All articles by Stephanie Hoina

A lifelong resident of New York City and married to an architect, Stephanie has a true passion for the city's eclectic mix of neighborhoods and structures and is thrilled to be a part of 6sqft. Though her professional background focused primarily on client services and corporate marketing/communications, she was fortunate to embark on a freelance writing career when her son Zachary was born in 1999, working for a wide range of businesses and non profit organizations. Stephanie currently resides in the Morris Park section of the Bronx, where she will proudly tell you her son is the 4th generation of her husband's family to live on their block. Her first novel, Kissing Atticus Primble, was published in 2014.
June 4, 2018

Why is Woodlawn Cemetery carving its trees into animals?

Opened in 1863, and long known as the final resting place of some of history’s most notable figures-- Irving Berlin, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Robert Moses, F.W. Woolworth, and Herman Melville, to name a few--the Bronx’s Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservatory is also home to many treasures of the living variety. When one of Woodlawn's trees (of which there are a whopping 140 different species!) meets its ultimate fate, the cemetery doesn't merely bury it but rather celebrates its life by carving it into an animal that can be found on the grounds.
Find out the meaning behind this tradition
July 19, 2016

Delivering a New Future to Bronx General Post Office While Honoring Its Past

Blocks away from the Harlem River waterfront and the 15-acre Mill Pond Park, with easy access to public transportation and serving a vibrant community of college students, office and medical workers, and working-class families, sits the nearly 80-year old landmarked Bronx General Post Office. Acquired in 2014 by developer Young Woo & Associates and the Bristol Group as part of the postal service’s plan to pare down its real estate holdings, the building’s bold yet tasteful transformation promises to be a showcase for the borough’s long awaited rebirth. Though its glory years as the primary sorting, storage and processing hub for the majority of mail coming to and from the Bronx have long gone, the government was careful to ensure that its new life would be worthy of its storied history—and its neighborhood inhabitants. After a thoughtful and lengthy RFP process, developer Young Woo was selected to bring his vision—what he's described as "a crossroads for community, commerce and culture"—to the 175,00-square-foot facility, and he hired STUDIO V Architecture, a firm with extensive experience in adaptive reuse, to help achieve it.
Read more on their approach to this unique project here
February 22, 2016

Lions and Tigers and Buildings, Oh My! The Architecture of the Bronx Zoo

As home to four thousand animals representing more than 650 species, the Bronx Zoo has been delighting children and grownups alike since 1899. But it’s not simply the extensive array of wildlife that makes this world-renowned conservation park a pleasure to stroll around. Nestled among the 265-acres of parklands and beautifully-replicated natural habitats is a collection of architecture that almost rivals the main attraction. Ahead we'll visit the zoo's most notable constructions, which though may draw upon the architectural styles of various eras—from Beaux-Arts to Brutalism—do culminate into one succinct and spectacular display of design.
Tour the zoo's architectural beauty
May 27, 2015

Shhhhh…Secrets of Your Favorite NYC Landmarks

Sure, pretty much everyone living in New York City is familiar with Grand Central Station, Central Park and some of our other more notable landmarks, but these well-known locations still hold secrets that even born-and-bred New Yorkers may be surprised to learn. We’ve gathered together just a few to get you started, but in a city this size, with a history this long, there are many more that await your discovery. How many of these secrets were you aware of?
Find out all about these hidden gems here
May 15, 2015

What’s Your Favorite Building in NYC? 6sqft’s Writers and Friends Square Off

Once upon a time, when 6sqft was not yet launched, a group of writers were asked for their thoughts on their favorite building in New York City. Their choices, some easily recognizable and others a little further from the beaten path, were mixed together with those of a few folks a lot like our readers—interested in and passionate about all things New York. The result? A wonderful blend of what makes this city great: its diversity, not simply demographically but also in the opinions of those eight million souls who weave together the fabric of all five boroughs to create the most interesting city in the world. And it stands to reason the most interesting city in the world is home to quite a few interesting buildings. As one might expect, there was barely a duplicate in the bunch. Some weren't even on our radar! Is your favorite on the list? If not, we’d love to know what you think in the comments.
Read on to see if you agree with our selections
April 27, 2015

