All articles by Dana Schulz

125 Greenwich Street gets new rendering, taller 912-foot height

July 28, 2017

125 Greenwich Street gets new rendering, taller 912-foot height

Earlier this month, developers Bizzi & Partners and New Valley finalized a $450 million loan for their Rafael Viñoly-designed skyscraper at 125 Greenwich Street, and they've now released a finalized rendering of the slender condo tower and filed plans that show it will top out at 912 feet (h/t Yimby). The height is only slightly above the most recent reporting of 898 feet, but the project was originally supposed to rise a whopping 1,400 feet. Though it's no longer in line to be downtown’s tallest residential building, it will still offer impressive views and a wind-resistant design.
Find out more

CetraRuddy proposes sustainable designs for first office building along the Village’s ‘Silicon Alley’

July 27, 2017

CetraRuddy proposes sustainable designs for first office building along the Village’s ‘Silicon Alley’

An "oversized Silicon Alley" is what some are calling Mayor de Blasio's plan to transform Union Square and its southern stretches into the city's next tech hub. The main component so far is the massive Union Square Tech Hub proposed to replace the P.C. Richard & Son building on East 14th Street, but Councilwoman Rosie Mendez and the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation are advocating that, in exchange for the building, the city rezone the surrounding blocks to prevent an influx of out-of-scale development. Despite their oppositions, CetraRuddy has revealed on their site two environmentally friendly proposals for the site at 799 Broadway, the former home of the St. Denis Hotel at the southwest corner of East 11th Street. Spotted by CityRealty, the 240-foot, 17-story office building would be the first catering to the Mayor's tech dreams, though the renderings are merely conceptual at this point.
All the renderings and details ahead

NYC Ferry hits 1 million riders as it readies to launch Astoria route

July 26, 2017

NYC Ferry hits 1 million riders as it readies to launch Astoria route

Considering the NYC Ferry has been so popular since launching on May 1st that it had to charter two extra boats to meet demand, it's not surprising that the city-subsidized ferry hit the 1 million rider mark as of today, a month earlier than expected. Mayor de Blasio celebrated the milestone earlier today with a press conference in Long Island City, also announcing that the fourth ferry route, the Astoria line, will launch on Tuesday, August 29th.
More ferry news

Transit

Brooklyn politicians want to decriminalize subway turnstile jumping

Image via WNYC

July 26, 2017

Brooklyn politicians want to decriminalize subway turnstile jumping

According to the Daily News, in 2016, roughly 92 percent of persons arrested for fare evasion were people of color, many of whom were also low-income and ended up spending at least one day in jail. With this in mind, State Senator Jesse Hamilton of Crown Heights and Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright of Bed-Stuy, both Democrats, will introduce legislation to decriminalize turnstile jumping cases. Instead of the offense warranting an arrest, misdemeanor charges, and a $100 fine, they propose the MTA's Adjudication Bureau handle it as a civil matter.
All the details ahead

Manhattan’s first-ever water park is coming to the Upper East Side—and it looks like a giant dishwasher!

July 25, 2017

Manhattan’s first-ever water park is coming to the Upper East Side—and it looks like a giant dishwasher!

For three Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC thoroughfares, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, will be closed to traffic as part of the city’s annual Summer Streets program. And this year's event has some pretty adventurous offerings, including a 270-foot waterslide, rock-climbing wall, and a 165-foot-long zipline. Guests will also get to visit Manhattan's first-ever water park on the Upper East Side, courtesy of LG Electronics. The giant inflatable park, called LG QuadWash™ Water Park, will measure 30-feet wide by 50-feet long and it's designed to look like both the interior and exterior of LG's new dishwashers, including cutlery-shaped slides, jet stream sprinklers, and "3rd rack" monkey bars.
Learn how you’ll be able to play in a giant dishwasher

Events & Things To Do

Aby Rosen signs fashion company Totokaelo as first retail tenant at 190 Bowery

Image: Before the 2005 sale

July 25, 2017

Aby Rosen signs fashion company Totokaelo as first retail tenant at 190 Bowery

It's been two-and-a-half years since developer Aby Rosen of RFR Realty scooped up the former Germania Bank Building for $55 million. He bought it from photographer Jay Maisel, who in 1966 turned the then-abandoned landmark into his own private 72-room mansion. After removing the Nolita building's iconic graffiti last summer, Rosen is now all systems go for his conversion to an office building with ground-floor retail. As the Post reports, Seattle-based fashion retailer Totokaelo (who counts among its designer offerings Acne Studios, Comme des Garçons, Jil Sander and Proenza Schouler) signed a lease for 8,918 square feet at street level. However, the deal only covers early fall through March 2018 for a large-scale pop-up store.
All the details ahead

