Architecture And Design

January 11, 2024

Central Park’s Bow Bridge reopens with new wood decking

The iconic Bow Bridge in Central Park reopened this week after a two-month-long renovation project. Led by the Central Park Conservancy, the project replaced the decking with new, more durable wood and bolstered several beams under the deck to stabilize them and prevent future corrosion. The Conservancy researched historic photographs of the bridge, originally constructed in 1862, to identify the number of planks and the decking size of the bridge floor.
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January 10, 2024

AIA New York announces winners of 2024 Design Awards

The winners of the 2024 AIA New York Design Awards have been revealed, with 13 of the 22 winning projects located in New York. Each submitted project had to be completed by an AIANY member, an architect or designer practicing in NY, or be a NY project designed by an architect or designer from elsewhere. The winning projects range from temporary installations and exhibitions to large-scale urban interventions and are awarded in four categories, including Architecture, Interiors, Projects, and Urban Design.
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January 5, 2024

Self-filtering floating pool pilot to be installed in NYC this summer

New York City will test the waters of a self-filtering floating pool this summer. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Friday committed $16 million to the nonprofit +POOL, which has worked for over a decade to build a swimming pool in the East River. The group plans to launch a pilot pool to demonstrate and test +POOL's unique filtration system this summer, with the hopes of opening to swimmers in 2025. The news comes as part of a larger proposal from the governor to expand access to swimming across the state.
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January 5, 2024

City seeks proposals for sports center at Brooklyn Bridge plaza in Dumbo

New York City is looking to reopen nearly 100,000 square feet of open space at the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time in 15 years. As first reported by Streetsblog, NYC Parks this week released a request for proposals (RFP) seeking contractors to operate a seasonal outdoor activity center for up to six years at the two-lot Anchorage Plaza, located on Old Fulton Street and Washington Street and connected by a ramp known as "Ash Alley" underneath the bridge. According to the RFP, the Parks Department seeks proposals for "parks appropriate" activities, including paddle ball, public art or performances, a dog run, and food and drink vendors.
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January 4, 2024

10 secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge

On May 24, 1883, throngs of New Yorkers came to the Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfronts to celebrate the opening of what was then known as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. It was reported that 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people total crossed what was then the only land passage between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The bridge--later dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge, a name that stuck--went on to become one of the most iconic landmarks in New York. There's been plenty of history and secrets along the way. Lesser-known facts about the bridge include everything from hidden wine cellars to a parade of 21 elephants crossing in 1884.
All the secrets right this way
January 3, 2024

NYC wants artists to spice up sidewalk sheds and construction fencing

New York City is seeking artists to help beautify sections of unattractive sidewalk sheds and construction fencing throughout the five boroughs. The city's Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has issued an open call for artists for 2024 through 2025 as part of its City Canvas program, which installs temporary, large-scale artworks on protective structures to make them more visually appealing.
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December 20, 2023

Vote for 6sqft’s 2023 Building of the Year!

For New York City real estate, 2023 was a year of reinvention and renewal. Projects on pause for years resumed construction, iconic 100-year-old buildings were revived, developments were rebranded and relaunched, and the city’s next tallest towers began to rise. This year also offered a glimpse into the future: the completion of the city's largest office-to-condo conversion and its first all-electric skyscraper. 6sqft has narrowed our picks down to 12 of the most notable residential projects of the year. Which do you think deserves to be crowned the 2023 Building of the Year? Polls for our ninth annual competition will remain open through noon on Wednesday, December 27. A winner will be announced on Thursday, December 28. Happy voting!
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December 19, 2023

Paul Rudolph’s Modulightor Building is now an NYC landmark

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to landmark the Modulightor Building, an iconic building in Midtown East designed by renowned modernist architect Paul Rudolph. Located at 246 East 58th Street, the building was built between 1989 and 1993 to house the Modulightor lighting company founded by Rudolph with German physicist Ernst Wagner. According to the commission, the building stands out for its special character and its historical and aesthetic significance in New York City.
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December 15, 2023

