Architecture And Design

Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion Getting the LED Light Treatment

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

March 10, 2015

Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion Getting the LED Light Treatment

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Last Friday, we journeyed to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for the Panorama Challenge at the Queens Museum. When the evening of trivia was over, we walked out into the park to find the Unisphere and the Museum, both World's Fair relics, glowing. But in the distance, Philip Johnson's iconic New York State Pavilion was barely visible. That's about to change, though, as electricians and preservationists have been testing new ways to illuminate the "modern ruin" for the first time in decades, according to the Daily News. The update comes thanks to a wave of public support to restore the icon, as well as a renewed interest in its architectural merit and the history of the 1964-65 World's Fair. As we wrote over the summer, the pavilion's restoration task force secured $5.8 million for repairs, $4.2 million of which came from Mayor de Blasio. Now, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz has pledged to get the site illuminated by the end of the year. "We will restore this national treasure into a visible icon befitting 'The World's Borough' for generations of families and visitors to enjoy," she said.
More details on the lighting project
$3M Hamptons Home Was Designed by Robert A.M. Stern in an Unorthodox Shingle Style
March 8, 2015

$3M Hamptons Home Was Designed by Robert A.M. Stern in an Unorthodox Shingle Style

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Starchitect Robert A.M. Stern certainly made headlines last week, with floorplans for two of his supertall billionaire's row towers coming to light (520 Park Avenue and 220 Central Park South). And it's these type of ground- and record-breaking urban projects that we've come to associate with the architect, who favors stately and classic buildings over the zig-zagging glass towers of his peers. But long before the days of 15 Central Park West, Stern was beginning his architecture career with much humbler projects, like this Hamptons home, an unorthodox take on the shingle style that he completed just a few years after architecture school. The 3,000-square-foot, postmodern vacation house is on the market for $2.95 million, offering architecture buffs the chance to own a piece of history.
Take a tour around the Stern-designed residence here
REVEALED: Massive Mixed-Use Development at Red Hook’s Revere Sugar Factory Site
March 6, 2015

REVEALED: Massive Mixed-Use Development at Red Hook’s Revere Sugar Factory Site

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The housing-design experts at Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) have hashed out a feasibility study to redevelop the Revere Sugar Factory site in Red Hook with a 1.7 million-square-foot development to include more than 900 apartments, 250,000 square feet of retail, and 400,000 square feet of parking. The six-acre site at 280 Richards Street is owned by the Joesph Sitt-led, Thor Equities, who purchased the parcel back in 2005 to the tune of $40 million, according to the New York Observer. The vacant parcel juts out 700 feet into the Erie Basin, and sits between the Ikea parking lot and the Red Hook Stores building home to Fairway Supermarket (and Michelle Williams, of course). Though MAP's rendering date back to 2007, they have yet to be publicized, and we have the first look here.
More information on the project here
REVEALED: Asking Prices, Floorplans for 520 Park Avenue, the Next Billionaire’s Row Blockbuster
March 5, 2015

REVEALED: Asking Prices, Floorplans for 520 Park Avenue, the Next Billionaire’s Row Blockbuster

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Developers of 520 Park Avenue have revealed apartment prices for all units in the building, which is poised to become one of the city’s most expensive condominium towers and include a $130 million penthouse. The building, which will rise in the high-priced corridor flanking Central Park that has been dubbed “Billionaire’s Row,” is expected to gross $1.2 billion in apartment sales, according to initial offering prices detailed in documents filed with the Attorney General’s office. The $1.2 billion in total sales—which will make the building one of the most expensive in Manhattan history—is all the more impressive considering that current plans call for only 31 units, most of which will be full-floor residences.
Click here for full pricing information and floor plans
220 Central Park South Penthouse Could Set a New Record with $175 Million Price Tag
March 5, 2015

220 Central Park South Penthouse Could Set a New Record with $175 Million Price Tag

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It's a good day for Robert A.M. Stern, whose buildings seem to be bringing billionaires to their knees. The Real Deal has just caught wind of the offering plan for Stern's 220 Central Park South tower being developed by Vornado. According to the papers filed with the Attorney General and sources close to the development, the penthouse may ask $150 million to $175 million, bringing the building's total sellout to a staggering $2.4 billion. The $175 million price tag would by far blow the Sony Building's $150 million penthouse out of the water, and most certainly One57's record $100 million sale which currently holds the title for the most expensive unit ever sold in the city.
Find out more here, plus floor plans!
Gluck+’s Adirondacks Lake House Is Partially Buried Under a Luscious Rooftop Garden
March 5, 2015

