All articles by Dana Schulz

Jared Kushner will lend $1B to developers over the next five years

November 30, 2016

Jared Kushner will lend $1B to developers over the next five years

When Charles Kushner founded real estate development firm Kushner Companies in 1985, he may have had visions of his son Jared taking over the company (which he did in 2007), but he never could have predicted the role his kin would have in one of the country's most contentious presidential elections. Because of his political involvement, many have speculated what will come of the company, but Jared shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, the Post reports today that the firm plans to lend $1 billion over the next five years--or $200 million annually--to other developers' projects through Kushner Companies' new lending arm, Kushner Credit Opportunity Fund, which was launched earlier this year.
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New Developments

Designers at ArX Solutions offer their own take on a Waldorf Astoria interior renovation

November 30, 2016

Designers at ArX Solutions offer their own take on a Waldorf Astoria interior renovation

The final checkout for hotel guests at the iconic Waldorf Astoria is March 1st, after which its new owner, Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance Group, will begin converting the 1,413 hotel rooms into 840 renovated hotel rooms and 321 luxury condos to the tune of $1 billion. Earlier this month, the developer filed these plans with the Department of Buildings, which also call for adding retail space, a restaurant, and a fitness center on the ground floors. They'll retain the historic ballrooms, exhibition space, dining rooms, and banquet rooms, but will still need approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for any work on these public spaces; the building has long been an exterior landmark, but the LPC recently calendared a request to landmark the Art Deco interiors. Though no designs have been approved or confirmed, CityRealty dug up renderings from architectural visualization firm ArX Solutions that show their vision of space*.
More renderings and details

Own a glass-box Hamptons home designed by One World Trade Center’s structural engineer

November 29, 2016

Own a glass-box Hamptons home designed by One World Trade Center’s structural engineer

Jeff Smilow is the Executive Vice President of buildings at WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, and perhaps his greatest accomplishment has been serving as the structural engineer for One World Trade Center. His streamlined, rhythmic approach is also seen at this contemporary glass and steel home in East Hampton, which he completed just this year. Now on the market for $5.5 million, the transparent residence best exemplifies Smilow's handiwork on its first floor, where the 5,000-square-foot open plan is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, completely unencumbered by columns.
Check it all out

Rafael Esquer uses 600 hand-drawn metallic icons to map Manhattan at night

November 29, 2016

Rafael Esquer uses 600 hand-drawn metallic icons to map Manhattan at night

Artist Rafael Esquer, founder of Soho’s Alfalfa Studio, previously created a wonderfully whimsical depiction of Manhattan named Iconic New York. Made up of more than 400 hand-drawn city icons, the map took him two-and-a-half year to complete. Forging ahead, Esquer has now released a new version of the map that features an additional 200 icons. Called Iconic New York Illuminated, its drawings are shimmering metallics that represent the lights, noise, and pulse of the island after dark.
More on the map

Events & Things To Do

Protest tonight outside Ivanka Trump’s Puck Building home; Via 57 gets a whimsical sculpture

November 29, 2016

Protest tonight outside Ivanka Trump’s Puck Building home; Via 57 gets a whimsical sculpture

A candlelight vigil is planned for tonight outside the Puck Building where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner live. [Gothamist] Did you know there are seven streets on Staten Island named for the original seven Mercury astronauts? [Untapped] Actress Lake Bell reduces the price of her Clinton Hill townhouse by $450,000, after listing it for $3 million […]

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After getting caught for scaling One WTC in 2014, noted daredevil climber is back at it

November 29, 2016

After getting caught for scaling One WTC in 2014, noted daredevil climber is back at it

It was major news a couple years ago when then-16-year-old Justin Casquejo snuck past security at the not yet opened One World Trade Center and posted a picture of himself after climbing to the top of the tower. Though he got caught and convicted, Casquejo seems unphazed by these legal troubles. The Post uncovered dozens of photos and videos he posted recently to Instagram and YouTube that show him and his friends "dangling from Manhattan skyscrapers," including the Time Warner Center, 220 Central Park South (where another urban explorer recently made waves), and Coney Island's Parachute Jump.
What does the NYPD have to say?

