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.

Häagen-Dazs may be a Danish name, but the ice cream was founded in the Bronx

Häagen-Dazs’ store in the Bronx, via Yelp

September 6, 2017

Häagen-Dazs may be a Danish name, but the ice cream was founded in the Bronx

By Emily Nonko

Despite its European-sounding name, Häagen-Dazs is actually born and bred right here in New York. In fact, there's a fascinating history behind how the brand reached national success under a seemingly random title, picked by two immigrants from Poland. It all started in 1921, when the Polish Jewish couple Reuben and Rose Mattus emigrated to New York, according to Atlas Obscura. They worked for the family's ice cream business, selling fruit ice and ice cream pops from a horse-drawn wagon in the busy streets of the Bronx. In the 1960s, Reuben and Rose struck out on their own, starting an ice cream company with three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and coffee.
Here's why they named it Häagen-Dazs

History

September 5, 2017

$4,300/month Bed-Stuy duplex is chock full of pre-war details

By Emily Nonko

For those old house lovers who can't afford to buy an entire old house, here's a gorgeous pre-war rental in Bedford-Stuyvesant that's loaded with details like fireplaces, high ceilings, woodwork, moldings, and a clawfoot tub. Occupying two floors of the townhouse at 464 Marion Street, the home also boasts three bedrooms, an office, media room, and formal dining room. And the best perk: a 20-foot-wide terrace with room for dining and a large grill.
Go right inside

Distinctive Homes

Photos © Deborah DeGraffenreid

September 5, 2017

Hudson Valley ‘Sleeve House’ surrounded by 15 acres of rolling meadows asks $2.1M

By Emily Nonko

A notable and unique contemporary home, plopped right in the middle of a Hudson Valley meadow, is up for grabs asking $2.1 million. It's known as the "Sleeve House" and was designed by architect Adam Dayem between 2014 and 2017. Two hours north of New York City, surrounded by the Catskill and Taconic mountains, this home was conceived as two elongated volumes, with the smaller "sleeved" into the larger. The effort created several distinct private and public spaces that all showcase the natural surroundings. The entire home, in fact, is situated on a concrete base along a sloping terrain, perfectly in view of the mountain ranges.
Don't miss this tour

Distinctive Homes

August 31, 2017

Simple geometry connects Janson Goldstein’s sleek Hudson guesthouse with its hillside locale

By Emily Nonko

Nestled within a four-acre hillside property just outside the upstate town of Hudson, this striking guesthouse and pool were built to complement an existing contemporary home. The work is by the design firm Janson Goldstein, who placed the 950-square-foot structure smack dab in the middle of a new meadow. The building is simple, clean and modern, clad in wooden slats, but the locale makes this a visually stunning addition to the property.
Tour the site

Architecture And Design

August 29, 2017

Young Projects used interior gardens to combine three floors at a Tribeca penthouse

By Emily Nonko

Brooklyn architecture firm Young Projects is known for transforming New York properties in inventive and visually stunning ways--just look at how they upended the traditional townhouse for this Williamsburg project. For their Hudson Street Residence project, the firm took the top three levels of a Tribeca building and created a gorgeous 13,000-square-foot penthouse apartment tied together by interior garden courts and topped with a striking roof garden. A continuous cast aluminum surface--which the firm specially designed for this project--gracefully weaves together each living space of the residence.
You have to see these outdoor space

August 28, 2017

19th century Hudson River estate built for an Astor gets a price cut to $20M

By Emily Nonko

This incredible 290-acre estate was built in 1851 for Franklin Hughes Delano (whose great-nephew was Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Laura Eugenia Astor (granddaughter of John Jacob Astor, known as the nation’s first multi-millionaire). The property was listed last summer for $22 million by its current owners, the investor Martin Sosnoff and his wife Toni. Now it's just gotten a price cut to $20 million. That will get you a 17,000-square-foot mansion with 28 rooms, 10 full bathrooms, 18-foot coffered ceilings and 16 fireplaces, along with rolling, green hills, a guesthouse, gardener’s cottage, equestrian center, and pool house. After 133 years in Astor and Delano ownership, the property--known as Atalanta--is looking for its next buyer.
Go inside the lavish home

August 28, 2017

$675K for a custom renovated condo in a beloved, historic building of Cobble Hill

