All articles by Devin Gannon

March 2, 2022

City intensifies enforcement at 250 apartment buildings with 40,000 open violations

New York City will increase enforcement at 250 apartment buildings that together have roughly 40,000 open housing maintenance code violations. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development on Tuesday announced the buildings, which include more than 5,000 households, will be placed in the city's Alternative Enforcement Program (AEP), which aims to hold bad landlords accountable and improve living conditions for tenants.
More here

Policy

Harlem’s massive $700M Taystee Lab Building is complete

Renderings courtesy of Janus Property Group unless otherwise noted

March 1, 2022

Harlem’s massive $700M Taystee Lab Building is complete

By Devin Gannon

A state-of-the-art building built for life science, academic, and creative tenants is officially complete in Harlem, serving as the anchor of a major new commercial district in the neighborhood. The 350,000-square-foot Taystee Lab Building, named after the bread bakery that once occupied the lot, is the largest building in the Manhattanville Factory District, a master-planned, multi-building campus stretching from West 125th Street to West 128th Street with dedicated commercial and community space.
Get the details

New Developments

Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

Interior photos courtesy of Nicole Franzen, unless otherwise noted

February 25, 2022

Pebble Bar to open at historic four-story townhouse at Rockefeller Center

By Devin Gannon

A 19th-century townhouse once home to a beloved Irish saloon that refused to move during the construction of Rockefeller Center is getting a new life as a glamorous multi-level bar. Set to open on February 28, Pebble Bar will stretch across three floors at 67 West 49th Street, where the pub named Hurley's served New Yorkers for over 100 years. Designed by Gachot Studios, Pebble Bar features a bar overlooking Sixth Avenue, a moody 35-seat dining room with a marble-lined oyster bar, and fourth-floor flexible event space and "secret" entrance.
More this way

Food & Dining

Jon Bon Jovi finds a buyer for $22M Greenwich Village condo

Photo credit: COMPASS / Shannon Dupré

February 24, 2022

Jon Bon Jovi finds a buyer for $22M Greenwich Village condo

By Devin Gannon

Just a few weeks after hitting the market, the four-bedroom Greenwich Village home of musician Jon Bon Jovi has sold for $22 million. The New Jersey native listed his corner condo unit at the Greenwich Lane building earlier this month. As CityRealty reports, the apartment fetched the asking price.
Find out more

Photo by Martineric on Flickr

February 24, 2022

NYC Marathon to return at full capacity this year with 50,000 runners

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Marathon will return in full force this fall, race organizers announced Thursday, after limiting capacity last year and canceling the year before. The world's largest marathon will take place on November 6 with 50,000 runners competing. All runners participating in the race must be fully vaccinated.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

Beachy bungalow in Montauk has modern interiors and cute backyard for $1.7M

All photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

February 22, 2022

Beachy bungalow in Montauk has modern interiors and cute backyard for $1.7M

By Devin Gannon

Just moments from the hub of the hamlet of Montauk, this charming Hamptons cottage offers a quaint and quiet escape without sacrificing convenience. The two-bedroom home, located on Fort Pond at 100 Edgemere Street, feels like a beachy bungalow due to its relaxed layout and use of natural textures but is still stylish enough to entertain and host visitors. The home is now available for $1,695,000.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

NYC announces plan to stop homeless New Yorkers from sheltering on the subway

Photo by Charles16e on Flickr

February 18, 2022

NYC announces plan to stop homeless New Yorkers from sheltering on the subway

By Devin Gannon

New York City will increase enforcement of certain rules in the subway system as part of a broader safety plan to address homelessness announced by Mayor Eric Adams and the MTA on Friday. The NYPD will boost their enforcement of the "rules of conduct," which includes the prohibition of lying down or sleeping in a way that interferes with others, exhibiting aggressive behavior, spitting, smoking, using drugs, and "using the subway for any purpose other than transportation," according to the 17-page plan. "No more just doing whatever you want," Adams said on Friday. "Those days are over. Swipe your MetroCard, ride the system, and get off at your destination."
Get the details

In the exclusive enclave of Sutton Place, an elegant co-op with extra space asks $1.9M

Photos by Krisztina Crane for Evan Joseph Images

February 17, 2022

In the exclusive enclave of Sutton Place, an elegant co-op with extra space asks $1.9M

By Devin Gannon

Here's an opportunity to live in a Manhattan neighborhood that offers a small-town feel with big-city perks. Asking $1,895,000, this stylish high-floor co-op at 419 East 57th Street in Sutton Place has been renovated but successfully maintains its elegant pre-war aura. Currently set up as a two-bedroom, with the flexibility to make a third, the apartment also comes with a coveted office/staff room on the first floor of the building.
Get the tour