DHD Interiors’ Modern Loft Peacefully Coexists Among Gramercy Park’s 19th Century Homes

When we think of Gramercy Park it calls to mind stately 19th-century mansions, brownstones and carriage houses—and of course, the elusive crown jewel in the middle of it all, the park itself. But sharing the stage with the neighborhood's turn-of-the-century aesthetic are a number of newer developments that have an elegance all their own.
Have a look inside
April 23, 2015

A Clawfoot Tub Resides in the Middle of This $2.7M Soho Loft’s Bedroom

Oh how we love Soho’s Cast Iron District. Its cobblestone streets and classic facades set the stage so beautifully for the lofts within. Wide open floor plans showered with an abundance of natural light courtesy of big, bold windows. Soaring 12-foot ceilings and original cast iron columns scattered about serving as a lovely reminder of the area’s industrial roots. And the 1,800-square-foot residence at 19 Greene Street is no exception—plus it comes with a little something extra for its $2.7M price tag: an unusually placed clawfoot tub in the home’s sleeping quarters. Though we’ve written about showers and bathtubs in kitchens (and scratched our heads at the thought), the current owner of this loft just might be on to something. How nice would it be to take a long, luxurious soak and then slip into bed for the evening?  Of course, if the virtually wall-less layout leaves you feeling a bit too exposed, you can always avail yourself of the rain shower in the more traditional bathroom.
See more of this classic Soho loft
April 22, 2015

Stuyvesant Heights Townhouse Offers Three Kinds of ‘Green’ for $1.45M

This multi-family townhouse at 633 Macdonough Street in Stuyvesant Heights is an exquisite combination of high-end renovations and beautifully restored details—and green in more ways than one. Fully renovated in 2011 and impeccably maintained, this three-story home features a new EPDM roof with an environmentally-friendly solar array (green #1), an income-producing rental on the top floor (green #2), and your very own garden (green #3).
See more of this very green home
April 21, 2015

Asking Double Its 2012 Price, Brooding West Village Townhouse Features a Two-Story Wall of Glass

Every now and then a Cool Listing comes along that is so spectacular we find ourselves at a loss for words. Well, not today. That’s because there’s so much to share about this incredibly sumptuous home at 75 Bedford Street in the West Village we’re afraid we’ll run out of room! Let’s start with those responsible for our enthusiasm–namely,  M.N. Ahari, architect for the recent renovation, and interior designer Fernando Santangelo, the genius behind one of Hollywood’s havens for the rich-and-famous, the Chateau Marmont, who transformed this historic townhouse from an all-white Zen oasis into a brooding bachelor pad for his friend James Oakley, a filmmaker who originally hails from Tennessee. Oakley, whose stepfather owns the Cleveland Browns, bought the home in 2012 for $5.8 million, but after the extensive renovation he's now looking to unload the residence for $12.5 million.
See why there's so much to talk about
April 20, 2015

Famed Author Peter Straub’s UWS Townhouse on the Market for First Time in Thirty Years

With accolades like the Bram Stoker Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the International Horror Guild Award to his name, one might proceed with caution when entering the home of American author and poet Peter Straub. But we can assure you that his literary penchant for things dark and mysterious doesn’t extend to the distinguished Queen Anne-style townhouse that he’s lived in for thirty years. The single-family residence at 53 West 85th Street on the Upper West Side is one of a series of three similar brick townhouses built in the late 1880s along 85th between Central Park West and Columbus, and it's now available for $8.2 million.
See inside the author's home
April 17, 2015

Own a Verdant Garden Oasis in Park Slope for $2.5M–and a Gorgeous Home,Too

As our hundreds of prior Cool Listings can attest, there is no shortage of stunning multi-million dollar homes in New York City. Day after day we marvel at interiors filled with exquisite details–and this single-family brownstone at 722A Union Street in Park Slope is no exception–well, at least as far as the inside is concerned.
See why this home is perfect inside and out
April 15, 2015

