All articles by Dana Schulz

Empire State Building reveals its new Deco-inspired Observatory entrance

August 22, 2018

Empire State Building reveals its new Deco-inspired Observatory entrance

There are two things people remember when they visit the top of the Empire State Building, "the views and the line," said Anthony Malkin, CEO and Chairman of Empire State Realty Trust, at an unveiling this morning of the landmark's new Observatory entrance. As phase one of the decade-long Empire State ReBuilding project to modernize the building, the new entrance will greatly increase space and reduce the wait time for the 4.2 million annual Observatory guests. The space includes a "grand staircase which splits around a two-story architectural model of ESB," along with new self-service ticket kiosks, digital screens showing images of the building over its 87 years, and high-tech "airport-style" security.
Take a tour!

Uncategorized

Middle-income lotto opens at Bushwick’s glass factory-turned-trendy rental

August 22, 2018

Middle-income lotto opens at Bushwick’s glass factory-turned-trendy rental

Two months after leasing kicked off at Glassworks Bushwick, the affordable housing lottery is opening for 19 middle-income units, ranging from $2,098/month studios to $2,715/month two-bedrooms. If this doesn't seem so "affordable," keep in mind that these market-rate apartments are going for $2,500 and $3,100. Plus, the trendy new rental, a cool conversion of the former Dannenhoffer Opalescent Glassworks stained glass factory at 336 Himrod Street, offers a fitness center, lounge, laundry room, book-share library, and, best of all, a landscaped roof deck with a barbeque area.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing lottery opens for new health-focused complex in the Bronx

August 21, 2018

Affordable housing lottery opens for new health-focused complex in the Bronx

A year and a half after breaking ground on the project, mental health nonprofit Community Access has opened the affordable housing for a new, $52.2 million supportive housing complex in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the Bronx. As 6sqft previously reported, "it incorporates sustainable elements such as solar panels and a co-generation plant, as well as health-focused amenities like a community garden and kitchen to encourage and teach about healthy eating, outdoor exercise equipment, and a bike sharing program." The building at 111 East 172nd Street has 126 units, 50 percent of which are set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers or families with special needs. The remaining half is available as of today through the city's lottery and are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the area median income, including $864/month studios and $1,122/month two-bedrooms.
See the breakdown

Affordable Housing

Huge American Dream mall near MetLife stadium will put NYC’s food halls to shame

Rendering via Vice/Munchies

August 20, 2018

Huge American Dream mall near MetLife stadium will put NYC’s food halls to shame

Is NYC's biggest food hall coming to New Jersey?! According to Eater, that may be the case. They report that the long-stalled (16 years, to be exact) American Dream mall planned for the site next to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will have 50 grab-and-go options, 20 full-service restaurants, a Vice-branded food hall, and the world's first Kosher food hall. This is in addition to the $3 billion, 4.5 million-square-foot shopping mall's insane amenities like the largest indoor ski slope in the western hemisphere, an NHL-sized ice rink, a 4-D movie theater, a LEGOLAND, and an eight-acre Nickelodeon water park and theme park.
All the details this way

Food & Dining

New waitlist opens for mixed-income units at East Harlem’s Riverton complex, from $1,174/month

Riverton Square, via A&E Real Estate

August 20, 2018

New waitlist opens for mixed-income units at East Harlem’s Riverton complex, from $1,174/month

Last November, East Harlem’s Riverton Square opened up its 7,500-name waitlist for middle-income families. They've now reopened it, this time to a wider range of income brackets. Households earning 60, 80, or 125 percent of the area median income can put their name on the list for units ranging from $1,174/month one-bedrooms to $2,983/month three-bedrooms. The affordable seven-building development was built by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1947 to serve as housing for WWII veterans. Unlike their similar complexes, Stuyvesant Town and the Bronx's Parkchester, Riverton did not bar black and Hispanic tenants from renting. Today, the 12-acre complex offers a gated community with 12 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and a public fountain, a new basketball court and playground, and a newly built senior center and after-school center.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Where I Work: The team behind Black Seed Bagels shows off their new Nomad shop