Uncategorized

How to keep cool without an air conditioner and cut your electricity bill

July 21, 2017

How to keep cool without an air conditioner and cut your electricity bill

6sqft’s series Apartment Living 101 is aimed at helping New Yorkers navigate the challenges of creating a happy home in the big city. With temperatures climbing, we put together the best products and tips for keeping your apartment cool this summer. If you're not one of the lucky ones who has central cooling in their apartment, the summer months can be a challenge. A regular old fan won't always do the trick, and traditional wall-unit air conditioners are bulky, hard to install, loud, expensive to run, and often associated with health risks such as respiratory issues, headaches, and skin irritation. If you're looking to try something new this season, 6sqft has rounded up several products and innovations perfect for keeping apartment dwellers from sticking to the sheets when the mercury rises. We've also put together a list of tips for those who want to go completely off-the-grid and for those who simply can't give up the wall unit, but want to be less wasteful.
Get it all this way

Elon Musk says he received ‘verbal’ approval to build Hyperloop One between NYC and D.C.

July 20, 2017

Elon Musk says he received ‘verbal’ approval to build Hyperloop One between NYC and D.C.

In a tweet around 11:00am Thursday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he "just received verbal govt approval for The Boring Company to build an underground NY-Phil-Balt-DC Hyperloop." The Hyperloop One plan will take passengers from NYC to D.C. in a mere 29 minutes via a high-speed tube moved by electric propulsion, with stations at each city center and "up to a dozen or more entry/exit elevators in each city," according to Musk. In a response to a comment on his initial tweet, he said: "First set of tunnels are to alleviate greater LA urban congestion. Will start NY-DC in parallel. Then prob LA-SF and a TX loop."
Get the full scoop

East Hampton’s ‘Driftwood House’ employs traditional Japanese charred wood techniques

Image © MB Architecture

July 19, 2017

East Hampton’s ‘Driftwood House’ employs traditional Japanese charred wood techniques

On a half-acre lot perched 18 feet above Gardiner's Bay in East Hampton sits a unique site, shielded by neighboring waterfront homes on its east and west sides, but completely open in front to the bay. With these two extremes as their inspiration, MB Architecture designed the Driftwood House, using both reclaimed wood from the property's previous home and charred cypress prepared using the traditional Japanese Shou-Sugi-Ban technique. The result is a sustainable residence that "[weaves] the line of the horizon through its spaces, slowly unveiling the views, with glimpses through layers and framed transparencies."
See the whole house

Hess Triangle is NYC’s smallest piece of private land

Photo via Wiki Commons

July 17, 2017

Hess Triangle is NYC’s smallest piece of private land

If you've ever walked by the busy intersection of 7th Avenue South and Christopher Street, you've likely seen people snapping photos of the iconic corner-facing Village Cigars, but what you probably didn't realize is that they were standing on top of New York City's smallest piece of private land. The Hess Triangle sits on the sidewalk at the southwest corner of this Greenwich Village crossing, a small concrete slab with an embedded mosaic that reads "Property of the Hess Estate Which Has Never Been Dedicated For Public Purposes."
Find out the story behind this cryptic message and one of the city's best historic remnants

History

Popular Articles

The Urban Lens: Tour the grimy and crime-ridden subway of 1981

July 14, 2017

The Urban Lens: Tour the grimy and crime-ridden subway of 1981

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, we share a set of vintage photos documenting the NYC subway in 1981. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. Grim, gritty, grimy--these are just a few of the adjectives one could use to describe New York City in the 1980s. Homicide rates were at near-record highs, the crack epidemic had exploded, the police force had dwindled after the recession, and government mismanagement left the city on the brink of bankruptcy. At the time, a 22-year-old photographer from Florida named Christopher Morris was interning at the photo agency Black Star. According to TIME, he saw the graffiti-covered subway, dark, dank, and dangerous, as a battleground that "proved an opportunity to work on something of a domestic front line." Now an award-winning photojournalist, Morris recently rediscovered this set of shots that he took over six months in 1981, during which time he devoted himself to this unique, seedy underworld.
See his photo series ahead

After three years, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s childhood home on the UES sells for $25M

July 14, 2017

After three years, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s childhood home on the UES sells for $25M

