All articles by Dana Schulz

This never-built Washington monument would have been the city’s tallest structure

View of the proposed monument from the New York Herald in 1847 (L); Cornerstone ceremony procession by James S. Baillie, via Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

August 31, 2016

This never-built Washington monument would have been the city’s tallest structure

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When most people think of George Washington and New York City they envision the Washington Square Arch, not only one of the city's most notable landmarks, but one that clearly pays homage to our nation's first president. Real history buffs may also recall the Equestrian Statue of Washington in Union Square. But before both of these sites were erected (in 1895 and 1865, respectively), there was a plan in 1847 to honor him on the Upper East Side by building a 425-foot monument that would've dwarfed Trinity Church, the tallest building in the city at the time.
So what happened?
How Airbnb messes with mortgage refinancing; Randall’s Island getting free sunscreen dispensers
August 31, 2016

How Airbnb messes with mortgage refinancing; Randall’s Island getting free sunscreen dispensers

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Humans of New York profiled veterans and got an overwhelming response. [Washington Post] When the line between residential and commercial property gets blurred, homeowners renting rooms through Airbnb are having issues with refinancing mortgages. [WSJ] The art of the NYC manhole cover. [Hyperallergic] Million Dollar Listing’s Ryan Serhant opens first Brooklyn office in Bed Stuy. […]

POLL: Will the South Bronx become the next ‘it’ neighborhood?
August 31, 2016

POLL: Will the South Bronx become the next ‘it’ neighborhood?

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When 6sqft shared views yesterday of how a trio of new residential towers will alter the South Bronx skyline, we also looked at developer Keith Rubenstein's ambitious, albeit misguided, plans to rebrand the neighborhood. After dubbing the area "the Piano District" and throwing a party that made light of the troubled "Bronx is Burning" days of the 1970s, locals criticized his insensitivity and blatant attempts to accelerate gentrification. In addition to the aforementioned project, which will yield a total of six towers, Rubenstein is planning a food and beer hall nearby. And he's not the only one turning to this new frontier. Other seemingly "trendy" establishments that have opened up in recent years include the Bronx Brewery, Bronx Baking Company, a slew of coffee shops, and the Port Morris Distillery, and there's the plan to transform the Bronx General Post Office into a dining/drinking/shopping destination. But on the other side of the coin, the Bronx has been a hotbed for affordable housing development. In fact, the borough was issued the most residential permits in the city during the first six months of 2016, likely due to the fact that 43 percent of units under Mayor de Blasio's affording housing plan that began construction during this time were in the Bronx. But is this enough to preserve the diverse culture and demographics of the South Bronx, or is it poised to become the next "it" neighborhood?
Share your thoughts in our poll
See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline
August 30, 2016

See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline

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Controversial South Bronx Developer Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Partners, along with the Chetrit Group, received approvals earlier this summer for a two-site, six-tower, mixed-use master plan on the Mott Haven banks of the Harlem River. This is the same project that Rubenstein touted as part of his campaign to rebrand the southern portion of the borough as the "Piano District," a marketing ploy that nodded to the piano manufacturers that dotted the area 100 years ago, but that featured a misguided party with burning trash cans and a bullet-ridden car, referencing the horrible "Bronx is burning" days of the 1970s. Contention aside, the development is moving ahead, and CityRealty.com has a 360-degree look at how the first site's three towers (two at 20 stories and one at 25) will transform the South Bronx skyline. These buildings at 2401 Third Avenue will rise just to the northwest of the Third Avenue Bridge, the former site of an 1880s iron works building that will soon boast $3,500/month apartments.
More details ahead
Is Downtown Brooklyn’s rental boom about to turn into a glut?

Google Earth rendering of the new residential buildings going up in Downtown Brooklyn, via CityRealty.com

August 30, 2016

Is Downtown Brooklyn’s rental boom about to turn into a glut?

