Architecture And Design

Former Jehovah’s Witness-Owned Carriage House Asks $9.95 Million in Brooklyn Heights
August 12, 2015

Former Jehovah’s Witness-Owned Carriage House Asks $9.95 Million in Brooklyn Heights

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The Jehovah's Witnesses have a long history in the neighborhoods of DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights, but over the past five years the religious group has slowly retreated from the neighborhoods for a hefty profit. For a little backstory, Jehovah's Witnesses set up a headquarters in Brooklyn Heights way back in 1909, and then went on to acquire significant real estate holdings in the area that included homes in Brooklyn and big hulking warehouses in DUMBO. They decided to start selling off real estate holdings in 2011, which brought in millions upon million of dollars. This carriage house, at 165 Columbia Heights, was sold by the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2012 for $4.1 million. And after a very significant renovation, it's now back on the market asking $9.95 million.
See the reno
Bay Ridge Home with ‘Architectural Drama’ Asks an Absurd $4.58M
August 12, 2015

Bay Ridge Home with ‘Architectural Drama’ Asks an Absurd $4.58M

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The quiet old-school neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn is filled with grand and storied homes, from the elegant to the eclectic and, more than occasionally, the awkward. Overlooking the Brooklyn shore of the New York Harbor's Upper Bay, Shore Road is an architectural mashup of eras and styles, with everything from Deco-esque apartment buildings both plain and fancy to more than its fair share of large and luxurious dwellings that trade for equally luxurious sums. A $4,580,000 ask breathes some rarified air even in this crazy market, but the house itself fits well within a certain mid- to late-Bay Ridge-style, perhaps best described as an early '90s interpretation of a Catskills resort contained within a suburban home. This wouldn't be the first of its kind on Shore Road to command upwards of $4 million; while it's not the All Marble Everything house, which sold for the tidy sum of $4.4M in April, the house at 7529 Shore Road has charms of its own. The listing promises, "all the architectural drama you can imagine, yet warm and intimate feeling." And there's a wall-length aquarium.
Architectural drama, this way
A Toast to Tribeca: More Images Revealed of KPF’s 111 Murray Street
August 12, 2015

A Toast to Tribeca: More Images Revealed of KPF’s 111 Murray Street

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Grounded in the foothills of the downtown skyline, where the quaint streets of Tribeca scale upwards into the shimmering temples of capitalism, lies the 35,000-square-foot construction site of an upcoming 62-story condominium known as 111 Murray (previously called 101 Murray). Architecture critic Carter Horsley exclaims, "111 will be the most elegant addition to the downtown skyline in decades." Truly, the  Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates-designed tower–reminiscent of a champagne flute with its curvaceous body, narrowing mid-section, and flared crown–will be a refreshing expression of form and fluidity that will counteract the blocky towers that have shrouded the once romantic skyline. We've uncovered some brand-new renderings of the tower, and they continue to impress.
Take a look right here
$29M Historic Townhouse Looks to Take Back the Title of Most Expensive Sale on the UWS
August 12, 2015

$29M Historic Townhouse Looks to Take Back the Title of Most Expensive Sale on the UWS

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On Monday, the New York Times reported about the listing of an Upper West Side house at 24 West 71st Street – "a historically significant granite-and-iron-spot-brick townhouse with fanciful terra-cotta embellishments and distinctive interior millwork." The stately residence sold for $4.3 million back in 1996, setting a record for the neighborhood. Now, 20 years later, it's back and is looking to reclaim its title of most expensive townhouse sale on the UWS. The home is asking $29 million, more than the current record holder 247 Central Park West, which sold for $25 million earlier this year. The 7,134-square-foot house was built in 1892 by architects Lamb and Rich, and it underwent a $1 million renovation in 1988 that turned it from a ten-unit apartment building back to a single-family mansion, surely helping seal the record-breaking sale in '96 to current owners Arrien and Robin Schiltkamp. According to the just-launched listing, "Immaculately maintained, the six-bedroom, six and a half-bath townhouse has retained the gorgeous original details that infuse every corner, while augmenting them with opulence by Jonathan Rosen Interiors." Some enviable features of the home include six bedrooms; an elevator; a private, south-facing back garden; top-floor terrace; almost all of the original woodwork; stained glass windows; a 400-pound original door; ten gas fireplaces; and a Japanese-inspired spa.
Find out all about the townhouse
The Bronx Is Getting a New Mixed-Use High-Rise Near Yankee Stadium

Google Earth images courtesy of CityRealty

August 11, 2015

The Bronx Is Getting a New Mixed-Use High-Rise Near Yankee Stadium

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Brooklyn and Queens have been flush with new condos and rental developments lately, now it's time for the Bronx to get in on the action. Local developer M. Melnick & Co. has begun construction of a mixed-income, 17-story residential and commercial high rise at 810 River Avenue that will be the area's first since it was rezoned in 2009. The company dates back to 1934 and has proven to be reliable builders of multi-family, senior, supportive and mixed-use housing developments around the city.
Find out more right here
Be Woody Allen’s Neighbor for $80K a Month in This Historic Upper East Side Townhouse
August 11, 2015

