All articles by Devin Gannon

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

Birdwatching in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance on Flickr

June 15, 2023

New York City’s best spots for bird watching

By Devin Gannon

With hundreds of parks and over 500 miles of waterfront, New York City is an excellent place for bird watching. The five boroughs serve as a temporary and permanent home to over 400 species of bird, thanks to both habitat diversity and location on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds follow during migrations. From Pelham Bay Park in the northeast Bronx down to Great Kills Park on the South Shore of Staten Island, there is no shortage of birding activities in New York. We've rounded up the best places to find feathered friends throughout the city, most of which are accessible via public transportation. For guided bird-watching tours and walks, check out events from NYC Parks, NYC Audubon, and the Linnaean Society of New York.
Full list ahead

This $2.9M live-work space in upstate NY was formerly a Masonic temple

Photos courtesy of Annabel Taylor of Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty/Gabriel Zimmer

June 14, 2023

This $2.9M live-work space in upstate NY was formerly a Masonic temple

By Devin Gannon

In a charming country town in upstate New York, a former Masonic temple has been reimagined as an artist's live/work quarters. The nearly 100-year-old building at 57 Cold Water Street in the Columbia County town of Hillsdale is set up as both an art studio and a modern private residence, with two bedrooms and three baths. The expansive, one-of-a-kind property, on the market for $2,875,000, has tons of potential in its next life, as it's zoned for both commercial and residential use.
Take the tour

Historic FDNY buildings in the Bronx designated as NYC landmarks

Fire Alarm Telegraph Bureau, Bronx Central Office; Photo courtesy of Landmarks Preservation Commission

June 13, 2023

Historic FDNY buildings in the Bronx designated as NYC landmarks

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday designated two Bronx buildings associated with New York City's fire department as individual landmarks. Not only are the Engine Company 88/ Ladder Company 38 firehouse in Belmont and the Fire Alarm Telegraph Bureau, Bronx Central Office in West Farms architecturally significant, but they represent a period of evolution and growth for the city's fire department. The new landmarks also recognize a piece of Bronx history that has largely gone underappreciated.
Details here

Celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai finally sells Fifth Avenue apartment for $4.5M

Photos courtesy of DDReps

June 12, 2023

Celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai finally sells Fifth Avenue apartment for $4.5M

By Devin Gannon

Eight years and several price cuts later, celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai has sold his Upper East Side apartment. Fekkai first purchased the four-bedroom duplex at 953 Fifth Avenue for $7.4 million in 2006 and later listed it in 2015 for $12 million, following a revamp by interior designer Robert Couturier. After coming on and off the market many times since then, the co-op finally sold this month for $4.5 million, according to city records.
Learn more here

‘Summer Streets’ coming to all five boroughs this year

Summer Streets 2022. Photo credit: New York City Department of Transportation on Flickr

June 12, 2023

‘Summer Streets’ coming to all five boroughs this year

By Devin Gannon

The "Summer Streets" program will expand to all five boroughs for the first time ever. The annual event, which began in 2008, closes several miles of Manhattan streets to cars for outdoor recreation and activities. This year, the popular program will also come to Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island over five Saturdays between July and August, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday.
Details this way

New York issues health advisory over air quality from Canadian wildfires

New York City on June 6, 2023; Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

June 7, 2023

New York issues health advisory over air quality from Canadian wildfires

By Devin Gannon

New York officials are recommending residents limit outdoor activities on Wednesday as air quality across the state continues to deteriorate from the ongoing Canadian wildfires. The more than 100 wildfires currently burning in Quebec are creating hazy skies and unhealthy conditions, resulting in an Air Quality Health Advisory issued by the state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) for the New York City Metro Area, Long Island, Eastern Lake Ontario, Central New York, and Western New York regions. The air pollution in New York City has ranked as the worst of any city in the world. The state extended the health advisory through Friday.
Find out more