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This time last year, 6sqft shared a report from CityRealty.com that detailed how Northern Brooklyn would be getting a staggering 22,000 new apartments over the next four years, with the majority, 29 percent or roughly 6,500 apartments, headed for Downtown Brooklyn. The trend has kept up, as the Times reports today that this number of units is concentrated among "19 residential towers either under construction or recently completed along the 10-block section of Flatbush stretching from Barclays Center north to Myrtle Avenue." Another 1,000 units are coming to four buildings on Myrtle Avenue, and all of these are overwhelmingly rentals. In fact, 20 percent of the entire city's rentals that will become available this year and next are in the neighborhood. But many believe this rental boom is fast approaching a glut that will cause prices to soften in a saturated market.
Find out more
QUIZ: What NYC suburb should you move to?
August 29, 2016

QUIZ: What NYC suburb should you move to?

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When 6sqft recently looked at a study pertaining to why millennials are leaving cities, we learned that to this generation, factors such as safety, education and health are more important than fashion, food and nightlife. Though it may sound surprising, it points to a shift in urbanites deciding to relocate to the surrounding areas in search of this quality of life. For members of this generation, or anyone else hoping to jump on the suburbanization train, a new site called PicketFencer asks a series of simple questions to determine which of 600 suburbs within commuting distance to NYC will be best suited.
Learn more about how it works
Subway Reads offers free e-books based on the length of your commute
August 29, 2016

Subway Reads offers free e-books based on the length of your commute

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It can be a bit frustrating to start getting into a book on your commute when you just as soon have to put it down, which is part of the idea behind a new initiative called Subway Reads, a web platform that offers free e-books to subway riders that can be timed to their commute. The program is a collaboration among the MTA, Transit Wireless (the company behind the $250 million+ project to put Wi-Fi in 278 underground stations), and Penguin Random House. According to the Times, the platform was launched as a way to promote the fact that connectivity has already reached 175 stations, but it will only last eight weeks. During that time, users can download novellas, short stories or parts of complete books to their cellphones or tablets, and they can make their selections based on how long they expect to be on the train (the formula accounts for about a page a minute).
Find out how it works
Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space
August 26, 2016

Where I Work: Inside Thompson Square Studios, Soho’s members-only co-working space

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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 take a tour Thompson Square Studios, a private members club-style co-working space in Soho. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! After starting his career as an architect in London, Robert Herrick went on to found Visualhouse, a "creative ideas" agency focusing on the architecture and design fields, in 2006. With offices now in London, New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Hong Kong, Visualhouse has produced work from branding campaigns to digital renderings for the likes of Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, and Rafael Vinoly. In 2013, Robert took his expertise and created the Thompson House Group with the goal of delivering private member experiences in workspaces, hotels, and restaurants. The Group's first project was Thompson Square Studios, a "private member club for work and play." Unlike traditional co-working spaces, the Studio has a membership board that selects tenants from the creative industries based on what they can bring to the collective whole. 6sqft recently caught up with CEO and founder Robert, who took us on a tour of the impeccably designed space filled with copper accents, industrial decor, and sleek yet moody furniture. We also got a look at how Visualhouse operates within the club.
Tour the space and hear from Robert
Vacant New York: Mapping all of Manhattan’s empty storefronts
August 26, 2016

Vacant New York: Mapping all of Manhattan’s empty storefronts

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There's definitely no shortage of Duane Reades, Starbucks, and banks lining Manhattan's streets, but other than these national chains, it's hard for small business owners to afford the city's soaring commercial rents, and these mom-and-pops are currently lacking any protections from landlords. In some areas, this has created a chain store monopoly, while in others it's left stretches of otherwise popular streets with large numbers of vacant storefronts. Programmer Justin Levinson is exploring the latter through a new map called Vacant New York, which provides a startling picture of Manhattan's shuttered storefronts and its high-rent blight.
See what the map reveals
Bushwick map lets locals track gentrification; the Jersey Shore’s midcentury resort architecture
August 25, 2016

Bushwick map lets locals track gentrification; the Jersey Shore’s midcentury resort architecture

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Today is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service; to mark the occasion Google has created five interactive tours. [Curbed] Bushwick residents designed a digital map to help residents stay abreast of changes to the neighborhood’s housing landscape (aka gentrification). [Bushwick Daily] The U.S. cities with the most Olympic medals. [CityLab] This photo series captures the nearly 150 […]

Owner of Red Hook waterfront terminal asks city to consider his site for Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar railyard
August 25, 2016

Owner of Red Hook waterfront terminal asks city to consider his site for Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar railyard