James T. Lee, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' grandfather, was a prolific NYC developer at the beginning of the 20th century, bestowing upon the city some of its most elegant co-ops like 998 Fifth Avenue and the Rosario Candela-designed 740 Park Avenue. He himself took up residency in the latter building when it was completed in 1930 and gifted another apartment in the Upper East Side building to his daughter Janet and her husband John V. Bouvier; Jackie O lived there with her parents between the ages of two to seven. In more recent years, hedge fund manager David Ganek and his wife bought the duplex in 2005 for $19.1 million, using it to also showcase their impressive modern art collection. The couple first listed the home for $44 million in 2014, and after several price chops, it's finally sold $25.25 million reports the Journal. Jacob M. Safra of the billionaire Safra family, of Brazilian banking fame, is the buyer.
Take a look

Lottery opens for 26 affordable units in the South Bronx’s new supportive housing building

July 14, 2017

Lottery opens for 26 affordable units in the South Bronx’s new supportive housing building

A year and a half ago, the nonprofit Unique People Services broke ground on Lynn's Place, an affordable and supportive housing project in the South Bronx.The $25 million+ project was financed by the city and various organizations and will feature community space on the ground floor, a sunken courtyard, a landscaped back yard, and a seventh-floor green roof, in addition to on-site support services. Of its 69 units, 42 are set aside for individuals with a mental illness or those who were formerly homeless. The remaining apartments are reserved for those earning 50 or 60 percent of the area median income. Ranging from $710/month studios to $1,107/month two-bedrooms, they've come online through the city's affordable housing lottery as of today.
Get the details

Affordable Housing

My 415sqft: Go inside a mini Union Square penthouse filled with Moroccan rugs and collectibles

6sqft’s ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Union Square penthouse studio of Leonard Shaver. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

July 11, 2017

My 415sqft: Go inside a mini Union Square penthouse filled with Moroccan rugs and collectibles

When Leonard Shaver moved into his studio penthouse 20 years ago, he never thought he'd be there two decades later. But thanks to a 320-square-foot terrace that not only makes the space feel twice its size but offers sweeping views of the skyline and Empire State Building, resurgence of the Union Square area, and the way his system of "organized chaos" has suited him, he now couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Admittedly a bit of a "hoarder," Leonard has an impressive set of Moroccan rugs, along with collections of Limoges Mona Lisa plates, Baccarat crystal, and shoes (yes, he even keeps them in the oven a la "Sex and the City"). 6sqft recently paid Leonard a visit to check out his home and learn about how he makes the small space work for himself and his two dogs Hunter and JJ.
Take the tour of Leonard's mini penthouse

Lena Dunham sells her first Brooklyn Heights apartment for $850K

July 10, 2017

Lena Dunham sells her first Brooklyn Heights apartment for $850K

Though she grew up in Tribeca, Lena Dunham attended high school at Brooklyn Heights' progressive St. Ann's. And after hitting it big with Girls, she bought her first solo apartment in 2012 at 145 Hicks Street, not far from the school. She paid $500,000 for the one-bedroom, 800-square-foot co-op, but two years later, she upgraded to a $4.8 million condo in The Heights building, which she shares with her musician boyfriend Jack Antonoff. Dunham was subleasing her original pad to his sister, fashion designer Rachel Antonoff, but WWD now reports that she's officially unloaded it for a very cool $850,000.
READ MORE

Billie Holiday’s last home on the Upper West Side sells for $9.5M

July 10, 2017

Billie Holiday’s last home on the Upper West Side sells for $9.5M

In the years prior to her untimely death in 1959 at the age of 44, jazz legend Billie Holiday lived in this Upper West Side brownstone at 26 West 87th Street, just steps from Central Park. The storied, historic home first hit the market back in October 2015 for $12,950,000, and after a series of reductions, the listing was handed over this past September to Million Dollar Listing's Ryan Serhant, who dropped the price to $9,999,000 and featured the property on a recent episode of his show. Lady Day's house, built in 1910 but recently renovated, has now finally found a buyer for $9,475,000.
Take a tour

Live in Joe DiMaggio’s former Upper West Side penthouse for $4.5M

July 7, 2017

Live in Joe DiMaggio’s former Upper West Side penthouse for $4.5M

If the Yankees' recent spate of bad luck has gotten you down, here's one way to re-live the Bronx Bombers' glory days--though it'll cost you $4.5 million. LL NYC noticed that Joe DiMaggio's former Upper West Side penthouse has hit the market. Joltin' Joe lived in the classic six pad at 400 West End Avenue from 1939-1942, during his brief marriage to actress Dorothy Arnold, as well as his record-breaking 56-game winning streak. In addition to the celebrity pedigree, the most spectacular part of the home is its 1,300-square-foot, wrap-around terrace with three exposures offering views of the iconic Apthorp, Hudson River and New Jersey, and George Washington Bridge.
See the whole place