Policy

Where to watch outdoor movies in NYC this summer

Photo by John Eng for Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy

June 6, 2023

Where to watch outdoor movies in NYC this summer

By Devin Gannon

One of the best summer activities is returning to New York City: outdoor movies. 6sqft has put together a preliminary list of places to watch outdoor movies across the city, from a waterfront park in Brooklyn and a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan to the urban oasis that is the Queens Botanical Garden. As more movie lineups get released this summer, the list will be updated accordingly.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Lottery opens at new Passive House rental in Gramercy, from $836/month

All renderings courtesy of Redundant Pixel

June 5, 2023

Lottery opens at new Passive House rental in Gramercy, from $836/month

By Devin Gannon

A sustainable rental in one of Manhattan's most sought-after neighborhoods launched a housing lottery last week. Designed by Hill West Architects to meet Passive House standards, Gemma Gramercy is a 20-story building, located at 200 East 23rd Street, that will use 85 percent less energy than traditional buildings. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the available apartments, priced from $836/month studios to $3,490/month for two-bedroom units.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

In this beautiful $5.95M Park Slope brownstone, the kitchen is the star

Photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

June 5, 2023

In this beautiful $5.95M Park Slope brownstone, the kitchen is the star

By Devin Gannon

From its modern open-plan layout to the charming rear garden, there's a lot to like at this Park Slope brownstone, which underwent a gut renovation by renowned architect Elizabeth Roberts in 2015. But the home's true star is the kitchen, a stunning sun-lit space with a wall of casement windows, top-of-the-line appliances, and a wood-fired grill built inside an original wood-burning fireplace. The Italianate brownstone at 359 Bergen Street is now on the market for $5,950,000.
More dream kitchen, this way

Distinctive Homes

Skyy Vodka founder’s Upper East Side mansion with major art ties asks $25M

Photos courtesy of DDReps

June 2, 2023

Skyy Vodka founder’s Upper East Side mansion with major art ties asks $25M

By Devin Gannon

A historic New York City mansion that once hosted some of the biggest artists of the 20th century is available for $25,000,000. Owned by Maurice Kanbar, an inventor and philanthropist who founded Skyy Vodka, the five-story neo-Renaissance building at 4 East 77th Street on the Upper East Side served as the first location of Leo Castelli Gallery, which is credited with launching the careers of Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol, among others. Currently home to the Michael Werner Gallery on the first two floors, the mixed-use property could become a grand single-family home again, as it was when originally constructed over a century ago.
The sky's the limit

Distinctive Homes

Popular Articles

It’s rose season in NYC: Where to see the summer’s prettiest blossoms

Photo by Malcolm Manners on Flickr

June 1, 2023

It’s rose season in NYC: Where to see the summer’s prettiest blossoms

By Devin Gannon

It's rose season. Not only is June the perfect time to drink rosé wine, but it is also when roses are in full bloom in New York City. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden boast impressive collections, with both institutions offering guided tours and other events to celebrate the rose and its hundreds of varieties.
Stop and smell the roses

Events & Things To Do

Manhattanhenge magic is returning to New York City’s grid

Photo by d26b73 on Flickr

May 26, 2023

Manhattanhenge magic is returning to New York City’s grid

By Devin Gannon

The spectacular sunset that aligns exactly with the Manhattan street grid and only comes twice a year happened for the first time this past Memorial Day. The magical Manhattanhenge was first visible on May 29 at 8:13 p.m., when a half-sun streamed through major cross streets. According to the American Museum of Natural History, the final phenomenon of the year takes place this week, on Wednesday, July 12 and Thursday, July 13.
Get the details

1920s Riverdale estate has magnificent indoor pool house and landscaped grounds for $7.25M

All photos courtesy of Real Estate Production Network for Sotheby’s International Realty

May 24, 2023

1920s Riverdale estate has magnificent indoor pool house and landscaped grounds for $7.25M

By Devin Gannon

A cliffside estate in one of New York City's most exclusive neighborhoods is now available for $7,250,000. Located at 700 West 247th Street in Riverdale, the 1920s Georgian home sits tucked away from the Hudson River waterfront on over an acre of flourishing landscape. In addition to containing five bedrooms and a six-car garage, the main house has a stunning fitness center with an indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

