All articles by Devin Gannon

Sutton Place townhouse designed for Anne Vanderbilt asks $21M
September 6, 2018

Sutton Place townhouse designed for Anne Vanderbilt asks $21M

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The brick Georgian townhouse in Sutton Place designed for Anne Vanderbilt, the wife of railroad heir William Vanderbilt, has hit the market for $21 million. Located at 1 Sutton Place, the 15-room home sits on the northeast corner of 57th Street, punctuated by a bright blue front door. Vanderbilt, along with a group of wealthy buyers, is credited with turning the remote, riverside Manhattan neighborhood into one of the city's most influential areas.
Take a tour
New views and details revealed for 407-acre state park opening in Central Brooklyn next summer
September 5, 2018

New views and details revealed for 407-acre state park opening in Central Brooklyn next summer

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The largest state park in New York City will open next summer in Brooklyn and be named after Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress and a native of the borough. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the first phase of the 407-acre park on Jamacia Bay will be completed in 2019. The site, formerly home to two landfills, will be converted into parkland with 10 miles of trails for hiking and biking, kayaking, picnic areas, educational facilities, an amphitheater and more.
Learn more
There will be no G-train service between Bed-Stuy and LIC every weekend in September

Via Wikimedia

September 5, 2018

There will be no G-train service between Bed-Stuy and LIC every weekend in September

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Making weekend plans in Brooklyn this month will be a bit trickier than normal. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is suspending service between Bed-Stuy's Bedford-Nostrand station and Long Island City's Court Square station every weekend in September for "track maintenance." There will be free shuttle buses available for North Brooklyn-bound straphangers (h/t Brooklyn Paper).
OH G
If New York Wheel doesn’t restart construction in one week, the project could be done for good

Update 9/7/18: The de Blasio administration on Thursday said the city will not provide any funds to help finish the New York Wheel, NY1 reported. According to an official from NYCEDC, “public funds are too scarce and valuable to be leveraged for this venture.” The New York Wheel has until Sept. 11 to determine whether its project can continue.

September 5, 2018

If New York Wheel doesn’t restart construction in one week, the project could be done for good

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The New York Wheel, a project plagued by years of delays and legal battles, has one week to recommence construction or work on the Staten Island job will stop. In May, developers were given 120 days, by Sept. 5, to find funding and a new contractor for the 630-foot Ferris wheel. In court papers filed Tuesday, the New York Wheel asked for a one-week extension, until Sept. 11, to find ways to restart construction, Staten Island Advance reported.
More here
Perkins Eastman reimagines Manhattan’s street grid with more pedestrian-friendly space

Rendering via Perkins Eastman

September 4, 2018

Perkins Eastman reimagines Manhattan’s street grid with more pedestrian-friendly space

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As a solution to Manhattan's growing gridlock, planning and design firm Perkins Eastman is proposing a physical redesign of New York City's street grid. In a CityLab article penned by Jonathan Cohn, who leads the firm's transportation and public infrastructure studio, and  Yunyue Chen, the recipient of Perkin Eastman's 2017 Architectural Fellowship for the Public Realm, they argue the city should "transform the streets radically, dedicating them to pedestrians." This includes grouping blocks into larger neighborhoods and organizing them into either thoroughfares and local streets.
Get the details
Brooklyn Heights’ oldest home returns to the market after a $2M price chop
September 4, 2018

Brooklyn Heights’ oldest home returns to the market after a $2M price chop

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Owning a piece of New York City history just got a little cheaper. The oldest home in Brooklyn Heights, located at 24 Middagh Street, has hit the market again, this time asking $4.5 million, a price drop of over $2 million from when it was listed last year. The five-bedroom Federal-style home boasts a private, landscaped courtyard and a separate two-bedroom carriage house.
Enough of a discount?
Study recommends creating a High Line-style park along Brooklyn’s Prospect Expressway

Rendering via BHA

August 31, 2018

Study recommends creating a High Line-style park along Brooklyn’s Prospect Expressway

