All articles by Dana Schulz

Vishaan Chakrabarti reveals idea to repurpose Madison Square Garden as part of the Penn Station overhaul

September 30, 2016

Vishaan Chakrabarti reveals idea to repurpose Madison Square Garden as part of the Penn Station overhaul

Earlier this week, Governor Cuomo revealed plans to transform a revamped Penn Station-Moynihan Train Hall complex into a "world-class 21st century transportation hub." Despite the flashy new renderings and promise of a 2020 completion date, not everyone is sold on the plan, including Vishaan Chakrabarti, former principal of SHoP Architects and founder of the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism. As outlined in the Times, he feels that Cuomo's scheme has one glaring omission--Madison Square Garden. Instead of demolishing the arena, as earlier plans had called for, Chakrabarti proposes repurposing it and "using its stripped skeleton to make a glass pavilion, which becomes a neighborhood gathering spot, not just a station." The venue would then move to the west end of the Farley Building.
Lots more details and renderings ahead

The Urban Lens: Photographer Bob Estremera captures vestiges of the Lower East Side’s early days

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, photographer Bob Estremera documents the historic buildings and businesses of the Lower East Side. Are you a photographer who’d like to see your work featured on The Urban Lens? Get in touch with us at [email protected].

September 30, 2016

The Urban Lens: Photographer Bob Estremera captures vestiges of the Lower East Side’s early days

When Bob lived briefly on the Lower East Side in 2011, he loved "walking its crumbling sidewalks and admiring it’s equally crumbling architecture." But the neighborhood's gentrification was already underway: "Tucked away among the little stores, restaurants, apartments and barber shops, upscale boutique restaurants were making themselves felt with prices and menus that could only be supported from clientele outside the neighborhood," he describes. So he decided to return to the LES and capture what he feels is the area's essence. In this resulting black-and-white series, he turns our attention to vestiges of the early days, "the decayed store fronts and once proud architecture and businesses that have vanished and others still clinging barely to life."
Hear more from Bob and see all the photos

Places

The best cities for coffee addicts; this furniture fits together like Tetric pieces

September 30, 2016

The best cities for coffee addicts; this furniture fits together like Tetric pieces

Remember the Tribeca “suburban” mansion with an indoor pool and three-car garage? It’s now on the market as a $97,500/month rental. [NYO] Despite the fact that NYC seems to have a coffee shop on every corner, it’s only ranked the 89th best city for coffee drinkers. [Metro] A new bill aims to improve safety and traffic […]

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Aerial gondola proposed to better connect Staten Island with Manhattan

September 30, 2016

Aerial gondola proposed to better connect Staten Island with Manhattan

With subway plans stalling and bus service failing, planners are turning their sites to alternate modes of urban transportation such as ferries and aerial gondolas. The latter has picked up steam over the past year thanks to the East River Skyway, which would run along the Brooklyn waterfront and into Manhattan, and it looks like the transit-starved folks over on Staten Island have taken note. Earlier this year, the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation launched a conceptual design competition for an aerial tramway that would better connect the borough to surrounding areas. As Untapped tells us, the winning proposal is a line that runs parallel to the Bayonne Bridge from Elm Park to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail in Bayonne.
Find out more this way

Tishman Speyer officially files plans for Bjarke Ingels’ $3.2B Hudson Yards tower

September 30, 2016

Tishman Speyer officially files plans for Bjarke Ingels’ $3.2B Hudson Yards tower

Developer Tishman Speyer has officially filed plans with the Department of Buildings for Bjarke Ingels' Hudson Yards tower The Spiral at 509 West 34th Street. As reported by The Real Deal, the filing confirms that the office tower will rise 65 stories and 1,005 feet and encompass 2.2 million square feet. When renderings were first released of the $3.2 billion project, which is distinguished by cascading landscaped terraces and hanging gardens, Ingels said his design "combines the classic ziggurat silhouette of the premodern skyscraper with the slender proportions and efficient layouts of the modern high-rise."
More details ahead

NYC real estate causes Trump’s wealth to drop by $800 million; finally, a self-cleaning toilet

