Brooklyn

Images (L to R): LEFRAK CITY, 4720 CENTER BOULEVARD, 200 WATER STREET and PERCH HARLEM At LeFrak City, New Amenities Unveiled After $70 Million Renovation; Rentals from $1,485/Month [link] Luxury on the East River at View 34; No Fee Rentals with up to Three Bedrooms [link] Leasing Continues at Perch Harlem, Built to Meet Passive […]

Real Estate Trends

A massive Japanese-themed food hall is coming to Sunset Park’s Industry City

Courtyard at Industry City, photo courtesy of Industry City

October 20, 2017

A massive Japanese-themed food hall is coming to Sunset Park’s Industry City

A 20,000 square foot Japanese food market will open in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn next year, adding to New York City's growing infatuation with food halls. The market, called Japan Village, will set up shop in Industry City, a sprawling 16-building, 6.5 million-square-foot complex of creative office space. In addition to the food hall serving up authentic dining options, Japan Village will include an izakaya restaurant, a sake store and a specialty grocery store.
More this way

Real Estate Trends

October 20, 2017

Pretty Park Slope co-op with a hammock under the window asks $895K

By Emily Nonko

This two-bedroom cooperative, at 401 8th Avenue in Park Slope, is pretty as can be. After last selling in 2011 for $480,000, the pad got a full renovation to make the interior "magazine worthy cool," as the listing puts it. It'd be hard to argue with that, considering they've hung a hammock underneath the living room window, added open wood shelving, and lined the walls with interesting artwork. All the while, original details like moldings and parquet floors were kept. It all makes for an appealing property now on the market for $895,000.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

October 19, 2017

City officially pitches four neighborhoods for Amazon’s HQ2

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation released their official pitch for Amazon's second headquarters on Wednesday, one day before the deadline. Boasting the city's talented tech workforce, the de Blasio administration has pitched Midtown West, Long Island City, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle (DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn and the Navy Yard), and Lower Manhattan as the four best spots for Amazon to call home. The tech giant's nationwide competition, announced in September, set out to find their next headquarters, called HQ2. The company promises the headquarters will bring 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in initial city investment.
Find out more

Policy

October 19, 2017

LAST CHANCE! Win 2 tickets to the Municipal Art Society’s architectural tour of Gowanus

By 6sqft

With cleanup efforts underway along the notoriously polluted Canal and a slew of new developments rising, Gowanus is undoubtedly one of the top neighborhoods to watch. But we can't talk about its future without also looking back at its history. On October 28th, the Municipal Art Society is hosting a walking tour of Gowanus led by architectural historian Matt Postal that will explore the area's past as an industrial shipping center and its transformation into a trendy, artistic enclave. Not only will the two-hour tour take you to the city's oldest concrete structure and oldest retractile bridge, but it'll make stops at the new residential and commercial spaces. Interested in attending for free? MAS is giving away two tickets to "Gowanus Grows in Brooklyn," but today is the last day to enter!
Find out how to enter here

Events & Things To Do

The 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City

The Flatiron District, photo via Pixbay

October 19, 2017

The 50 most expensive neighborhoods in New York City

Taking the top spot from Tribeca for the first time in a long time, the Flatiron District now ranks as the most expensive neighborhood in New York City, according to data compiled by Property Shark. In its latest report looking at the residential market during the third quarter of 2017, the group lists the 50 priciest neighborhoods in the city, with the usual upscale 'hoods like TriBeCa, Central Park South and Hudson Square rounding out the top tier (h/t Time Out NY). In another plot twist, Red Hook has become Brooklyn’s most expensive neighborhood this quarter--overthrowing DUMBO--with a median sale price of $1.92 million in Q3.
See the full list

Real Estate Trends

October 18, 2017

Where I Work: Inside the plaster and mural studios at Evergreene Architectural Arts