By Emily Nonko

Most Cobble Hill residents are familiar with the Cobble Hill Towers, distinctive red brick buildings—nine six-story walk-ups in all—built in 1879 by the philanthropist Alfred Tredway White. The buildings were converted to condos in 2010, and what was formerly envisioned as worker's tenements is now hot Brooklyn real estate. This particular one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment has been thoroughly renovated, with some custom touches from the dining table to the closet doors. The apartment sold three years ago for $416,120, and has just hit the market asking $675,000.
Check out the interior

Distinctive Homes

August 25, 2017

James Wagman Architect designed this East Village apartment around a custom helix staircase

By Emily Nonko

This 1,410-square-foot apartment in the East Village, owned by sculptor Yvonne Hananel, is the work of the Manhattan-based firm James Wagman Architects. Their client needed a reconfiguration of the interior to improve its "circulation" and increase the livable square footage for studio space. The entire pad got upgraded, then the architect added a custom-designed, open helix staircase not only as the focal point but as a way to open up more floor space. As for the design, Hananel kept it minimalist. “By keeping the walls white and uncluttered, everything from the green leaves of my ficus trees to the colorful books on the shelves stand out in high relief,” she told Houzz.
Hear more about this East Village reno

August 25, 2017

18-foot, concrete beveled ceilings top this Williamsburg apartment renting for $6,995/month

By Emily Nonko

This Williamsburg apartment takes full advantage of its soaring, 18-foot ceilings lined with concrete beams. The lofty living room features floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelves that require a ladder to fully access, four massive casement windows, and a loft with a glass wall that overlooks the soaring space. Located at the Esquire Lofts at 330 Wythe Avenue—a former shoe polish factory—this apartment spans 1,450 square feet and includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The unit hit the market last month asking $7,500 a month, but its owners just gave it a small price cut, bringing the monthly rent to $6,995.
Go take a look

August 25, 2017

Whitney museum architect Marcel Breuer designed this $1.6M modern stone home in Connecticut

By Emily Nonko

Acclaimed modernist architect Marcel Breuer is perhaps best known in New York for designing the original Whitney Museum of Art, now home to the Met Breuer. But his work wasn't limited to iconic museums--he also designed homes, like this one in Orange, Connecticut. The 4,000-square-foot abode known as the Donald N. Clark House was built in the 1950s with stone, ceilings of wood, and open, airy patios. The owner has also filled the house, as well as the 5.5-acre property, with unique artwork and sculptures. And it could be yours for $1.6 million.
Take a look inside

BFDO Architects renovated this Brooklyn rowhouse to capture light from every corner

By Emily Nonko

Photo courtesy of BFDO Architects Brooklyn townhouses aren't exactly known for their light-filled, modern interiors. But BFDO Architects (aka Barker Freeman Architects) had the opportunity to completely re-imagine this 20-foot wood-frame home, which came with a four-foot-wide side yard as well as front and rear extensions. The goal: bring in light wherever possible and bring textures to the exterior and interior in the forms of natural wood, gray tones, and graphic tile patterns. The firm "selectively carved and expanded" each room, adding skylights and window walls to create a super bright, super open house that welcomes you inside.
Time to go in

August 22, 2017

$5,250/month Clinton Hill carriage house got a modern transformation with a lush backyard

By Emily Nonko

This 19th century carriage house was utterly transformed a few years back into a modern apartment at 433 Waverly Avenue in Clinton Hill. Spanning 1,000 square feet on the first floor, the unit includes one-and-a-half bedrooms, an office, private garden, and parking space. The reno brought tons of chic, luxurious details, from salvaged doors to limestone shelving. And now it's asking $5,250 a month.
Tour the modern finishes

Distinctive Homes

August 21, 2017

Soak in the Village from your lovely outdoor terrace at this $6,750/month apartment

By Emily Nonko

Just imagine enjoying the dwindling days of summer from this spacious wood patio lined with greenery. The outdoor space is tacked onto a 25-foot-wide Greenwich Village townhouse, at 34 West 9th Street, and your view is of the peaceful backyard gardens. Walk out the front door, though, and you're in the bustle of the Village. As for the apartment, it's still got some of the townhome's original architectural details, including two decorative fireplaces. For the one-bedroom pad, with a bonus, window-less second bedroom, it'll cost $6,750 a month.
Go inside the unit

