All articles by Diane Pham

Diane is the founder and Editorial Director of 6sqft. After graduating from the University of Southern California with a B.S. in Real Estate Finance & Development and a minor in Architecture, she enjoyed stints at SCI-Arc, the A+D Museum Los Angeles, Perkins Eastman Architects and Resolution 4: Architecture. She also previously served as Senior Editor of Inhabitat.com and spent several years as an analyst at CB Richard Ellis Investments in Milan, Italy.
Real Estate Wire: 15 of NYC’s One-Block Streets; Great Ground-Floor Apartments
November 3, 2014

Real Estate Wire: 15 of NYC’s One-Block Streets; Great Ground-Floor Apartments

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More Goldilocks Blocks; here are 15 one-block streets in NYC. [Untapped Cities] Great ground-floor apartments that aren’t dark and grim—like this one located in a former seminary. [Curbed] The case for the pied-a-terre tax: All apartments take advantage of major city services—be it police, fire, courts, or sanitation. It’s these city services that make New York City […]

Real Estate Wire: Bjarke Ingels’ 57th Street Apartment Tops Out; Landmarked Dudley Townhouse for Sale
October 31, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Bjarke Ingels’ 57th Street Apartment Tops Out; Landmarked Dudley Townhouse for Sale

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David Wolkoff, the developer of the residential building replacing 5Pointz, has sold his 791 Park Avenue home for $10M. [NYO] BIG’s 57th Street pyramid gets its topper. [Curbed] A Bowery development site sold for $45M. [TRD] The Port Authority has lost the $175M Hudson Yards tower deal. [Crain’s] Landmarked Dudley Memorial townhouse at 118 Amity Street in Cobble […]

The City’s Priciest Rental is a $500,000/Month Suite at The Pierre
October 31, 2014

The City’s Priciest Rental is a $500,000/Month Suite at The Pierre

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Because if you've got the cash, why buy a $6 million home when you can rent one for a year at the same price? The WSJ reports that the newest most expensive rental in the city is located on the the 39th floor of The Pierre and it's going for a cool half-a-million dollars a month. The floor includes the 2,000-square-foot Presidential Suite, which can combine with other rooms for a total of 4,786 square feet (or six bedrooms with six-and-a-half bathrooms), or be rented separately for $400,000 per month with the additional rooms ranging from $20,000 to $40,000 per month.
Find out more here
<b>6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes</b>

You can live here!

October 30, 2014

6 of New York’s Spookiest, Scariest and Downright Strangest Homes

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Every day at 6sqft we pretty much find ourselves in awe saying "We can't believe people live like this!" But every so often we come across a home that has us muttering "People live like this??" In celebration of All Hallow's Eve, we've rounded up six spooky and scary Manhattan and Brooklyn residences. One is filled to the brim with dead animals, another hides a secret underground portal, and another harbors an incredible tale of murder and deceit. Jump ahead to see all six them all—and if you'd ever dare live in one of these petrifying pads, you're in luck because several of these homes are for sale. Lucky you?
For these homes, it's Halloween year-round
President Obama’s College Apartment is Now Renting for $200 Cheaper
October 30, 2014

President Obama’s College Apartment is Now Renting for $200 Cheaper

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Live like a president—back when that president was a struggling student in college. The tiny two-bedroom apartment President Barack Obama once shared with another student while at Columbia is now renting for $2,300 a month, a couple hundred bucks less than its previous $2,500 a month listing price. The quaint home located in a rental building at 142 West 109th Street comes with an old photo of the prez standing in the doorway, and according to the listing, living here could be the road to political greatness: "who knows you might end up at the WHITE HOUSE one day!"
Inside Obama's college digs here
Construction Halted on Karim Rashid’s Harlem Condo After Buddha Statue Gets Decapitated
October 30, 2014

Construction Halted on Karim Rashid’s Harlem Condo After Buddha Statue Gets Decapitated