Gluck+’s Adirondacks Lake House Is Partially Buried Under a Luscious Rooftop Garden

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Simply called the Lake House, this unique, hidden getaway by NYC-based Gluck+ is completely immersed in the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. Designed for leaving the stress of urban life behind, it consists of a collection of buildings, each with its own purpose and style. Right at the top of the hill there is the Gatehouse Garage with its wooden skin, there are two smaller prefab Guesthouses within the woods, a big modern Family House and a wooden Boathouse on the lake's shore. But the most striking building of all is quite difficult to spot; the Recreation Building is concealed under its grassy green roof, sheltering an indoor swimming pool and art gallery.
Learn more about this green-roofed collection of guesthouses
‘Built by Women NYC’ Showcases the Work of Female Architects and Engineers

Fulton Center, one of the many female-led projects at the exhibit

March 4, 2015

‘Built by Women NYC’ Showcases the Work of Female Architects and Engineers

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To mark Women's History Month, a new exhibit at the Center for Architecture will showcase the work of more than 100 female architects, landscape architects, and engineers across the five boroughs. Built by Women New York City (BxW NYC) is a project of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, which started accepting nominations for outstanding female-led design last fall and received 350 submissions. Among the 98 sites celebrated at the show are the Pepsi Cola Corporate Headquarters on Park Avenue, designed in the 1960s by Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; the new Fulton Center, the work of more than two dozen women; and the High Line, another collaborative effort of many females.
More on the exhibit
RES4’s Beautiful Mountain Retreat Sits on Stilts for Privileged Views of the Catskills
March 3, 2015

RES4’s Beautiful Mountain Retreat Sits on Stilts for Privileged Views of the Catskills

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The owners of this beautiful woodland dwelling have swapped the hustle and bustle of NYC for the sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains. Designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture, the Mountain Retreat was carefully crafted into its unique surroundings, partially resting on high concrete stilts to get the best views of the landscape. Combining warm cedar siding with cool gray concrete panels and glass, the stylish property takes full advantage of its picturesque mountain setting.
Learn more about this Catskill retreat on stilts
Upstate Greek Revival Beauty Dating to the 1700s Can Be Yours for under $500K
March 2, 2015

Upstate Greek Revival Beauty Dating to the 1700s Can Be Yours for under $500K

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Want an historic home to call your own, but don't feel like paying $17 million for a West Village townhouse or $5 million for a Hamptons estate? Take your dreams a bit north to Queensbury, New York, where there's a completely charming Greek Revival home on the market for $479,000. Known as the Nehemiah Wing House, the five-bedroom residence can trace it roots to the 1700s, when the clapboard rear of the current house was built. The brick addition was constructed in 1852 after then owner Nehemiah Wing, whose grandfather founded the town, was successful in the Gold Rush. The current owners purchased the property in 1978 for a mere $49,000, and since then they have restored it to a picture-perfect Early American dream home.
Find out more about this historic charmer
You’ll Love This $1.2M Triplex as Much as This Painting Does
March 2, 2015

You’ll Love This $1.2M Triplex as Much as This Painting Does

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There’s a reason the kid in this painting is smiling with arms wide open, and it’s because he’s welcoming you into the coolest pad in the Upper East Side Historic District. This two-bedroom triplex at 18 East 63rd Street sold for just $497,000 in 2011. But after an extensive renovation, it’s back on the market with all the right bells and whistles, asking $1.15 million.
More cartoony fun inside
Revealed: AB Architekten’s 29 Clay Street to Bring Manhattan Modernism to Greenpoint
February 27, 2015

Revealed: AB Architekten’s 29 Clay Street to Bring Manhattan Modernism to Greenpoint

