All articles by Dana Schulz

July 26, 2016

De Blasio Ahead of Schedule on Ambitious Affordable Housing Plan

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It looks like it's been another successful year for Mayor de Blasio's affordable housing goals. When he took office in 2014, he pledged to build or preserve 200,000 such units over 10 years. In a January 2015 speech, he announced that during his first year, the city exceeded its goal by 1,300 apartments, building or preserving a total of 17,300 units. Now, an announcement on Monday from his administration says that the city is ahead of schedule with its goals thus far, financing the creation or preservation of nearly 53,000 affordable apartments. As reported in the Times, "just in the fiscal year ending June 30, more affordable housing units — 23,284 — had been built or preserved than at any time since 1989." In a statement the Mayor said, "This engine is in full gear, financing enough affordable homes for 130,000 people in just two and a half years."
More details this way
Lottery Opens for 13 Affordable Units in Washington Heights, Starting at $868/Month
July 26, 2016

Lottery Opens for 13 Affordable Units in Washington Heights, Starting at $868/Month

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In April 2015, developer Sutton Management applied to utilize the city's 421-a program for a new project at 607 West 161st Street in Washington Heights, just off the New York Presbyterian campus. They received approvals that 13 of the Jeffrey Cole Architects-designed building's 62 units would be reserved for those earning 60 percent or less than the area median income, and today these units have come online through the city's affordable housing lottery. They range from $868/month studios to $1,085 two-bedrooms, and for an additional fee, lottery residents will have access to a fitness center and bicycle room.
Find out if you qualify
Apply for 53 Affordable Units in Historic Harlem, Starting at $494/Month
July 25, 2016

Apply for 53 Affordable Units in Historic Harlem, Starting at $494/Month

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The lottery is open for 53 brand new affordable units at 275 West 140th Street in central Harlem. The building, dubbed Strivers Plaza in reference to its proximity to the nearby historic homes of Striver’s Row, is an eight-story structure designed by affordable housing gurus Aufgang Architects. As previously reported by Yimby, Radson Development was able to build bigger than zoning would normally allow due to the inclusion of the below-market rate units, as well as an 8,000-square foot supermarket in what's considered a "food desert." Available units go from $494/month studios to $2,405/month two-bedrooms for people with a wide range of annual earnings -- 40 to 165 percent of the area median income.
See if you qualify here
Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff
July 23, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

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New High-Tech Subway Station and Car Designs Unveiled by Governor Cuomo $4.5M Industrial Tribeca Loft Is Both Cavernous and Airy See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park! 432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces New Photos of NYC’s First Residential Urban Farm at Urby Staten Island […]

Units at Trump’s 11 Manhattan Condo Buildings Are Still Selling at a Premium
July 22, 2016

Units at Trump’s 11 Manhattan Condo Buildings Are Still Selling at a Premium

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Historically, the Trump brand has boosted sales prices at Manhattan condos. Since 2005, units in the Donald's buildings have sold for an average of 31 percent more than other NYC condos. But with his beyond-contentious presidential run, it's been unclear if his real estate empire would take a hit in a city where 70 percent of registered voters are Democrats. New data brought to us by MarketWatch, however, shows that he's "still king of New York." According to an analysis by CityRealty.com of 2016 sales data at Trump's 11 Manhattan condos, these units sold for an average of $1,974 a square foot, compared with $1,873 for all other condos, a five percent advantage that was also echoed in 2015.
READ MORE
See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park!
July 21, 2016

See Day and Night Views From 1,400 Feet in the Air at 432 Park!

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Earlier today, 6sqft brought you flashy new renderings of the amenity spaces at 432 Park Avenue. The reveal came with a link to the official building website, which has a section offering jaw-dropping photos that showcase the views from the 1,396-foot tower, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. As the site notes, they span from the Hudson River to the East River, from Westchester to Brooklyn, and from Central Park to the Atlantic Ocean.
See them all here
432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces
July 21, 2016

432 Park Reveals Renderings of Rafael Viñoly-Designed Amenity Spaces

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To date, 46 of the 106 residences at 432 Park Avenue, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, have sold. And perhaps in an attempt to sweaten the deal for those remaining, which now includes rentals, the sales team has released renderings of the swanky amenity spaces, also designed by the building's starchitect Rafael Viñoly. In addition to views of the indoor swimming pool, billiards room and library, fitness center, massage treatment room, and movie theater, the press release brings fresh details on the restaurant, which will be open only to residents and their guests.
See all the renderings here
Transportation Coalition Wants NYC to Fix Failing Bus Service
July 21, 2016

