Real Estate Trends

January 26, 2026

Extell to purchase Park Ave development site

Extell Development’s Manhattan expansion continues as the firm moves to acquire a prime Midtown site and air rights from an adjacent synagogue. On Sunday, Gary Barnett's firm entered a contract to purchase 405–415 Park Avenue and air rights from Central Synagogue, as first reported by The Promote. The company is also reportedly negotiating to acquire the adjacent office building at 110 East 55th Street, which, combined with the Park Avenue site, could become a major new mixed-use or office development in Midtown.
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January 22, 2026

Nathan’s Famous, home of the hot dog eating contest, sells for $450M

Nathan’s Famous, the century-old Coney Island hot dog institution that grew from a single stand into a global brand, has been sold for $450 million. On Wednesday, Smithfield Foods said it would pay $102 per share to acquire the iconic brand. Smithfield, a Chinese-owned food processor based in Virginia, has held the rights to produce and sell Nathan’s products in the U.S. and Canada since 2014, which were scheduled to expire in 2032. For fans worried about the future of the famed Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, fear not—Smithfield said it plans to continue hosting the event, according to The Hill.
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January 21, 2026

Lily Allen and David Harbour’s Brooklyn townhouse finds buyer

A Carroll Gardens townhouse referenced in Lily Allen’s latest album, following her split from actor David Harbour, has found a buyer. As first reported by the New York Post, the former couple’s home at 381 Union Street has sold with a last asking price of $7.3 million after hitting the market for nearly $8 million in October. The 22-foot-wide brownstone was fully renovated by architect Ben Bischoff of MADE and features a distinctive interior by AD100 designer Billy Cotton, as 6sqft previously reported.
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January 12, 2026

Extell adds 25-story tower to Upper West Side’s former ABC campus redevelopment

After a busy year, Extell Development is planning a major new residential project at the former Disney Campus on the Upper West Side. The firm has filed plans with the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) to construct a 25-story, 58-unit tower at 37 West 66th Street in Lincoln Square, as reported by Crain's. Extell has already begun redeveloping the site, including a 90-story skyscraper at 77 West 66th Street that would become the neighborhood’s tallest, surpassing the firm’s existing controversial building across the street at 50 West 66th Street.
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January 6, 2026

Amy Schumer paid $6.25M for Central Park West condo

After a short stint in Brooklyn, Amy Schumer is back on the Upper West Side. The comedian and actress recently sold her Brooklyn Heights townhouse for $11 million, with plans to move back to Manhattan to be close to her son's school. As the New York Post first reported, Schumer bought a corner condo unit at 279 Central Park West for $6,250,000 about a year ago. The three-bedroom condo offers Central Park views from every room, most notably in the 36-foot-long living room.
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January 6, 2026

Williamsburg Wharf launches leasing for newest waterfront rental, from $3,980/month

Leasing has launched for 128 market-rate apartments at the newest luxury rental building to open at the Brooklyn waterfront's Williamsburg Wharf complex. On Tuesday, Naftali Group announced the start of leasing for Four Williamsburg Wharf, designed by Brandon Haw Architecture and Hill West Architects with interior design by Studio Munge, marking the completion of the development’s first phase. Pricing starts at $3,980/month for studios and $4,925/month for one-bedroom units.
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January 5, 2026

NYC’s 10 best-selling residential buildings of 2025

CityRealty has released its annual report highlighting New York City's best-selling residential buildings of the year. In 2025, Manhattan recorded just over 11,000 signed residential contracts, with the overall average last asking price at $2.32 million and the average price per square foot across all property types at $1,636. Many of the top-selling buildings have been on the market for several years and are nearing sellout. Across New York City, some of the fastest-selling developments include One Domino Square, 255 East 77th Street, and 140 Jane Street, among others, which together accounted for nearly 100 signed contracts in 2025.
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December 31, 2025

Mets star Francisco Lindor pays $21.2M for UES penthouse

While several New York Mets stars left the team this year, shortstop Francisco Lindor is here to stay. As first reported by the New York Post, Lindor paid $21.2 million for a penthouse at 200 East 75th Street on the Upper East Side. The All-Star shortstop first entered a contract for Penthouse 5, a 5,300-square-foot residence with six bedrooms, last December.
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December 30, 2025

First housing phase of NYC’s net-zero Far Rockaway development moves forward

The development team behind New York City’s first net-zero community in Far Rockaway has secured $278.8 million for its first phase, which will bring 320 new homes to the neighborhood. On Monday, L+M Development Partners, Urbane Development, and other project stakeholders announced the closing of financing for Arverne East Building D, the first phase of housing of the larger revitalization of a 116-acre oceanfront site in Edgemere into a mixed-use community. Upon completion in 2028, the 355,000-square-foot building will deliver 230 affordable rentals and 90 homes designated for ownership.
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December 29, 2025

6sqft’s top stories of 2025!