Boerum Hill Home with Tetris-Like Facade and Unusual Dining Table Now for Sale

What’s more fun than writing about a National Registry home with a tetris-like facade? Living in it! At the beginning of the year we got a peek into this Dean/Wolf Architects designed townhouse located at 300 State Street in Boerum Hill and we have to admit we were envious of the lucky occupants. And while we aren’t quite ready to plunk down the $5.65 million asking price, it’s likely this stunning one-family residence won’t be on the market for long.
See more of the award-winning design
April 14, 2015

$5M Boerum Hill Beauty Has Shoe Closet Almost Big Enough for Imelda Marcos

When we first saw photos of this four-story home located at 416 Pacific Street in historic Boerum Hill what came to mind was beautifully planned opulence. On the market for a whisper under $5 million, every room is full of rich fabrics and textiles with no detail left to chance. Less than two years ago it was sold as a two-family residence for a little over $3.3 million, but the current owner masterfully transformed it into a magnificent single-family home, and though it is easily convertible back to its previous form, we can’t imagine giving up a single piece of the square-footage.
See what beautifully planned opulence looks like
April 13, 2015

Lovely and Light-Filled Co-op in Park Slope Won’t Break the Bank at $525K

If you’re still working to make that first million, you know finding a cool place to hang your hat in some of the city’s more sought-after neighborhoods without breaking the bank can seem like an exercise in futility. Take heart, it’s not impossible! This lovely and light-filled condo at 670 President Street in the heart of one of Brooklyn's favorite neighborhoods can be yours for a mere $525,000.
Take a look inside
April 1, 2015

West Village Townhouse is Formal and Fun with a Bold Palette, Eclectic Furnishings – and Penguins

New York City is rich with buildings from another time, each offering a unique blend of period details, classic lines, and historical features. As a result, the homes within, as beautiful as they are, can sometimes seem a little, well, stuffy. Faced with the challenge of bringing a more modern aesthetic to their client’s West Village townhouse while respecting the home’s time-honored elegance, Brooklyn-based design firm The New Design Project incorporated a bold palette, eclectic furnishings, and a whimsical family of penguins to instill a fun atmosphere and give the space a younger feel.
Those penguins and more this way
March 31, 2015

Jendretzki’s Spectacular Soho ‘Bubble Loft’ Available for Short-Term Rental at $40K/Month

When we wrote last year about the “out of this world” design of the 6,000-square-foot loft located at 145 Sixth Avenue in Soho, we had no idea the owners would decide to share their incredible home for a few months, offering the lucky renter a one-of-a-kind June-through-October experience in the city. In addition to the sure-to-be-a-conversation-starter giant bubble structure housing two bedrooms in the southwest corner of the home, there are a myriad of design elements incorporated by the architectural firm Jendretzki that provide plenty to talk about.
See all the surprises ahead
March 30, 2015

Fairytale-Like Tudor in Bellerose Manor Offers Suburbia in the City for $639K

We so often write about homes in Brooklyn and Manhattan that we sometimes neglect the gorgeous real estate that can be found in The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Recently, Forest Hills has gotten its fair share of our attention, but when we came across this Tudor-meets-Cape beauty in Bellerose Manor, we were reminded us of how much the outer boroughs have to offer.
More photos of suburbia in the city
March 27, 2015

$2.2M Brooklyn Heights Loft with Gothic-Style Stained Glass Windows Is Simply Heavenly

No matter what your spiritual beliefs, we think it’s safe to argue that throughout history churches have represented some of the most beautiful architecture in the world, and the historic Presbyterian Church at 99 Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights is no exception. Within its rich, mid-nineteenth-century stone exterior you will find this thoughtfully converted two-bedroom duplex loft, blessed with double-height ceilings, original wide-plank hardwood floors, exposed beams, and a series of stunning stained glass windows that will make living here feel like your own little piece of heaven.
Check out the gorgeous windows
March 25, 2015