By Dana Schulz

6sqft’s new series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring the Industry City space of Evergreene Architectural Arts, one of the nation's foremost restoration and conservation firms. On Monday evening, the Historic Districts Council will present their 29th annual Landmarks Lion Award to Jeff Greene of EverGreene Architectural Arts, one of the nation's foremost experts in specialty contracting for both traditional and new, innovative techniques for restoring and conserving murals, ornamental plaster, and decorative finishes. "Jeff has been pivotal in restoring some of New York City’s most beloved landmarks to their proper glory," said HDC’s executive director Simeon Bankoff. And indeed, this is true; their commissions include the recent restoration of the New York Public Library’s Rose Reading Room, Brooklyn's Loew’s Kings Theater, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, and the McKim, Mead and White-designed University Club, where the event will be held, and this only scratches the surface of their hundreds of projects throughout the country. In anticipation of Jeff's recognition, 6sqft was given a behind-the-scenes tour of EverGreene's new office and studios in Industry City, where the firm's master artisans were hard at work painting murals, casting plaster moldings, and researching the history of several upcoming projects. We also spoke with Jeff himself about what inspired him to get into the field ("I ate the crayons before marking the walls," he says), how preservation has changed since he started the firm in 1978, and what some of his favorite projects have been.
Hear from Jeff and take a tour of EverGreene's incredible space

October 17, 2017

Bay Ridge Avenue R subway stop reopens with a modernized station

By Metro New York

The Bay Ridge Avenue train station that was once a dark and dreary stop along the R line has completed its six-month renovations, the MTA announced Friday. The 102-year-old station was closed in April so the agency could bring it into the modern age with countdown clocks at all three entrances, Wi-Fi, digital displays, USB ports […]

Transit

My 865sqft: A treehouse bedroom grows inside the Williamsburg loft of two creatives

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Williamsburg apartment of designer Gregoire Abrial and marketing creative Hang Pham. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

October 17, 2017

My 865sqft: A treehouse bedroom grows inside the Williamsburg loft of two creatives

By Diane Pham

Raw, industrial loft spaces are increasingly difficult to come by these days in NYC, so when you walk into one that's been custom outfitted by its tenants to a tee, the experience is truly unique. Found inside none other than Williamsburg's infamous artists bunker, 475 Kent, is the 865-square-foot loft of French furniture designer Gregoire Abrial and Vietnamese-born marketing creative Hang Pham. Ahead the international duo offer up a tour of their inimitable Brooklyn space (that upon move-in seven years ago had nothing more than a bathtub, toilet, and kitchen sink) which they've outfitted with "slow designs" by Gregoire (more on that ahead), items bartered with neighbors, refuse found on the street, tchotchkes and treasures from family, friends and travels, and, of course, a pretty amazing DIY treehouse bedroom.
go inside their creative home

Live in a studio along the Williamsburg waterfront from $613/month

15 Dunham Place offers spectacular Williamsburg Bridge views, photo courtesy of C&C Apartment Management

October 16, 2017

Live in a studio along the Williamsburg waterfront from $613/month

Applications are being accepted for studio rental apartments at 15 Dunham Place in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Located along the waterfront between Broadway and South 6th Street, the 11-story building features 160 units, half of which are income-restricted. Amenities include a 13,000-square-foot common room on the third floor, a game room, doorman and bike storage. Qualifying New Yorkers earning between $22,903 and $26,720 can apply for studios listed at $613 per month, and those earning between $27,800 and $33,400 can apply for studios at $755.83 per month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): THE ALEXEY, THE LAURA, THE LARSTRAND and DUNHAM PLACE

October 14, 2017

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): THE ALEXEY, THE LAURA, THE LARSTRAND and DUNHAM PLACE Style & Elegance at The Larstrand on West 77th Street; No-Fee Rentals Available Now [link] Tetris-Like South Slope Building Launches Leasing; No Fee Rentals from $2,308/Month [link] Bed-Stuy Rental Near the G Train Offers Two Months Free; One-Bedrooms from $2,350/Month [link] Renovated […]

Real Estate Trends

October 13, 2017

$4.4M carriage house off Cobble Hill Park was a stop on the Underground Railroad

By Emily Nonko

This is one of the select few carriage homes that line the charming Cobble Hill Park, and now it's up for grabs asking $4.4 million. What you're getting is a house full of history: constructed in the 1840s through 1860, the carriage houses on this block served as homes for both the servants and horses of the wealthy homeowners along nearby Warren and Clinton streets. 20 Verandah, in particular, later served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Of course, the interior is lovely too, with original details like bricks, ceiling beams and wood-burning fireplaces maintained within the four-bedroom, two-family home.
Get a look around