Free six-acre light installation ‘Field of Light’ opens in Midtown East

A massive installation made of thousands of twinkling lights opened this week in Midtown East. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza includes 18,750 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change colors and create a mesmerizing landscape across more than six acres next to the United Nations headquarters. The installation is free to visit thanks to the Soloviev Group, the developer who is proposing building a casino on the vacant site. The 12-month Field of Light is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
how to visit
December 12, 2023

Office-to-residential conversions could significantly lower NYC’s carbon emissions: report

New York City could drastically decrease its carbon footprint if the eligibility for office-to-residential conversions is expanded, according to a new report. In the study "Office to Residential Conversions: The Carbon Story," sustainable development consultant Arup found updating zoning rules to allow for more office buildings to become apartments could cut carbon emissions by 54 percent by 2050.
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December 8, 2023

Photos show off One High Line as new addition to Chelsea’s hub of high-end architecture

Work has wrapped up on One High Line, the two-tower residential development designed by Bjarke Ingels, marking a major milestone for a project that has hit a few bumps along the way. Located next to the iconic elevated park for which it shares a name, the distinctive condominium at 500 West 18th Street consists of a 36-story tower and a 26-story tower that twist in tandem away from each other, maximizing city and Hudson River views. One High Line joins several notable high-end architecture projects in West Chelsea, like Lantern House, 520 West 28th Street, and The Cortland.
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December 7, 2023

Leasing launches at Pearl House in the Seaport, NYC’s largest office-to-rental conversion

Leasing has launched at New York City's largest office-to-rental conversion to date. Developed by Vanbarton Group and designed by Gensler, Pearl House at 160 Water Street in the Seaport District includes 588 luxury apartments and three levels of resort-style amenities at what was a 1970s-era office building. Pricing starts at $3,500 for studios, $4,700 for one-bedrooms, and $6,400 for two-bedrooms, according to Bloomberg.
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December 6, 2023

See plan to replace former Harlem prison next to Central Park with 105 affordable homes

A plan to replace a former Harlem prison with affordable housing is moving forward. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday unveiled Seneca, the winning proposal for a project that will transform the Lincoln Correctional Facility at West 110th Street, which shuttered in 2019, into 105 affordable homes for purchase. The governor selected a team led by Infinite Horizons, L+M Development Partners, Urbane, and Lemor Development Group to develop the roughly $90 million project, which will go through a public review process before final approval.
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November 27, 2023

First expansion of Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater to open this winter

Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater will open the doors to new performance space in February. The highly anticipated expansion, the first in the institution's 90-year history, will deliver a new 25,000-square-foot facility with two theaters, office space, a central lobby, and gallery space on the third and fourth floors of the Victoria Theater on West 125th Street. The Apollo Stages at The Victoria will open on February 1.
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November 21, 2023

JPMorgan’s all-electric supertall at 270 Park Avenue tops out in Midtown East

New York City's largest all-electric skyscraper has topped out in Midtown East. JPMorgan Chase on Monday announced the placement of the final steel beam at 270 Park Avenue, a nearly 1,400-foot-tall building that will serve as the company's global headquarters. Designed by Foster + Partners, the 60-story tower will house 14,000 employees across 2.5 million square feet of flexible space. The net-zero building features a striking "fan-column" structure that rises roughly 80 feet above street level and outdoor space on Park and Madison Avenues.
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November 20, 2023

Penn Station opens new accessible entrance with glass canopy at 7th Ave and 32nd Street

Travelers will now have a much easier time entering Penn Station. The transit hub's busiest entrance at 7th Avenue and 32nd Street reopened on Sunday following a renovation led by Amtrak and Vornado Realty Trust. The passageway is now fully ADA-accessible, with a 50 percent wider entrance, a new elevator, two new escalators, and a new glass canopy designed by Norman Foster's Foster + Partners that replaces the original concrete overhang.
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November 17, 2023

SOM completes $100M restoration of Midtown’s Lever House

The $100 million restoration of Park Avenue's famous Lever House tower by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the iconic building's original architects, has been completed. The project revitalized the tower for the 21st century while preserving the distinct architectural aesthetic the building has expressed since it was first completed in 1952. Lever House features a reimagined lobby, ground-level public plaza, modernized building systems, and a new indoor and outdoor hospitality suite called the Lever Club.
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November 14, 2023