Distinctive Homes

Kerry Washington’s former palatial penthouse rental on the UWS asks $25M

Photos by Will Ellis for DDreps

February 16, 2022

Kerry Washington’s former palatial penthouse rental on the UWS asks $25M

By Devin Gannon

An Upper West Side penthouse actress Kerry Washington once rented is now on the market for $25,000,000. Located at the luxury condominium building One Riverside Park, the exquisite full-floor mansion-in-the-sky boasts six bedrooms, seven and a half bathrooms, and unobstructed views of the Hudson River.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Britney Spears’s former Noho penthouse is on the market for $7M

Photo credit: Compass | Evan Joseph Studios

February 15, 2022

Britney Spears’s former Noho penthouse is on the market for $7M

By Devin Gannon

The Noho penthouse Britney Spears called home nearly 20 years ago is on the market for $6,995,000. The four-level apartment is in the Silk Building, an early 20th-century factory-turned condominium building located at 14 East 4th Street. As first reported by the New York Post, the home has a celebrity-filled history, with Cher, Russell Simmons, and Keith Richards among the A-listers who once lived at this address.
Take the tour

NYC commits $75M to Fair Fares program, makes it a permanent part of budget

By Devin Gannon

Funding for New York City's Fair Fares program, which offers a 50 percent discount on subway and bus trips for low-income New Yorkers, has been secured annually for the first time ever. Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams on Monday announced an agreement to baseline $75 million in funding for the program for the upcoming fiscal year 2023 budget. Fair Fares was originally funded at $106 million in 2020, but pandemic-related budget cuts reduced funding for the program to just over $40 million.
Details here

Futuristic movie studio designed by Bjarke Ingels moves forward in Astoria

All images by Synosis, courtesy of BIG

February 14, 2022

Futuristic movie studio designed by Bjarke Ingels moves forward in Astoria

By Devin Gannon

Construction of a massive $600 million movie studio in Queens backed by actor Robert De Niro can officially begin after the city granted the project a building permit earlier this month. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Wildflower Studios will measure roughly 775,000 square feet on a five-acre lot in Astoria, next to the Steinway Pianos manufacturing warehouse. The seven-story building is considered to be the world's first "vertical commercial film, television, and film studio," according to the architects.
Get the details

Jon Bon Jovi lists Greenwich Village condo for $22M

All photos courtesy of COMPASS / Shannon Dupré

February 11, 2022

Jon Bon Jovi lists Greenwich Village condo for $22M

By Devin Gannon

Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi put his Greenwich Village apartment on the market this week for $22,000,000, the Wall Street Journal first reported. The four-bedroom home sits on a high floor of The Greenwich Lane, a condominium located at 155 West 11th Street, and has panoramic views of Downtown Manhattan and direct elevator access. The musician bought the pad in 2017 for just over $18,940,000, records show.
Take a tour

Central Park takes center stage at this $5.9M condo above Lincoln Center

All photos: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

February 10, 2022

Central Park takes center stage at this $5.9M condo above Lincoln Center

By Devin Gannon

From its expansive, unobstructed views of Central Park to its location above Lincoln Center, this duplex condo has a flair for the dramatic. Located at 3 Lincoln Center, the only residential building within the renowned performing arts complex, the home boasts a 27-foot-long great room with direct views of Central Park and a south-facing dining room with sights of the Empire State Building. The interior views aren't too shabby either; award-winning architecture firm Jennifer Post Design put their signature sophisticated touch on the nearly 2,000-square-foot two-bedroom home. It can be yours for $5,975,000.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

Apply for 219 affordable units at new sustainable rental in Cypress Hills, from $202/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

February 2, 2022

Apply for 219 affordable units at new sustainable rental in Cypress Hills, from $202/month

By Devin Gannon

On the border of Brooklyn's East New York and Cypress Hills neighborhoods, a newly constructed rental building designed to meet Passive House standards is now accepting applications for 219 affordable apartments. Located at 110 Dinsmore Place, Chestnut Commons rises 14-stories and contains housing for low-income and formerly homeless New Yorkers. Those earning 20, 40, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from $202/month studios to $2,037/month three-bedrooms.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

$5.7M penthouse sale sets new record in Jersey City

Exterior of 75 Park Lane Jersey City (Photo: Business Wire)

February 1, 2022

$5.7M penthouse sale sets new record in Jersey City

By Devin Gannon

Jersey City has a new most expensive condo. A four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath penthouse at 75 Park Lane closed for $5,700,000, Strategic Capital, the developer of the high-rise, announced on Tuesday. This sale takes the title from the previous record-holder in the city, 99 Hudson Street, where a penthouse sold for $4,438,500 last October.
Learn more

Real Estate Trends

18 places to celebrate Lunar New Year 2022 in NYC

Courtesy of Pearl River Mart

January 28, 2022

18 places to celebrate Lunar New Year 2022 in NYC

By Devin Gannon

The two-week Lunar New Year festival began this week, ushering in the Year of the Tiger. Kicking off February 1 and running through February 15, the Lunar New Year celebrates the end of the winter and looks forward to spring and new beginnings. Thanks to its multiple Chinatowns and diverse Asian communities across the five boroughs, New York City offers many ways to celebrate the new year, including a fireworks display, parades, lion dance performances, lantern making, and more.
Details here