October 13, 2017

Jennifer Connelly’s former Park Slope townhouse is back on the market for $14.5M

The Oscar-winning actress and her husband, Paul Bettany, bought the detail-laden limestone mansion overlooking Prospect Park in 2003 for $3.7 million; the 6,500-square-foot townhouse changed hands two more times since then: the couple sold it for $8.5 million to a Google exec who divested of it in 2015 for $12.4 million (a neighborhood record a the time). It's on the market once again asking $14.5 million. Filled with historic detail and dressed to the nines, the elegant home is exactly what you'd expect to find behind the elegant facade of a Park Slope limestone. Built in 1899 and designed by renowned architect Montrose W. Morris, the 25-foot-wide five-story home at 17 Prospect Park West is a showcase of stained glass windows, mahogany columns and herringbone floors, with five working gas fireplaces, a 600-bottle wine cellar and a verdant gated yard.
Take the tour

October 12, 2017

New Affiliates makes plywood look modern and sexy in this Bed-Stuy reno

By Emily Nonko

Plywood doesn't have the reputation of a desirable material when it comes to chic home renovations. But the Manhattan design studio New Affiliates used it in this Bed-Stuy loft reno to surprising results. By using raw plywood and rough materials like exposed steel and mesh screens as finishes, the space retains its industrial edge while pulling off a clean, modern--even sexy--aesthetic by pairing such materials with stark blocks of color. As the firm says, "These adjacenies of contrasting materials work to produce something clean, light, and unprecious while maximizing usable space in the loft." All we have to say is, who knew plywood could be so appealing?
See more photos of the project

Brooklyn Point, Extell Development’s first tower in the borough, will rise 720 feet

New rendering of City Point courtesy of Extell Development

October 12, 2017

Brooklyn Point, Extell Development’s first tower in the borough, will rise 720 feet

Extell Development released a teaser website on Thursday ahead of its sales launch for Brooklyn Point, the group’s first tower in Brooklyn, and revealed more details about the luxury high-rise. Rising 68 stories and 720 feet high, the tower at 138 Willoughby Street will be the tallest building in the borough until 9 DeKalb Avenue rises, which will be roughly 1,000 feet tall. As the last phase of City Point, Brooklyn Point will join two other residential buildings, the Brodsky Organization’s 7 DeKalb and City Tower.
More this way

October 11, 2017

The Hub, Brooklyn’s tallest building, unveils even more awesome amenities

In addition to being Brooklyn’s tallest tower, the Hub might also take the title for having the borough's best amenities. The Dattner Architects-designed 610-foot tall luxury rental at 333 Schermerhorn Street in Boerum Hill will feature a 75-foot indoor/outdoor lap pool, a gym, outdoor fitness level, a dog park and much more (h/t Curbed NY). The more than 40,000 square feet of amenities will provide residents with grilling cabanas, a landscaped terrace, club lounge and party rooms.
See the amenities

Architecture And Design

Quirky NYC Train Sign adds real-time subway data to home decor

Image courtesy of NYC Train Sign via Instagram

October 9, 2017

Quirky NYC Train Sign adds real-time subway data to home decor

New York City life got easier when we could see live data on when the next subway train would arrive via signs on platforms, in stations and on our mobile phones. Now a Brooklyn-based startup called NYC Train Sign has created a way to display that data in our homes and businesses (h/t Curbed). In an interesting evolution of the wall clock, the company's flagship product is an artfully-designed countdown clock that displays real-time MTA data for trains in both directions for any train stop you choose. You can add a customized text slide, logo and real-time weather updates, too.
Cool. Where can I get one?

Hill West design a modest, 19-story condo for Billionaires’ Row

Rendering of 7 West 57th Street found at its construction site, via CityRealty

October 9, 2017

Hill West design a modest, 19-story condo for Billionaires’ Row

As Billionaires' Row on Manhattan's West 57th Street continues to grow with supertall towers, developer Sheldon Solow plans on constructing a more modest addition to the block. New renderings of the boutique condo at 7 West 57th Street, designed by Hill West, reveal a 19-floor building with an unassuming glass facade and a convex face, as CityRealty learned. The tower plays off of Solow's concave tower next door at 9 West 57th Street.
More this way

Images (L to R): FRONTIER, TOWER 28, LEVEL and 95 WALL

October 7, 2017

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): FRONTIER, TOWER 28, LEVEL and 95 WALL The Refinery, Newly Constructed Clinton Hill Rental Leasing from $2,150/Month [link] A New Frontier: Leasing Begins at 210 East 39th Street with Two Months of Free Rent [link] New Rentals Launch with 1 Month Free at Historic Offerman House in Downtown Brooklyn [link] Tallest […]

