Architecture And Design

The Morgan Library and Museum will unveil the recently restored exterior of the Morgan Library and the new Morgan Garden to the public this month. The six-year-long, $13 million project marks the first-ever comprehensive restoration of the historic 115-year-old library’s exterior. Designed by architect Charles Follen McKim for J.Pierpont Morgan, the library was completed in 1906 and later became a public institution. The project restores one of the nation's finest examples of Neoclassical architecture, enhances the surrounding grounds, improves the building's lighting, and enables public access to the grounds of the 36th street site for the first time ever.
Stroll the garden, this way

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Photo courtesy of Friends of the Lott House, Alyssa Loorya

June 2, 2022

Enjoy unlimited food and rich history at Brooklyn’s landmarked Lott House

Come enjoy unlimited dining from food trucks at the longest continually owned and occupied single-family home in New York City. Located in Marine Park, Brooklyn, the historic Hendrick I. Lott House is a rare surviving Dutch-American farmhouse situated on a parcel of land first purchased in 1719. The non-profit organization that preserves the grounds, Friends of the Lott House, this month will host "Taste the Neighborhood," a special ticketed event that includes unlimited food from local food trucks and encourages exploration of the historic site. The event will be held on June 12 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 1940 East 36th Street.
Details here

$1.6M upstate Dutch Colonial home is summer-ready with a saltwater pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman

June 1, 2022

$1.6M upstate Dutch Colonial home is summer-ready with a saltwater pool, pergola, and outdoor kitchen

Situated on over two acres in Orangetown, NY, the Sickles-Tallman House at 231 Sickletown Road, built in 1770, greets the 21st century as a red stone Dutch Colonial home. With amenities you'd expect in a contemporary mansion–a saltwater pool and jacuzzi, pergola, pool house, and outdoor kitchen, to name a few–this 3,300 square-foot, five-bedroom historic Rockland County homestead is asking $1,598,000.
Take a stroll around the grounds

Photo credit: MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

May 31, 2022

Manhattan’s oldest home, a 1795 East Village house built by the Stuyvesant family, asks $8.9M

Old house lovers will want to note this sale: Manhattan's oldest home, built in 1795 for Nicholas Stuyvesant, a great great grandson of city founder Peter Stuyvesant, is on the market for $8,900,000. The East Village townhouse at 44 Stuyvesant Street in the St. Marks Place Historic District has retained most of its original layout, according to Mansion Global. The 5,500-square-foot, 24-foot-wide home is the oldest building in Manhattan that has been used continuously as a single-family dwelling.
Discover the secrets of this historic East Village gem

See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

Photo courtesy of Alex Stein

May 26, 2022

See the new stucco sculpture by Jan Hooss on display in the Upper East Side’s tallest tower

World-renowned plaster artist Jan Hooss has installed a custom stucco art installation in the lobby of 180 East 88th Street, a new condo tower designed by Joe McMillan's DDG. Inspired by an architectural style widely used on the Upper East Side at the beginning of the 20th century, the art piece "fuses a rococo design with a whimsically modern aesthetic," according to a press release. The stucco sculpture sits above the vaulted lobby's fireplace, contrasting its flowing, water-like quality with the fire below.
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New exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features dozens of birdhouses made by artists and architects

Photo © Brooklyn Botanic Garden

May 23, 2022

New exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden features dozens of birdhouses made by artists and architects

An outdoor exhibition featuring dozens of artist-made birdhouses will open at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden next month. Debuting on June 11, "For the Birds" highlights the connection between birds, plants, and the importance of protecting plant ecosystems. The installation coincides with the release of "For the Birds: The Birdsong Project," a multi-album collection of original songs and readings inspired by birds compiled by music supervisor Randall Poster.
Get the details

The 92nd Street Y rebrands as 92NY and kicks off $200M redevelopment

All renderings courtesy of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP

May 11, 2022

The 92nd Street Y rebrands as 92NY and kicks off $200M redevelopment

A New York institution is getting a makeover---and a new name. The 92nd Street Y announced on Tuesday it has rebranded to 92nd Street Y, New York (with a nickname of 92NY), as part of a post-pandemic transformation that also involves a major revamp and new online programs. This month, a $200 million redevelopment of the organization's Upper East Side home at 1395 Lexington Avenue led by Beyer Blinder Belle will begin, starting with a renovation of its public performance space, a new dance center, and improvements to the gym.
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Photo: ©Jenna Bascom Photography

May 9, 2022

NYCxDESIGN 2022: What to see and do at New York City’s biggest celebration of design