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Karim Rashid's condo at 329 Pleasant Avenue just can't seem to win. Weeks ago, the designer was forced to scrap the building's cyan and magenta color scheme for a more subdued palette, and now DNA Info reports that the city has issued a partial stop-work order on the building. The halting of construction comes after the city received complaints from neighbors that their foundations were being damaged by digging and careless workers. But the greatest victim in all of this? How about this Buddha statue which was decapitated by a construction worker.
More on the drama
Forget Showrooms, Developers Turn to Oculus Rift to Virtually Immerse Buyers in Pricey Properties
October 29, 2014

Forget Showrooms, Developers Turn to Oculus Rift to Virtually Immerse Buyers in Pricey Properties

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Though more and more house hunters are back to buying off of blueprint in this hot real estate market, that hasn't stopped developers from tricking out their sales offices with hopes of trumping the competition. Ultra-detailed scaled models line spaces, and the priciest of couches and countertops fill life-sized mockups blocks away from the actual address. More recently, buildings like 50 West have built out entire theaters wrapped with screens intent on showing buyers the panoramic city views their shelling out millions for. Clearly, cost is not a concern. But watch out, there's a new group on the scene ready to really shake things up. Architecture visualization firm ArX Solutions has turned to a piece of virtual reality tech that everyone seems to be talking about: Oculus Rift. With their specially designed virtual reality tours, clients can see exactly what its like to walk through a home with all their sensations engaged. Cool? Absolutely. But this tour doesn't come cheap. Like the lofty homes it features, a trip with Oculus Rift rings in at a jaw-dropping $95,000.
Find out more about taking an Oculus Rift real estate tour
Sportscaster Marv Albert Gets $15M for His Lincoln Square Apartment
October 28, 2014

Sportscaster Marv Albert Gets $15M for His Lincoln Square Apartment

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Famed sportscaster Marv Albert has found a buyer for his sprawling penthouse located at 150 Columbus Avenue. The NYDN reports the "Voice of Basketball" and his wife, former ESPN producer Heather Albert, just inked a contract that points to a $14.9 million deal. The couple originally purchased the 3,553-square-foot penthouse back in 1996 for just $2.39 million, calling it their home for years before heading down to Tribeca—and turning this pretty sweet profit. The penthouse was listed just five months ago.
Inside the home
Gramercy Park Hotel Hits the Market and Could Fetch $260M
October 27, 2014

Gramercy Park Hotel Hits the Market and Could Fetch $260M

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Get ready for another blockbuster sale. Following in the footsteps of Hilton who just sold off the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to Chinese Insurance Company Anbang for $1.95 billion, Aby Rosen and Michael Fuchs have put their prized Gramercy Park Hotel on the market. Crain‘s reports that the 186-room, 18-story hotel located at 2 Lexington Avenue […]

Has the Failed B2 Tower Ruined Large-Scale Prefab Housing for the City?

Photo © Field Condition

October 27, 2014

Has the Failed B2 Tower Ruined Large-Scale Prefab Housing for the City?

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Prefab housing has taken the world by storm in the last years, lauded for its low cost and flexibility, with buildings ranging from single-family homes to art schools popping up across the globe. But not until Forest City Ratner's plan for B2 BKLYN have we seen an attempt to build a large-scale module tower topping out at 32-stories—the world's tallest prefab tower. It's well known that the project has been a big flop; construction was far slower than originally projected and was halted in August amidst disputes between the builder, Skansa USA, and the developer, Forest City Ratner. In September lawsuits went flying, both pointing fingers as to why the whole thing failed. Forest City blamed the execution of the plan, while Skanska said the design was flawed. Fast-forward to today, and the work on the tower has been shut down with only 10 stories erected. A recent WSJ article looks at where the whole thing went awry, and more importantly: Is pre-fab construction even feasible at such a scale?
READ MORE
Karim Rashid Tones Down His Signature Style in the Bedroom with ‘Kosy’
October 24, 2014