Real Estate Trends

For $1,015/month, live in a new Clinton Hill rental with private balconies

Renderings courtesy of STUDIOSC Architects

October 6, 2017

For $1,015/month, live in a new Clinton Hill rental with private balconies

By Dana Schulz

Move-ins started just a month ago at the new Brooklyn rental 10 Lexington Avenue, and now the lottery is opening for 17 $1,015/month one-bedrooms apartments in the building in the up-and-coming, post-industrial pocket between Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant. According to the building website, all units have private outdoor space and amenities include a roof deck, courtyard, laundry room, fitness center, and lounge.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

October 5, 2017

REVEALED: Central Park Tower’s ‘Village Green’ lawn and pool deck

Central Park Tower, New York City's future tallest residential skyscraper, is getting a more down-to-earth design. As CityRealty learned, the supertall at 225 West 57th Street on Billionaires' Row will feature a sprawling landscaped space designed by HMWhite. The firm's terrace design includes both passive and active recreational areas, like a central open lawn and a sequence of complimentary garden rooms. Renderings of the projected 1,550-foot tall tower reveal a lap pool overlooking West 57th Street and a sun deck among pergolas and trellises.
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Robert A.M. Stern’s affordable housing development in Brownsville approved by City Planning

Rendering of Edwin’s Place via Robert AM Stern Architects

October 4, 2017

Robert A.M. Stern’s affordable housing development in Brownsville approved by City Planning

The New York City Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a proposal for 125 affordable units designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects at 3 Livonia Avenue in Brownsville. The proposed Brooklyn development, called Edwin's Place, would feature an eight-story building with 69 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and 56 studios. Edwin's Place is being developed by nonprofit partners Breaking Ground and the African American Planning Commission, Inc. The proposal, which won approval from Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Community Board 16, will move on to the City Council for a final review.
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Vishaan Chakrabarti reveals new designs for Domino Sugar Factory

PAU design for the Domino Refinery. Image courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism.

October 4, 2017

Vishaan Chakrabarti reveals new designs for Domino Sugar Factory

The past few years have seen as much change as progress in the rise of the three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Factory mega-development in Williamsburg; Two Trees broke ground on the first tower in the Domino Sugar Refinery Master Plan last spring, and the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at the SHoP Architects-designed building, the 16-story 325 Kent Avenue. Last October we saw the first set of renderings by architecture firm Beyer Blinder Belle for the refinery building that will house Two Trees' new 380,000-square-foot office space at the massive new complex; the corresponding plans had been approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2014. Now, Justin Davidson writes in New York Magazine that a new round of designs by Vishaan Chakrabarti's Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) have been revealed.
See the new designs

October 3, 2017

One57’s 85th-floor unit comes back on the market for $70M after a full reno

In the building known for the city's most expensive residential sale ever (a dizzying duplex on the 89th and 90th floors of the iconic skyscraper at 157 West 57th Street whose $100 million sale closed in 2014), big-ticket buys hardly turn heads. But that same year, the headline-grabbing supertall saw its third most expensive unit change hands when Canadian investor and Ferrari collector Lawrence Stroll dropped $55.6 million on a 6,240-square-foot 85th-floor home in the building's tower. Now he's put the full-floor pad back on the market for an even more noteworthy $70 million. According to the listing, the apartment had a complete renovation even in its short lifetime–and clearly, Stroll, worth an estimated $2.4 billion spared no expense, including woven suede walls, a sculptural wall by artist Peter Lane, and a double-sided marble fireplace.
Get a look at this big bank account in the sky this way

Distinctive Homes

October 2, 2017

VIDEO: Watch the 78-year-old Kosciuszko Bridge crumble in minutes in ‘energetic felling’

As of 8 a.m. Sunday morning, the old, traffic-snarling Kosciuszko Bridge is no more. The decaying bridge, which was officially closed in April when the eastbound span of its replacement opened, crumbled and fell to the ground in a matter of minutes in a process known as "energetic felling, the city's first ever implosion of a major bridge using explosives.
See the full video footage of the bridge getting blown to bits

The Latest Rental News & Offers (Images L to R): 507 WEST CHELSEA, KESTREL, 505W37 and 60 WATER

September 30, 2017

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news