards’ observation deck

Not only has Hudson Yards officially named the observation deck at 30 Hudson Yards "Edge," but they've opened a list to reserve a spot to step out onto the 1,100-foot-high platform when it opens in early 2020. Along with being the highest outdoor deck in the entire Western Hemisphere (and the fifth tallest in the world!), it juts out 65 feet from the building with a glass floor to peer at the city below. And as the Edge's website says, "Go further and lean out over Manhattan, literally, on the nine-foot wall of boldly angled glass—if you dare."
More details right here