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A proposed 12-story residential building near the mouth of Newtown Creek in Greenpoint may bring some avante-garde design to a neighborhood better known for its low-slung factories, unpretentious row-houses, hearty Polish community, and an immense wastewater treatment plant. Coming from the office of AB Architekten, led by Alexander Blakely, a 70,000-square-foot proposal at 19-29 Clay Street is envisioned to rise directly across from the long-promised Box Street Park, and it may be the first of a multitude of high-rises set to radically transform the neighborhood's waterfront.
More information on the proposed project
Phase I of the Second Avenue Subway Now 78.7 Percent Complete–and Still on Track

Image: MTA Capital Construction / Rehema Trimiew

February 26, 2015

Phase I of the Second Avenue Subway Now 78.7 Percent Complete–and Still on Track

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It seems to be taking forever for the Second Avenue Subway (SAS) to be finished, but alas, never say never. Yesterday evening, community members and MTA Capital Construction officials gathered at Temple Israel for the SAS eighth quarterly workshop to discuss the line's construction updates, future plans and to take any comments or concerns from citizens. In his opening statement, MTA Capital Construction President Dr. Michael Horodniceanu reported that Phase I is now 78.7 percent complete (as of February 1, 2015). The number seemed to please many, but in light of the MTA's budget crisis, the top question on everyone's mind was still: "Is this thing on schedule to be completed in December 2016?" Dr. Horodniceanu reassured everyone, "We've been having these workshops for four years, and the date has stayed the same."
the next stop will be...
Live in a Haunted, Grey Gardens-esque Staten Island Mansion for $2M
February 26, 2015

Live in a Haunted, Grey Gardens-esque Staten Island Mansion for $2M

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For many New Yorkers, living on Staten Island is scary enough (just kidding!), but for those looking for an extra thrill, a historic, landmarked haunted mansion just hit the market for $2.31 million. The 7,700-square-foot, 10-bedroom Italianate villa-style home is located at 2475 Richmond Road in Egbertville and is known as the Gustav Mayer House for its original owner, an inventor who created the recipe for Nabisco's Nilla Wafers. Built in 1885, the house served as a Grey Gardens-esque residence for Mayer's two daughters, who stayed sequestered inside until their 100th birthdays. It's said that their ghosts still roam the hallways, along with the presence of their father, according to the Post.
Get the full story here
$9,850/Month Enchanting Greenwich Village Rental Comes with a ‘Juliet’-Inspired Balcony
February 26, 2015

$9,850/Month Enchanting Greenwich Village Rental Comes with a ‘Juliet’-Inspired Balcony

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Although the original architectural details in this floor-through townhouse pad postdate Shakespeare’s classic tome about star-crossed lovers by about 300 years, they offer the perfect setting for a different kind of romance, because this one-bedroom rental at 4 West 9th Street in the Village is easy to fall in love with.
See more of why you'll fall in love
Spectacular ‘Working Girl’ Townhouse on Star-Studded West Village Street Sells for $17 Million
February 25, 2015

Spectacular ‘Working Girl’ Townhouse on Star-Studded West Village Street Sells for $17 Million

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The West Village home that's captured the hearts of film buffs, film makers, preservationists, pinners, real estate oglers—need we go on?—across the globe has just sold for a sweet $17 million, according to city records filed today. Although it was previously reported that the home needed work, buyers were certainly not deterred. A bow-fronted facade, dramatic staircase, 40-foot garden, and spectacular storied details surely kept the bidding war going strong for this 66 Morton Street beauty which was originally listed for just $13 million last October.
have a look inside this way
Renderings Revealed for West Village’s New Triangular Park That Will Feature AIDS Memorial

Park renderings via Hayes Davidson

February 25, 2015

Renderings Revealed for West Village’s New Triangular Park That Will Feature AIDS Memorial

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In 2011, Rudin Management inked a controversial deal to convert part of St. Vincent's Hospital into luxury condos, now known as The Greenwich Lane. Part of the deal was that the developer would build a public park on an adjacent piece of triangular land that would include the city's first major AIDS memorial, a feature that garnered tons of press thanks to a much-talked-about design competition. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that Rudin has broken ground on the new 16,000-square-foot West Village green space, located on Seventh Avenue between Greenwich Avenue and West 12th Street. And along with this news comes renderings from M. Paul Friedberg & Partners, the architecture firm that designed the Greenwich Lane and is also designing the park, which show winding walkways, curving benches, plenty of trees, play areas, a lawn, and water jets.
More details ahead
Old-World Victorian Home in Ditmas Park Lists for $2.3M
February 25, 2015