Be Woody Allen’s Neighbor for $80K a Month in This Historic Upper East Side Townhouse

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Trophy purchase, short-term refuge, or family home? Take your pick. This impressive and unique townhouse at 116 East 70th Street was previously owned by philanthropist George Soros’s ex, Susan Weber Soros, who bought the 5,688-square-foot home in 2012 for $22.5 million and proceeded to see it through a thorough renovation, updating infrastructure and interiors and installing every 21st-century comfort known to stratospherically-priced townhouse-owning man (or woman, as the case was). Post-renovation, the barrel-fronted, copper-clad townhouse changed hands in an off-market deal to an anonymous LLC for $31 million. The house was back on the market again for $33 million last February after only four months. With its price pared down to $28 million, it’s still seeking a buyer, but is now having a go at the rental market, too. The stunning single-family manse–all five floors of it–is being offered for $80,000 a month, which comes with the caché of calling Woody Allen your next-door neighbor.
Tour the house, this way
Permits Filed for New Faux-Loft Building at the Intersection of Boerum Hill and Gowanus
August 10, 2015

Permits Filed for New Faux-Loft Building at the Intersection of Boerum Hill and Gowanus

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Avery Hall Investments filed permits last week for an eight-story, 20-unit residential building at the corner of Third Avenue and St. Marks Place. The site is situated in the area where bucolic Boerum Hill meets the utilitarian factory lofts of Gowanus. The development at 125 Third Avenue will replace a one-story commercial building that Avery picked up earlier this year for $5.65 million according to city records. The team also recently broke ground on another Boerum Hill condominium at 472 Atlantic Avenue designed by the context-sensitive Morris Adjmi Architects.
More details on the project
New York Times Custom Birthday Book Features Every Front Page Since Your Birth
August 10, 2015

New York Times Custom Birthday Book Features Every Front Page Since Your Birth

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We've found the ultimate gift for the dedicated Times reader in your life—or a fun indulgence for a day you feel like treating yourself with something cool. The New York Times Custom Birthday Book is a beautifully bound hardback that culls every front page printed since the year of your birth, embossed with your name and birthdate for a super fascinating snapshot of world history over the course of your life.
Find out more here
$7.4M Lake George Tudor Has 600 Feet of Private Waterfront and a Five-Slip Boathouse
August 9, 2015

$7.4M Lake George Tudor Has 600 Feet of Private Waterfront and a Five-Slip Boathouse

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You'd think having a private peninsula would appeal to people looking for seclusion, but this Lake George estate is geared for the gracious host who's ready to throw a serious lakeside party. The four-bedroom Tudor-style house is nearly ninety years old and is full of original architectural details like stone mullions and steep beamed ceilings. But when it comes to inviting friends and family over, it's the outdoor spaces that seal the deal. The 1.26-acre property has a whopping 600 feet of private waterfront, as well as three outdoor dining and cooking areas, a secluded spot to fish and swim, a massive five-slip boathouse, and a carriage house that boasts amenities like a 2,000-bottle wine cellar and home theater. What'll all this cost you? $7.4 million.
View the lakeside estate
2 World Trade Center Could Be the Most Expensive Office Tower in the World

2 World Trade Center rendering via BIG

August 6, 2015

2 World Trade Center Could Be the Most Expensive Office Tower in the World

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The Post reports that the construction of the Bjarke Ingels Group-designed 2 World Trade Center will come with a $4 billion price tag. The 2.8 million-square-foot downtown tower will top out at 1,340 feet, just 28 feet shy of One World Trade Center, which currently holds the title of the world's most expensive office building with construction costs coming in at $3.8 billion.
More details this way
Bold Renovation by Ghislaine Viñas Seeks to Make This the Coolest Townhouse in Tribeca
August 6, 2015

Bold Renovation by Ghislaine Viñas Seeks to Make This the Coolest Townhouse in Tribeca

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Where to even begin with the renovation of this Tribeca townhouse on Warren Street? The neon colors? The insane art collection? The spiral staircase? The sheep? Needless to say, this project by Ghislaine Viñas Interior Design, also of Tribeca, nearly defies description. It's big, it's bold, it's fun, it looks like something out of a storybook. In fact, the design firm is no stranger to this kind of work–they designed the infamous 80-foot slide that winds through a FiDi penthouse. Do we dare say that this renovation, sans slide, looks like just as much fun?
See more
Michael Hilgers’ BalKonzept Will Turn Your Fire Escape Into an Outdoor Office
August 6, 2015