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Just yesterday, 6sqft took a look at reports that the Brooklyn-Queens streetcar will require a train yard/maintenance facility that will likely take up an entire city block and cost around $100 million (which is included in the $2.5 billion overall cost). Finding such a large swath of available real estate would be challenging, but a local industrialist wants to ease the burden by offering up his own property. Crain's tells us that John Quadrozzi Jr., owner of the GBX Gowanus Bay Terminal on the Red Hook waterfront, wants the city to consider his site to host the train yard. The Terminal, which was originally constructed in 1922 as the New York Port Authority Grain Terminal, is a 13-acre shipping depot with an additional 33 acres of underwater property that's used for concerts, film shoots, and commercial offices, and it's expected to be very close to the streetcar's route.
Find out more
City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

Conceptual image depicting all the proposed sites of the East Midtown rezoning fully built out. Courtesy CityRealty

August 25, 2016

City releases Midtown East Rezoning plan; could add 16 new towers

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After Mayor Bloomberg's failed 2013 attempt, the city has released its long-awaited Midtown East Rezoning plan, a controversial upzoning of the area bound by Madison and Third Avenues and 39th and 50th Streets, which would encourage taller, more modern office towers in an area that many feel is no longer attracting commercial tenants. According to Crain's, their proposal, the first step in the formal rezoning process, would allow the tallest buildings around Grand Central, increasing the maximum density by 30 percent. Along Park Avenue and near subway stations north of the Terminal, density would be increased, too. The proposal also 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.
More details ahead
How to fight back against office air conditioning; cab drivers no longer have to speak english
August 24, 2016

How to fight back against office air conditioning; cab drivers no longer have to speak english

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Rent-burdened New Yorkers talk about how they cope. [NYT] Research shows that ice-cold offices actually decrease productivity. If your company won’t raise the AC, here are some tips. [Bloomberg] The “Fabio of horses” is coming to Central Park. [Metro] Norman Foster’s skinny Seagram-neighboring condo tower, 100 East 53rd Street, finishes its glimmery facade. [CityRealty.com] Recognizing that […]

LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp
August 24, 2016

LaGuardia Airport to get $5M in repairs prior to complete revamp

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Though work on Governor Cuomo's LaGuardia Airport overhaul commenced in June, the first part of the project, the replacement of Terminal B (which will alone carry a $4 billion price tag) is expected to be completed in phases between 2018 and 2022. But travelers will now get some more immediate relief, as the Wall Street Journal reports that $5 million in improvements are coming to the terminal by the end of the year in order to keep it up and running until the new buildings opens its doors to passengers in 2020. This includes repairing the current leaky ceilings, adding well-lit signage, improving ventilation and air conditioning, putting new seating and tables into the two food courts, painting walls, sprucing up restrooms, and bettering the acoustics at security checkpoints.
More this way
163 years ago, an upstate chef accidentally invented potato chips
August 24, 2016

163 years ago, an upstate chef accidentally invented potato chips

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It was July, 1853, and George Crum was working as a chef at Cary Moon's Lakehouse, an upscale restaurant in Saratoga Springs that catered to wealthy Manhattan families building summer escapes upstate. One of his customers sent back his French fries because they were thick and soggy (h/t NYT). After the man (who is rumored to have been Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, though this can't be confirmed) sent back a second batch of the fried potatoes, Crum decided to get even, a decision that would land him a place in culinary history.
Find out how the potato chip was invented
POLL: For $2.5 billion, is the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar still a good idea?
August 24, 2016

POLL: For $2.5 billion, is the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar still a good idea?