Old-World Victorian Home in Ditmas Park Lists for $2.3M

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Let’s take a trip to the quiet, tree-lined streets of Victorian Flatbush where a 111-year-old home in the Fiske Terrace-Midwood Park landmarked historic district awaits, asking $2.275 million. This quarter-acre lot is large enough for a pool and a guesthouse or your own little secret garden. And while the curb appeal sets the bar high, the inside takes it to a new level, blending old-world charm with modern updates.
More pics inside
Gluck+’s Bridge House: Three Centuries of Rural American Architecture in One Interconnected Home
February 24, 2015

Gluck+’s Bridge House: Three Centuries of Rural American Architecture in One Interconnected Home

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Bridge House by Gluck+ rethinks the typical country retreat, which is oftentimes just a nondescript, run-of-the-mill house built in a remote area. Located in the hamlet of Olivebridge, this unusual design combines three centuries of American country architecture in one home. Its unique assemblage consists of various volumes, each with a different style and material, joined by long and lean bridges, a gesture from which the home gets its name.
Learn more about this interconnected woodland retreat
Film Critic Jonathan Baumbach Sells Prospect Park South Victorian for $1.8M
February 24, 2015

Film Critic Jonathan Baumbach Sells Prospect Park South Victorian for $1.8M

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Film critic and novelist Jonathan Baumbach (you may know his son, film maker Noah Baumbach, or his first wife, Village Voice critic Georgia Brown) and his wife have sold their historic Prospect Park South Victorian home for $1.8 million, according to city records released today. Built in 1901, the five-bedroom property originally hit the market back in September 2014 for $2.27 million, but decreased its price twice in just five short months.
Take a look around this classic Victorian
RES4’s Modern Prefab Home Beautifully Combines Wood and Stone in the Catskills
February 23, 2015

RES4’s Modern Prefab Home Beautifully Combines Wood and Stone in the Catskills

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With a monolithic entrance wall sandwiched between two contrasting wooden volumes, this home makes a bold statement in the Catskills region of New York. Designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture and called Catskills Suburban, the dwelling is one of more than 30 prefab "Modern Modular" homes under the studio's belt. A contemporary factory-built house, its design and building method minimize costs while maximizing time and money.
Learn more about this striking prefab design
First Look at the Amenities in Queens’ Tallest Residential Skyscraper 28 on 28th
February 23, 2015

First Look at the Amenities in Queens’ Tallest Residential Skyscraper 28 on 28th

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In December we broke the news that 42-12 28th Street, known as 28 on 28th, in Long Island City would top out at 58 stories and 648 feet. Now, Goldstein, Hill & West's (GHWA) affiliated interior design firm, Whitehall Interiors NYC, has given us our first look at the amenities of Heatherwood Communities' upcoming rental tower. The perks include a swimming pool and attended parking garage–and they also give us a glimpse of how the units themselves may be designed. The construction site already has steel re-bar poking up above street-level, meaning the tower will soon race skyward, eventually taking its place as the tallest residential skyscraper in New York City outside of Manhattan.
Check out the renderings here
Interior Renderings Revealed for Jean Nouvel’s MoMA Tower

Interior rendering via Hayes Davidson

February 23, 2015

Interior Renderings Revealed for Jean Nouvel’s MoMA Tower

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The last time we got any insider knowledge about Jean Nouvel's MoMA Tower, known officially as 53W53, was back in September when the penthouse floor plans of the 82-story, 1,050-foot building were revealed. Now it's gotten even better with actual interior renderings surfacing courtesy of the New York Times. The rendering is accompanied by a full-scale unit model of a $10 million, two-bedroom, 32nd-floor apartment planned for the tower. Set in a Sunset Park warehouse, the mock up shows how the building's well-known zig-zag façade pattern (the "diagrid") will translate inside, which leads to tilting windows and slanted columns. These unusual architectural features will inform the interior designs of Thierry W. Despont, who has been tapped to craft the 140 condo interiors.
More details ahead
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