All articles by Emily Nonko

Emily is a Brooklyn-based writer who has covered New York City real estate, architecture and design for Brownstoner, The Wall Street Journal, Dwell and other publications. You can follow her on Twitter @EmilyNonko.
June 8, 2016

$19.75M for the Former Gramercy Home of the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart

Yet another religious property has hit the market, although this is no typical church. These two townhouses, at 238 East 15th Street in Gramercy, have long served as the home for the Catholic Sisters of the Immaculate Heart. The sisters bought the first townhouse in 1948 and the second in 1952, combining them with a doorway on each floor. In the years that followed, according to the NY Times, hundreds of the sisters of the Immaculati Cordis Mariae (which began in Belgian) have passed through, decorating the townhouse interiors with souvenirs from missions around the world. Only one sister now lives in the 15,600-square-foot property, which has just hit the market for nearly $20 million.
See the interior
June 7, 2016

Brooklyn Design Firm Creates Dramatic Living Spaces Inside a Williamsburg Loft

Loft apartments have naturally good bones for dramatic living spaces, with those big windows and high ceilings, but the renovation of this 1,300-square-foot Williamsburg pad truly resulted in some breathtaking spaces. The work is by Greenpoint-based design and architecture firm Space Exploration and general contractor Tristan Warner Studios Inc. According to Brownstoner, Space Exploration was initially hired to create a wall-length book shelf for the living room, where the ceiling surpasses 18 feet. The success of the bookshelf -- which was built by a high-end millwork firm in Brooklyn -- inspired the owner to “go forward with the full monte,” said founder of Space Exploration Kevin Greenberg. His full reno enlarged the lofty mezzanine space, while decked out the interior with truly unique custom design touches.
Take a look
June 7, 2016

A True Loft at Brooklyn’s Former Ex-Lax Factory Asks $875K

There are a lot of New York apartments trying to sell themselves as lofts that just aren't. That makes it especially refreshing to see this loftier-than-thou apartment, from the former Ex-Lax factory at 423 Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, hit the market. The factory was constructed in the 1920s and was eventually combined with adjacent buildings that were being used as a bottling plant. In 1981, the complex went co-op -- and as a residence it still retains some of the Ex-Lax advertising memorabilia. This apartment was designed by an architect to maximize all available space. They especially took advantage of the 15-foot ceilings, building out not one but two lofted living spaces.
Check out the sleeping loft
June 6, 2016

$1.5M 10th Floor Co-Op Comes With Fantastic Views of Upper West Side Landmarks

Views are king at this one-bedroom apartment from the Sexton co-op, located at 530 West End Avenue on the Upper West Side. From its 10th floor perch, this corner apartment looks out to the north and west with views of a historic church, the Hudson River and fellow apartment buildings along West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. The interior is charming, too, with high beamed ceilings and a decorative fireplace.
Take a tour
June 6, 2016

Flexible Floor Plan at This Bright Greenwich Village Apartment, Asking $4,500/Month

This Greenwich Village rental apartment at 101 West 11th Street can wear several hats. One on hand, this could be a one bedroom with a living room and a separate dining room. On the other, it could be used as a two-bedroom apartment. Either way, it's a nice bright apartment with all the New York essentials: big windows, high ceilings, wood floors and a fireplace.
See the space
June 3, 2016

$17.5M Tribeca Triplex Has an Insane Roof Deck With Outdoor TV

"Go big or go home" may as well be the motto of this Tribeca penthouse apartment, located at the newish condo building 137 Franklin Street. The development only holds three units, and this one has hit the market for an impressive price tag of $17.5 million. With four bedrooms, four bathrooms, 4,000 interior square feet and 1,400 square feet outside, this apartment is dripping with luxury details from the automatic shades (outfitted on all 45 windows!) to the outdoor television set. It was designed by Julie Hillman, who is known, according to the listing, for her "modern eclectic signature look."
Take the grand tour
June 3, 2016

Dreamy Two-Bedroom in West Soho Hits the Rental Market For $8,500/Month

There's something ethereal about this co-op, now up for rent at 57 Thompson Street in Soho. Maybe it's the artwork, or the exposed brick that's been painted white, or the nine-foot ceilings, or the treetop views from the big windows. Simply put, we believe the listing when it says this two-bedroom apartment has a dreamy, peaceful quality to it.
See the entire space
June 2, 2016