Distinctive Homes

August 20, 2017

$4,500/month Williamsburg loft is lined with a 13-foot, raw plank ceiling

By Emily Nonko

You have every reason to look up at this Williamsburg apartment, renting for $4,500 a month in the condo building known as the Smith Gray. The blue cast iron facade of the building is striking, and this loft manages to also embody some of that industrial charm. The 13-foot ceiling is lined with raw plank wood, offset by iron beams and a chic ceiling fan. Exposed brick lines many of the walls, with wood flooring that mirrors the ceiling. Such a material-rich apartment deserves good interior design, which the owners provided with a nice selection of modern furniture.
Time for an interior tour

Distinctive Homes

August 18, 2017

A magic carpet and koi pond await at this $1.55M SoHo co-op

By Emily Nonko

Yes, that's a magic carpet hanging from the ceiling of this SoHo co-op... or at least we're pretty sure it is. This apartment, located at 11 Charlton Street, is actually full of quirks. Besides the ceiling decor, a sliding partition separates the living room from the bedroom transforming this from a studio to a one-bedroom apartment. Outside, a koi pond sits in the spacious, 700-square-foot private garden. This unit has been on and off the market for about a year now, asking as high as $1.795 million. Now it's back on with a new listing price of $1.55 million.
Take a look

August 16, 2017

For $1.6M, a 1780s stone house in the Palisades that may have been George Washington’s office

By Emily Nonko

This 18th century stone house, located in the upscale area of the Palisades known as Snedens Landing, was under the care of the landscape designer and photographer Judy Tompkins for some 60 years until she passed away at age 90 this May. But long before, it's rumored the property served as George Washington's office when his men were guarding the ferry service from the cliffs of the Palisades. With a rich history, beautiful interiors, and gorgeous perennial gardens tended to by Tomkins, it's a special offering in a town right outside New York City. And it's now asking $1.6 million.
Tour the gardens

August 15, 2017

Own two waterfalls, 60 acres of land, and a cabin upstate for $925K

By Emily Nonko

It's safe to say this is a home on a property unlike any other. This cabin is located at the base of the Delphi Falls Waterfalls, outside the upstate town of Cazenovia. The property encompasses 60 total acres, with 65-foot and 52-foot falls as well as one mile of creek frontage. The same family has owned it since 1961, and just listed the whole shebang for $925,000. (The main home, with land easements, is also available for $699,000.) As broker Michael Franklin puts it, buying this would be "like owning your own state park." We agree—this is the property for a New Yorker looking for an escape from just about everything to a completely nature-packed retreat.
You've got to take the tour

INTERVIEW: Author Ed Hamilton on how the Chelsea Hotel inspired personal stories of gentrification

Background image via Andrew Malone/Flickr

August 15, 2017

INTERVIEW: Author Ed Hamilton on how the Chelsea Hotel inspired personal stories of gentrification

By Emily Nonko

When it comes to the Chelsea Hotel, Ed Hamilton has seen it all. He and his wife moved to the iconic property in 1995, living among artists and musicians in a 220-square-foot, single-room-occupancy unit. The storied, artistic community nurtured inside the hotel came to an end a decade ago when the building sold for the first time and evictions followed. Since then, the property has traded hands a number of times with talks of boutique hotel development, luxury condos, or some combination of the two. Hamilton started tracking the saga at his blog Living With Legends and published a book, "Legends of the Chelsea Hotel," in 2007. After the book's success, Hamilton wrote a short story collection titled "The Chintz Age: Stories of Love and Loss for a new New York." Each piece offers a different take on New York's "hyper gentrification," as he calls it: a mother unable to afford her lofty East Village apartment, giving it up to a daughter she shares a strained relationship with; a book store owner who confronts his failed writing career as a landlord forces him out of now highly valuable commercial space. Ultimately, many of the stories were inspired by the characters he met inside the Chelsea Hotel. And his tales offer a new perspective on a changing city, one that focuses on "the personal, day-to-day struggles about the people who are trying to hang onto their place in New York." With 6sqft, he shares what it's like writing in the under-construction Chelsea Hotel, what the Chintz Age title means, and the unchanged spots of the city he still treasures.
READ MORE

