Brooklyn

Williamsburg's upcoming Level Hotel is right on track for its 2016 opening as construction continues moves full speed ahead at 55 Wythe Avenue. Back in July, architects Yohay Albo and Nick Liberis of Albo Liberis LLC were revealed as the brains behind the building's ultra modern form, and it's just been announced that Gunn Landscape Architecture will be taking charge of the expansive rooftop escape that will sit atop the retail pod of the futuristic hotel.
A look at the rooftop design here

September 2, 2014

This Cobble Hill Apartment with Lofted Bedroom is a True Brooklyn Gem

By Aisha Carter

There’s something about this $1.5 million loft at 44 Cheever Place that truly captures the best of Brooklyn living. Residing in a converted former Catholic schoolhouse, this two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo has more than just a rich history. The quintessential loft also has an open floor plan, soaring ceilings, exposed brick walls and hardwood floors. Yet, its most impressive features may be a lofted second bedroom and well-concealed storage.
Take a look inside, here

Distinctive Homes

August 29, 2014

Turn-of-the-Century Firehouse with Eclectic Past Has an Extraordinary 21st Century Presence

It was built as a water tower, was home to the NYC Fire Department Engine 256, designated a civil defense bomb shelter, and housed the production studio of a celebrated film maker for 20+ years, but now this former firehouse at 124 Dekalb Avenue in Fort Greene has been converted into two glorious duplex loft apartments ready for someone new to put their own personal stamp on the building’s historical footprint.
Go inside this unique space

Distinctive Homes

August 28, 2014

Thomassons: Those Peculiar Architectural Relics That Serve No Purpose

We've all seen them. They're those weird outcrops, stairs, doors and out of place architectural adornments that just have us going "Whaa?" As it turns out, these urban vestiges that serve absolutely no purpose have a name. They're called "Thomassons." Inspired by the recent the Roman Mars 99% Invisible podcast which talked about the urban phenomenon, we decided to scope out some of the Thomassons around New York. What we uncovered is pretty amusing.
All of our findings here

Architecture And Design

August 28, 2014

More and More Brownstone Owners Are Turning Their Homes into Condos

For all of you who've stared down a four-story brownstone and wondered "What family needs all that space?", the answer appears to be not many. According to the folks over at Douglas Elliman, more and more owners of Brooklyn brownstones are carving their homes into multiple condos for resale. The piecemeal move they say not only manages to bring in more bucks than an individual sale, but also welcomes more housing without compromising the integrity of a neighborhood—i.e. they help keep tall, glass towers at bay.
More on the trend here

Real Estate Trends

August 28, 2014

Giant Magnetic Wall by Slade Architecture Stands out in the Home of Ricky’s NYC’s Former Owner

Ricky’s NYC, by its own definition, is “an edgy, ultra-hip ‘beauty shop,’” which also has a somewhat, shall we say, eclectic range of products. So it should come as no surprise that the home of one of its former owners, co-founder Ricky Kenig, is all of those things - edgy, hip, eclectic, beautiful -- and more. Fully renovated by Slade Architecture, the three-story Brooklyn brownstone, known as the Kenig Residence, is full of surprises at every turn, including a gigantic magnetic wall.
More details on the artsy wall and the rest of the trendy pad

August 25, 2014

Landmarked 1887 Townhouse is Right at Home in 21st Century Park Slope

This meticulously renovated four-story townhouse located at 27 7th Avenue in Park Slope is a stunning example of the “best of both worlds”. While careful to retain gorgeous period details such as decorative mantels, original millwork, plaster mouldings, pier mirrors and pockets doors, The Brooklyn Home Company left no stone unturned in its quest for modernity within the home’s classic interior.
See how old seamlessly meets new

August 25, 2014

Loew’s Kings Theatre Will Reopen in Flatbush With All of its 1920s Gilded Glamour

After nearly four decades of sitting vacant, the majestic Loew's Kings Theatre in Flatbush will reopen. It was announced in 2010 that the 1920s movie palace would be restored to its former gilded glory thanks to a $70 million renovation, and now it's been revealed that the reopening will take place in January 2015. The theatre closed in 1977, but according to a press release, the new Loew's Kings Theatre "will serve as both a cultural and economic cornerstone for the Brooklyn community, presenting more than 200 performances annually—including music, dance, theatre, and comedy—providing a resource to foster and support creativity in the area, creating jobs and attracting thousands of visitors to the neighborhood." It will also have 3,000 seats, making it the largest theatre in Brooklyn.
Take a look at the stunning, historic interiors

History

August 24, 2014

Neon, Metal, and Patty Melts: A Look at Classic New York City Diner Design

By Jason Carpenter

American diners are neon-lit time capsules of architecture and design. They are the '57 Ford Thunderbird of restaurants, shaping post-war optimism and far too much metal into something beautiful and quintessentially American. Best of all, you can still find plenty of little diners doing what they have always done, among the rising skylines and property values of New York City.
See our diner photos here

August 22, 2014

New Yorker Spotlight: We Visit Lillian Wright of Mimosa Floral Design in her Crown Heights Studio