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A new study recommends building a cantilevered linear park to run along the Prospect Expressway in Brooklyn, akin to the High Line. Developed by students from NYU Wagner's capstone program, PX Forward proposes ways to reimagine the 2.3-mile-long corridor, whose construction was led by Robert Moses between 1953 and 1962. As it stands today, the expressway cuts through neighborhoods like South Slope, Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights and Kensington, exposing residents to unsafe conditions due to high traffic and noise pollution.
More here
Upcoming walking and bike tours explore NYC’s historic and hidden waterways
August 31, 2018

Upcoming walking and bike tours explore NYC’s historic and hidden waterways

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Being the concrete jungle it is today, it’s hard to believe New York City was once a maritime powerhouse, its surrounding harbor waters serving as a vital trading port for the rest of the country. Before paved over and developed, Manhattan boasted forests and wildlife, supported by many freshwater ponds and streams. Today, some of the city's oldest waterways remain hidden in plain sight, their pathways relegated underground. NYC H20, a nonprofit who aims to educate New Yorkers about the city's water, is hosting five walking and bike tours of historic waterways throughout the month of September, giving New Yorkers a chance to get their feet wet with knowledge about NYC's water.
Learn more
With a higher cost and shorter route, de Blasio’s BQX streetcar plan is back on the table

Rendering via NYCEDC

August 30, 2018

With a higher cost and shorter route, de Blasio’s BQX streetcar plan is back on the table

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The long-delayed plan to bring a light-rail trolley between Brooklyn and Queens has been revived, following the completion of a two-year feasibility study, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday. But the proposal differs from the original idea for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX) the mayor had first released in 2016. The cost of the revised project has jumped to $2.7 billion from $2.5 billion, the number of miles on the route has dropped from 16 miles to 11 miles and the city expects the cars to run by 2029, instead of the original projection of 2024.
Find out more
Measuring the quietness of New York City in August

Photo via Elliott Scott via Flickr

August 29, 2018

Measuring the quietness of New York City in August

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You might notice it the first time you get your choice of seat on the subway during the morning rush or when your wait time in line at Whole Foods drops considerably. It's August in New York and the five boroughs are eerily quiet. While you can feel the emptiness, are the numbers there to back it up? The New York Times attempted to quantify this feeling of vacancy and did report a drop in subway ridership and beach attendance. But finding this data wasn't easy. The city is on vacation.
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See new photos of Jeanne Gang’s ‘solar carving’ tower take shape along the High Line

Photo by Timothy Schenck

August 29, 2018

See new photos of Jeanne Gang’s ‘solar carving’ tower take shape along the High Line

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Four months after topping out, Jeanne Gang's tower at 40 Tenth Avenue is getting its geometric glass installed. New images released by Studio Gang show the 10-story commercial building taking shape between the High Line and the Hudson River, as well as its unique glazing system on the lower levels (h/t designboom). Formerly dubbed the Solar Carve Tower because of the way the building is "sculpted by the angles of the sun," 40 Tenth Avenue features a curtain wall made of diamond-shaped panels facing downward, with four triangular pieces around it.
See its progress
Kushner Cos., Michael Cohen accused of falsifying construction permits at rent-controlled NYC buildings

237 Henry Street via Google Earth

August 28, 2018

Kushner Cos., Michael Cohen accused of falsifying construction permits at rent-controlled NYC buildings

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Kushner Companies, run by the family of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, allegedly falsified construction permits as a way to remove rent-regulated tenants from their New York City buildings, the New York Times reported. The city's Department of Buildings on Monday fined the Kushner Cos. $210,000 for 42 violations of submitting false applications across 17 buildings. According to a tenant activist organization, Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, also falsified documents at three of his properties in Manhattan at 237 Henry Street, 172 Rivington Street and 235 East 27th Street.
More this way
1,000 new affordable homes for NYCHA seniors coming to Central Brooklyn