Transportation Coalition Wants NYC to Fix Failing Bus Service

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On the heels of Governor Cuomo's major announcement that the MTA will build 1,025 new subway cars and modernize 31 of the city’s more than 400 stations, some New Yorkers are hoping to turn the attention to buses instead of trains. The NYC Bus Turnaround Coalition, which the Wall Street Journal notes is a newly formed partnership of transit advocacy groups, hopes to fix "a broken system plagued by outdated routes and slow, unreliable service." Since 2002, subway usage has increased by nearly 25 percent, while bus ridership has decreased by 16 percent. And between 2010 and 2015 alone the system lost 46 million riders. In response, the group released a report titled "Turnaround: Fixing New York City’s Buses" that calls for more bus lanes and bus-boarding islands, queue-jump lanes (additional bus lanes at intersections that would allow buses to bypass lines of vehicles at red lights), reconfigured bus routes, and implementing "tap-and-go" far collection at all bus doors.
Find out more
Versace’s Former Mansion Gets $55K/Month Price Cut; The Seafood Restaurants of City Island
July 21, 2016

Versace’s Former Mansion Gets $55K/Month Price Cut; The Seafood Restaurants of City Island

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The opulent UES mansion once home to Versace listed for for $120,000/month in April, but it’s now been reduced to $65,000. [Curbed] Here’s a dining guide to the seafood utopia of City Island. [Gothamist] New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman talks tall buildings, Greenwich Village, and his crusade for a 21st century transportation hub. [Common Edge] […]

MoMA Has Already Raised $650M for Renovation and Expansion, And More Is Coming

Rendering of MoMA renovation Via Diller Scofidio + Renfro

July 20, 2016

MoMA Has Already Raised $650M for Renovation and Expansion, And More Is Coming

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Just this week, it came to light that the Metropolitan Museum of Art may lay off as many as 100 employees as part of efforts to cut its $30 million deficit. As the New York Times previously explored, the struggling state of the Met exemplifies a shift in the art world towards modern and contemporary art. And standing as a true testament to this is MoMA's current financial status. The midtown museum has already raised $650 million towards its fundraising campaign, far exceeding the $450 million needed for its planned renovation and addition of three new gallery floors. In addition, they'll also sell $280 million of tax-exempt bonds "to raise money for the project and refinance debt as borrowing costs drop to the lowest on record," reports Crain's.
More details ahead
New Photos of NYC’s First Residential Urban Farm at Urby Staten Island
July 20, 2016

New Photos of NYC’s First Residential Urban Farm at Urby Staten Island

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Urban farms are nothing new to NYC, but the first one at a residential building is taking shape at Staten Island's Urby. The $250 million, 900-unit rental development is located on the borough's North Shore waterfront, just minutes from the ferry, and is a collaboration between Ironstate Development and Dutch architecture and design firm Concrete. There will be 35,000 square feet of retail space, and though the units are quite nice and modern, it's the health-centric amenities that really set this LEED-certified project apart. Urby will offer an outdoor pool, a two-story fitness center, filtered communal well, landscaped courtyards with fire pits, a rooftop apiary with beehives, a 300-car garage with electric car chargers, and access to a waterfront esplanade. In the food department, there's one of the city's largest urban farms, which is employing New York's first farmer-in-residence, as well as an on-site bodega, cafe, and communal test kitchen.
Check it all out
45 Years Ago, Evel Knievel Jumped Across 10 Cars in Madison Square Garden
July 20, 2016

45 Years Ago, Evel Knievel Jumped Across 10 Cars in Madison Square Garden

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A 1971 issue of the New Yorker described Evel Knievel as "a thirty-two-year-old native of Butte, Montana, who makes his living by riding a motorcycle at high speed up a wood-and-steel ramp, off the top, and into the air, with the intention of landing it on another ramp some distance away." Today, we're all familiar with the images of videos of the famed daredevil jumping over things on his Harley, but 45 years ago, Knievel was making his first trip to NYC. Madison Square Garden was hosting an event called the Auto Thrill Show, and as part of it, Knievel jumped over 10 vehicles, nine cars and one van--the max that could fit in the space--to a crowd "worked up to a point of high tension, apprehension, and excitement." These feelings weren't based on the length of the jump (he had set a world record earlier that year when he made it over 19 cars in Ontario, California), but rather the mere 75 feet of concrete between the end of the takeoff ramp and the beginning of the landing.
So what happened?
POLL: Are You Happy With Governor Cuomo’s Planned Subway Changes?
July 20, 2016

POLL: Are You Happy With Governor Cuomo’s Planned Subway Changes?

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On Monday, as 6sqft reported, Governor Cuomo unveiled the MTA's "plans to build 1,025 new subway cars, and to modernize 31 of the city’s more than 400 stations." Most of the new fleet will be of the open-gangway format, and they'll boast wider doors, Wi-fi, USB ports, better lighting, cell service, security cameras, full color digital information displays, and a new blue and gold color palette that represents New York's state colors. Since the upgrades are part of the $27 billion capital plan that was approved in May, some critics are questioning whether the changes are more cosmetic and brag-worthy, rather than functional. But the city explains that the design of the new cars will help alleviate overcrowding, thereby reducing delays. What do you think--can the MTA do better?
Cast your vote here
Pricing Revealed for Essex Crossing’s SHoP-Designed Condo Tower
July 19, 2016