Taking place in one of the world's most innovative design capitals, New York City's largest design festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. NYCxDESIGN: The Festival is a showcase of the newest and most creative offerings in furniture, lighting, textiles, and accessories–many of which you'll be seeing for the next several years in magazines, blogs, and showrooms–with festival attendees from points far and near converging on the city’s five boroughs from May 10–20. Design theory, urbanism, and big-picture issues like the environment and inequality inform brainy panel discussions and workshops. And if modern objects are your thing, you'll be in design heaven with popular programs like Apartment Therapy's Small / Cool providing a serious opportunity to get ideas for your own urban living space. Read on for a handful of highlights.
NYC X Design Festival 2022 highlights, this way

NYC gives billionaire Bill Ackman green light to build rooftop penthouse on Central Park West

All renderings designed by Foster+ Partners, courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

May 3, 2022

NYC gives billionaire Bill Ackman green light to build rooftop penthouse on Central Park West

Billionaire Bill Ackman is getting his Central Park-facing rooftop glass penthouse designed by Norman Foster after all. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from the hedge fund founder to build a glass penthouse addition on top of a 100-year-old Upper West Side co-op building where he owns an apartment. First presented last November as a two-level glass box on the roof of 6-16 West 77th Street, the approved proposal includes a scaled-down design and more muted materials.
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NYC finally launches containerized trash bin pilot

Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Wednesday unveiled a new containerized waste bin that the city will eventually deploy across all five boroughs in hopes of thwarting rats, making more room on the sidewalks, and improving the overall quality of life for residents. The new bins are part of the city's Clean Curbs Pilot program, which was announced two years ago. The first bins were installed in Times Square on Wednesday.
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$7.9M Village townhouse was the home of civil rights lawyer William Kunstler

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 19, 2022

$7.9M Village townhouse was the home of civil rights lawyer William Kunstler

This landmarked brick row house at 13 Gay Street in Greenwich Village was once the home and office of noted American civil rights attorneys William Kunstler and Margaret Ratner Kunstler. Best known for defending the Chicago Seven, William Kunstler's client roster included Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and the Attica prison rioters among many others. Now asking $7,900,000, the four-story single-family Greek Revival townhouse was built in 1844. Two garden floor spaces are zoned for live/work.
Village townhouse tour, this way

New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

Rendering of The Open Orchard project site on Governors Island in full bloom; courtesy of Sam Van Aken

April 11, 2022

New public orchard on Governors Island grows fruit not found in NYC for centuries

An orchard with trees containing fruit varieties native to the New York City region will open to the public this month on Governors Island. Created by artist Sam Van Aken, the artwork, The Open Orchard, consists of 102 trees bearing fruits grown in the state within the past 400 years but which have gone extinct due to climate change and industrialization. The orchard will serve as a gene bank for rare fruit species that can no longer be found naturally here, allowing New Yorkers to taste fruit that has not existed for hundreds of years, while also preserving them for future generations. The Open Orchard will officially open on Arbor Day, April 29, the Trust for Governors Island announced on Monday.
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NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

All images courtesy of Daniel Avila / NYC Parks

April 8, 2022

NYC celebrates Frederick Law Olmsted’s bicentennial birthday with a month of parks programs

Throughout April, the city's parks will celebrate the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect whose visionary work on Central Park, Prospect Park, and many other public parks helped influence the future of urban green space design. The Parks Department will be teaching New Yorkers about Olmsted's influence on urban design with an exhibition at the Arsenal Gallery, tours led by the Urban Park Rangers, and much more.
See more here

Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M

All images courtesy of Related Companies

April 7, 2022

Sales launch at Robert A.M. Stern’s waterfront Chelsea condo, two-bedrooms priced from $4M

Related Companies on Thursday launched sales at The Cortland, a new 25-story waterfront luxury condo designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) with interiors from Olson Kundig. Located at 555 West 22nd Street in Chelsea, the tower offers residents views of the Hudson River and almost 20,000 square feet of amenity space. While exact pricing for all 144 loft-like residences has not been released yet, a spokesperson for the project said two-bedrooms start at just above $4 million and over $21 million for four bedrooms.
See inside

Jane’s Walk returns to NYC with in-person tours and focus on four Harlem historic districts

Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

April 5, 2022

Jane’s Walk returns to NYC with in-person tours and focus on four Harlem historic districts

For the first time since 2019, Jane's Walk NYC will offer in-person tours next month. Presented by the Municipal Art Society of New York, Jane's Walk is a three-day festival of free guided walking tours through iconic New York City neighborhoods. This year, the volunteer-led event, which runs May 6-8, includes walks through four historic districts in Harlem: the Mount Morris Park Historic District, the Central Harlem Historic District, Striver's Row, and the Dorrance Brooks Historic District, designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission last June.
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April 1, 2022

NYC’s Museum of Chinese in America unveils new $118M building designed by Maya Lin