By Susan Cohen

New York is known for having spectacular weddings of all shapes and sizes at every venue imaginable. Aside from the bride, the groom and the dress, flowers are often the center of attention at these affairs. And if you have attended one such wedding, Lilli Wright's centerpieces may have graced your table. As the owner of Mimosa Floral Design Studio based in Crown Heights, Lilli has become one of the city's most sought after florists. She recently did the flowers for a ceremony at the New York Public Library, and on another weekend she found herself designing flowers for five different weddings. Lilli—whose full name is Lillian—has always had a flower in her name, but it wasn't until a friend asked the then-actress to handle flowers at a wedding that she found her true calling. After a slew of floral-related adventures throughout the city, in 2010 Lilli became a bonafide Brooklyn entrepreneur when she started a flower business right out of her apartment. In June of this year, Lilli opened up a brand new storefront studio on Kingston Avenue. 6sqft recently caught up will Lilli at her Brooklyn studio to find out more about her new shop, Crown Heights' renaissance, and why the New York wedding scene is like no other.
Read our full interview with Lilli here

August 22, 2014

Factory Lofts Condo in Williamsburg Offers a Two-Tiered Private Patio

Restored from one of Williamsburg’s original turn-of-the-century factory buildings, the Factory Lofts at 66 North 1st Street made headlines for its unusual and controversial rooftop addition by architect Robert Scarano. But now that the dust has settled, this adaptive reuse project offers some of the most hip residences in Williamsburg. Known for making the most of every inch of square footage, the Brooklyn-born Scarano has a knack for thoughtfully designed spaces like this one-bedroom condo with a mezzanine loft — his signature design element.
See what else this pad has up its sleeve

Distinctive Homes

August 21, 2014

Brooklyn-Based Designer Danielle Trofe Grows Compostable Lights From Mushrooms

By Ana Lisa Alperovich

Danielle Trofe Design is a Brooklyn-based studio that creates function-forward, sustainable furniture and lighting. One of their most curious designs is the Mush-Lume collection, which is not manufactured but rather grown from mushrooms. Organic and biodegradable, these brilliant designs will light up your days and, most likely, end up in your compost bin.
More on this curious mushroom lights here

August 21, 2014

Mastering the Master Plan: A Look at NYC’s Planned Neighborhoods

We often think of the street grid as New York's greatest "master plan." Officially known as the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, this put in place the original, gridded street pattern that we still know today. But there have been several other master plans that took shape on a smaller scale within the linear configuration of Manhattan. These planned communities were largely conceived to transform blighted or underutilized areas into suburban enclaves or peaceful oases within the big city. And just like the neighborhoods that grew organically among the street grid, these master-planned areas each have a unique character. They've also influenced a new crop of developments, currently under construction on the West Side and in Brooklyn.
We take a look at planned communities that historically changed the fabric of the city, as well as those on the horizon

August 20, 2014

Daily Link Fix: Find Out What It’s Like To Inspect A Tenement; The Story Behind Your Favorite Brooklyn Heights Restaurants

By Alyssa Alimurung

If You’re Not In Brooklyn, You Can’t Be “Brooklyn Made”: This is for all the posers out there capitalizing on the made-in-Brooklyn trend. AM NY reports that the Brooklyn Commerce will now be certifying big and small companies in King County that are “Brooklyn born and made.” Restaurants in the Heights History: Brooklyn Heights Blog […]

Uncategorized

August 20, 2014

Adorable Park Slope Apartment Comes With Its Very Own Pied-à-Terre (Sort of)

Homes like this adorably perfect apartment don't come on the market all that often in this neck of the woods -- because who would ever want to leave? Even if Park Slope hadn't been "New York" magazine's choice for the 'Most Livable Neighborhood' in the city in 2010, one would have to look no further than its charming, small-town feel and notable residents (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kerry Russell and Steve Buscemi, to name a few) to know they hit the neighborhood jackpot. Plus, this gem of a home located at 99 Berkeley Place has a fun bonus all its own. We'll get to that a little later on.
This way for a great apartment in a great neighborhood

Distinctive Homes

August 19, 2014

Real Estate Wire: East NY Residents Weigh In On the City’s Revitalization Plans; A Father and Son’s Land-Use Legacy

Residents of East New York react to the city’s revitalization plan for their neighborhood. [WSJ] A developer’s best friends: The father and son law team who have worked for decades to secure changes to properties’ permitted use or size. [WSJ] Renzo Piano’s design for the new Whitney Museum along the High Line is almost complete. [Curbed] A […]

Real Estate Trends

August 19, 2014

Stunning…Exquisite…Classic…We’re Running Out of Adjectives for this $16M Brooklyn Heights Townhouse

We have never been more thankful for the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words." And though we may have expressed this sentiment before when bringing you other properties, we are pretty sure our words for this $16,000,000 townhouse at 192 Columbia Heights may fall a wee bit short. Fortunately, we have lots of lovely photos in our gallery to ensure you are properly astonished. We had our pick of beautiful Brooklyn residences to share with you today, but this one called to us. It wasn't a "Pick me, pick me!" kind of calling, but more of a "Could this home be anymore beautiful?" type of calling. In our humble opinion the answer is "no."
Come see why this home spoke to us, and in turn, left us speechless