Karim Rashid Tones Down His Signature Style in the Bedroom with ‘Kosy’

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Karim Rashid is well-known for his uninhibited use of color, but his latest design destined for the bedroom takes on a much more muted palette. Although there are no pops of pinks and blues, Rashid's love for the unexpected does show in this striking collection through sensuous curves and a sleek finish that creates for a cozy yet upscale escape for sleep. Called Kosy, this bedroom collection is a combination of wood, leather and glass, in—of all things— grayscale!
More on Rashid's new design here
<b>Accounting for the Strange Faces That Adorn the Woolworth Building (And Other Fun Facts)</b>
October 23, 2014

Accounting for the Strange Faces That Adorn the Woolworth Building (And Other Fun Facts)

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The 101-year old Woolworth Building has been in the news quite a bit lately, especially since it was first announced that the top 30 floors would be turned into 34 apartments; one of which is a nine-story penthouse is expected to hit the market for a record $110 million. But the Woolworth has long been at the center of New York life with its storied past and lofty 792-foot height. It cost $13.5 million to erect the tower in 1913, and the building was the world's tallest when it first debuted. Though a number—50 to be exact—have surpassed it in height, the Woolworth Building has remained one of the world's most admired for its detailed and compelling ornamentation. Like other prestigious companies of its time, Frank W. Woolworth wanted something unforgettable and the building's architect, Cass Gilbert, certainly delivered. The tower is filled to the brim with mosaics, stained-glass, golden embellishments and of course tons of those carved faces and figures.
See the faces of the Woolworth building
Real Estate Wire: Luxury Tower Rising Along the AirTrain; No Picket Fences for This Generation
October 23, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Luxury Tower Rising Along the AirTrain; No Picket Fences for This Generation

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Someone is building a luxury residential building next to the AirTrain station. The Crossing, as it’s called, will host 580 units with roof terraces and a 24-hour doorman among other amenities. [DNA Info] “No Picket Fence”. New Yorkers in their 20s and 30s are increasingly looking for appealing rentals as opposed to buying, and developers are […]

Brooklyn Nets All-Star Joe Johnson Shopping for a New Home in the Clocktower Building
October 23, 2014

Brooklyn Nets All-Star Joe Johnson Shopping for a New Home in the Clocktower Building

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Brooklyn Nets' Joe Johnson is hunting for a home and he's got his eye on a beauty at the Clocktower Building in DUMBO. According to the NYP, the 33-year-old shooting guard was spotted scoping out a two-bedroom renting for $9,500 a month at the iconic waterfront building. The corner loft home features concrete beamed 11-foot high ceilings, hardwood flooring and big, bright windows facing the Manhattan Bridge.
Let's have a look inside
Real Estate Wire: Joan Rivers Leaves UES Penthouse to Daughter; Glasslands Out, Vice In
October 22, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Joan Rivers Leaves UES Penthouse to Daughter; Glasslands Out, Vice In

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Melissa Rivers will inherit mom Joan Rivers’ penthouse apartment at 1 East 62nd Street. [NYP] Vice’s expansion has taken another victim: Williamsburg’s beloved music venue Glasslands. [Gawker] A plan to build luxury condos on a toxin-laden Greenpoint site of a former plastics factory could kick up pollutants and poison kids attending a planned school nearby. [Brooklyn Paper] […]

October 22, 2014

NYC Subway Carries a Record-Breaking 6.1 Million Riders in One Day

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If you feel like your subway rides are starting to feel more and more like squeezing into a sweaty sardine can, you're right on the money. According to the MTA, ridership is at an all-time high with 149 million passengers cramming into cars during the month of September alone. The MTA also met another milestone last month on September 23rd, when a whopping 6,106,694 took to the rails—this is the most of any day since ridership was first tracked in 1985; and it broke last year's record of 5,987,595 passengers on October 24th.
READ MORE
Explore the East Village Through Poetry and Poets of the 1950s to Present
October 21, 2014