The Museum of Chinese in America on Friday unveiled plans for a new headquarters designed by renowned architect Maya Lin. The new nine-story museum, to rise on the site of MOCA's current Centre Street location in Chinatown, will expand its current footprint from 12,000 square feet to about 68,000 square feet. Lin's design involves a puzzle-like exterior made of metal and perforated panels, a two-story lecture hall, a light-filled atrium, community space, and exhibitions dedicated to the history of the Chinese diaspora in the U.S. As Bloomberg first reported, the new museum will cost $118 million and is expected to open in 2025.
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Architecture And Design

Asking $33M, the tallest penthouse on the UES has dramatic archways and three levels of terraces

All images courtesy of March Made for DDG

March 31, 2022

Asking $33M, the tallest penthouse on the UES has dramatic archways and three levels of terraces

Here's a chance to own the highest residence in the tallest residential tower on the Upper East Side. Situated at the pinnacle of DDG's condominium at 180 East 88th Street, this duplex penthouse boasts over 5,500 square feet of interior space. Now on the market for $33,000,000, the five-bedroom penthouse flaunts soaring ceiling heights, a sculptural spiral staircase, and an incredible 3,500 square feet of private outdoor space spread across three levels.
See inside

March 29, 2022

Museum of Natural History’s new Studio Gang-designed science center to open next winter

After years of delays due to legal action, the American Museum of Natural History's Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation has an official opening date. The museum on Monday announced the Gilder Center, a 230,000 square foot architectural wonder designed by Jeanne Gang's Studio Gang, will open to the public next winter. The new center will improve circulation in the museum and help fulfill a 150-year-old vision of creating a continuous campus across four city blocks. It will also provide space for new galleries, educational programs, an expanded library, and a theater.
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March 28, 2022

Lever Club will bring a new dining and lounge option to Lever House tenants after renovation

In January, 6sqft reported the $100 million renovation of the landmarked Midtown Lever House skyscraper, led by the building's original architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), had begun. On Monday it was announced the redeveloped Manhattan icon will be home to Lever Club, an exclusive restaurant and lounge for tenants. The new venue will span the building's entire third floor and have 15,000 square feet of outdoor terrace space.
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20 mixed-income units available at ODA’s new Lower East Side rental, from $677/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

March 25, 2022

20 mixed-income units available at ODA’s new Lower East Side rental, from $677/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 20 mixed-income units at a new rental on the Lower East Side designed by notable local architects ODA Architecture. Developed by Nexus Building Development Group, the 16-story mid-rise at 171 Chrystie Street features an intricate geometric design and a prime lower Manhattan location. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $24,789 for a single person and $108,680 for a household of five, are eligible to apply for the apartments, which range from $677/month studios to $2,689/month one-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

This $7.5M historic townhouse is a well-preserved piece of 19th-century West Village

Photo credit: Empire Optix for Sotheby’s International Realty

March 23, 2022

This $7.5M historic townhouse is a well-preserved piece of 19th-century West Village

It would be difficult to pass by the landmarked townhouses of Grove Street and not take notice of this perfectly-preserved snapshot of life in the West Village of the 1800s. Asking $7,500,000, 4 Grove Street is one of four featured on a "Landmarks of New York" plaque that immortalizes these Greek Revival homes built between 1825 and 1834. The 2,200-square-foot, three-story brick townhouse has retained its 19th-century architecture, with arched entryways, exposed brick, and wood beams. Within is the highest level of timeless comfort in the form of renovated marble bathrooms, a greenhouse, a private outdoor garden, wood-burning fireplaces–and a wine cellar built into an underground street tunnel from the same era as this unusual home.
Tour this home filled with history

NYC architects reimagine the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Morningside Heights campus

All renderings courtesy of Michael Moran

March 17, 2022

NYC architects reimagine the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Morningside Heights campus

The Jewish Theological Seminary on Thursday released images of its newly redesigned campus in Morningside Heights. The campus was redesigned by the award-winning Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects who have reimagined it with the community-focused form of Judaism that JTS teaches and practices through new open, outward-facing architecture.
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New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

All images courtesy of The New York Public Library

March 17, 2022

New York City’s first net-zero energy library opens on Staten Island

The New York Public Library on Wednesday opened its 14th branch on Staten Island and the first net-zero energy library in New York City. Located in the Bricktown Commons shopping center on the South Shore in Charleston, the $17 million, 10,000-square-foot building was designed by Ikon 5 Architects to be energy efficient, with solar panels providing nearly 100 percent of the energy the building will use. Managed by the city's Economic Development Corporation with the Gilbane Building Company, the new branch offers patrons a variety of amenities, including dedicated spaces for adults, teens, and children and flexible multi-purpose rooms for programs and classes.
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Renovated historic Brooklyn mansion with a 1,200-square-foot ballroom is back on the market for $13M

Photo credit: Alan Barry

March 15, 2022

Renovated historic Brooklyn mansion with a 1,200-square-foot ballroom is back on the market for $13M