Events & Things To Do

Queens’ most expensive condo is this $4.995M penthouse in Long Island City

All photos courtesy of Evan Joseph Photography

January 27, 2022

Queens’ most expensive condo is this $4.995M penthouse in Long Island City

By Devin Gannon

A massive loft penthouse in Long Island City hit the market this week for $4,995,000, the most expensive condo in the borough of Queens. The home measures a palatial 5,400 square feet across two levels on the top floor of the Arris Lofts, once home to the Eagle Electric Manufacturing Factory and now a full-service condo building. The property has three bedrooms, three and a half baths, and two private outdoor spaces that deliver an up-close look at the ever-evolving neighborhood.
Get the scoop

Distinctive Homes

Lottery opens for 48 units at Downtown Brooklyn rental with impressive rooftop, from $1,542/month

All images courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 27, 2022

Lottery opens for 48 units at Downtown Brooklyn rental with impressive rooftop, from $1,542/month

By Devin Gannon

Adding to the high-rise boom of Downtown Brooklyn is The Guild, a 23-story luxury rental building at 310 Livingston Street. A lottery is now open for 48 middle-income apartments at the mixed-use tower, which was designed by Fogarty Finger Architecture and boasts a dark brick facade and bronzed windows. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which start at $1,542/month for a one-bedroom unit and go up to $3,219/month for a two-bedroom.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

New York’s mask mandate is reinstated, for now

Photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul on Flickr

January 26, 2022

New York’s mask mandate is reinstated, for now

By Devin Gannon

New York's mask mandate has been reinstated after an appeals court judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a ruling from a lower-court judge that struck down the policy. One day prior, Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Thomas Rademaker said Gov. Kathy Hochul's mask requirement, which applies to all indoor public places in the state that do not require proof of vaccination, was unconstitutional.
Details here

Policy

Joe Tsai’s firm revealed as buyer of $190M penthouse at 220 Central Park South

Via Vornado Realty Trust and Robert A.M. Stern Architects

January 24, 2022

Joe Tsai’s firm revealed as buyer of $190M penthouse at 220 Central Park South

By Devin Gannon

Earlier this month it was reported billionaire Daniel Och sold his penthouse at 220 Central Park South for $190 million, roughly double what he paid for the home in 2019. While the identity of the buyer was unknown at the time, city records first reported last week by Bloomberg show Blue Pool Capital, the firm that manages some fortunes of Alibaba co-founders Joe Tsai and Jack Ma, paid $188 million for the property.
Get the details

Real Estate Trends

January 21, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt statue removed from NYC’s Museum of Natural History

By Devin Gannon

The statue of Theodore Roosevelt that has stood on the steps of the American Museum of Natural History for more than eight decades was removed this week. The city's Public Design Commission voted last summer to take down and relocate the statue, seen as racist for its depiction of Roosevelt on horseback flanked by a Native American figure and an African figure. The bronze statue will soon be shipped to Medora, N.D., where it will be displayed at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, set to open in 2026.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen list pair of penthouses in Nolita for $18M

Photos courtesy of Tina Gallo

January 20, 2022

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen list pair of penthouses in Nolita for $18M

By Devin Gannon

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are selling their two penthouses in Nolita for $18 million, the Wall Street Journal first reported. The couple purchased a $9 million unit in 2018 followed by a $7.7 million penthouse in 2020 in the six-story Brewster Carriage House at 374 Broome Street. The A-list duo told the WSJ they wanted to combine the two apartments into one but never did.
More this way

January 20, 2022

Hochul outlines replacement for New York’s expiring 421-a tax break program

By Devin Gannon

As part of her State of the State address delivered earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul promised to replace the 421-a tax abatement program with a new "effective" credit. Set to expire in June, 421-a gives New York real estate developers who construct new residential buildings a property tax exemption in exchange for designating a portion of the homes as affordable. As part of her executive budget, Hochul on Wednesday outlined her plan for a replacement program called "Affordable Neighborhoods for New Yorkers." While the new program calls for the units built to be more affordable, much of the structure of the existing tax abatement remains in place.
Get the details

Policy

NYC pledges to make 1,000 intersections safer for pedestrians

Photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 19, 2022

NYC pledges to make 1,000 intersections safer for pedestrians

By Devin Gannon

Last year, New York City experienced the highest level of traffic fatalities in over a decade, a majority of which took place at street intersections. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced a plan to better protect pedestrians, including improving the design of 1,000 intersections across the city, constructing 100 raised crosswalks annually, and enforcing a new traffic rule that requires drivers and cyclists to fully stop for pedestrians when traffic controls are not in place.
Get the details

All articles by Devin Gannon

Pitch a Story

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Interested in seeing the property in person?

Distinctive Post Form

Get in Touch

Send us a Tip

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Thinking about selling your home?

Sell a Home (Footer)

Before You Move On from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Your Passport to NYC:
Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!