First look at Olympia Dumbo amenities, including NYC’s highest private tennis court

The impressive amenities at Dumbo's latest luxury tower are now complete and new photos provide a first look at the stunning spaces. Olympia Dumbo, the neighborhood's tallest and most expensive residential building, offers 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities spread across three floors, including New York City's highest private outdoor tennis court, indoor and outdoor pools, and a playroom, shipwreck-themed playground, and waterpark for kids.
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November 13, 2023

New images and details unveiled for 420-foot-tall Upper East Side condo

New images and details for a high-rise condominium on the Upper East Side were released last week. Developed by Elad Group, the 32-story building at 201 East 74th Street, going by The 74, will be home to 42 two- to five-bedroom apartments. Not only making a statement in the neighborhood for its height, the tower also stands out for its design, which includes squeezing in next to, and cantilevering over, a 110-year-old walk-up apartment building.
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November 2, 2023

All-electric 30-story tower with 324 apartments and academic space breaks ground in Downtown Brooklyn

Construction has begun on an all-electric residential building in Downtown Brooklyn that includes 324 apartments and academic space for Long Island University. RXR on Monday broke ground on the 30-story tower at 89 Dekalb Avenue, which is set to be one of the developer's most sustainable projects as the building is fully electric, features a smart glass facade system, and has electric vehicle charging stations.
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November 2, 2023

6-acre light installation at proposed Midtown East casino site to open in December

A sprawling light installation coming to the site of a proposed casino in Midtown East is opening next month. Designed by Bruce Munro, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza includes 17,000 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change hues and create a dreamlike landscape across six acres near the United Nations headquarters. Free tickets are now available to book to visit the installation, which officially debuts December 15. The display is financed by the Soloviev Group, which owns the vacant land and is looking to build a mixed-use development called Freedom Plaza, anchored by a casino.
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October 27, 2023

Village home and studio of Roy Lichtenstein opens after renovation, honored with historic plaque

The Whitney Museum of American Art and Village Preservation on Thursday unveiled a historic plaque at the Greenwich Village home and studio of the renowned artist Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtenstein lived and worked at the 11,000-square-foot building at 741-745 Washington Street from 1988 until his passing in 1997. The building, constructed in 1912 as a metalworking shop, has officially reopened after receiving a full renovation by Los Angeles-based architects Johnston Marklee. The building now serves as the first permanent home for the museum's Independent Study Program (ISP), which supports future artists and scholars.
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October 26, 2023

Prospect Park reopens Fallkill Waterfall trail after nearly 30 years

New Yorkers can now access a waterfall in Prospect Park without having to hop a fence for the first time in decades. The Prospect Park Alliance on Thursday opened Fallkill Trail, a new woodland pathway leading to the scenic Fallkill Waterfall that has been behind fencing since 1995. The new trail was created by staff and volunteers from Prospect Park Alliance who worked to remove invasive plants, plant native species, haul logs, grade paths, and form the trail.
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October 25, 2023

Bjarke Ingels’ terrace-wrapped office tower The Spiral opens in Hudson Yards

It's BIG's biggest yet. Bjarke Ingels Group on Tuesday announced the completion of The Spiral, a 66-story office tower in Hudson Yards. The skyscraper at 66 Hudson Boulevard measures 2.8 million square feet and rises just over 1,031 feet tall, making it the architecture firm's first completed supertall. In addition to its soaring height, The Spiral stands out for its series of cascading terraces that wrap around the building, "like a 1,000-foot-tall vine at the scale of the city's skyline," as the architect described.
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October 24, 2023

RXR opens 27-story South Bronx rental with 200 apartments

Another residential development has opened in Mott Haven. RXR last week opened Maven, a new 27-story rental tower located on the South Bronx waterfront. Located at 2413 Third Avenue, the 145,643-square-foot building is the developer's first project in the Bronx. Designed by CetraRuddy, the tower contains a total of 200 rental units, 60 of which are affordable for middle-income households.
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