September 29, 2016

NYC real estate causes Trump’s wealth to drop by $800 million; finally, a self-cleaning toilet

Turkey has officially files permits for a new, 35-story consulate and residential tower at the corner of 46th Street and First Avenue. [Yimby] One woman reveals the dirty secrets she found out after cleaning fancy Manhattan apartments. [Guardian] Donald Trump’s fortune is down to $3.7 billion, down $800 million from last year, due in large part […]

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New renderings for JDS and SHoP’s 1,000-foot Lower East Side supertall

September 29, 2016

New renderings for JDS and SHoP’s 1,000-foot Lower East Side supertall

Last 6sqft checked on the rental building at 247 Cherry Street in the Two Bridges area of the Lower East Side, it was revealed that the tower would rise to 1,000 feet, not surprising considering it comes from the supertall power team of JDS Development and SHoP Architects. And now, after a Community Board 3 meeting earlier this week where JDS and SHoP addressed the controversial project, CityRealty.com brings a new set of renderings that show close-ups of the 77-story building's green terra cotta facade and sky decks.
Check out all the new views

Enjoy some Donald Trump-flavored ice cream; Coney Island corner renamed for Nathan’s Famous founders

September 28, 2016

Enjoy some Donald Trump-flavored ice cream; Coney Island corner renamed for Nathan’s Famous founders

Does celebrity status help sell a high-end home? [Inman] Ample Hills Creamery released two candidate-inspired flavors: Madam President, chili pepper chocolate with Hillary’s own oatmeal chocolate chip cookies; and Make America Orange Again, orange marshmallow with brownie bricks. [TONY] The street corner of Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island was renamed for the hot dog stand’s founders. […]

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6sqft’s top 10 event picks for Archtober 2016

September 28, 2016

6sqft’s top 10 event picks for Archtober 2016

Now in its sixth year, Archtober is a month-long festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions in New York City. From walking tours and rare opportunities to go inside some of the city's most lauded buildings to panel discussions and film screenings, there's something for everyone in this 100+ event roster. But 6sqft has hand-picked 10 events that are sure to be highlights of this year's festival.
Check out our picks right here

Events & Things To Do

New startup TheGuarantors helps renters qualify for apartments and protects landlords

September 28, 2016

New startup TheGuarantors helps renters qualify for apartments and protects landlords

For NYC renters who don't have a parent or well-to-do friend who can guarantor their apartment, getting on a lease can be a challenge. In addition to wanting a credit score of at least 700 and looking at bank statements, landlords usually want to see that a prospective tenant's annual income is 40 times greater than one month's rent. If that's not the case, their guarantor must earn a whopping 80 times the monthly rent. Aware of this hardship in a country where rents have risen 20 percent over the last five years, a new financial startup hopes to help clear these hurdles. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, TheGuarantors sells payment insurance to tenants, which gives landlords a guarantee that they'll still be paid if the tenant fails to meet rent.
More info ahead

Popular Articles

The scene on the day of the explosion, via Uptown Radio

September 27, 2016

Second Avenue explosion victim sells vacant lot for $6M

When the Second Avenue gas explosion tore through three East Village buildings in March 2015, George Pasternak lost his property at 123 Second Avenue, which housed the famed Pommes Frites and a deli, by no fault of his own. And when the city demolished what remained, he was charged $350,000. But this past March, he listed the vacant lot for $9.7 million, and now 6sqft has uncovered property records that show he's made the sale for $6 million, significantly less than the asking price.
READ MORE

Real Estate Trends

Meet the architect Trump screwed over; East Village Lenin statue to get new home

September 27, 2016

Meet the architect Trump screwed over; East Village Lenin statue to get new home

Andrew Tesoro, the architect who designed a clubhouse for the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester and who Trump never paid, speaks out. [Fast Co. Design] After hitting an unprecedented high in April, subway ridership has been slightly down. [WSJ] But CitiBike usage is up, often hitting 60,000 trips per day in recent months. [Streetsblog] Though it […]

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More luxury condos may head to Billionaire’s Row as office tenants are vacated across from One57