August 4, 2017

There are historic details in the bathroom of this $2.3M Park Slope brownstone duplex

By Emily Nonko

Converted from a single-family brownstone mansion, this Park Slope duplex still has much of its historic detailing on display--even in the bathroom. The home is located at 120 Prospect Park West, a stretch that faces Prospect Park and is known for impressive architecture built for wealthy Brooklynites. The modern-day asking price is $2.3 million for two levels of the building, one of which is the parlor floor, about 2,000 square feet awash in wood carvings and stained glass.
You'll want to see the bathroom

August 3, 2017

This $425K Hell’s Kitchen studio may be small, but its renovation will not disappoint

By Emily Nonko

How much can you do with 410 square feet? Surprisingly, quite a bit. A renovation at this Hell's Kitchen studio, located within the 433 West 54th Street cooperative, has tried to maximize space in any way possible. Case in point: a Murphy bed "cabinet" with the option to tuck your bed away in style, a corner kitchen lined with wood that also holds storage underneath a compact breakfast bar, and a fire escape that makes for a suitable outdoor space. After last selling in 2010 for $340,000, the studio is asking $425,000.
This way for a look inside

August 2, 2017

A jungle-like loft near the Williamsburg waterfront asks $4,500 a month

By Emily Nonko

This apartment may not have an outdoor space, but it's boasting the next best thing. That would be tons and tons of greenery tucked into every corner of the apartment--a loft with more jungle-like vibes than industrial ones. It's located in a former warehouse at 63 North 3rd Street, just off the North Williamsburg waterfront. It's got the regular loft aesthetic: high ceilings, big windows, exposed pipes, and one wide open space, but it's all the interior landscaping that really makes the space unique.
You'll find plants everywhere

Distinctive Homes

August 1, 2017

$4,000/month West Village rental comes with its very own front door entrance

By Emily Nonko

You could pretend you live in your own West Village townhouse with this rental, which comes with a private front door you enter off the street. Located at 344 West 12th Street, a tree-lined and cobblestoned stretch between Greenwich and Washington Streets, your front door will take you right into a pre-war one bedroom with a wood burning fireplace, the original hardwood floors and French doors. Though it's in a co-op building, this apartment is up for rent at $4,000 a month.
See more of the prewar details

With bicycle ridership up, city will add 60+ miles of bike lanes a year

Image via Nick Harris/Flickr

August 1, 2017

With bicycle ridership up, city will add 60+ miles of bike lanes a year

By Emily Nonko

As the city subway systems struggle to keep up with increased ridership, it's a no brainer that more New Yorkers would take to the streets on bicycles rather than deal with the modern-day headaches of train travel. In fact, as 6sqft reported just yesterday, more commuters bike to work here than any other U.S. city. With the growth of bike riding, Mayor de Blasio's administration is further expanding biker-friendly infrastructure. According to Crain's, the Department of Transportation announced plans this Monday to add 10 miles of protected bicycle lanes and allocate 50 miles of regular bikeways annually starting this year.
Read more about the mayor's bike lane rollout

August 1, 2017

Bright, open condo one block from the beach asks $599K in the Rockaways

By Emily Nonko

Looking for beachfront living that's only a train ride away from Manhattan? Here's your answer. This three-bedroom condo has hit the market in the Far Rockaways, at 124-11 Rockaway Beach Boulevard. It's got all the right beachy interior details: open floorplan, big windows, two outdoor spaces, private parking, and a washer/dryer unit to clean your swimsuits and towels. Because, of course, the location is just a mere block from the Rockaway boardwalk and beachfront. After selling in 2015 for $492,000, it's now asking a hair under $600,000.
Take a tour inside

Distinctive Homes

July 31, 2017

Wood slat-covered glass volumes create an elegant interior at this Hamptons guest home

By Emily Nonko

A traditional Hamptons estate, nestled in the hamlet of Wainscott, got this luxurious guesthouse courtesy of Roger Ferris + Partners. The Connecticut-based architecture and design firm sought to create "a luxury reprieve for visitors" and came up with a two-structured, gabled home that looks modest from the outside but feels elegant inside. Each section of the home is dedicated to different uses--public on one side, private on the other--but both structures overlook a pool that faces the oceanfront. With a gorgeous interior and great views, its a guest house worthy of full-time living.
Get a look at the interior

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