Michael Hilgers’ BalKonzept Will Turn Your Fire Escape Into an Outdoor Office

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City dwellers who are lucky enough to have a balcony (or maybe just a fire escape) and who also work at home now have the perfect setup for the warmer months. German designer Michael Hilgers created a brilliant balcony desk that hooks onto the railing to hold a laptop or papers. Dubbed BalKonzept, this extremely lightweight design comes complete with an integrated flowerbox, so you can have both a perfect outdoor workstation and a garden.
Learn more about this makeshift balcony desk
First Look at 22-Story Expansion of Downtown Brooklyn’s Hampton Inn Hotel
August 6, 2015

First Look at 22-Story Expansion of Downtown Brooklyn’s Hampton Inn Hotel

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We all know Brooklyn's residential market is scorching hot, but its hotel market is booming as well. Two hotels recently opened at the borough's Manhattan Bridge entryway, the 174-room Dazzler Brooklyn Hotel and the 116-room Hampton Inn. The latter has just begun construction on a 145-room expansion on an adjacent lot at 156 Tillary Street, and we've uncovered the first look at what the 22-story Stonehill & Taylor Architects-designed tower will look like (an encore to the striped-brick banality that rose in the first phase).
More details ahead
Could This Deconstructivist Office Tower Be Coming to the Garment District?
August 5, 2015

Could This Deconstructivist Office Tower Be Coming to the Garment District?

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The visualization wizzes at Hayes Davidson posted this image of a hyper-modern tower addition atop an imposing Verizon-owned building at 230 West 36th Street. While few details are provided with the accompanying image, an article from the Times last year mentioned that the top two floors and some unused development rights of the 1924 building were being shopped around to developers as a potential hotel site. The rendered building appears to be a commercial office building, however. With the dearth of development sites suitable for large office floor plates east of Ninth Avenue, and a hot Midtown South office market where vacancy rates hover near 9 percent, the site could be a prime opportunity to construct new office space in the heart of the Times Square/Penn Station sub-market.
More details ahead
The Many Lives, and Miraculous Recovery, of NYC’s First Cancer Hospital
August 5, 2015

The Many Lives, and Miraculous Recovery, of NYC’s First Cancer Hospital

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Walking down Central Park West from the north end of the park, it's hard to miss the castle-like structure on the corner of 105th Street. The facade is dominated by great conical towers, majestic turrets, deep red brick, and a soft Belleville brownstone. A closer look reveals stained glass windows and intricate stonework, all convincing details that someone went out to build a fairy-tale castle on the perimeter of Central Park. Among the surrounding townhouses and co-op buildings, it's a stunning piece of architecture that looks like it doesn't quite belong. Indeed, the story of how this building, constructed at 455 Central Park West in 1887, still stands is an unlikely one that is rooted in medical history–a dark medical history, at that. This was New York's first cancer hospital, and the first hospital in the United States dedicated specifically to its treatment. This was a time when cancer treatment was unfamiliar to most doctors–in the back of the castle was a crematorium and smokestack that was often in use. After the hospital's closure in 1955, it became a notorious nursing home known for mistreating its patients. When investigations caused the nursing home to close in 1974, the building was left to rot. Not until a redevelopment plan took off in 2000 was it restored into a luxury condo development. Today, despite its grim past, it remains an important piece of New York's medical and architectural history.
Keep reading for the full story
Jack Craig’s Skeletal Coat Rack Turns Into a Room Divider as Clothes Populate It
August 5, 2015

Jack Craig’s Skeletal Coat Rack Turns Into a Room Divider as Clothes Populate It

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Detroit-based industrial designer Jack Craig came out with a minimal wooden coat rack that doubles as a room divider. Crafted from light Ash and simply dubbed Coat rack room dividers, it gets "activated" when guests arrive and drape their clothes on its many modular units. As clothing populates the racks, the structure starts to disappear turning into a fabric landscape that also works as a space divider, which seems like the perfect prop for closet-deprived New Yorkers.
Learn more about this multifunctional piece
Amy Lau Creates an East Hampton Retreat Using Mid-Century Modern Furniture
August 5, 2015

Amy Lau Creates an East Hampton Retreat Using Mid-Century Modern Furniture

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When two New York art enthusiasts left the city behind for a getaway home in East Hampton, they made sure to take along designer Amy Lau to create their relaxing lagoon-side residence. After purchasing the four-bedroom house in 2012 for $3.75 million, the couple wanted to create a setting that contrasted their art deco Upper East Side apartment. "We did not set out to collect modernist furniture for our house in the country but rather to find furnishings and art we could live with while relaxing," homeowner Joel Portugal told Modern Magazine. So they enlisted their long-time style influence Amy Lau, in addition to East Hampton architectural consultant Sandra Brauer, to combine mid-century art with tranquil, summery touches.
See the interior here
The New Design Project’s Chelsea Duplex Reno Was Inspired by a Blissful Color Palette
August 4, 2015