September 27, 2016

More luxury condos may head to Billionaire’s Row as office tenants are vacated across from One57

Recent reports that the luxury housing market is slowing down may soon be dismissing Billionaires' Row, where several sites are in question to add to the strip's uber-high end array of residential offerings. The latest is at 140 West 57th Street, the Feil Organization's office tower right across from One57. The Post tells us that leases are not being renewed for tenants in the 14-story, landmarked building, where the developer "is said to have already drawn up floor plans for apartments."
The full story ahead

New Developments

Sales launch with new renderings at 242 Broome Street, Essex Crossing’s first condos

September 27, 2016

Sales launch with new renderings at 242 Broome Street, Essex Crossing’s first condos

Only one of the 10 towers at Essex Crossing--the 1.65 million-square-foot, mixed-use, mega-development underway on the Lower East Side--will offer condos, and those looking to buy a residence there now have their chance. Curbed reports that sales have launched at 242 Broome Street, the SHoP-designed tower that will house 55 one- to three-bedroom condos, 11 of which will be affordable. As 6sqft previously shared, market-rate units will range from $1,275,000 to $7,000,000. Along with this news comes the first set of interior renderings from DXA Studio, whose designs "balance serenity with modernism."
More details and renderings ahead

Inside the Art Deco banking halls of 20 Exchange; new app will let taxis act like Uber

September 26, 2016

Inside the Art Deco banking halls of 20 Exchange; new app will let taxis act like Uber

Take a tour inside the off-limits banking halls of Art Deco skyscraper 20 Exchange Place, now a rental property, but formerly the City Bank-Farmers Trust Building. [Untapped] Victoria’s Secret Model Isabeli Fontana finally sold her Central Park South pad for $2.5 million. [LL NYC] Gentrification is playing a starring role in new NYC-based television shows like “High Maintenance,” “Mr. […]

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Second Avenue Subway may miss December opening date

September 26, 2016

Second Avenue Subway may miss December opening date

After 100 years of chatter surrounding a Second Avenue Subway, it's no surprise that the MTA can't seem to stop flip-flopping on whether or not the line will meet its December opening date. In April of 2015, the agency announced that Phase I was 82 percent complete and on schedule, but this past June, reports of construction snafus signaled what many felt was an inevitable delay. NBC New York now confirms that the MTA is reassessing its timeline due to issues with elevator and escalator testing at the 72nd Street station.
More info right here

Transit

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

September 24, 2016

Weekly highlights: Top picks from the 6sqft staff

Video: Visit designer Kate Spade in her art-filled, unfussy Upper East Side home Stay in NYC’s first shipping container home in Williamsburg for $96/night The Bronx’s Lambert Houses may be replaced with 1,665 affordable housing units Adele might be saying ‘Hello’ to swanky Gramercy duplex PHOTOS: Check out NYPL’s new $2.6M ‘Book Train’ conveyor system […]

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Interactive map shames drivers parked in bike lanes; check out the amenities at 15 Hudson Yards

September 23, 2016

Interactive map shames drivers parked in bike lanes; check out the amenities at 15 Hudson Yards

CarsInBikeLanes is a new website that puts drivers who park in bike lane and their license plate number on an interactive map. [Gothamist] Here’s the first renderings of the over-the-top amenity spaces at 15 Hudson Yards. [NYP] The Port Authority has approved up to $150 million for the long-stalled Moynihan Station project. [TRD] Why free museums […]

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REVEALED: Port Authority releases five design proposals for new bus terminal

September 22, 2016

REVEALED: Port Authority releases five design proposals for new bus terminal

On Tuesday, an agreement was reached between West Side elected officials and the Port Authority that said the agency would expand the planning process for a new $10 billion bus terminal with more local input. And just today they've revealed the five proposals that were submitted to a design competition to replace the currently loathed site. Crain's brings us videos of the ideas, which come from big-name firms Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, Arcadis, AECOM in partnership with Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Perkins Eastman, and Archilier Architecture Consortium. Though this seems counter to the agreement, John Degnan, the Port Authority's New Jersey-appointed chairman, said he doubts "any one of them will be the final design," since they either further complicate existing planning issues or cost billions over budget.
Take a look at them all here