Uncategorized

JDS reveals interior and courtyard views of SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings

November 29, 2016

JDS reveals interior and courtyard views of SHoP-designed American Copper Buildings

The team behind the American Copper Buildings--JDS Development Group and SHoP Architects--teased a few interior renderings of the rental back in August, but now the project's full site is live and there's a slew of images of the SHoP-designed model apartments, as well as never-before-seen renderings of SCAPE Landscape Architecture's courtyard plaza. Along with these new views comes news from Curbed that though listings for the 600 market-rate units aren't available yet, (160 others became available through an affordable housing lottery) rents will start at $2,800/month for studios, $4,100/month for one-bedrooms, and $6,800/month for two-bedrooms.
See all the new looks

New renderings for COOKFOX’s 700-foot Financial District condo tower 25 Park Row

November 28, 2016

New renderings for COOKFOX’s 700-foot Financial District condo tower 25 Park Row

Over the summer, L+M Development Partners demolished the former Financial District flagship of J&R Music and Computer World to make way for a 54-story, mixed-use condo tower at 25 Park Row, just across from City Hall Park in an area quickly becoming a more vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood. Site excavation is now well underway for the 700-foot building, reports CityRealty, […]

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn

November 28, 2016

‘Sixth Borough’ map shows 14,000+ city-owned and leased properties that equal the size of Brooklyn

The Municipal Art Society of New York sent out a press release today that announces their new interactive map of the more than 14,000 city-owned and leased properties. Fittingly titled "The Sixth Borough," it shows how these sites amount to 43,000 acres, a land area the size of Brooklyn or one-third of the city's total land area, and the extent to which these public holdings--22 percent of which are listed as having no current use--affect the environment, infrastructure, landmarks, population, and neighborhood rezonings.
All the findings ahead

Policy

Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower

November 28, 2016

Locals push for Sutton Place rezoning ahead of auction for site of planned 950-foot tower

Despite the fact that the site is headed to the auction block next month, local residents and elected officials are rallying to prevent the possible construction of a 950-foot condo tower on East 58th Street in tony Sutton Place. Curbed reports that the group, which includes Councilmen Ben Kallos and Dan Garodnick and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, have submitted a plan to the City Planning Commission that proposes a height cap of 260 feet for the area bounded by East 52nd and East 59th streets east of First Avenue where there is currently no limit on how tall apartment towers can be.
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Popular Articles

$1.7B BQE rehab will be Department of Transportation’s most expensive project ever

November 28, 2016

$1.7B BQE rehab will be Department of Transportation’s most expensive project ever

When it was built in the 1940s, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway became immediately notorious for the fact that Robert Moses planned it to rip through otherwise quiet, low-scale neighborhoods. Today, it's poor reputation has more to do with potholes, bumps, congestion, and pollution. But that will soon change, as the city is embarking on a five-year rehab of the heavily trafficked, 1.5-mile stretch of the highway that runs between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street in Brooklyn and includes "21 concrete-and-steel bridges over local roads," according to the Times. And at $1.7 billion, it will be the Department of Transportation's most expensive project ever undertaken.
More details ahead

Transit

Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units

November 28, 2016

Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units

Earlier this fall, the first building at Two Trees’ three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Refinery mega-development topped out. The 16-story, $200 million tower at 325 Kent Avenue was designed by SHoP Architects, the same firm responsible for the entire Williamsburg project's master plan, and features a two-winged scheme with a central courtyard. It'll hold a whopping 522 rental units, 104 of which will be reserved for individuals earning 40 percent of the area media income. As of today, these affordable apartments are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery, where availability ranges from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