$5.35M Live/Work Loft in Tribeca by Dean/Wolf Architects Is a ‘Triomphe’ of Arches

From the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to our very own Washington Square Arch, the curved symmetrical formations known simply as arches have a way of lending a certain cachet to even the most mundane structures. And though there is nothing remotely mundane about this sprawling Tribeca loft at 108-110 Franklin Street, its six fully revealed foot-and-a-half-thick brick archways elevate the home’s natural beauty to a new level.
Six gorgeous arches this way
March 24, 2015

Beautifully Renovated $1.5M Colonial in Forest Hills Is Not Far to Go for Room to Grow

While many welcome the opportunity to raise a family in the heart of New York City, others eventually seek the slower pace and solitude of the suburbs right around the time their first little bundle comes along. But part of the magic of the city we love is that you don’t ever have to venture outside of the five boroughs to find room to grow yet still be a hop, skip, and a jump from "civilization." One of those places is Forest Hills in Queens, and this lovingly maintained and beautifully renovated Colonial at 108-18 69th Road has all the space you need even if you don’t plan on sharing it with anyone else any time soon. At 2,000 square feet, it’s not too overwhelming for one or two, but has the requisite “room-to-grow” if a few new family members–or roommates–make an appearance.
See more of this beautiful home
March 23, 2015

$4M Loft in Renowned Hellmuth Building Has Graced the Pages of Architectural Digest

It seems fitting that a turn-of-the-century factory building built by and named after a manufacturer of printer’s ink would one day house an apartment featured in one of the premier design publications in the world. Why, it’s entirely possible that one of Charles Hellmuth’s inks may have even been used to print the very first issues of Architectural Digest, which first debuted in 1920. In any event, we know for sure the two subsequently became intertwined when this striking 2,400-square-foot-home located in the renowned Hellmuth Building graced the pages of the popular magazine.
See more of this Architectural Digest star
March 20, 2015

$3.3M Mansion-Style Home in Forest Hills Combines New Construction with Classic Details

If you love the craftsmanship and classic details of older homes but prefer not to deal with the maintenance issues and necessary updates that sometimes accompany them, this mansion-style residence at 72-20 Harrow Street in Forest Hills offers the best of both. Displaying all of the beauty, charm and warmth of a traditional Tudor, this gorgeous home designed by renowned architect Jerry Buck and built in 2006 offers all the benefits of new construction.
Take a closer look
March 19, 2015

DHD Interiors’ Spectacular Tribeca Penthouse Design Is Fun, Fashionable, and Family-Friendly

One of the key challenges to successful design is understanding the day-to-day needs of your client and marrying those needs with a sensorially pleasing aesthetic. When tasked with reconfiguring this 5,500-square-foot triplexed penthouse found in one of New York’s original cast iron façade buildings, DHD Interiors' goal was “to create a cool and chic family home ideal for entertaining but also conducive to a fun family life.” 
See more photos of DHD's design
March 17, 2015

Will the Luck of the Irish Help This $18M, 17-Room UES Maisonette Finally Find a Buyer?

From four leaf clovers to corned beef and cabbage, today’s the day to celebrate all things Irish, and with a bit of luck maybe the seventeen rooms of this grand residence located at 120 East End Avenue at the corner of 85th Street in Yorkville will finally find a buyer. Initially listed in 2012, this magnificent six-bedroom, sun-flooded, full-service cooperative offers an elegant, sophisticated living experience rarely available in Manhattan.
More photos of this exquisite home
March 16, 2015

$7.25M East Village Building Boasts Rustic Charm (and 12 Income-Producing Apartments)

While it’s true this six-story building located at 276 East 10th Street in the heart of the East Village is an incredible investment opportunity, we think the prospect of actually living here offers a different kind of reward. So, we’ll let the accountants and business gurus of the world calculate the financial upside of the rental income derived from the twelve apartments within, and the expansion potential the additional FAR of 2,306 square feet affords—we’re far more interested in the property’s absolutely gorgeous rustic charm that makes it feel worlds away from the city that never sleeps.
More photos this way