Pricing Revealed for Essex Crossing’s SHoP-Designed Condo Tower

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Though Essex Crossing will bring 1.65 million square feet of residential, community, and commercial space to the Lower East Side, only one of the 10 sites will offer condos--242 Broome Street. Located at Site One, the SHoP Architects-designed tower is currently getting its foundation poured, and along with this groundbreaking comes a sales website with new details on the project, reports CityRealty.com. The 14-story building will have a five-story base to house retail and commercial tenants and a bowling alley from Splitsville Luxury Lanes. On the fifth floor will be a cultural space (the Andy Warhol Museum previously planned to open an outpost here) and rooftop sculpture garden. Above will be 55 one- to three-bedroom condos, 11 of which will be affordable. Tentative pricing for the market-rate units ranges from $1,275,000 to $7,000,000, according to the latest edition of Elliman Magazine (the brokerage will be handling sales).
More details this way
$4.5M Industrial Tribeca Loft Is Both Cavernous and Airy
July 19, 2016

$4.5M Industrial Tribeca Loft Is Both Cavernous and Airy

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The adjectives "cavernous" and "airy" don't usually go together, but a gut renovation at this Tribeca loft created an industrial-chic space that manages to feel bright and open while retaining its dark, underground moodiness. Located at the 19th century building 55 North Moore Street, the two-bedroom home boasts historic details like exposed wood ceilings, brick walls, and steel columns, along with more modern touches such as the amazing skylight made of frosted glass blocks. The loft last sold in 2004 for $1.78 million, and after the reno, the owners thought they could pick up a cool $10.6 million last year. The price has now dropped significantly to $4.5 million, however.
Take a look around this incredible home
Court Says Work Can Proceed at Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park
July 19, 2016

Court Says Work Can Proceed at Barry Diller’s Futuristic Offshore Park

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At the end of last month, an appellate court issued an injunction that said work must temporarily stop at Barry Diller's Pier 55 until at least September when opponents of the futuristic offshore park (who claimed it had gone through inadequate environmental impact evaluations) could present their case again. But The Real Deal reports today that work has resumed much sooner than expected, as an appeals court lifted the stop work order yesterday.
Find out more
Controversial Toronto Politician Appointed Director of Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar
July 19, 2016

Controversial Toronto Politician Appointed Director of Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar

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The Post is calling him the "Canadian Anthony Weiner," and it's just been announced that he's the new Director of the Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar. Adam Giambrone ran for mayor of Toronto in 2010, but had to drop out after leaked text messages ousted him in an affair with a 19-year-old college student. Sex scandal aside, the 39-year-old is a former Toronto city councilor, a position that allowed him to chair the Toronto Transit Commission from 2006 to 2010. During that time, he advocated for a network of suburban streetcars called Transit City. It was shot down by Mayor Rob Ford, but construction has since begun on portions of it. According to NY Mag, Giambrone then went on to serve as a traveling light-rail expert in Montreal and Milwaukee.
What will he be doing here in NYC?
Beyond the Four Seasons: Aby Rosen Talks Maintenance and Costs at the Seagram Building
July 18, 2016

Beyond the Four Seasons: Aby Rosen Talks Maintenance and Costs at the Seagram Building

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On Saturday night, after what seems like an eternity of speculation followed by lamentation, the iconic Four Seasons hosted its last dinner. Last summer, Seagram Building owner Aby Rosen of RFR Realty chose not to renew the iconic restuarant's lease, and even before this, he faced criticism when he removed Picasso's largest ever work, Le Tricorne, from the space. But despite the constant contention, the developer is speaking out, hoping to get a little credit for the work and money he has put into the office building. "I see myself as a custodian," he told the Times, referring to the fact that it costs RFR an estimated 20 percent more to maintain the landmarked structure than it would a typical tower of the same size and age. But experts say this is par for the course when one willingly purchases a designated building, which Rosen did in 2000 for $379 million.
Rosen breaks down the specifics
Abandoned Rockaways Building Gets Spray Painted; The Rise of the Inflatable Swan
July 18, 2016

Abandoned Rockaways Building Gets Spray Painted; The Rise of the Inflatable Swan

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Artist Katharina Grosse spray painted the abandoned aquatics building in Rockaway as an art installation that looks at the recovery since Hurricane Sandy. [designboom] As phone books stop being printed, recycling companies see more tonnage disappear from their waste stream. [Crain’s] See how much your first NYC apartment would cost today. [DNAinfo] The inflatable swan […]

Plans Filed for Condo/Cultural Building in West Chelsea by the Late Zaha Hadid
July 18, 2016

Plans Filed for Condo/Cultural Building in West Chelsea by the Late Zaha Hadid

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At the beginning of June, 6sqft reported that the Moinian Group would be moving ahead with a project at 220 Eleventh Avenue in Chelsea that they had collaborated on over a year ago with the late Zaha Hadid. This is located just three blocks away from the starchitect's only other New York Commission at 520 West 28th Street along the High Line. At the time, the developer announced that the new building will be "a collection of signature loft-like condominium residences, a collection of penthouses and a cultural institution to establish itself as the hub of the world renowned art district that is West Chelsea." Yimby has now revealed that Moinian filed official permits for the 11-story structure, which will boast 40 large condos, a museum, and a restaurant.
More details right this way
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