VIDEO: Watch the Frenzy of New York Holiday Shoppers in 1930

November 25, 2016

VIDEO: Watch the Frenzy of New York Holiday Shoppers in 1930

Before the days of Amazon, last-minute holiday shopping actually required putting clothes on and interacting with other human beings. To fully understand just how far we've come (and really appreciate the ability to "add to cart"), take a look at this HD stock footage from Critical Past that shows the rush of New York holiday shoppers in 1930. The sidewalks are a sea of black trench coats, with shoppers trying to squeeze their way into stores on 34th Street and buy wares from vendors on what looks like it may be Orchard Street, once the hub of discount shopping.
Watch the full video

Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city

November 23, 2016

Airbnb settles suit against the state, but will continue to fight the city

When the state passed a bill in October that would impose fines of up to $7,500 on those who list illegal short-term rentals on Airbnb, the company fired back, filing a federal lawsuit on the grounds that the new law "would impose significant immediate burdens and irreparable harm on Airbnb." They've since withdrawn the suit against the state, reports the Journal, instead focusing their efforts on New York City, as they feel it's the city's jurisdiction under which these regulations fall and that they're violating Airbnb's First Amendment rights.
All the details

Policy

City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights

November 23, 2016

City may take a 20 percent cut from Midtown East landmarks that sell their air rights

At the end of August, the city released its long-awaited, very controversial Midtown East Rezoning plan. In addition to allowing 16 new towers to spring up in the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, the upzoning will "permit owners of landmarked buildings to sell their air rights across the district, rather than just to adjacent properties like the current law dictates," as 6sqft previously explained. The following month, the city embarked on a study of these unused development rights, which would amount to an additional 3.6 million square feet over the next 20 years. And part of their conclusion is that they're considering taking a 20 percent cut of these air rights sales, reports Politico.
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Policy

178 residential buildings may lose 421-a tax breaks if they don’t file as rent regulated

November 23, 2016

178 residential buildings may lose 421-a tax breaks if they don’t file as rent regulated

A recent report detailed how nearly two thirds of the city's 6,400 rental buildings where landlords received 421-a tax breaks didn't file properly as rent stabilized, meaning they could raise the rents as much as they chose. Now, 178 of these buildings may lose the coveted exemptions if they don't start complying with the regulations. The Post reports that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development sent out warning letters to these landlords, who altogether represent 1,400 apartments, telling them if they don't comply within 90 days their benefits will be "revoked retroactively."
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Felix the Cat 1927 – first balloon in Macy’s Parade

November 22, 2016

Felix the Cat, Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon, returns after 90 years

Felix the Cat 1927 – first balloon in Macy’s Parade In 1927, three years after its first incarnation, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade replaced its live animals with balloons designed by marionette maker Anthony Frederick Sarg and made by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (more on that here). The first such animal-shaped balloon was Felix the Cat, and after a nearly 90-year hiatus, the Times reports that he's returning to the parade this year.
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Events & Things To Do

Obama documentary goes back to 1980s NYC; Vintage subways return for the holidays

November 22, 2016

Obama documentary goes back to 1980s NYC; Vintage subways return for the holidays

“Barry” is a new Netflix film about Obama’s college days in 1980s NYC. Check out the locations featured. [Untapped] A rendering was uncovered of the glassy Sephora store that may replace the former Lenox Lounge site. [Harlem Bespoke] Vintage subway trains will hit the tracks on Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. [Tracks] Donald Trump‘s grandfather, Friedrich Trump, was […]

Uncategorized

Police presence around Trump Tower, via latecapitalism/Instagram

November 22, 2016

It costs NYC more than $1M a day to protect Donald Trump

Though part of Fifth Avenue will remain open in front of Trump Tower, the overall logistics of securing the area surrounding the building are still a bit of a nightmare for the NYPD and Secret Service, who must deal with traffic snarls, protests, security checkpoints, and angry pedestrians. If this wasn't enough of a cause for concern, CNN Money reports that the cost of protecting Donald Trump is more than $1 million a day, a figure that won't decrease any time soon since the president elect claims he'll spend weekends in his penthouse and Melania and Barron will continue to live there until the end of the school year. Plus, all of Trump's adult children and grandchildren live in the city and are therefore entitled to Secret Service protection.
More details