Head baker Dianna Daoheung and Black Seeds’ new Nomad location

August 17, 2018

Where I Work: The team behind Black Seed Bagels shows off their new Nomad shop

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re going inside Black Seed Bagels' new Nomad location. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! "We founded Black Seed with the goal of bringing extremely well-made bagels, bagel sandwiches, and coffee to everyone," said co-owner Noah Bernamoff. After he and Matt Kliegman met through a mutual friend while running separate restaurants (Matt, The Smile and the Jane Hotel ballroom and Noah, Mile End Delicatessen), they decided to open their first location of Black Seed Bagels in Nolita in 2014. The Montreal-meets-New York-style bagels became an instant foodie hit, and the partners now have locations in the East Village, Battery Park City, and, as of this week, Nomad. 6sqft paid Noah a visit at their latest location in the trendy Ace Hotel and chatted with him about Black Seed's journey. We also met with head baker Dianna Daoheung, who developed the shop's unique hand-rolled, wood-fired bagels (which garnered her a James Beard nomination) and expanded the menu to include sandwich collaborations with fellow NYC restaurants and chefs.
See the space and meet Noah and Dianna

Where I Work: Go inside SHoP Architects’ aviation-inspired offices in the Woolworth Building

August 15, 2018

Where I Work: Go inside SHoP Architects’ aviation-inspired offices in the Woolworth Building

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Financial District offices of SHoP Architects. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! The largest collection of WWII-era spotter planes in the world, a massive copper section of the Barclays Center facade, a materials library with hundreds of samples of everything from fabric to flooring--these are just some of the surprises you'll come across in SHoP Architects' offices in the iconic Woolworth Building. The firm's projects include buildings at mega-developments like the Domino Sugar Factory and Essex Crossing, the twisting American Copper Buildings, and the world's future tallest residential skyscraper 111 West 57th Street, and their office certainly embodies this creativity and range of work. After taking a tour of the space, 6sqft chatted with Associate Principal Angelica T. Baccon about this very special office design, what a typical day is like at the firm, and, of course, the backstory behind those planes. We also met with Materials Librarian Kate Smith to learn a bit more about this rare resource that helps inform the ideas at SHoP.
Take the tour!

Prospect Park Boathouse via Flickr/cc

August 13, 2018

Six brand-new, middle-income apartments available right off the park in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens

Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is becoming a more and more coveted neighborhood, especially when you're just a few short blocks from Prospect Park and the B and Q trains at Parkside Avenue, which is exactly the selling point for the new 20-unit rental at 830 Flatbush Avenue. The building was recently completed and as of today, households earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for six middle-income apartments, including $2,253/month one-bedrooms and $2,716/month two-bedrooms. They'll also have access to a fitness center, laundry room, lounge, bike storage, and roof deck.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Live on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border for just $1,039/month

Photo via Wally Gobetz/Flickr

August 10, 2018

Live on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border for just $1,039/month

At the beginning of the year, three middle-income apartments came online at the brand new rental 126 Boerum Street in trendy East Williamsburg, just off the Bushwick border and only steps to theL train at Montrose and the J/M at Lorimer. Now, two more units are available, these for New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income and renting for $1,039.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Get a first look at the next proposed mega-development for Sunset Park

August 8, 2018

Get a first look at the next proposed mega-development for Sunset Park

Development is certainly heating up around Sunset Park's open railway tracks. Just last week, a one-million-square-foot mixed-use development at 8th Avenue and 63rd Street started making its way through the City's approval process, and now, just around the corner, an equally massive mega-development has been proposed. First spotted by Yimby, the idea from DXA Studio would encompass two blocks along 62nd Street, from 5th to 7th Avenues. Three 18-story towers would incorporate retail, condos, office space, restaurants, a hotel, gym with a pool, community facilities, and public park space.
More details and renderings this way