East Village Duplex With a Private Parking Garage and Patio Is Up for Rent

On the hunt for serious space (and a place to park your car) in the East Village? This roomy condo, now on the rental market for $15,950/month, might do the trick. The 2,400-square-foot duplex apartment is located at 211 East 2nd Street, an eight-unit development known as the Carriage House. Besides all that space, the apartment also boasts 14-foot wooden beamed ceilings, a private patio and your own private indoor parking garage.
Check it out
June 1, 2016

A Gracious Floor Plan for this $1.25M Upper West Side Co-op

The 1920s were a great decade for New York City floor plans, with architects like Rosario Candela designing elegant mansions in the sky. In 1922, architect Michael Zenreich designed the brick apartment building at 250 West 75th Street, in the Broadway Corridor of the Upper West Side, with those high standards in mind. The floor plan at this apartment has a wonderful flow, dedicated dining and living areas, and two spacious bedrooms. The building was converted to co-ops in the 1980s and this unit is now asking $1.25 million after last selling in 2012 for $815,000.
Go through the space
May 31, 2016

After a Luxurious Gut Renovation, this Beekman Townhouse Asks $14.5M

It's pretty bold for a listing to deem its property "sheer perfection," but that's the case when it comes to 319 East 51st Street, a townhouse in the Beekman enclave of Midtown East. The home was last purchased by the hedge fund executive Timothy Greatorex and his wife Deborah Greatorex for $4.6 million in 2011. After a top-to-bottom, dripping-in-luxury gut renovation, it's back on the market for a cool $14.5 million.
See more of the reno
May 31, 2016

Historic Wood-Frame House With a Lush Garden Asks $8,750/Month in Clinton Hill

Wood-frame houses are some of the oldest standing townhouses in Brooklyn, and the neighborhood of Clinton Hill boasts quite a few of them. This one at 123 Cambridge Place is now up for rent and would make for a nice summer pad. Not only does it have a rustic, country vibe inside the home, it's got a garden growing strawberries, plums, tomatoes and zucchini.
Take a look around
May 27, 2016

Rent a Former Carriage House in the Historic Washington Mews for $30K/Month

Washington Mews might be one of the best blocks not just in Greenwich Village, but in all of New York City. It's a gated, cobblestone street that's lined with quaint carriage houses and one of them has just hit the market, asking $30,000 a month. Located at 64 Washington Mews, it's been totally renovated into a lofty and modern two-bedroom home with three levels connected by an open staircase and lit by skylights.
Take a look
May 25, 2016

Historic Casement Windows Line This $1.3M Corner Loft in Greenwich Village

The International Tailoring Company Building, located at 111 Fourth Avenue in Greenwich Village, is historic and stately from the outside, light and lofty from the inside. It's been converted into co-op apartments, and this one-bedroom duplex is now on the market for $1.3 million. Its attributes include 13-foot ceilings, six original industrial casement windows--two of which are 10 feet tall, the other four are eight feet tall--and views of sky and the city skyline. A recent renovation brought in some modern-day luxuries as well.
See the interior
May 24, 2016

Glass Walls and Skylights Let Light Flood Into This Vinegar Hill Rental Apartment

There's never been an apartment so ideal for summertime. This three-bedroom rental comes from 87 Hudson Avenue, a development in the quaint Brooklyn neighborhood of Vinegar Hill, situated just north of DUMBO. Over an upper and lower floor there are multiple skylights, two outdoors spaces, even interior glass walls to let the light flood through. You'll need sunglasses before renting this pad, which is now on the market asking $6,000 a month.
Go through the space
May 23, 2016

This $25K/Month Tribeca Rental Claims to Be Better than the Hamptons

Memorial Day weekend is approaching, signaling that time in New York when people start decamping for the Hamptons as much as possible. But this summer rental, at 17 Jay Street in Tribeca, is asking that you stay. "Forget the Hamptons," the listing says, "Spend June through Labor Day in this serene and utterly charming duplex penthouse loft featuring a spacious 3BR layout, with two fireplaces and three lovely decked terraces!" Three terraces may not be as good as the beach, but it's definitely not shabby for a New York City apartment.
See all the outdoor space
May 20, 2016

Live on Half a Floor of a Stately Limestone Mansion in Fort Greene for $1.1M

This Victorian mansion, a limestone beauty at 26 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene, is so spacious that you can fit an entire two-bedroom, two-bathroom co-op on just half of one floor. (There are eight units in the mansion total.) Now on the market for $1.1 million, the apartment boasts quirky, modern upgrades to the historic interior with details like carved woodwork and a beautiful bay window in tact.
See more
May 19, 2016