As we say goodbye to 2025, 6sqft is reflecting on the stories that resonated the most with our readers. From JPMorgan's new Midtown headquarters and the Flatiron Building's conversion into condos, you stayed updated on new projects shaping our city. You ate up articles about celebrity penthouse purchases, record-setting real estate, and new trash policies. Readers debated New York's best pastrami spots and learned about new legislation to address the housing crisis, from rezonings and ADUs to bringing back single-room occupancy apartments. Below, find our most-read stories of the year. Thanks, as always, for reading!
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December 24, 2025

New transit-oriented Cypress Hills project has 200+ affordable units

A mixed-use residential project in Cypress Hills, set to deliver more than 200 affordable apartments just steps from the subway, moved ahead this week. On Tuesday, a joint venture of Slate Property Group, Thorobird Companies, and Bangladeshi American Community Development & Youth Services (BACDYS) closed on 570 Eldert Lane, a transit-oriented development that will add 213 homes adjacent to the A train at Grant Avenue. The property will also include 10,000 square feet of community space operated by BACDYS, along with on-site supportive services from the non-profit Urban Pathways.
details here
December 18, 2025

$129M deal at 80 Clarkson could be downtown Manhattan’s biggest

One of New York City's best-selling buildings of the year is about to set a real estate record. As first reported by The Real Deal, a contract has been signed for a $129 million deal at 80 Clarkson Street, a new condo development in the West Village by Zeckendorf Development and Atlas Capital Group. The sale, if it closes at that price, would become the most expensive deal below 14th Street, surpassing a Greenwich Village townhouse that sold for $72.5 million in 2024.
details here
December 15, 2025

MTA puts 350,000 square feet of air rights in Lower Manhattan up for sale

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is selling over 300,000 square feet of landmarked air rights in Lower Manhattan. As first reported by The Real Deal, the MTA issued a request for proposals (RFP) on Friday seeking a buyer for up to 350,000 square feet of air rights tied to the Fulton Center and the neighboring Corbin Building. Buyers must acquire the rights either through City Planning Commission certification or a zoning lot merger with an adjacent property.
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December 15, 2025

See inside Queens’ tallest tower, a 70-story rental with a massive ‘backyard’

The tallest tower in Queens is getting ready for its first residents. The Orchard is a 70-story rental in Long Island City with 824 apartments and more than 100,000 square feet of amenities, including a massive backyard space with a swimming pool and apple orchard. The building, which topped out last November and launched a housing lottery earlier this month, will officially begin leasing next month, with move-ins expected in February. Ahead of the launch, 6sqft got an exclusive look at The Orchard, from the incredible outdoor space to its sky-high New York City views.
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December 12, 2025

Whole Foods to open first Queens location in Ridgewood

Queens is set to get its first-ever Whole Foods, as the popular grocery chain signed a lease in Ridgewood this week. As first reported by Crain's, the Amazon-owned supermarket on Wednesday signed a 15-year deal for 28,000 square feet inside the former Beaux-Arts bank building at 55-60 Myrtle Avenue. The grocery store will take over a space previously occupied by Rite Aid, which filed for bankruptcy for the second time in May.
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December 11, 2025

Manhattan median rent prices set new highs in November, reaching nearly $4,800/month

Manhattan rents hit new highs again in November, with the median price almost reaching $4,800, a 13 percent year-over-year jump, according to a new report released this week. Prepared by appraisal firm Miller Samuel for Douglas Elliman, the November 2025 Elliman Report shows the median rent price rose more than 3 percent from $4,600 in October. The borough’s average rent climbed to a record $5,686, up nearly 1 percent from last month and almost 13 percent annually, while the average price per square foot reached a new high of $95 after rising 5.6 percent since October and 10.1 percent from last November.
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November 19, 2025