Explore the East Village Through Poetry and Poets of the 1950s to Present

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Jam-packed full of boutiques, bars, and a booming frat scene, the East Village's past as a haven for artists and other creatives is quickly being forgotten. But from the 1950s through the 60s, the Village was the epicenter of beat poetry and was once the stomping grounds of lit's most prolific. For more than sixty years there has been an intense poetry scene happening in the East Village. Passing Stranger, a project by WNYC's Pejk Malinovski and The Poetry Foundation, is an interactive documentary experience that brings listeners through two miles of the East Village via the poetry and poets of the 1950s up to the present. If you love podcasts such as This American Life and 99% Invisible, you'll love this sound-rich audio tour which will get you out and about on a beautiful fall day, and enlighten you on one of the most important bohemian communities to exist.
More on the project and podcast
Real Estate Wire: Real-Life Owners of Sex and the City House Are Ticked; Richard Meier Penthouse Now $40M
October 21, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Real-Life Owners of Sex and the City House Are Ticked; Richard Meier Penthouse Now $40M

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Extell’s Gary Barnet shares how he scored the F.M. Ring’s prized Midtown South portfolio. Highlights include how he outmaneuvered the hostile sellers and competing offers. [TRD] The price tag on this Richard Meier penthouse has been upped to $40M from $35M. [Curbed] Sarah Jessica Parker has riled the owners of Carrie Bradshaw’s West Village townhouse […]

Churches Across Brooklyn Are Hot to Sell Their Holy Land for Millions
October 20, 2014

Churches Across Brooklyn Are Hot to Sell Their Holy Land for Millions

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In the face of financial pressures, dozens of churches across Brooklyn are looking sell of their holy land in hopes of banking on the conversion trend that's taken the city by storm. According to DNA Info, more than 50 Brooklyn clergy members are looking to develop their land and air rights to offer more affordable housing and other community services. Hundreds of religious leaders attended a recent meeting hosted by Borough President Eric Adams detailing how they could raise money as their shrinking congregations give way to fundraising and budgetary constraints. “You are land-rich but cash-poor. The largest amount of housing potential in Brooklyn lies with you,” Reverend Gilford Monrose, director of the Borough President’s faith-based initiatives, said at the event.
Find out more
Real Estate Wire: Forest City Selling Their Stake in Barclays Center; Re-zoning for One Vanderbilt Certified
October 20, 2014

Real Estate Wire: Forest City Selling Their Stake in Barclays Center; Re-zoning for One Vanderbilt Certified

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Forest City Enterprises is putting its 55% stake in Barclays up for sale. [Brooklyn Eagle] The Department of City Planning certified a five-block rezoning application today for a stretch of Vanderbilt Avenue near Grand Central Terminal that includes SL Green’s One Vanderbilt tower. [CO] Mayor Bill de Blasio has rejected JPMorgan Chase’s request for $1B in […]

Inside the Historic $6M Bed-Stuy Mansion with a Presidential Connection
October 19, 2014

Inside the Historic $6M Bed-Stuy Mansion with a Presidential Connection

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Bed-Stuy's most expensive single-family home has a set of new photos that gives us a closer look into the work that's been put into bringing this storied home back to life. Designed by Montrose Morris and modeled after a Gilded Age Vanderbilt mansion along Fifth Avenue, this spectacular house known as 'The Kelley Mansion' was built for water meter magnate John Kelley in 1900. The mansion was a favorite hangout of Kelley's pal President Grover Cleveland and has for the better part of its existence been affectionately referred to as the 'Grand Dame' of Hancock Street. The home fell into disrepair over the decades, but savior Claudia Moran, a retired ad exec, dedicated a great deal of her time and money restoring the mansion after buying it up for just $7,500 in the 1980s. It's now selling for $6 million.
Take a look inside the incredible mansion
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