Alcove Studio Asking $465K in Gramercy Packs in the Prewar Charm

Just because an apartment is small doesn't mean it can't have lots of personality. That's the case for this alcove studio at The Gramercy House, a co-op at 235 East 22nd Street in Gramercy Park. The building itself makes quite a statement; it was designed by architects George and Edward Blum in 1931 as an impressive Art Deco apartment building. Historic interior details have managed to carry over into this apartment, with moldings, hardwood floors and even a corner wood-burning fireplace.
Take a look
May 18, 2016

Seaport Loft Owned by Yankees Ops Director Matches Warehouse Details With Luxe Finishes

This South Street Seaport loft, at 272 Water Street, certainly hasn't abandoned its history. It still retains details of the former warehouse building and boasts an undeniably lofty interior. But it's also been decked out with plenty of high-end finishes, like new plank floors and a custom wood and steel staircase leading to a lofted bedroom. The owner and renovator (per Curbed) is the Director of Team Operations for the New York Yankees, who travels so often he only enjoys the space about half the year. Likely why he's just listed the home for $1.595.
See the rest of his pad
May 17, 2016

This $3M Duplex Townhouse Was Carved Out of a 1902 Waterworks Building in Brooklyn Heights

If you're looking for a home that feels like a townhouse, co-op and loft all rolled into one, this Brooklyn Heights property may be your best bet. It's located at 25 Joralemon Street, a waterworks building constructed in 1902. It has since been converted into six co-ops, each laid out like duplex "townhouse" units. All six townhouses have their own separate entrance and a unique floorplan, with this one boasting a totally lofty aesthetic.
There's also a private courtyard entrance
May 13, 2016

Get Views of the Apollo From the Private Terrace of This $795K Harlem Condo

There are lots of perks that come with a top-floor apartment, including this duplex at the Dover Condominium. The building is located right in the heart of Harlem at 252 West 123rd Street. The second level of the space has both a skylight and private terrace, where you've got views of all the neighborhood landmarks including the Apollo Theater. As for interior design, lots of exposed brick and a wood-burning fireplace keep things feeling cozy.
Take a tour
May 12, 2016

A Mini-Solarium Brings Serious Sunlight to This $835K Kensington Apartment

It's not everyday you find a condo apartment with its own solarium—especially in the quiet, suburban-like neighborhood of Kensington, Brooklyn. This is the top floor apartment at 734 East 5th Street, an eight-unit, four-story development built in 2005. A wall of complete glass lines the east end of the apartment, creating a small solarium above the dining area. It leads out onto a patio, which isn't even the only outdoor option in this sun-flooded space.
See all the outdoor spaces
May 11, 2016

Clinton Hill Mansion Designed by Iconic Brooklyn Architect Hits the Market for $3.85 Million

Once upon a time, Clinton Hill was a neighborhood of mansions designed by some of Brooklyn's most prominent architects. Many have since been demolished and replaced with either townhouses or apartment buildings. But this one at 186 Clinton Avenue still stands, on a stretch that was known as the neighborhood's "mansion row." Montrose Morris, a prolific Brooklyn architect, designed it in 1891 for William H. Beard, the son of the third wealthiest man in Brooklyn, William Beard, Sr. It's so massive it's been divided into several apartments—the property being offered is only one-half of the mansion, which holds eight units.
Take a look
May 10, 2016

$2.5M Chelsea Co-op Has Custom Everything and Plenty of Space For Art

Right in the heart of Chelsea, a neighborhood known for its art galleries, is this $2.499 million apartment at 143 West 20th Street, being marketing for art lovers. The two-bedroom co-op was gut renovated by its developer-owner, who created a flexible, open floorplan with plenty of opportunities to hang artwork. It's been smartly designed with custom everything -- from the china cabinets in the dining room to the Murphy bed in the second bedroom.
Take a look
May 9, 2016

Two Cabanas Combine Into One Glorious Roof Deck at This $675K Clinton Hill Pad

With the weather warming up, nothing looks better than the roof deck that comes with this Clinton Hill apartment at 27 Quincy Street. There's an entire 625 square feet of private outdoor space, nearly as large as the 775-square-foot, one-bedroom pad. Two cabanas were combined into one and decked out with everything from a built built-in bar to planters to furniture. The inside of the apartment isn't too shabby, either.
See photos of the deck