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When the Mayor officially endorsed the plan for a Brooklyn-Queens streetcar, the estimated cost to realize the project was pinned at $2.5 billion. Since then there have been plenty of purported roadblocks that some believe could balloon costs further, such as the claims that the 16-mile streetcar route would run entirely through flood zones and require two new bridges. But the latest comes via Crain's, who reports that the necessary train yard/maintenance facility for the cars may be the size of an entire city block and cost $100 million, which only adds to concerns that the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) may become more of an economic burden than the city can take on. While that may or not be so, proponents maintain that the cars are absolutely necessary. Not only are a number of areas along the BQX's proposed routes underserved by existing transit, but with all of the new office and residential developments planned for Brooklyn's waterfront, the fact is, adding additional transit is a necessity, not an option.
More details on the train yard and share your opinion
MAP: Know where the city is spraying for mosquitoes and where there’s potential for West Nile
August 23, 2016

MAP: Know where the city is spraying for mosquitoes and where there’s potential for West Nile

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Thankfully, the city has found no mosquitoes carrying Zika, however, as of August 11, they've found 141 mosquito traps with the West Nile virus. If this makes you worry about every itchy bite you've gotten, this handy (albeit stomach-turning) map series may ease some anxiety. The Department of Health has created the Protecting NYC From Mosquitoes maps that show where and how many pests have been trapped on average each week, and what species they are, as well as the locations of catch basins, backpack larvaciding, helicopter and truck spraying, and standing water violations.
READ MORE
Donald Trump quintuples rent on his own campaign office now that he’s seeing donations
August 23, 2016

Donald Trump quintuples rent on his own campaign office now that he’s seeing donations

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Now that he's finally raking in funds from donors as opposed to cheaply self-funding his own campaign, Donald Trump is loosening the purse strings. The first order of business comes at his very own Trump Tower campaign headquarters, where he's nearly quintupled the monthly rent. According to a Huffington Post review of Federal Election Commission filings, his campaign was paying $35,458 a month from last summer until up March. But in July, when the donations started coming in, that skyrocketed to $169,758. This came with a reduction of paid employees and consultants, from 197 to 172.
What's going on?
Rent this historic-meets-modern Cobble Hill carriage house for $8,500/month
August 23, 2016

Rent this historic-meets-modern Cobble Hill carriage house for $8,500/month

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There's nothing quite like a converted carriage house, from the plethora of historic details to the petite frames hiding often lofty interiors. This beauty at 413 Degraw Street in Cobble Hill, currently renting for $8,500 a month, is no exception. Built around the turn of the century, its brick facade is punctuated by the signature double-wide doors with a cast iron transom, along with arched dental moldings and a handsome cornice. Inside, it's indeed spacious, and though the modern updates are welcome, some of the design choices seem to clash with the historic nature of the home.
See the whole place
Local writer raising $150,000 to save Langston Hughes’ $3M Harlem townhouse
August 22, 2016

Local writer raising $150,000 to save Langston Hughes’ $3M Harlem townhouse

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Prolific writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes lived at 20 East 127th Street, an 1896 brownstone, in the 1950s and '60s, until he passed away in 1967. As Curbed notes, in more recent years, the ivy-covered, landmarked home has been plagued by lawsuits over its use and maintenance. The current owner listed it for $1.2 million in 2009, but it didn't sell even after the price was lowered in 2010. Today, it's estimated to be worth more than $3 million, though it's sitting vacant with its paint chipping. But local writer Renee Watson has big plans for the house that don't involve a multi-million-dollar sale that could potentially gut the interior, where Hughes' typewriter still sits on a shelf. CNN Money reports that she's launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $150,000 to rent the home, renovate it, and turn it into a cultural center for Harlem-based artists.
Find out more
Change the color of One WTC’s spire tonight; can NYC waterproof its subway?
August 22, 2016

Change the color of One WTC’s spire tonight; can NYC waterproof its subway?

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Tonight, you can change the color of One World Trade Center’s spire using a giant digital circuitboard in Brooklyn Bridge Park. [Untapped] The city has committed $91 million to revitalizing Far Rockaway. [Politico] Queens native Dalilah Muhammad was the first American to win gold in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. [NY Mag] Using $4 billion in federal funding, the MTA […]

For $7M, spend the afterlife in a crypt at Nolita’s Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral
August 22, 2016

For $7M, spend the afterlife in a crypt at Nolita’s Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral

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When 6sqft learned of Manhattan's last two burial plots for sale at the New York Marble Cemetery for $350,000, we thought that was some steep real estate. But it looks like the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Nolita has them beat, as the Post reports that the historic Mulberry Street location is opening "its 200-year-old crypt to the public for the first time — selling a six-person family vault in the catacombs for $7 million."
More on where you can spend the afterlife
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