Popular Articles

Book your wedding at the TWA Hotel: Renderings revealed for retro event spaces

The Starstream Ballroom, via MCR

August 8, 2018

Book your wedding at the TWA Hotel: Renderings revealed for retro event spaces

Getting married next spring? Or maybe you're planning a large conference? Either way, if mid-century-modern is your thing, then the news that the TWA Hotel is now booking events for the spring of 2019 and beyond is sure to be exciting. Ahead of reservations for guestrooms opening in December, we now have a first look at the 50,000 square feet of event space, including two ballrooms, a pre-function space complete with Saarinen-designed Knoll furniture like tulip tables and womb chairs, and six high-tech skyboxes.
Get a look at all the spaces

Our 2,500sqft: New homeowners Mark and Lauren take us inside their relaxed Bed-Stuy brownstone

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Bed-Stuy brownstone of Mark and Lauren. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

August 7, 2018

Our 2,500sqft: New homeowners Mark and Lauren take us inside their relaxed Bed-Stuy brownstone

The Upper West Side to Bed-Stuy may seem like a big jump, but Mark Macias and Lauren DeGregory haven't looked back. Last August, the lovely couple bought a renovated brownstone in the 'hood, upgrading from a one-bedroom apartment to a three-story 1890 house complete with a rental apartment, owner's duplex, and, best of all, rear deck and backyard. Having a warm, comfortable home was especially vital to the couple because of their schedules. Though he runs his own PR firm, Mark spent their first year as homeowners finishing up his play about Elvis Presley, "The King, The Final Hours." And Lauren's life sciences consulting job keeps her traveling and living out of a suitcase for most of the work week. 6sqft recently paid Mark and Lauren (and their dog Einstein!) a visit, got a tour of their pretty home, and learned a bit more about their new lives as homeowners.
Take the tour

15 middle-income units available in up-and-coming Midwood, from $1,350/month

August 6, 2018

15 middle-income units available in up-and-coming Midwood, from $1,350/month

As we recently noted, "Midwood might not yet be considered an up-and-coming ‘hood," but it is getting a Target and the food hall treatment, which seems to be NYC's answer to the "Whole Foods effect." And for New Yorkers who are keen to get in at the very beginning of a possible transformation, the city's latest affordable housing lottery could be just the answer. As of today, middle-income households earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for 15 units at the newly constructed rental 1930 Avenue M. It's located right at the corner of Ocean Avenue, which in recent years has seen a surge of new residential development. The available apartments range from $1,350/month studios to $2,050/month two-bedrooms.
READ MORE

Affordable Housing

College students and children as young as 10 can now apply for IDNYC

August 6, 2018

College students and children as young as 10 can now apply for IDNYC

Since its inception nearly four years ago, IDNYC has seen more than 1.2 million New Yorkers enroll for the free card, making it the largest local identification program in the nation. And now, Mayor de Blasio has announced three updates that will even further expand the program's reach--the minimum age has been lowered from 14 to 10, students living in local college housing can now apply, and technological updates allow the application system to pull from existing city agency records to streamline the process.
All the details this way

This August, party on the rooftop of the New York Aquarium

Photo via Flickr/cc

July 30, 2018

This August, party on the rooftop of the New York Aquarium

Sure, there are plenty of rooftops to get your drink on this summer, but here's a chance to do it with fireworks and fish. As part of the inaugural season of their new Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit, Coney Island's New York Aquarium is hosting late-night Friday and Saturday night rooftop parties during August and Labor Day weekend. The aquarium usually closes at 7pm, but for Summer Nights they'll welcome guests until 10pm with cocktails and a fireworks display on the roof of their new building, as well as extended access to the nine new spaces, including a 40-foot-long immersive coral reef tunnel, a rare look into the underwater "Grand Canyon," and a real hull from a local shipwreck.
All the details

Events & Things To Do

Moby lists Westchester midcentury stunner for $1.3M with a promise to donate proceeds

July 26, 2018

Moby lists Westchester midcentury stunner for $1.3M with a promise to donate proceeds