Photo of Bed-Stuy via Wikimedia

August 27, 2018

1,000 new affordable homes for NYCHA seniors coming to Central Brooklyn

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New York State will finance 1,000 affordable homes for seniors who are residents of the city's public housing system, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday. The 100 percent affordable units will be constructed on underutilized land in Central Brooklyn that is owned by NYCHA. The $15 million plan falls under the governor's $1.4 billion Vital Brooklyn initiative, which aims to bring affordable housing, open space and recreation, new jobs and better healthcare services to the area, which includes the neighborhoods of Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, Ocean-Hill, Bushwick, Crown Heights and East New York.
More here
Airbnb sues NYC over new law mandating disclosure of host data

Photo via Airbnb

August 27, 2018

Airbnb sues NYC over new law mandating disclosure of host data

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Airbnb filed a lawsuit against New York City on Friday, following the passage of a law that requires the website to disclose the names and addresses of hosts. The lawsuit claims the new law is an "extraordinary act of government overreach" and violates the U.S. Constitution. The new law, passed by the City Council last month, makes it easier for the city to regulate illegal units, or apartments rented for less than 30 days without the permanent tenant present.
Find out more
City kicks off Governors Island rezoning process

Photo of Governors Island via simplethrill on Flickr

August 27, 2018

City kicks off Governors Island rezoning process

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The city has launched the public review process for rezoning Governors Island, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday. A notice announcing the first public hearing for the plan was posted by the city, a critical part of the environmental review process (h/t Crain's). The rezoning would create 4.5 million square feet of commercial, academic and cultural development, part of an endeavor to turn the 172-acre island into a 24/7 community.
Get the details
WeWork on track to become the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan

Image via WeWork

August 24, 2018

WeWork on track to become the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan

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If WeWork leases just 74,000 square feet of office space, the co-working space company will become the biggest private office tenant in Manhattan, the blog recode reported Thursday. This means WeWork would bypass JPMorgan Chase & Co. as the largest private office tenant in the borough. WeWork currently has 57 locations in NYC and represents a little under three percent of office space in the city, but is expected to grow to represent between five and 10 percent over the next decade. How are they securing all of this square footage? Offering brokers 100 percent commissions and huge rental discounts for tenants.
More here
Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza to undergo a $9M restoration

Via Wally Gobetz/Flickr

August 24, 2018

Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza to undergo a $9M restoration

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The historic entrance to Brooklyn's Prospect Park is getting a makeover. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Friday a plan to restore Grand Army Plaza and its iconic Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch located in Prospect Heights. The $8.9 million project, overseen by the Prospect Park Alliance and the city's Parks Department, includes replacing the roof of the arch, cleaning and repointing the brick and stone structure, repairing the iron staircases, and updating the lighting. Plus, the plaza-framing landscaped berms will be replanted.
Find out more
Despite drop in average rent, Battery Park City is still the most expensive zip code in the U.S.

Via Wiki Commons

August 24, 2018

Despite drop in average rent, Battery Park City is still the most expensive zip code in the U.S.

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Despite a year-over-year decrease in its average rent, Battery Park City ranks as the most expensive zip code for renters in the United States, according to a RentCafe report. In 2017, the average rent in this downtown neighborhood was roughly $6,000/month. And while it experienced a nearly two percent decrease this year, with average rent falling to $5,657/month, Battery Park City is still the not-so-winning winner. Not surprising but still bleak, 26 out of the 50 zip codes with the most expensive average rents in the U.S. are located in Manhattan.
See the list
Another blow to Uber, ride-hailing app launches for NYC yellow taxis

Via Wikimedia

August 23, 2018

Another blow to Uber, ride-hailing app launches for NYC yellow taxis

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Earlier this month, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a package of bills to limit for-hire vehicles, like Uber and Lyft, by placing a one-year cap on new licenses. And this week the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) approved a pilot program for a new ride-hailing app for yellow taxis, according to Curbed NY. Calling itself the "next generation taxi app," Waave promises to give New Yorkers upfront fares, surge-free pricing and estimated time of arrival before the car arrives, all features currently offered by Uber.
Get the details
Lottery launches for affordable apartments in Jersey City, from $1,014/month