NYC subway, bus fare to increase to $2.90 by end of summer, under MTA proposal

Photo by Asael Peña on Unsplash

May 23, 2023

NYC subway, bus fare to increase to $2.90 by end of summer, under MTA proposal

By Devin Gannon

New York City commuters will likely pay more for subway, bus, and commuter rail trips by the end of the summer. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday unveiled its proposal for fare increases across the system. The cost of a single subway and bus trip would increase by 5 percent from $2.75 to $2.90, the first base fare increase since 2015.
Get the details

Manhattan’s only surviving ‘colored’ school is now a city landmark

Mayor Eric Adams visits former Colored School No. 4 in Chelsea. Photo courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

May 23, 2023

Manhattan’s only surviving ‘colored’ school is now a city landmark

By Devin Gannon

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday designated a building in Manhattan that serves as a reminder of racially segregated education in New York City. The former Colored School No 4. was a public school open to only Black students and teachers from 1860 to 1884. The remarkably-intact three-story building at 128 West 17th Street in Chelsea is the borough's only surviving school building that exclusively served African Americans. Not only does the new landmark represent the history of the Black community who lived in this part of Manhattan, but it also recognizes the many notable figures associated with the school.
Learn more here

Policy

Permanent outdoor dining in NYC takes major step forward

Nomad’s Pecora Biana on Broadway in June 2020. Photo by Eden, Janine and Jim via Flickr cc

May 19, 2023

Permanent outdoor dining in NYC takes major step forward

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council and Mayor Eric Adams reached a deal this week on legislation that would make the pandemic-era outdoor dining program a permanent fixture of city life. The Open Restaurants program launched in 2020 as a lifeline for city businesses and as a way for New Yorkers to gather safely. After over a year of debate over a permanent program, the Council introduced a bill on Thursday permitting outdoor dining structures, or "streeteries," on city streets, but only for eight months of the year. So-called "sidewalk cafes" would be allowed year-round. The bill is expected to be voted on by the Council next month.
Get the details

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s former Greenwich Village apartment asks $15.5M

All images courtesy of The Corcoran Group

May 18, 2023

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s former Greenwich Village apartment asks $15.5M

By Devin Gannon

A Greenwich Village townhouse with a carriage house that Kate Moss and Johnny Depp called home during the 1990s is for sale. The nearly 200-year-old Federal-style brick townhouse at 112 Waverly Place is currently configured as four rentals, each with private outdoor space and wood-burning fireplaces. The 90s power couple lived in the quirky complex's 1,800-square-foot carriage house from 1994 to 1998. The entire property is now available for $15,500,000, as first spotted by the New York Post.
See inside

Architecture critic Paul Goldberger lists Central Park-facing Beresford co-op for $8.95M

All photos courtesy of Yoo Jean Han for Sotheby’s International Realty

May 17, 2023

Architecture critic Paul Goldberger lists Central Park-facing Beresford co-op for $8.95M

By Devin Gannon

An architecture critic is selling his apartment in one of New York City's most beloved buildings. Paul Goldberger, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his architecture criticism in the New York Times and has authored several books, has put his nine-room co-op at 211 Central Park West on the market for $8,950,000. The spacious apartment at The Beresford benefits from pre-war proportions and character, a recently renovated chef's kitchen, Central Park views, and an iconic address.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Billy Joel lists 26-acre North Shore estate for $49M

Photo credit: Tyler Sands/Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

May 16, 2023

Billy Joel lists 26-acre North Shore estate for $49M

By Devin Gannon

Billy Joel is selling his 26-acre estate on Long Island's North Shore for $49,000,000. The "Piano Man" bought the first 14 acres of the sprawling property on Oyster Bay Harbor in 2002 for $22,500,000, and has since acquired more parcels of land, piecing together much of an original estate that was split up in the 1950s, as the Wall Street Journal reported.
Get the details