Not only is Moby a singer/songwriter, DJ, photographer, vegan restauranteur, and animal rights activist, but he also has an eye for unique real estate. He formerly owned a whimsical replica castle in LA, and in March he dropped $1.24 million on a midcentury-modern stunner in Pound Ridge to be near his childhood home in Darien, Connecticut. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright-disciple David Henken in 1956, the Westchester home has jaw-dropping mahogany interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the woods and a quaint garden, and a swimming pool. But after realizing that he's still spending most of his time on the west coast, he re-listed the property for $1.3 million, according to Curbed. And in true Moby fashion, he took to Instagram to say that he'll be donating proceeds from the sale to animal rights causes and progressive political candidates.
You don't want to miss this one

Governor Cuomo announces plans for NYC’s next ‘food hall’ at LaGuardia Airport

Photo via Flickr cc

July 25, 2018

Governor Cuomo announces plans for NYC’s next ‘food hall’ at LaGuardia Airport

Shake Shack, Irving Farm coffee, La Chula taqueria--these sound like your typical food hall staples, but this time they're not in a Brooklyn warehouse or a trendy new building, but in LaGuardia Airport. Governor Cuomo announced today the lineup of in-state food purveyors for Terminal B, which will open in phases starting later this year as part of his massive $8 billion overhaul of LaGuardia. When complete, the entire new airport will have a total of 50 new restaurants, shops, and services, many of which will be local small businesses.
Get the scoop

Lottery opens for 160 affordable apartments near the High Line, starting at $702/month

Photo via Flickr cc

July 25, 2018

Lottery opens for 160 affordable apartments near the High Line, starting at $702/month

The High Line and affordability don't typically go hand-in-hand, but the lottery opens tomorrow for a new, 160-unit affordable housing project at 425 West 18th Street, less than a block from the High Line. As part of a Bloomberg-era initiative to lease unused NYCHA land to private developers, the 18-story building took over the parking lot of the 1960s Fulton Houses complex. The low- and middle-income availabilities range all the way from $702/month studios to $3,216/month two-bedrooms, and amenities include a laundry room, bike storage, and outdoor space on the roof and first floor.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Tommy Hilfiger’s former reality TV-famous Connecticut mansion lists for $6.75M

July 24, 2018

Tommy Hilfiger’s former reality TV-famous Connecticut mansion lists for $6.75M

This incredible Greenwich, Connecticut mansion looks like something out of a television show, and, in fact, it has made many an appearance in the reality tv world. Owned by Tommy Hilfiger until 2006, it was the setting for his CBS design show "The Cut" and his kids' MTV show "Rich Girls." Built in 1999 on nearly five acres, the residence, known as "Appleyard Estate," boasts stone walls and a cobblestone courtyard, a professional grade theater and music studio, a massive pool and hot tub, and tennis courts. And it's just hit the market for $6.75 million.
Get a full look around

Meet the man filling potholes with mosaics of NYC vermin (and Donald Trump)

© Jim Bachor

July 20, 2018

Meet the man filling potholes with mosaics of NYC vermin (and Donald Trump)

Update 10:15am on 7/20/18: Jim Bachor tells us that the NYC Department of Transportation has already pulled up the cockroach, bouquet, Trump, and pigeon mosaics. If you recently saw a construction worker filling potholes around Manhattan and Brooklyn with mosaics and thought it was a bit off, you were right. This was Chicago-based artist Jim Bachor in disguise for his latest public art piece, "Vermin of New York." For the past five years, Jim has been filling potholes in Chicago with mosaics of everything from flowers to trash, and after a successful Kickstarter campaign, he recently brought his work to NYC. The series includes a cockroach, a rat, a pigeon, and Donald Trump (yes, you can drive over his face). 6sqft was able to talk with Jim about how he got into such a unique form of "guerilla" art and what the meaning is behind his latest series.
Read on for more from Jim

First phase of Bjarke Ingels’ BIG U storm protection system begins planning process

July 18, 2018

First phase of Bjarke Ingels’ BIG U storm protection system begins planning process