Eliot Spitzer’s planned Fifth Avenue condo tower gets height boost

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposed Upper East Side condo project, which would replace a 1970s-era rental building with 26 luxury residences, just got a slight height boost. On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved Spitzer's proposal to raise his planned development at 985 Fifth Avenue from 19 to 20 stories using City of Yes zoning reforms, replacing a 25-story rental building approved for demolition in 2023. Other approved changes include a textured limestone facade, a rear yard extension, and the removal of an adjacent public plaza.
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November 17, 2025

Extell to buy $36M in air rights from Midtown’s St. Thomas church

Extell Development has bought $36 million in air rights from a historic Midtown church as it continues to assemble large development sites across the neighborhood. According to Crain's, the developer has entered into a contract to acquire 123,000 square feet of air rights from the landmarked St. Thomas Church at 678 Fifth Avenue. It’s unclear which project Extell plans to use the rights for, but the firm is working on several nearby projects, including the former Wellington Hotel site and 655 Madison Avenue.
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November 7, 2025

230-unit housing project coming to site of abandoned Astoria megaproject

A site in Astoria once slated for a 3,200-unit development will now be home to a handful of residential buildings with just over 230 apartments. As first reported by Crain's, the Hakimian Organization and CW Realty have filed plans for a 16-story building at 35-17 42nd Street and a 13-story building at 42-08 35th Avenue, on the former site of the $2 billion Innovation QNS megaproject. The ambitious housing project was scrapped in September amid financing challenges following the expiration of the 421-a tax break and uncertainty surrounding its replacement, the 485x program.
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October 28, 2025

Barbara Corcoran buys Carnegie Hill penthouse for $16M

October has been an eventful month in real estate for Barbara Corcoran, founder of the Corcoran Group and star of "Shark Tank," as the mogul adds a penthouse to her portfolio. As first reported by The Real Deal, and confirmed by property records, Corcoran purchased a penthouse at 1016 Fifth Avenue in Carnegie Hill for $16 million in an off-market deal. Just three weeks earlier, she sold her home at 1158 Fifth Avenue for $1.5 million over ask after just one day on the market.
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October 24, 2025

Extell proposes 71-story mixed-use tower with 130 apartments at Wellington Hotel site

Extell Development wants to nearly triple the height of its proposed tower at the site of Midtown's former Wellington Hotel and make it residential. As first spotted by Crain's, Gary Barnett's firm filed plans with the Department of City Planning this month seeking to expand its project at 871 7th Avenue from a 27-story hotel to a 71-story mixed-use tower with 130 residential units, likely condos, and 156 hotel rooms. Extell is pitching upgrades to the nearby 50th Street subway station in exchange for a zoning bonus to allow for the 1,050-foot-tall tower.
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October 17, 2025

Prada plans Fifth Avenue skyscraper with ultra-luxury apartments

Prada is teaming up with Related to build a mixed-use skyscraper at 720-724 Fifth Avenue, with a store on the ground level and office space and luxury apartments above, as first reported by Commercial Observer. The building may be attached to the Aman New York, a 26-story hotel-condo next door, and share the gilded tower's flashy amenities.
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October 16, 2025

Path to profit: Why Jersey City condos are competing with Brooklyn brownstones

I lived in New York City for 15 years and swore I’d never leave. But when my then-fiance and I found ourselves crammed into an Upper West Side studio (along with two rambunctious cats) when the pandemic hit, we knew we had to make a move. And when we came across a $2,600/month one-bedroom apartment in a brand-new luxury building in Jersey City—complete with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lower Manhattan skyline, two outdoor pools, barbecue grills, and a gym—we simply couldn’t resist.
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October 10, 2025

Barbara Corcoran sells UES penthouse $1.5M over ask

Barbara Corcoran has sold her Upper East Side penthouse for $1.5 million over the asking price. The real estate pro and "Shark Tank" star first listed the home for $12 million in May. After reportedly finding a buyer in one day, the Central Park-facing co-op at 1158 Fifth Avenue closed this week for $13.5 million, as Realtor.com first reported.
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October 9, 2025

From TikTok to townhouse: How social media is driving NYC’s real estate trends

As much as I hate to admit it, TikTok and Instagram know me well. My feeds get flooded with new-to-market apartment listings and swoon-worthy townhouse tours—and I love every second of it. But this got me thinking: How is social media affecting the real estate market in New York City? After all, a lot of people scrolling aren’t real estate journalists like me. Many are actually in the market for a new home. And after speaking with some of the city’s top agents, it's clear those videos and reels are making a huge impact on the market.
do likes turn into sales?