Rosie O’Donnell’s ritzy Midtown East penthouse hits the market for $8.3M

Photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

May 15, 2023

Rosie O’Donnell’s ritzy Midtown East penthouse hits the market for $8.3M

By Devin Gannon

Rosie O'Donnell is trading Manhattan for Malibu. The comedian put her Midtown East penthouse on the market last week for $8,300,000, following a move to the West Coast, as the New York Times first reported. The Long Island native and longtime New York City resident paid $8,000,000 for the apartment in 2017. The home, located atop 255 East 49th Street, measures nearly 3,600 square feet across three levels, including an impressive private rooftop.
Take a look here

Novelist Erica Jong lists Upper East Side apartment for $4.25M

Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker Warburg

May 12, 2023

Novelist Erica Jong lists Upper East Side apartment for $4.25M

By Devin Gannon

Novelist Erica Jong is selling her high-floor Upper East Side home for $4,250,000. Jong, who has written more than 25 books but is best known for her 1973 feminist novel "Fear of Flying," bought the apartment with her husband for $1,490,000 in 1990, according to the New York Post. Located on the 27th floor of the Emery Roth-designed Imperial House at 150 East 69th Street, the apartment measures nearly 3,000 square feet, boasts a charming solarium with sweeping Central Park views, and has custom bookcases filled to the brim, fit for any writer.
See inside

El Dorado childhood home of Beastie Boys’ Mike D finds a buyer after $4.5M price chop

Photos from the 2022 listing courtesy of Rise Media

May 10, 2023

El Dorado childhood home of Beastie Boys’ Mike D finds a buyer after $4.5M price chop

By Devin Gannon

The childhood home of Beastie Boys rapper Mike D has found a buyer, after a year on the market and a $4.5 million price cut. The apartment at the Upper West Side's enviable El Dorado building belonged to the estate of Hester and Harold Diamond, owners of one of the world’s finest art collections and parents of Mike Diamond. The duplex co-op hit the market in May 2022 for $19,500,000 and relisted this past March for $14,995,000 before entering contract on Tuesday, as first reported by the New York Post.
Details here

Real Estate Trends

NYC designates Bushwick’s first historic district

All photos courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

May 9, 2023

NYC designates Bushwick’s first historic district

By Devin Gannon

A block in Bushwick with a collection of intact rowhouses has been designated as the neighborhood's first historic district. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to landmark a stretch of Linden Street between Broadway and Bushwick Avenues that represent several architectural styles of the late 19th century, including Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, and neo-Grec. According to the commission, the Linden Street Historic District represents the neighborhood's transition from farmland to residential and boasts a "unified streetscape with a strong sense of place."
Details here

Policy

Rent increase between 2% and 5% likely for NYC’s stabilized apartments

Photo by Avi Werde on Unsplash

May 3, 2023

Rent increase between 2% and 5% likely for NYC’s stabilized apartments

By Devin Gannon

The roughly two million New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments will likely see rents go up by the largest percentage in 10 years. In a preliminary vote on Tuesday, the Rent Guidelines Board, a nine-member panel responsible for adjusting the cost of rent for stabilized apartments, approved increases on one-year leases between 2 and 5 percent and increases on two-year leases between 4 and 7 percent. A vote determining the final increases will take place in June; the board historically has adopted rent hike proposals that fall within the preliminary range.
Details here

Policy

Lottery opens for 70 mixed-income units at High Line-facing rental in Hudson Yards, from $772/month

Photo courtesy of The All-Nite Images on Flickr

May 1, 2023

Lottery opens for 70 mixed-income units at High Line-facing rental in Hudson Yards, from $772/month

By Devin Gannon

A new high-rise tower in Hudson Yards launched a housing lottery last week for 70 mixed-income apartments. Dubbed the 30th and 11th Apartments, the mixed-use building at 606 West 30th Street sits across from the High Line and just south of New York City's newest neighborhood. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $772/month studios to $2,592/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

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