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2013, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Rebuild By Design contest sought proposals for flood protection systems. Among the seven finalists was Bjarke Ingels' and One Architecture & Urbanism's BIG U, a flooding solution for Manhattan that doubles as a social environment. Now after five years, the first phase of the 10-mile barrier system is getting underway. Rebuild By Design and Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES) have released an RFP for a stewardship partner for the BIG U's East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR), a $335 million reconstruction of the 64-acre, 1.5-mile East River Park. With construction expected to kick off in spring 2019, the partner will "explore stewardship models with funding mechanisms that could enhance the long-term operating budget while addressing issues of equity."
All the details

Our 1,000sqft: Creative couple Amy and Brian show off their newly renovated Prospect Park South co-op

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Prospect Park South co-op of an adorable and creative couple. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

July 17, 2018

Our 1,000sqft: Creative couple Amy and Brian show off their newly renovated Prospect Park South co-op

Back in 2015, 6sqft visited bubbly Amy Sprague at her Boerum Hill studio. Three years, two dogs, and one adorable meet-cute story later, Amy has moved over to Prospect Park South with her fiance Brian Schundler. After their dogs, Charlie and Ladybug, brought them together in the dog park, these two lovebirds decided to not only become homeowners but to undertake a complete gut renovation of their pre-war co-op. Brian, a landscape architect, favors mid-century-modern decor and minimalism, while Amy, a packing designer, loves vintage finds and earthy vibes. Luckily, this creative couple was able to mix their styles to create a comfortable home that uses clean lines and crisp architectural elements as a backdrop for their more eclectic finds and textures. Amy and Brian recently gave 6sqft a tour of their recently completed two-bedroom apartment and shared how the reno process went, how they mixed their aesthetics, and what it's like living with two 80+ pound pups.
Take the tour!

Your NYC library card will now get you free admission to 30+ museums

Photo inside the Guggenheim via Flickr cc

July 16, 2018

Your NYC library card will now get you free admission to 30+ museums

For those New Yorkers who haven't gotten their IDNYC, there's now a new way to gain free access to museums across the city--your library card. Today, Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), the New York Public Library (NYPL), and Queens Library launched Culture Pass, "a joint library-led, city-wide initiative providing free access to more than 30 museums and cultural institutions across all five boroughs available to every NYC library card holder." According to a press release, all card holders have to do is go online to reserve a free day pass for themselves and up to three guests at 33 cultural organizations, from the Whitney Museum and MoMA (where regular adult entry is $25/person) to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Wave Hill.
All the details

The Urban Lens: Artist Paul Morris twists the NYC skyline into a colorful kaleidoscope

July 13, 2018

The Urban Lens: Artist Paul Morris twists the NYC skyline into a colorful kaleidoscope

6sqft’s series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, Paul Morris shares his digitally altered streetscapes. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. New York City is full of urban photographers, capturing streetscapes and buildings as they morph and grow and alter our neighborhoods. But very few can find a way to do this that is totally new, which is why the work of local artist Paul Morris is so refreshing. By juxtaposing his original photography with his graphic design skills, his large-scale patterns "capture and restructure elements discovered in urban landscapes to create innovative perspectives on objects found in everyday life." His latest series focuses on the city's biggest, and arguably most anticipated, new development--Hudson Yards. He's also created "False Mirror" images of everywhere from the Rockaways to the Financial District. Ahead, Paul shares with 6sqft an exclusive collection of his photos and chats with us about his unique process and inspiration.
See and learn about Paul's work

Places

Lottery opens for six middle-income apartments near the Greenpoint waterfront, from $2,100/month

197 Freeman Street via CityRealty

July 13, 2018

Lottery opens for six middle-income apartments near the Greenpoint waterfront, from $2,100/month

197 Freeman Street via CityRealty A $2,255/month one-bedroom might not be the deal of the century, but compared to the fact that the same market-rate apartment is asking $3,115, it sure seems like a steal. At 197 Freeman Street in Greenpoint, just a few blocks from the waterfront and right near cool spots like the Lobster Join and Troost, six apartments are available through the city's affordable housing lottery to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income. They range from $2,100/month studios to $2,715/month two-bedrooms, and the newly constructed building offers a gym, roof deck, and laundry.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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