The Urban Lens: Vintage NYC photos show everyday life in the 1940s

July 7, 2017

The Urban Lens: Vintage NYC photos show everyday life in the 1940s

6sqft’s ongoing series The Urban Lens invites photographers to share work exploring a theme or a place within New York City. In this installment, we share a set of vintage photos documenting NYC in the 1940s. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected]. The 1940s were marked with both dark times and bright hopes. Nightly dim-outs, meant to both conserve energy and hide the skyline from possible WWII air and naval attacks, were a regular occurrence; police scuffled with citizens over race riots in Harlem and the AFL Strike on Wall Street; and President Roosevelt died. But towards the end of the decade, New Yorkers and the nation celebrated the end of the War; Times Square and Coney Island drew record crowds; and retail venues like the Fulton Fish Market and Orchard Street reached their height. Ahead, this collection of vintage photos showcases what everyday life was like in NYC in the 1940s, from the good times to the bad.
See all the photos here

Live in Williamsburg’s trendiest corner starting at $722/month

Image via Smoragasburg

July 7, 2017

Live in Williamsburg’s trendiest corner starting at $722/month

Image via Smoragasburg Walk a block to sunbathe in McCarren Park; two blocks to play a game at Brooklyn Bowl; three blocks to schmooze at the trendy hotel trifecta of the Wythe, Williamsburg Hotel, and William Vale; and four blocks to hit up Smorgasburg at East River State Park. Normally a location like this would cost you a pretty penny, but as of today, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 10 affordable units at 174 North 11th Street. The apartments range from $722/month studios to $900/month two-bedrooms, and building amenities include a common roof terrace, fitness center, parking, bike storage, and a coin-operated laundry room.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Two chances to live in prime Bed-Stuy for $1,114/month

July 6, 2017

Two chances to live in prime Bed-Stuy for $1,114/month

Starting today, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for two, $1,114/month two-bedroom apartments at 183 Tompkins Avenue in Bed-Stuy, quite the deal considering market-rate two-bedrooms are renting for $2,600. The new six-story building has just 10 units total and is a five-minute walk from the Myrtle- Willoughby G train and 10 minutes from the Myrtle Ave J, M, and Z. Apartments have large windows, high ceilings, wood floors, and kitchens with dishwashers and stainless steel appliances, and the building offers some private balconies, a rooftop, and a virtual doorman.
The full details

Affordable Housing

MAP: Where to find NYC’s HDFC apartments, affordable co-ops for low- and middle-income buyers

July 5, 2017

MAP: Where to find NYC’s HDFC apartments, affordable co-ops for low- and middle-income buyers

When it comes to affordable housing, the city's offerings primarily focus on rentals, but the little-known pool of HDFC units (Housing Development Fund Corporation) provide low- and middle-income New Yorkers a chance to own a slice of NYC real estate below market rate. The program was created several decades ago so that tenants in poorly managed buildings could take control of their property and form cooperatives. At this time, they were selling for a mere $250 each, and though today's prices range from $500,000 two-bedrooms to $1.8 million three-bedrooms depending on the neighborhood, the deals are still out there based on qualifying incomes. And to make the HDFC hunt a bit easier, CityRealty has put these current listings into a handy interactive map.
Explore the full map here

Affordable housing lottery opens for 14 East Williamsburg units, starting at $589/month

July 3, 2017

Affordable housing lottery opens for 14 East Williamsburg units, starting at $589/month

Back in early 2016, 6sqft shared a new housing lottery for three Williamsburg buildings, one of which was 37 Ten Eyck Street in East Williamsburg between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street. The vacant lots were purchased in 2014, along with a fourth site at 33 Ten Eyck Street, by the Housing Development Corporation to build 100 percent affordable buildings. That final building is now complete and its 14 units are available to those earning 40 or 60 percent of the area media income. They range from $589/month one-bedrooms to $1,121/month two-bedrooms, and the building offers an elevator, outdoor area, intercom system, bicycle storage, and laundry facilities.
All the details here

Affordable Housing

New photos of Long Island City’s 1 QPS Tower show off NYC’s highest rooftop pool

July 3, 2017

New photos of Long Island City’s 1 QPS Tower show off NYC’s highest rooftop pool

Just in time for the height of the summer season, developer Property Markets Group has released a set of new photos of their 500-foot Long Island City rental 1 QPS Tower, which has the highest rooftop pool in the city, complete with panoramic skyline views, plenty of lounge chairs, and a stylish bar area (h/t CityRealty). The new images also show off the SLCE-designed skyscraper's other amenities, including a garden terrace, library, triple-height gym with rock climbing wall, and conference/lounge areas.
Check out all the photos

64
65
66
67
68