The New Design Project’s Chelsea Duplex Reno Was Inspired by a Blissful Color Palette

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Steps to a successful renovation? Pick an awesome color palette and then work with what you've got. That was the plan behind The New Design Project's renovation for this Chelsea duplex. "With a blissful color palette and a seamless mix of statement pieces, graphic artwork and ethnic accessories, this Chelsea duplex apartment oozes sophistication and elegance," the firm explains. These guys are no strangers to NYC spaces–they perfected a modern aesthetic in this West Village townhouse and this 400-square-foot Uptown apartment. Here, they worked with good apartment bones–high ceilings and natural light–to create a calm, simplified, modern space.
See more of the finished product
Morpholio’s New Journal App Is the Digital Sketchbook You Never Knew You Needed
August 4, 2015

Morpholio’s New Journal App Is the Digital Sketchbook You Never Knew You Needed

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Whether you carry around notebooks for sketching, journaling, or keeping a running grocery list, one thing is for certain; we'd be lost without these little pads of paper. They quickly become a part of our lives, holding ideas and thoughts, even if is just a reminder to buy toilet paper. Today The Morpholio Project, the innovative creators behind Mood Board and Crit, launches a brand new app to their suite: Journal. This free app for iPhones and iPads redefines the sketchbook as a catch-all for your photos, drawings, ideas, and thoughts. Think of it as your trusty notebook, but just way more intuitive. Now creatives of all mediums can write, draw, sketch, collage, paint, or color on anything, anywhere.
Sketch your way over here
First Look at Toll Brothers’ Chelsea Condo Designed by Morris Adjmi
August 3, 2015

First Look at Toll Brothers’ Chelsea Condo Designed by Morris Adjmi

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Here's our first glimpse at Toll Brothers' under-construction condominium rising at 55 West 17th Street in Chelsea. Morris Adjmi is the building's architect, which is not surprising given his track record crafting sensitive designs for the city's historical areas. The miniscule rendering displayed on the developer's website illustrates a quiet and dignified facade composed of large square-ish windows and soft gray cladding. The project's teaser site was recently launched, and marketing materials describe the 55-unit building as "distinctively modern, classically detailed condominiums in Chelsea."
More details here
Visser & Meijwaard’s Brilliant Furniture Zips Open and Closed
August 3, 2015

Visser & Meijwaard’s Brilliant Furniture Zips Open and Closed

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Dutch studio Visser & Meijwaard designed a series of furniture pieces that combine a sleek wooden base topped by plastic upholstery with YKK zippers. Easy to wash, bright and bold, the True Colors collection consists of stools, benches, and wardrobes inspired by traditional camping furniture that zip and unzip with the ease of a backpack or your favorite pair of jeans.
Learn more about the minimal colorful furniture
Dan Hisel’s Mirrored Cadyville Sauna Fuses the Forest, the Building, and the Body
August 2, 2015

Dan Hisel’s Mirrored Cadyville Sauna Fuses the Forest, the Building, and the Body

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The Cadyville Sauna is a small, wooden hut, located along the Saranac River in upstate New York, that dissolves into the surrounding forest via the reflection on its mirrored skin. While its boundaries look unclear, architect Dan Hisel's design not only blends with the environment, but lets something deeper and intangible arise. The sauna’s intense thermal conditions make a human body heat up and relax, while the wood absorbs sweat and hot air, causing the body, the building and the forest to become one.
Learn more about this mirrored woodland sauna
REVEALED: What the Development Replacing the Essex Street Market Could Look Like
July 31, 2015

REVEALED: What the Development Replacing the Essex Street Market Could Look Like

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Here's our first look at what the site of the storied Essex Street Market could hold. Known simply as "Site 9" in the Essex Crossing mega-development, the 12-story mixed-use development would contain market-rate condominiums and two levels of commercial space at its base. The design of the market-replacing building was penned by GF55 Partners who hope the brick, metal, and glass structure will "co-exist with the area’s visual clutter and loudness of the Williamsburg Bridge traffic." In the sole image provided, a distinguished  two-story base recalls the structural features of the nearby Williamsburg Bridge. According to their description, the commercial base is for a restaurant with various bars and dining areas.
More details ahead
Jack Craig Fixes a Smashed Table With a Caramelized Resin Top
July 31, 2015

Jack Craig Fixes a Smashed Table With a Caramelized Resin Top

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Detroit-based industrial designer Jack Craig crafted a curious table and stool that are all about the process. Made from smashed and reconstituted pinewood, the Broken Board Series 2 is sealed with caramelized resin. Its clear honey-hued top leaves the broken wooden ends exposed while creating some surprising visual effects when objects are placed on it.
Learn more about the piece here
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