Sandy-damaged homes could cost city $1M each; the story of NYC’s most colorful apartment building

September 22, 2016

Sandy-damaged homes could cost city $1M each; the story of NYC’s most colorful apartment building

The city plans to allocate $500 million in NYC taxpayer money for Sandy repairs, as 53 homes in low-lying Queens could cost up to $1 million each to repair. [WSJ] A second art gallery is opening on Roosevelt Island’s Main Street, and its owner thinks others will follow, creating a “mini-Chelsea.” [DNAinfo] The tenement building on the […]

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W train service starts up again November 7th

September 22, 2016

W train service starts up again November 7th

NY1 has learned that the W train will make its triumphant return on Monday, November 7th. The line was taken out of service in 2010, along with the V train, due to MTA budget cuts, but the idea to revive the line came about last summer as a way to better connect Astoria when the Q train is rerouted once the Second Avenue Subway opens. As Curbed notes, at first it will operate between 57th Street and Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan, but will eventually extend to Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard.
More details

Transit

The Bronx’s Lambert Houses may be replaced with 1,665 affordable housing units

Google Earth view of the current Lambert Houses

September 21, 2016

The Bronx’s Lambert Houses may be replaced with 1,665 affordable housing units

When it comes to the Mayor's affordable housing push, the Bronx is a force to be reckoned with. Not only were more than 43 percent of these units constructed in the first half of the year in the borough, but the City Council recently approved the La Central development, which will bring nearly 1,000 affordable units to Melrose under de Blasio’s mandatory inclusionary housing legislation. Though not part of MIH, another new project may one-up this, ushering in a whopping 1,665 affordable apartments on the site of the Bronx Zoo-bordering Lambert Houses. As CityRealty.com explains, "If proposals are approved, the new mega-development will feature more than double the affordable housing units and triple the existing retail space, create a new public school, and better integrate the community into the surrounding neighborhood."
Find out more

Affordable Housing

NYC’s most expensive listing gets a $24M price chop; the meaning behind Grand Central’s chandeliers

September 21, 2016

NYC’s most expensive listing gets a $24M price chop; the meaning behind Grand Central’s chandeliers

New York’s most expensive listing was just reduced from $120 million to $96 million after five months on the market. [LLNYC] MoMA releases a new digital archive of every exhibition they’ve held since 1929. [Open Culture] Is this the world’s most beautiful hot dog cart? [Fast Co. Design] A Long Island brewery used George Washington’s 260-year-old […]

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POLL: Is Journal Square the Next Brooklyn?

September 21, 2016

POLL: Is Journal Square the Next Brooklyn?

These days, everything seems to get the Brooklyn stamp. The Post even went so far as to declare Pennsylvania's Amish Country the new incarnation of the borough. But a bit closer to home, Jersey City's Journal Square is making serious headway in the race to become the next frontier. As CityRealty.com recently explained, the slightly-inland area, easily accessible to Manhattan via the PATH train, is prime for development due to lower land and construction costs than the waterfront. At least 10 major residential projects are planned for Journal Square, and according to Ken Pasternack, chairman of developer KABR Group, "Rents for a new-development high rise will be $40 a square foot here, as opposed to $100 in Manhattan. We’re betting tens of millions of dollars that in the next 10 years, the neighborhood will be a brand on par with Brooklyn."
Do you agree?

Real Estate Trends

Sales launch at Renzo Piano’s first residential project in NYC

September 21, 2016

Sales launch at Renzo Piano’s first residential project in NYC

Last we heard from starchitect Renzo Piano's 565 Broome SoHo, his first residential project in the city, it was March and with construction underway, a slew of new renderings came online of the Soho condominium. Now Curbed reports that sales have finally launched at the pair of glassy, 30-story structures, with currently available units ranging from a $990,000 studio to a $6,135,000 two-bedroom (the penthouses and duplexes will top $20 million). Perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit from the press release is that some residences will feature "enormous private terraces with 25-foot private, saltwater pools," which seems to be a growing trend in the luxury market.
More details and new views

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