Rendering via Genesis Companies

August 23, 2018

Lottery launches for affordable apartments in Jersey City, from $1,014/month

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Providing Jersey City residents some rental relief as the market continues to grow, a new housing building opened this week and launched a lottery for 100 percent affordable units. Located at 455 Ocean Avenue in the Greensville section of Jersey City, the five-story building includes 64 apartments, with five of the units set aside for homeless veterans and seven reserved for those earning at or below 30 percent of the area median income. Dubbed the Dr. Lena Frances Edwards Apartments, the rental's remaining units reserved for those earning 60 percent of the AMI ($66,500/year for a family of four) include $1,014/month one-bedrooms, $1,217/month two-bedrooms and $1,407/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
100 things to do in NYC that are completely free
August 23, 2018

100 things to do in NYC that are completely free

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Despite being one of the most expensive cities to live in, New York City offers many free activities, events, and attractions all year round, letting you pinch pennies when the rent check is due. From free lectures at the Met to free group meditation classes, there are tons of activities that don't cost a dime. To help New York visitors and natives alike, we've put together a guide of the 100 best wallet-friendly things to do in the Big Apple.
See the full list
Apply for 6 middle-income units on the Bushwick-Ridgewood border, from $1,988/month

Image via Mike Sinko on Flickr

August 22, 2018

Apply for 6 middle-income units on the Bushwick-Ridgewood border, from $1,988/month

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Located in Bushwick at 387 Bleecker Street, a brand new building is accepting applications for six middle-income units. The rental is near the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenue subway station, right by the quirky Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the three $1,988/month one-bedroom and three $2,436/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
New tool maps every active construction project in NYC in real time
August 22, 2018

New tool maps every active construction project in NYC in real time

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New York City's construction craze just got easier to track, thanks to a new tool that maps every major, active project across the five boroughs. The city's Department of Buildings released this week an interactive map and dashboard that provides real-time information on every active construction site in the city. According to the data, there are currently 7,437 active permits filed and nearly 198,000,00 total square feet of construction, as of Wednesday.
See just how construction crazy NYC is
For $2.5M, a West Soho condo with a peaceful garden sanctuary
August 21, 2018

For $2.5M, a West Soho condo with a peaceful garden sanctuary

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With a private garden oasis accessed through floor-to-ceiling glass doors, this ground-floor apartment in West Soho offers a stunning indoor-outdoor balance. Asking $2.5 million, the two-bedroom home located at 22 Renwick Street, a full-service condo boutique building, has plenty of space to entertain. The listing describes the home as "country living in the city," and with its 15-foot tall river birch trees and beautiful flowers, it's not hard to see why.
See the enviable green space
My 5,400sqft: Inside father and finance pro Stephen Fox’s sprawling Long Island City condo

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Long Island City condo of  Stephen. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

August 21, 2018

My 5,400sqft: Inside father and finance pro Stephen Fox’s sprawling Long Island City condo

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No, that's not a typo. Stephen Fox’s home really measures 5,400 square feet. And slightly more than half of that space comes in the form of two terraces--a lower one equipped with a grill and dining area and a huge rooftop area with more room to play and entertain than some city parks. Both spaces boast views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a front-row seat to the ever-evolving Queens neighborhood of Long Island City. After first purchasing a unit in the building, a former 19th-century factory, in 2006, Stephen and his wife Julie later snagged a larger apartment. The couple, who both work in finance, then bought the unit next door, combining them to make for an even more palatial home. They now share the light-filled space with their two children, three-year-old Mason and two-year-old Logan. Stephen recently gave 6sqft a tour of his home, shared what it was like to settle down in LIC, and told us how he's seen the neighborhood change over the last decade.
Take a look around
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