Celebrities

Windows at Frank Gehry’s IAC Building are oozing sealant

November 22, 2016

Windows at Frank Gehry’s IAC Building are oozing sealant

Frank Gehry's IAC Building was completed in 2006 for Barry Diller's media company InterActiveCorp. It was Gehry's first project in NYC, boasting his signature curving facade and ushering in a wave of starchitect-designed projects along Eleventh Avenue in Chelsea. It also gained notability for its full-height, double-glazed window panes that fade from clear to white, giving the 10-story structure the look of an iceberg. But it's this feature that's now resulted in a lawsuit, according to the Post, who reports that "the window sealant has become a dripping, opaque blob."
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Architecture And Design

New NYU program lets students live in local seniors’ spare bedrooms

November 21, 2016

New NYU program lets students live in local seniors’ spare bedrooms

As a way to offer lower-cost housing options, NYU is piloting a program this fall that will let students live in the spare bedrooms of local senior citizens. Dubbed the "home stay" program, it would cut in half the university's housing bill, reports the Post, as well as provide income to hosts. According to Gothamist, the program is part of a larger affordability initiative that NYU President Andrew Hamilton put forth when he assumed his role in January. The school's $65,000/year tuition makes it the third most expensive in the country, and undergraduate housing ranges from $10,500 for a shared bedroom to $21,000 for a private suite.
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Affordable Housing

Homeless spending in NYC hits $1.6B; Brooklyn Brownstones selling at a premium

November 21, 2016

Homeless spending in NYC hits $1.6B; Brooklyn Brownstones selling at a premium

As shelter numbers continue to climb, Mayor de Blasio has spent a record $1.6 billion on homeless services since taking office three years ago, a 60 percent increase. [WSJ] Six Thanksgiving recipes from Brooklyn chefs. [Brooklyn Based] Historic Brooklyn brownstones are dominating luxury sales in the borough, especially in Brooklyn Heights. [NYDN] Housing and legal services […]

Uncategorized

November 21, 2016

Cuomo sets aside $300M in tax-exempt bonds for NYC affordable housing

As of the summer, Mayor de Blasio was ahead of schedule on his ambitious plan to build or preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing over 10 years, having financed nearly 53,000 such apartments. His goal will now be even closer in grasp thanks to the additional $300 million in federally tax-exempt bonds the Governor has allocated to subsidize the cost of new construction, which brings the city's total bond capacity to $771 million, according to the Daily News, an 11 percent increase over 2o15.
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Image timothygo_

November 21, 2016

Fifth Avenue shutdown won’t happen even though Trump’s family will stay put

Between swarms of protestors outside the building and Donald Trump's claims that he'll spend weekends at his penthouse, the NYPD has spent the last week mulling a shutdown of Fifth Avenue in and around Trump Tower. And even though Melania and ten-year-old Barron will remain in the 24-karat gold-covered triplex instead of moving to the White House, Mayor de Blasio announced that the stretch of the Avenue in front of the building will remain open to vehicular traffic, adding that, "We have never had a situation where the president of the United States would be here on such a regular basis. But the N.Y.P.D. is up to the challenge, and the City of New York is up to the challenge."
And it's quite the challenge

Celebrities

Live a block from the Bronx Zoo for $1,348/month, lottery opening for nine units in Belmont

November 21, 2016

Live a block from the Bronx Zoo for $1,348/month, lottery opening for nine units in Belmont

As of tomorrow, nine brand new units in the Belmont section of the Bronx will become available through the city's affordable housing lottery. Located just a block from the Bronx Zoo and within walking distance to the New York Botanical Garden, the seven-story, 41-unit building at 2346 Prospect Avenue was recently constructed by the Stagg Group and Badaly Architects and also has ground-floor community facility space. The available apartments, open to those earning 80 percent of the area media income, include four one-bedrooms for $1,348/month and five two-bedrooms for $1,521/month.
Find out if you qualify here

Affordable Housing

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