August 15, 2014

19th-Century-Schoolhouse Turned 21st-Century-Co-op in Cobble Hill Gets an A+ in Our Book

While we can’t quite own up to being a star student, we were definitely excited to learn a little more about this hidden gem located at 199 Warren Street in a late 1880’s landmarked schoolhouse. Rest assured, you won’t find any blackboards here – though they probably wouldn’t seem out of place given this home’s curious aesthetic. Each room has a distinct personality that offers a wonderful lesson (see what we did just there?) in the charm of eclectic design.
See why this co-op more than makes the grade

Distinctive Homes

August 15, 2014

$3M Turn-of-the-Century Clinton Hill Brownstone is Not Updated or Modern – and Absolutely Stunning

The minute we laid eyes on the interior of this 4,400-square-foot home at 331 Washington Avenue in Clinton Hill we knew we happened upon something special. While it’s true the million dollar listings we typically feature boast some of the most gorgeously renovated spaces in the city, there’s no denying the timeless beauty of this turn-of-the-century residence built in 1899. Located in the heart of the Clinton Hill Historic District, the dramatic scale and original details at every turn evoke the grandeur of Brooklyn’s most prestigious homes. The gracious parlor entrance with an original pier mirror and striking dark wood staircase sets the tone for the rest of the interior. Sure the treads on the stairs are worn and tattered, but look at that gorgeous wood; a little refinishing and your entryway will be transformed into a magnificent first impression.
Check out the incredible home here

Distinctive Homes

August 14, 2014

Extra! Extra! Read All About.…This Exquisite Newswalk Condo in Prospect Heights

Built in 1927, 535 Dean Street once housed the printing facility for the New York Daily News. For over 70 years the nightly presses delivered the latest local happenings to millions of New Yorkers in time for their morning coffee. These days, thanks to a 2002 condo conversion, residents can read their morning paper in grand style (though we aren’t sure if the New York Times is permitted on the premises).
Extra! Extra! Read More About It!

Distinctive Homes

August 14, 2014

$2.3 Million Prospect-Lefferts Garden Townhouse Could be a Historic Movie Set

When you've traveled the world making documentaries about topics ranging from the "greening" of Big Oil to life in North Korea, you're probably a little hard to impress. So this circa 1898 Romanesque Revival townhouse really must have made an impression on filmmaker Peter Yost. He and his wife snatched up the circa 1898 house at 66 Midwood Street in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens for $2.3 million according to city records, coming in over the $1,975,000 listing price. The five-bedroom house has been renovated to both preserve its historic elements and provide updated, modern amenities.
Ogle all of the home's period details

Distinctive Homes

August 13, 2014

Fort Greene Co-op Puts You Squarely in the Middle of Brownstone Paradise

There’s a reason Forgotten New York toyed with the label “Brownstone Paradise” for Fort Greene’s South Portland Avenue and Time Out New York named it one of the “50 Best Blocks in NYC”: living here is like owning a little slice of heaven. When you think of a classic brownstone, 21 South Portland Avenue is exactly what comes to mind – along with all of its similar-looking neighbors on both sides of the street. On closer inspection, the varying ornamentation becomes apparent, and each building exudes its own distinct personality, contributing to the street’s reputation as one of Brooklyn’s most coveted and gorgeous.
Check out what's inside this beautiful brownstone

Distinctive Homes

August 13, 2014

454 Rugby Road Joins the Million-Dollar-Sale Club in Victorian Flatbush

We tend to feature a lot of historic townhouses, and while we love these brownstone beauties, it's always a treat when we come across the less-common Victorian home. Not surprisingly, this charming, free-standing house is located in Ditmas Park West, part of what is known as Victorian Flatbush. Built in 1905, the home at 454 Rugby Road recently sold for $1,975,000 million according to city records, almost $100,000 above the asking price and not far behind another recent Rugby Road sale that was one of the most expensive in the neighborhood to date.
See why this painted lady is a deserving member of Victorian Flatbush's Million-Dollar Club

August 8, 2014

Humberto Leon is Second Opening Ceremony Cofounder in a Week to Buy a Brooklyn Townhouse

Last week we learned that Opening Ceremony cofounder Carol Lim picked up a $3.43 million Prospect Heights townhouse, and it looks like her partner Humberto Leon got a bit of apartment envy, because he too just purchased a brownstone in nearby Park Slope. The two fashion magnates met 19 years ago at the University of California, Berkeley and have been joined at the hip ever since, turning their brand into an international destination for streetwise style. So it's no wonder that their homes share a few similarities; both are four stories, have picturesque backyard spaces, and retain a good amount of historic details. According to city records, Leon nabbed his new digs at 758 Union Street for the asking price of $2.85 million.
READ MORE

August 6, 2014

14 New Designs Proposed for Brooklyn Bridge Park Project – BIG, Asymptote and FXFOWLE on the Roster